Helloooo Nurse!

It's OFFICIAL, friends!! I am a...

REGISTERED NURSE!!

http://whatshouldwecallnursing.tumblr.com/post/29584961830/immediately-after-taking-the-nclex

My nursing license posted on the Board of Nursing site before I got my "quick results" from Pearson. The quick results were available almost EXACTLY 48 hours after my test, but my license was posted at some point before 8am on Thursday. Even though I knew I had my license, I still paid the $7.95 on the Pearson site to see the word "PASS". SEE?!

I finally feel like all those years of college have paid off. Now... on to the job hunt.

Authorization to Test!

After I got all my documents together and mailed to the board of nursing, I received my Authorization to Test (ATT) from Pearson Vue. It only took 4 days to get it once the board had everything they needed. Thankfully I did not have some of the hurdles my classmates had in Georgia. One friend had to have her fingerprints done for a FOURTH time, another hand delivered his documents after they were lost twice, and many have spent countless hours on hold trying to see what hiccups they are dealing with.

For the non-nursing readers, the "Authorization to Test" is essentially an authorization number you need to schedule your test. It's sent to you as an attachment in an e-mail from Pearson Vue. Before you can get this ATT number, the board of nursing for your state needs to have all required documentation. (See Registering for Boards)

The most stressful part of this whole process has been scheduling my test date. I'll be in Minnesota for 2 weeks for my sister's wedding, then I want to have enough study time... BUT I want to take it as soon as possible, preferably not at 8am (I don't function in the morning), AND I have to find a time that works with my husband's schedule or find someone to keep an eye on Bree...

After staring at the screen for about an hour, I scheduled my test for: 

JULY 16, 2013 at 1 PM!!!!!! 

It's a Tuesday, and my husband will be out of town that week... so I am very thankful for a new friend who will be keeping Bree all day. Now all I have to do is STUDY!! Where do I even begin????

TO BE CONTINUED ... 

The Joys of Moving

We have officially been in our "new" house for a week. Last Thursday we went in and signed the lease, then moved our apartment things on Saturday. I've had the WORST time with motivation to unpack all of these boxes. There are so many of them that it's actually quite overwhelming. :( Now, I'm no stranger to moving... Since graduating highschool, (9 years ago... uff!!) I have moved 11 times. With each move, we seem to collect more clutter. I'm sure that's the case with everyone. You never really realize how much junk you own until you pack it all up... then have to UNPACK IT.

THE PROBLEM: With being military, you never know how big your next home will be. In Hawaii, we had a 2 bdrm/1 bath home that resembled an apartment... then we moved to Georgia where we got a 2 story, 3 bdrm/1 bath/2 car garage house. What to do with all of this space!? Of course we wanted to make this our "home" for the next 3 years so we found ways to spread out, fill space, and make the house looked lived in. Now I have to find a way to cram all of that stuff into a house HALF the size.

THE SOLUTION: If there is any advice I could give to new military families, it would be this... Don't feel like you have to fill up every corner of your home. Sure it's fun to decorate and set up every room, but remember, what you buy now-- you will have to move/sell later. This last move has really given me the motivation to do some SERIOUS downsizing.

We are heading to Minnesota next week for my sister's wedding, so I'm sure a lot of this is going to have to wait until AFTER we get back. I have a serious procrastination/laziness problem... Until then, here are some pictures of our empty *NEW* house!! I can feel the Pinterest wheels turning!

Registering for the Boards

Now that I am getting settled in Oklahoma, it was time to start registering for my nursing license and NCLEX-RN. This test is, quite possibly, the MOST IMPORTANT test of my career/life. This is what will make me a Registered Nurse!! The process was a lot less complicated that I originally thought, and here is how I did it (for all of you future nurses out there):

1. Register online for the national exam through Pearson Vue (http://www.pearsonvue.com/nclex/) Your eligibility to test will be delayed if you have not registered with the testing service at the time your application is initially reviewed by the board staff. (This currently costs about $200)
2. Apply online for licensure by examination through your state's board of nursing. (Application fees vary and are non-refundable) You may also need to submit the following:
• Transcript -- request that your school submit your official transcript to your state's board of nursing (most schools will send these to your board's office automatically, but if you moved out of state like I did, you'll need to take care of it yourself... too easy and only cost me $5)
• Degree plan and course descriptions from the college catalog (for those who graduated out of state-- I'm applying in Oklahoma, but graduated from a Georgia nursing program)
• Photocopy of "acceptable documents" to as Evidence of Status. (I am using my birth certificate)
• 2x2 photo, signed and dated on the front
3. Obtain fingerprints for a background check through the Board's vendor. (I had to apply online to make an appointment with the local vendor.)

IMPORTANT! The sooner you take your board's... the better you tend to do. So don't delay!! 

Now... a *Disclaimer*... each Board of Nursing may have different requirements. This is just the process as I did it in Oklahoma. The easiest thing to do is to register on Pearson Vue, then go to your state's board of nursing website and follow the instructions there. Or better yet, ask your instuctor, mentor/advisor, or director of your nursing program for help! 

I still have to scan all my documents, and my fingerprinting appointment is Wednesday. Then... we wait... 

TO BE CONTINUED ...

 

Hello!

source

After a 16 hour road trip, with a 5 year old and a 4x8 UHaul trailer... WE MADE IT! I can now call the state of Oklahoma my new home. 

How did I get here?
Thanks to the US Army, my husband was stationed here a year ago. I stayed in Georgia to finish my senior year of nursing school, and am proud to announce that I now possess a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. (It only took 9 years, but who's counting?)

I figured that now would be a good time to join the blog world. So many *NEW* things to experience, and hopefully share with all of you. Now... how to make this fancy??

#OklahomaIsOK #lovinhashtags #thisisnttwitter