We keep growing!

Got a message via facebook, the other day from a friend of the family, so to speak. She pointed me to someone who may be able to identify the "?" in the photo I posted from a family picnic many moons ago. If only I could get this family friend to connect to the internet... :)

Meanwhile, I apologize for letting the blog slide. I rather got caught up in life and getting things done... so in a nutshell: My son started college last year. I graduated from college this past May and began squeezing in more working hours. I am set to take my RN boards on Tuesday (Aug 31, and yes, I am stressing out about it. "Everything" pretty much covers what one needs to study... ugh).

After I pass (I am really trying hard to think positive. Its hard cause I know of 2 who haven't passed, one is on her 3rd and final try before she has to go back to school), I know I don't want to remain in long term care. Don't get me wrong, I love the people I take care of, its just that I feel and think long term care is very career option limited. I loved the surgery rotation. Would I like Pediatrics? Is there more to life on a Medical-Surgical floor than joint replacement recovery and helping people manage their COPD? Could I handle the stresses involved with ICU/CCU?

I don't necessarily want to return to Northern Minnesota, jobs are scarce and the area is economically depressed...though my son would very much like me too.

Mom says there are new hospitals cropping up in central Florida connected to the Villages. Good opportunities, if there are the younger families there to keep life more than COPD, knee and hip replacements :)

Do I want to stay in Iowa? Yes and No. I don't mind it, but there just aren't the jobs in this area of Iowa. I would have to move East and South in Iowa to find the jobs. So if I am moving South? Why not aim for Omaha? Big city, big hospital, lots of opportunities... if they take new RNs and are willing to look past my long term care experience and stick me into a hospital. If I am moving East? Well I could aim for a compact state (a state whose board of nursing accepts my Iowa license as valid within their borders only necessitating me writing to Iowa to suspend my license, after receiving a license from my state of residence (example Kentucky, Tennessee, Maryland, New Hampshire, Rhode Island etc).

Anyway, for right now, I am simply trying to take one step at a time. I gratefully accept your prayers on helping me through this next big step (passing the boards, cause really, the knowledge is in my head), before looking too far ahead.

By the way, we have 51 people who have found our facebook group (type in Nesselroad however you spell it...you may find us :) ) and I have lost count of all the cousins I have be-friended...so I really have no idea how close we are to 2,010 Nesselroads by December 2010 :)