Last Wednesday I took my final two exams of nursing school. And then just like that I had finished all the coursework to be a Family Nurse Practitioner.
In May of 2014 I moved to NYC for a career change, or expansion I like to say. I literally had no idea what I was getting myself into. That first BSN year was the most intense 12 months of my entire life. Three semesters, 60 credits total, hella exams, lots of clinical hours, and one NCLEX later we were all RNs.
The graduate MSN program began immediately that following summer, but it was a rude awakening. The FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner) schooling was so different. We were learning to diagnose, treat, and manage disease so not only was it a total mindset shift, but the clinicals were very different too. Instead of being in a small clinical group with my peers (who were like my nursing family), I was one on one with the providers at my clinical site.
On one hand it was conducive to immense learning, but on the other hand the autonomy felt isolating. I loved being with my classmates/friends all the time. But that was no longer the case. I was only at Columbia one day a week for 8 hours of class and then the rest of the time was spent out in Brooklyn at my clinical sites fulfilling clinical hours whenever it worked with my schedule and my preceptors.
For five semesters straight I learned more than I thought my brain could retain. As Family NPs you’re learning how to manage a person’s health from birth to death so there is a lot to cover. But the thing is, there is still SO much more to learn! At times it can feel overwhelming, but then I think of how my knowledge has progressed just within the past 12 months and with time as an RD and I know it will come with experience as an NP too.
Over the past 2 1/2 years living in the city I haven’t had to figure out what was next….because it was always another semester. But now I can and that’s pretty cool.
So where does that leave me? Well, definitely with about 10 days totally off between Christmas Eve and New Years. Rest rest rest. I hope you do that too. Then after that, there are a few moving pieces. Thankfully (and excitingly) I was offered a NP position at the clinical site I’ve been at for the past year which is really great and I’m really, really grateful that I don’t have to do the whole job search and interview thing.
I love love love the people there, they feel like family, and I enjoy the pace of the ER/urgent care setting a lot and it balances out the women’s health and counseling I do with Nutshell. It’s fast, it’s unpredictable, and you see pretty much everything. You can do a pelvic exam, suture up a bleeding forehead, and be working up a possible GI bleed or pulmonary embolism within the same 20 minutes. I know I’ll be challenged and learn a ton there. Plus work culture is huge, and there is great morale, mentors and it’s just fun to be there. And the whole place is run by NPs and PAs (physician assistants) so you’re the point person, the one calling the shots…which feels scary right now, but the autonomy is going to allow me to grow not only in my clinical skills, but my confidence as a provider.
I will sit for boards in February to become board certified, but before then I’m already a Nurse Practitioner so I’ll start working the first week of January. Lastly, the three 12 hour shifts will allow my days off to be focused on Nutshell. I have been WAITING for the day I finish school so we can grow Nutshell instead of simply trying to maintain the incoming client load.
Cody and I are in the brainstorming phase of what Nutshell will look like now with me in the Nurse Practitioner role. I know two things. 1) I absolutely love to teach. The RD calls and Q&A calls I do with people are my favorite. I leave those calls jacked up about life and this business and women and true health. And 2) I love talking in front of groups and bringing people together in community.
Cody loves the one on one counseling and building individual relationships and she also loves speaking and leading people. I want us both and our clients to flourish, and do things that not only serve women but get us excited about this whole thing!
So right now, with Nutshell, it needs to be teased out. I have to do research on the legalities of being a medical provider with a telemed private practice. And I would love to grow the client base to where we need another RD. And I would also love to eventually hire someone to do food photography and recipe development for the blog. So if you love that, email me! Who knows what will come of this business…I would love therapists and perhaps someone in the fitness realm (to teach about healthy movement, appreciating your body etc etc). Really, the sky is the limit.
I’m going to send out a survey near the end of the year so I can hear back from what you guys want to see with this blog and Nutshell Nutrition. What resources can we develop that would benefit you? Do you like the meal plans or hate them? Would webinars and online workshops be cool? Etc etc etc.
I love women and I love community and I’m excited to see what this next year has in store.
I also have lots of thoughts on nursing school if you guys are interested in reading a post about that next week sometime. Yay or nay in the comments.
In the meantime, I’m going to drink some wine this weekend, eat some bread and cheese, and get festive with my friends. I hope you all have an awesome and restful weekend too!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
Oh, please do write a post about nursing school. I would love to read that! And wow, congrats on all your hard work and new job. 🙂
Congratulations Robyn! I’ve been following your journey on the blog for the past 3 years and I’m so excited for you! And yes, please post more on the nursing school experience 🙂
CONGRATS ON YOUR NP POSITION!! That is so exciting!! I’ve been waiting for this post as you have counted down the months of your final moments as a student 🙂 Can’t wait to see how Nutshell/the blog grows!
I’ve loved following your journey from RD to NP over the past few years. It’s been so exciting! Especially hearing about live in NYC from the perspective of a Midwesterner (I’m from St. Louis.) I do hope you’ll write a post about your thoughts about nursing school. I recently completed a post-bacc teaching certification program so I know firsthand how changing careers can be scary and intimidating. The more info out there, the better.
Robyn, I love your blog. I am a nursing instructor very interested in nutrition, so I enjoy everything you write. Please share your impressions of nursing school. Would also love to have some specific posts about prebiotics/probiotics. What foods, how to make those foods, what do I do with this matcha powder, all the real-life information you are so good at. Thanks for providing an informative blog that doesn’t feel like an advertisement. Enjoy your restful holiday!
