Friday, March 19, 2010

I just bought my cap and gown...gulp!

Well, today is a great end to the week. I am officially re-certified as an ACLS (advanced cardiac life support) provider, I completed my comprehensive exam for my three-year, advanced degree in nursing education (although the best will be when I hear back whether I have passed all of the 5 parts, then the true relief comes), and the weather has been beautiful since our return from Mexico. To top it all off: I bought my cap, gown and cape thing for my May 7th graduation. It should arrive in the mail in one week, I hope I measured my head correctly and when it asked for my chest size I went with the bra size... they make those things big right? I also decided to purchase a nursing pin from MSU, since I have already lost my UDM (undergrad) pin I hope to take better care with this one. We don't have a pinning ceremony for this degree, but I think it represents my education.
Now I just have to make it through a project and a health policy paper on Obama's new healthcare bill. Sounds simple enough.
I am finished teaching clinical for my graduate degree, now I have to move into the role of the teacher. I am looking forward to this, the next question I usually get is: "now what are you going to do?" So, why don't I just fill you in on my plan today, March 19th, 2010 (subject to change in the next 53 days):
there are posted openings through Ferris State University and GRCC that I hope to submit my resume or CV for, I also have a personal referral from Sister Linda (my undergrad teacher and my preceptor from last semester) to apply for the med-surg professor opening at UDM in Grand Rapids. I have some reservations related to this position. UDM is moving towards requiring all full-time professors to enroll in a PhD program. I do not desire a doctorate degree (at this time) nor a full-time position as I want to keep my part-time job in the hospital, and I have another reservation that I am choosing not to write about. I am almost certain I will submit my resume to all three options and see what turns up for choices and where I can start as soon as possible so I can start bringing in some dinero. I have butterflies thinking about running a clinical solo or standing in front of a classroom teaching students, actually teaching them. gulp.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Bucket List

what's on your bucket lists? I caught a show on MTV this weekend called "The Buried Life" about 4 guys who made a list of the 100 things they want to do before they die and they are doing them. Along the way they are involving regular people and asking what they want to do before they die then helping them accomplish it. For example, the show I watched, they wanted to party at the Playboy mansion (they snuck in, it was funny and only 2 of them got in) and they raised money (by playing music and performing on the street) to buy a computer for a local elementary school, because that's what the guy they stopped and asked wanted to do before he died. It was a good show, and got me thinking. I suppose I'd like to do some skydiving, see the Grand Canyon, buy a house in Ireland, be a parent, make a difference in someone's life....
What about you?