So I am now officially an unemployed graduate student. Hooray for living off of loans (which, incidentally, are STILL yet to come from financial aid. I have a sinking suspicion this is going to be an ongoing saga). I wrapped up my final project at work last week and was handed my final paycheck. That chapter is officially closed - I even left the job on my Facebook profile! For those not in-the-know, you haven’t really done something until you’ve announced it on Facebook.
Last night Mom threw a going-away party for my sister and I (sister leaves for grad school in the Bay Area in August, which she also put off for a year to take care of our father). 50+ friends and relatives crowded into the house to eat burgers, drink beer and give us fun presents. And I wasn’t even expecting presents! We received some nice housewarming items, not to mention gift cards that I promptly spent this morning on a spice rack, tea kettle and various bed/bath knick knacks. Minus a few small appliances and some living room furniture, I am pretty much sorted for my new little apartment.
Boyfriend leaves Wednesday for his first of two business trips in one week, so we are feverishly trying to squeeze in as much quality time as possible. Otherwise I’m spending time packing, organizing and brushing up on Anatomy & Physiology. T-minus 9 days!
I took the plunge and ordered my scrubs, lab coat, shoes and nursing supplies last night. They will be shipped to my new apartment and probably beat me there, but I didn’t want to take any chances. All that’s left are finishing up “work”, reviewing Anatomy and Pathophysiology so I don’t look like a bumbling idiot in Clinical Skills lab since I’ve been out of school for 7 months, and finish packing.
Oh yeah, and apply for loans. Financial Aid assures me that my package was supposed to be finished Monday and in my grubby little hands this very week. According to my fellow classmates, the loans offered through the school seem to be enough to get them through this year. Here’s hoping!
I am inching ever closer to D-day: July 16th, when I pack up and roll on out. Today was my last day of “real” work. For the past several months, I have held an interim administrative position at a free medical/dental clinic and social services organization.
Our agency is closed all next week for some renovations so I said a lot of good-byes today. I’ll still be coming back and forth to our annex building next week to wrap up one last projects and do busy work for different department heads, so that I can pull in a full final paycheck. So I’m not officially outta here until July 3rd. But today feels very final. They had a “happy trails” potluck yesterday and we’re all going out to happy hour when we close at 4 today.
It has been a roller coaster, to say the least. But I have learned A LOT about leadership, about working with very different personalities and about navigating the health care/service system. And the organization was ever-so-supportive last fall when I was taking care of my dad. So all in all, I have to put it in the “good experience” column (although I could tell you some stories that would make you cringe).
So as this site extends into the nursing blogosphere, I am getting some very interesting and helpful comments and e-mails. Keep ‘em coming, especially as I actually dive into this adventure. I’m sure we’ll have lots of crazy/funny/horror stories to share with one another.
And I also have a great deal to share with my loyal readers. Healthy Legs, a website developed by two former respiratory therapists who know what it means to be on your feet all day, has offered 15% off on all orders referred by yours truly. Buy your 15-20mmHg compression hose (in layman’s terms, God’s gift to nurses) through their website and get a sweet discount. Just use coupon code “nurseteeny” when you check out.
Went to a Life Uniform store today and tried on scrubs, lab coats, and nursing shoes so I knew what sizes to order online when (if?) my loan money ever comes through. My program has extremely specific uniform requirements, from the length of the lab coat to the specific designer, style and color of the scrubs. Purple anyone?
I am also doing research online to find deals on a stethoscope (adult AND pediatric), anaeroid BP cuff, hemostat, bandage scissors and penlights. Not to mention some serious compression hose for all those hours on our feet. If any readers have tips, myself and my wallet appreciate it greatly.
It was actually very exciting to walk out of that fitting room, decked head to toe in nursing duds. Brings me one step closer to getting started! And as boyfriend so helpfully pointed out (after calling me “Barney” thanks to the color of my get-up), I get to wear pajamas three days a week. What could be better?
So my school contacted me today… Apparently there is some confusion about what to call me. Legally I still have my married name until my divorce becomes final (September 22 - count ‘em!) but I had requested that I go by my maiden name in the program so I don’t have to go through the whole rigamarole of changing my name, student ID, and e-mail in the middle of the school year. Originally the Registrar’s office had told me that they couldn’t do anything until I brought in documentation that the legal change had been made. But apparently my records suddenly reflect my maiden name, so that is what the nursing school is going by. Sweet.