Congrats, Robyn! It’s been so fun to follow you on this journey through your blog!! Your blog has meant a lot to me in my own journey towards intuitive eating and body acceptance, and I can’t wait to see what 2017 brings for you and the blog!!
Congratulations!! You are such an inspiration! I know I’m not alone when I say how much I admire you and all the hardwork you put in, as well as the humility and honesty you share here. After reading your blog for so many years, it’s just sooo incredible to watch your journey! I could go on and on but since I don’t really know you, I’ll stop being creepy. Enjoy your holidays, soak up the season and can’t wait to see what you do next! xoxo Victoria
Wow, congrats on finishing school!!! It seems like just yesterday that you started. As a fellow RD, I have really enjoyed following your journey. It is inspirational to those of us who were not taught to think beyond inpatient clinical while we were in school.
I think webinars and online workshops would be awesome! I also may be calling you for a RD coaching call soon 🙂
Yes on the post about nursing school. That is still on my radar as a potential career change for myself and I would really appreciate hearing more about your experience. And HUGE congrats on everything!! It’s been amazing to see how God has honored your obedience to the call to make such a big change in your life. Now you have the career redirection you wanted plus Nick!. Talk about Him giving more than you could ask or imagine 🙂
YOU ARE AMAZING! Congratulations! So exciting to hear about your endeavors and where you will be next. You are an inspirational lady xo
Nursing school sharing sounds great!
Keep q&a and keep focus on improving body image and holding up,against diet culture
Absolutely yes to more about your nursing experience and thoughts on nursing!
Huge congrats on finishing your nursing degree ! I’ve been a nurse for 10 years and I’m still learning every day which is awesome plus you can do so much with it ! You’ll be an amazing NP and your patients are lucky to have you!
i feel like i’ll be learning for a lifetime – you are amazing to be nursing for a decade! i’m sure you are a GEM fiona 🙂
Yes please do share the post about nursing school. I have been reading your blog for a long time now but I have never commented. I was in a 14 month accelerated nursing program when you were completing the first part of your degree. It was so nice to hear your experiences through out the program. The days where I wanted to give up, I would read a post of yours and it would turn my whole mindset around! Congratulations, you will be an amazing NP and thank you for all that you do!
we were in it together girl 🙂 you will be amazing as well!! good luck!
SO happy for you. From working with you several years ago I know firsthand how amazing your are in what you do and I am so excited to see where all you go with your job as an NP and with nutshell. <3
you are so sweet brittany, thank you for saying hi!! merry merry christmas 🙂 xx
so happy for you!! and YAY- would love reading more about it! go rest up love! <3 xoxo
you rest too alyssa 🙂 xx
Congratulations!! So much hard work–rest up and enjoy the holidays you deserve it!!
thank you! you as well Heather!!
So very happy for all the exciting things that have happened in your life and will continue to happen. You have been a big encouragement to us. Thank you so much for sharing all that you do with us readers!
thank YOU for reading and supporting!!
I love reading your blog! Would love to hear more about your nursing school thoughts. I’m an RN with an assoctaves degree. HAve been working as a nurse for 4 years and know it’s time to go back to school and get my BSN!
you will be great! i’ll post this week hopefully 🙂
Congrats Robyn! I would love a more in depth post on nursing school. I am applying for nursing school in March and I am so excited (also very nervous about getting in because of how competitive it is). Would love to hear from some one who has been there. I would love to go on to be a nurse practitioner, many hospitals around me offer earn as you learn programs so I hope to do that. I get anxious about my career path, but I have to remind myself I am only 20, and I am aloud to be confused- heck we are all aloud to be unsure on career choices no matter how old we are!
Don’t be nervous although I know it’s hard not to be 🙂 you have plenty of time to tease it all out 🙂
First, congrats!! Second, I would LOVE a nursing post! I am also “expanding” my career as I start an ABSN program in January (12-month program) and am going on to become an NP after that. Lastly, I am very interested in how you may be needing someone with fitness/movement experience (just finished my CPT and have been a Registered Yoga Teacher since 2014!) I’m also on instagram at @kleestone
Congratulations on your many accomplishments! Yes pleaseee to posts on nursing school. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2011 and recently decided to go back to school for nursing. I’m taking a few pre-reqs this spring and researching programs for non BSNers like me. Any advice would be much appreciated! Xoxo
So exciting!!! I’ll have a post up 🙂
Congrats Robyn! You are truly an inspiration. Continue writing about your life journey- it is wonderful to hear about all your success. Wishing you every happiness and a very merry Christmas.
Congrats! I love reading your blogs and lifestyle posts on Insta. When I first decided I wanted a career in Nursing, I searched far and wide for more information and perspective. I stumbled across one of your videos where you were interviewed about the role of a NP. Everything you said made SO much sense. Ever since then, I looked for options. There were so many. Last week I graduated with my bachelors degree in Exercise Science and in two weeks I’ll be starting Nursing school at UAB’s direct entry/accelerated Masters Program. This program is very similar to Columbia’s, except we won’t get a BSN after 12mo, but we will still be able to practice as RN’s in the state of AL after the NCLEX. I just wanted to say Thank You for being such an inspiration. I have loved following your journey and will continue to do so!
I am an RD going back to school in the fall to become an RN then a Nurse Practitioner as well! I have loved following your journey 🙂 Congrats on finishing – what an accomplishment!!