In May 2014 I graduated from my undergraduate nursing program and became Natalie, BSN, RN.
BSN= Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing
RN=Registered Nurse
Six years later, in May 2020, I graduated from my Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) program and became Natalie, MSN, APRN, PNP. Lots of letters! (LOL!)
MSN= Master’s of Science in Nursing
APRN= Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
PNP= Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Here is my brief nursing journey:
· 2009: Graduated high school
· 2010: Applied to nursing programs after finishing my nursing prerequisite classes at a community college (yup! You read that right- a CC! That is a story for another post)
· 2011: Accepted into a nursing program! I transferred to a university to begin a 3 year, 6 semester program.
· 2014: Graduated! Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing, Registered Nurse
· 2014-2018: PICU nurse, travel nurse, critical care float pool nurse, other fun life things (all of these have stories and lessons for another post!)
· Late 2017: Applied to grad school- PNP
· Early 2018: Interviewed for grad school & got accepted!
· Late 2018: Started graduate program
· May 2020: Graduated, again! Master’s of Science in Nursing, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Primary Care
August 2020: PNP certification passed!
October 2020: Started my first PNP job
The picture above is me with my personalized graduation cap at age 23 on the left before my nursing school graduation, and age 29 on the right, during my PNP graduation.
From high school graduation in 2009 to today in 2020, life has been one wild ride! The time passed in a blink of eye. I remember when the girl on the left of the above picture couldn’t WAIT until she was the women on the right.
What most people don’t see when they read my nursing journey, is all the hard work, late nights, tears, and dedication. There were labs, dissections, exams, research papers, study groups, lectures, clinicals, graduations, chest compressions, first deaths, first mistakes, new friends, mentors, favorite patients, least favorite patients, long nights, early mornings, extra shifts, new hospitals, more clinicals, laughter, tears, studying, stressing, A GLOBAL PANDEMIC and finally, a quartentined graduation!
The community I made along the way and the kiddos I got to meet and care for through it all, made the crazy, wild journey worthwhile.
But as one chapter ends, a new one begins!
Here’s to looking back on all we have accomplished and looking forward, ready to take on a new adventure! I am proud of what I have done to get here, but ready to keep learning! And more importantly, to keep helping those who want to be where I am.
So, if you’re reading this and you’re in high school student wanting to be a nurse or nurse practitioner, or a college freshman working on your nursing prereq classes, or an experienced nurse wanting to go back to school- I am here to help and also to tell you, YOU CAN DO IT!
My goal for this blog is to help encourage and inspire- because there was a time when I was in your position and wanted help getting to where I am today too.
XO,
Nurse Nat, PNP
PNP and FNP students and new grad NPs LOVE my cheat sheets! Check them out here
New Grad PNP wondering what to do after graduation?! Here are some of my favorite resources that I have used as a new grad PNP to create a resume that stands out and to find my first PNP job!
The Dream Job Road Map for New Nurse Practitioners: Learn every step you need to take from commencement to contract, to land your dream job as a nurse practitioner! Click here to see if there is a program happening now or get on the wait list for the next one!
Weekend Resume Course: This course helped me organize ALL my credentials and experience from the past 6 years of nursing and grad school and create the most organized, professional resume I have ever seen! It also gave me the tools to keep my RN and NP licenses/certifications/work experience etc organized for years to come. And this was all over just one weekend! Click here to see my Insta highlight of my experience with this course. And then sign up here!
The Nurse Resume Template Bundle: Stand out with these resume templates for the modern medical professional. NP, RN, Travel nurse templates included!
Helping new grad PNPs is my passion because I have been there & wished I had this same guidance! By clicking my affiliate links to The Resume Rx courses and products above and buying any course or product you are helping me earn commission to pay for this site and my time/effort that goes towards creating helpful posts on my Blog and Instagram! Thanks~ XO Nurse Nat.