Up In The Air

Life is up in the air right now.

I have no real focus, and I'm really unsure what direction to proceed.

My original plan was painfully simple. Go to nursing school. (Check.) Graduate and get a job on the biggest, baddest ICU around. (Check.) In two or three years apply for CRNA school and get on with life. (.....)

Muddying circumstance #1:

This lovely president of ours, Obama, enacted legislation that dictates those that make 10 years of payments on their federal student loans while working in a public service capacity, will have the remaining balance of their federal student loans forgiven. RN's definitely qualify as long as they work for a not-for-profit organization, which I currently do. Interesting tidbit: Nurse Practitioner's qualify, CRNA's do not. After doing the math, this loan forgiveness could total as much as $200,000 in my case... Market analysis of compensation for NPs shows that the gap between CRNAs and NPs is starting to narrow. In short NPs may soon be making the kind of salary reserved previously for CRNAs.

Now consider that the cost of the CRNA schools in my metro area both top $75,000, while NP school falls under the category of regular graduate school. CRNA students are prohibited from working during school (in fact both schools here will kick you out of the program, no questions asked, if they catch you working.) NP students at local schools do not have any such restrictions. And here's the kicker--the tuition reimbursement program at my current hospital *almost* covers the tuition for graduate school. They also have a TDA (Two Day Alternative) program where employees work Saturday-Sunday every week--two shifts, but keep full time status and benefits, and earn an extra differential that approximates working three shifts instead of two--that would allow me to go to school full time during the week.

The nursing school I graduated from has an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program...

Thinks that make you go hmmm.

Muddying circumstance #2:

My wife and I have been fortunate enough to have her younger sister living with us to watch our kids while both of us work night shift. This allows us to work as many shifts together as possible, allowing us to have days off together. However, that situation will be changing. I'll spare you all the drama and gnashing of teeth, but rest assured it hasn't been a pleasant situation with frustrations ranging from not being available when we were counting on her, to wondering about our kids safety while in her care.

The nice thing about working as nurses is that we only work 3 days a week, so it *can* be done not needing childcare at all. But that means that we will only have one day a week off together, and really because of the logistics of night shift, it means that we'll have two half days off rather than a full day.

We are exploring options that include me moving to day shift to cut down on the daycare needs, but that also requires me transferring to another hospital within the system since my wife and I work on opposite ends of the city currently. And that means leaving my beloved CVICU...

Muddying circumstance #3:

I have been dying to get out of this town since I got here (state, really). The summer heat/humidity kills me. I crave seasons. I crave snow. I crave being able to spend time outdoors without melting into a puddle on the blistering concrete or triple digit asphalt.

I began researching grad schools in other parts of the country, and have been very, very attracted to Duke. I love the idea of a big name school. I love that the hospital is next door to the school. I love that the hospital has a program for employees that pays up to 90% of your schooling in exchange for contract on graduation... I love the idea of North Carolina, where the average high temperature in the summer tops out in the low 90s... I love that North Carolina is a Nurse Licensure Compact state... I love that Duke has one of the few Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner programs in the country...

Aauugggh! My brain hurts!