The only catch is that since one of our first clinicals will at VA hospital, they may require my paperwork to reflect my “real” legal name since it’s part of the federal government and all. They’re trying to sort that out presently. What a mess this divorce is making! But as my nursing program coordinator very aptly (and kindly) pointed out, what divorce isn’t messy? All I know is, it will take A LOT of time and soul-searching for me to ever change my name again. Maybe when I have kids?
In other news, still no word from Financial Aid. C’mon people, I’ve got scrubs to purchase! But the school did allow me to set up an informal listserv and invite my future classmates to join so that we can start getting e-acquainted. So far about half of us have signed up. I feel like this is a positive step and people seem very excited about the idea.
My orientation packet came in the mail Tuesday. Hip hip hooray!
Or not.
Suddenly I have a lot to do (and a lot of money to spend)! The packet included information about purchasing scrubs, supplies and textbooks. I began to feel very nauseous when I saw what it would cost me.
Not to mention the paperwork that needs to be completed and mailed back ASAP, and business that has to get taken care of:
Student nurse association application and dues
Documentation of CPR certification - thank God I did this at work in April!
Immunization Records (despite having had two TB tests in less than a year, I have to have another one. Apparently your most recent test has to be within 3 months of entering the program.)
VA Hospital Federal “Employee” Forms
Drug test (after I move)
$82 for my skills lab kit (which doesn’t include any actual supplies such as stethoscopes, scissors, pen lights, etc.)
Uniform orders
The worst part of it all was that the packet included nothing.zero.zilch about my upcoming schedule. I still don’t know what my actual weeks will look like. Son of a bitch. They did at least acknowledge that the dearth of information was due to the fact that clinical rotations aren’t set up by the hospitals themselves until the last minute. Oh yeah, and they mentioned that the program calendar does not match the university calendar, so we should be careful about scheduling trips home and holiday breaks before we start the semester. Goody.
I have a sinking feeling that I am about to sell my soul (and my life). Nursing school, here I come!
Got back from Durham last night after a loooooong day of travel. It’s 4:30 here and I am ready to crawl into bed! Boyfriend picked me up from the airport and we went out to dinner - it was SO nice to be back home and together, we were both gaga and goofy-eyed. I’m sure anyone watching was either touched or nauseous. Six days is the longest time we’ve been apart since we started dating but we’ve been gradually getting used to the idea of longer periods apart. But not too long. Frequent flyer miles, here we come!
I called the Financial Aid office today and was told it could be up to another MONTH before my package is ready. A little ridiculous considering that orientation starts in 6 weeks… Hopefully that was an exaggeration and I’ll have a letter in my hands in a couple of weeks. I’m also eagerly checking the mailbox for an orientation packet from my program, which was apparently sent out last week.
Less than three weeks of work to go. Reality is beginning to sink in…
Greetings from Durham, North Carolina, my ol’ stomping grounds! I took one week out of my four weeks remaining at work to travel to my home city of yesteryore and attend a dear friend’s wedding. I figured while I’ve come all this way, I might as well arive a few days early and see some other folks too. So I’ve got a full line-up of lunch, coffee and dinner dates, interspersed with a little bit of studying and probably some naps.
Unfortunately it’s not all fun and games. In about 5 minutes, I’ll be headed to see the ex-husband and take care of some business. He’s getting the car - check that, I’m giving him my car - so we have to transfer the title, which is actually good news because it means I can kiss my $230/month insurance payments goodbye. I also have some stuff I left here when I moved home last summer which he hopefully has not destroyed. I haven’t seen this guy since before my dad died and he is none to pleased that I have filed for divorce. Can you say “awkward”? But at least I get it out of the way first thing so I can focus on my friends for the rest of the week. I do have to go meet with a real estate attorney on Thursday to change the deed on our house from “Husband and Wife” to “Tenants In Common”. But that should be pretty easy too.
NEVER get divorced if you can help it. I used to tell people never get married either, when I was a newly separated, bitter, almost-divorcee. But thanks to recent developments in my own love life, I’m a believer again!
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Nursing School | Tagged: financial aid, good bye party | 
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