1. AAP bright futures book: It's basically the PNP bible at this point. Here's the link to purchase. Keep it in your pocket to refer back to! It is best to get the spiral bound pocket book version because it is user friendly, lightweight, and less expensive. 2. Developmental cheat sheets: I made ,the perfect cheat sheets for you to use during Well Child visits. From birth to 21 years, there is a TON of information to memorize and you are typically on your own in the room with the child and parent soon after starting clinicals. I recommend keeping these on hand for quick reference when you're ..read more

I’ll be the first to admit it- my study schedule was NOT the best for the PNP-PC exam. In the middle of studying for my exam, I was also going to work at the hospital more (peak COVID) than when I was in school. Then Eric & eloped end of June right when I was originally planning on starting my studying. Best decision ever, by the way! Picture below of me & Eric after we DID THE THANG and became husband & wife on a private dock in Tahoe. But it did throw off my study plans. In a perfect world, I would have been studying mid-June, but instead I was planning to elope. So, needless to ..read more

I like to think of taking a huge exam like a hike. You HAVE to prep at the bottom and know what you are getting yourself into to be successful & not die on your hike. (Okay, a little dramatic but you get what I mean!) In that case, prepping before a BIG EXAM is almost as important as the actual studying! Here are ways I prepped for the PNP Primary Care National Certification Exam! Know the basics about the exam: · PNCB pediatric national certification board is the only organization that certifies for primary care PNP. · The test: 175 questions · Time: 3hrs total to test @ a Prometric testi ..read more

In May 2014 I graduated from my undergraduate nursing program and became Natalie, BSN, RN. BSN= Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing RN=Registered Nurse Six years later, in May 2020, I graduated from my Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) program and became Natalie, MSN, APRN, PNP. Lots of letters! (LOL!) MSN= Master’s of Science in Nursing APRN= Advanced Practice Registered Nurse PNP= Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Here is my brief nursing journey: · 2009: Graduated high school · 2010: Applied to nursing programs after finishing my nursing prerequisite classes at a community college (yup! You read t ..read more

As a high school & college student I was so confused by the pathway to get from RN to NP. Can you relate? When you graduate as an RN, you can go into any patient population (think oncology, pediatric cardiovascular unit, adult emergency room). But, NP is a little different. Your degree is more POPULATION focused. Let me explain! ✨What is an APRN Advanced practice registered nurse? Nursing professionals who have earned a master’s (MSN) or doctoral (DNP) degree to take on advanced roles in health care Nurse Practitioner (NP) Certified nurse midwife (CNM) Certified registered nurse anestheti ..read more

Hands down, one of the most common question I get in my DMs: ‘I need help finding clinical sites, I am so stressed out, any advice?’ Or ‘I can’t find a clinical site and will have to postpone graduation, can you precept me?’. Ooof, it’s so tough to get messages like that. My #1 piece of advice for future NP students… only apply to schools that provide clinical sites. I’m not talking about a list of people to cold call. My university already had relationships with NPs and MDs who they could count on to precept and handled any of the legal paperwork or contracts of setting up the site. It was A ..read more

Long story short, I have NO DEBT as a recent master’s program grad. Yup, you read that right… zero debt. Talking about money can be awkward and weird… but also empowering! I love to be transparent with you all about my nursing journey and TUITION is a HUGE part of undergraduate and graduate school. FIRST, let's talk student loans REAL quick. Like a lot of you, my parents did not pay for my college or graduate school education. That meant I needed to take out student loans. BIGGEST TIP: Apply for a federal student loan. You can read more about the application process here. Try to avoid priva ..read more

As a high school & college student I was so confused by the pathway to get from RN to NP. Can you relate? When you graduate as an RN, you can go into any patient population (think oncology, pediatric cardiovascular unit, adult emergency room). But, NP is a little different. Your degree is more POPULATION focused. Let me explain! ✨What is an APRN Advanced practice registered nurse? Nursing professionals who have earned a master’s (MSN) or doctoral (DNP) degree to take on advanced roles in health care Nurse Practitioner (NP) Certified nurse midwife (CNM) Certified registered nurse anestheti ..read more

Let’s talk interviews! ‍I have been wanting to tell you guys about my Zoom interview for my current PNP position! It was my first time doing an interview that wasn’t in person and I learned so much from that experience! I had 2 interviews, each about 1 hour long on two different days. The first was with an MD and NPs who I would be working closely with. After that, I advanced to the next interview phase. The second was with the multidisciplinary team (therapists, social workers, etc) I would be collaborating with in the NP role. Both went very well (‍⚕️got the job!). I was slightly nervous but ..read more

Are you a New Grad NP wondering how to get a job?! Here are three of my favorite resources that I used as a new grad PNP to create a résumé that stands out and to be a competitive NP job applicant! Each resource I break it down with my TLDR (too long, don't read: basically a short synopsis of the resource), a tip from my experience, a long review (you know I love to talk and give you all the DEETS), and a link to sign up with a 20% off discount code! If you're short on time & just want the links, you can check out The Dream Job Road Map for New Nurse Practitioners, The Weekend Resume Cours ..read more