I finally did it!

I have been talking about applying to graduate school for the past few years.   I have been an RN for 15 years and have been looking for a career change.  Besides,  the health "episode" I had in October pretty much left me with no job. 

Even when I graduated from nursing school, I knew that I would want to go on for a graduate degree at some point.    I did not do this right away, because the day I graduated from nursing school I was 8 weeks pregnant with Savannah.   Madison followed 21 months later and Paige...just 9 days short of a year after that.   I was too busy to even THINK about graduate school.

I am a pretty indecisive person.   And this past week, I had to make some BIG decisions.   Like where I was going to apply and what degree I wanted to obtain.  I decided to go for a Family Nurse Practitioner degree at UND.  And I had to have a back up plan.   I spoke with another Nurse I know this week, who applied to the Family Nurse Practitioner program at UND last year.   I was surprised to find out that last year there were 120 applications for 7 spots.  I was surprised to hear that there were only 7 spots.   I was informed that when people don't get into the FNP program, they apply to one of the other specialties and then transfer over...which leaves little spots for new applicants.   

OK, so here's where I had my trouble.   Should I look at programs elsewhere?   Should I apply for both the FNP program AND my 2nd choice of specialties?   Programs elsewhere were more expensive and required some travel to campus (UND also requires travel to campus but it's only 2 hours and I have family that lives there).   Should I scrap the FNP program all together and go for what I would LOVE to do ...which is become a Nurse Midwife.    OK, this just isn't realistic.   The schools for this are pretty far away and also require travel.  Besides, there isn't a job market for Midwives here. ( I already asked my husband if we could move).    He said no. 

For an indecisive person, I had a lot of decisions to make.

I am proud of myself, for at least taking the steps needed.   I applied to both the FNP program and the Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner program at UND.   They will be setting up interviews for February.   I don't plan to hear if I have been admitted until April.