Something Positive: Your 5-Year Plan

[Wrench Party]

Hi all,

I was hanging laundry at 4 am last night (can't get off that night shift schedule) and thinking about the future.

next year or two: get my PCCN certification and precept. I'd like to have the solid knowledge base before I get a really sharp new grad who drops a ton of 'what if...' questions on my head.

3-5 years: go get my MSN and start teaching ADN or BSN students. We have several awesome ADN programs around here that I'd be willing to work for in the clinical setting.

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maybe take a detour and go work in the ED or CTICU for a few years, and see if I'm really cut out for this trauma/flight nurse business.

What is your 5-year (nursing) plan?

[guest769224]

This is an awesome thread!

Obtain my BSN and travel nurse starting next year.

CRNA school within 3 years. Then go back to FNP school.

I will have all those goals accomplished within 5 years from now.

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Finish my MBA/MSN. Take over my lab and run the show.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

I can't wait for this day. Unfortunately I'm still 40 years away from mine as I'm only in my 20's. [emoji106]������

I'm 58. I've been a nurse since I was 40. I've been to Vietnam twice with a medical mission. I'd love to have time to do that. And see my grandkids.

[wannabeny]

Finish my ADN program in 2018, fingers crossed, i start in may!

gain experience working, and go for my BSN. After, I would love to go for Nurse Anesthesiologist or Certified Midwife (both fields interest me,wish I could choose!!)

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

Start working on some certs -- CCRN, TCRN, CNRN, and SCRN specifically. I've been an ICU nurse for a while, just don't have much time outside of work for studying. Now though I'm starting to feel motivated enough to make the time.

My ultimate nursing goal is to work with an org called VOMedical --

Probably won't happen any time soon, though. I have too many responsibilities at home, the youngest being 2 yrs old.

[INN_777, BSN, RN]

My long term plan recently changed and, who knows, may change again, but here is where it is right now (I am a second career nurse with ~1.5 years of acute care experience, just accepted into an FNP program to start this Fall):

Year 1-2: continue to gain clinical experience in acute care. Start FNP program. Start volunteering at least once or twice/month in a free clinic. Pick up some per diem work in a different area of Nursing (e.g. psych or home care) to explore and see what that is like.

Year 3 - focus on finishing/graduating/boards for FNP (while working at least part-time)

Year 4-6 get a job as FNP, learn the ropes of primary care

Year 7- 19 continue in primary care, helping people live healthier lives. Focus on under-served populations. Travel with medical missions, such as DWB. Incorporate evidence based integrative therapies into my work (such as mindfulness, movement, aromatherapy etc).

Year 20+ (I will be just past 65 then) - teach? Become a "wise woman" of the community ("What, that hurts? Go eat that plant!" kind of thing:)). Be a mentor. Write smth?

Beyond year 7 is just a rough draft vision, a dream. Details TBD:)

[SnowShoeRN]

I always enjoy these. This past Leap Day I wrote a Leap Day letter to myself to be opened in 4 years. I got the idea from a fun-stuff-to-do-on-Leap-Day website and just thought it was really cool.

This summer will mark 10 years of my being a RN which I still have a hard time wrapping my mind around. But I've been doing a lot of reflection because of it. Everytime I make goals for myself or look at the next 5 years I love looking back and seeing how much my life differs or is the same or is nothing like I would have imagined (in a good way) from what I anticipated.

Right now, in:

1 year: Hopefully continuing to work as a NP at the practice where I currently work. I have a long probationary period and just hope I make it through alright. I'd also like to be pregnant by the end of the year provided I make it through said probationary period.

2 years: Hopefully I will have gotten accepted for the NHSC LRP.

3-4 years: Ideally at a practice closer to family, but maybe still here. Life has a funny way of giving us things we never knew we needed - at least in my experience. And hopefully working on baby #2.

5 years: In 5 years I will be renewing my FNP certification. I used to be able to easily look 5 or 10 years down the road but, these days, 1 day at a time is more than suffucient and seems to work best for my mental health. :)

[nutella, MSN, RN]

I never made a several year plan.

1 year from now my MSN will be done ( I am so slow with usually just one class at a time).

5 years from now I will be > 50 years old. I would like to teach a little bit on the side or precept/mentor in addition to my work.

Don't know about other things as a lot depends on my kids going to college/moving out and such. I would like to cont some kind of studies as I enjoy school but have not gotten a good idea yet.

Perhaps I would like to move to a different area once my last child goes to college.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

I start my MSN (Leadership) at WGU May 1st, hope to finish 1 yr or 18 mos. Then hopefully move up at current job

[JerseyTomatoMDCrab, BSN]

This is great.

ASAP: find a second job that can supplement my income

1 year: get my school nurse certification

3 years: take a medical mission trip. Ideally to an African country but I will go anywhere I am needed.

4 years: spend my summer off hiking the Appalachian trail (not career related; bucket list item with my stepfather, we've been planning it for a long time)

5 years: Have a baby and move back to NJ!!

[smartassmommy]

This year LPN school. Gain experience and work on my RN. In 5 years I want to buy an RV and travel nurse in every state.

[flying_ace2]

This is a great thread, I love reading all these positive goals!

My plans...fingers crossed!

Within the next 1-2 months: Start a website and blog. Begin my career as a freelance nurse writer, establish my own LLC, and begin to form a client base and expand my writing portfolio.

Year 1-2: Transition from my current position in pharma company into the medical writing division of same company. Continue to build experience as a freelance nurse writer. Payoff ALL debt my husband and I have (student loans - ACK) and begin to accumulate wealth/save for retirement.

Year 3-4 : Gain experience in professional pharma medical writing with company. Continue to build experience as a freelance nurse writer. Continue to accumulate wealth.

Year 5+: Have enough experience in the pharma industry and with freelancing to be able to quit my day job and work freelance for a living, with a goal of making 6 figures a year as a nurse writer. I think this is absolutely achievable with previous experience as a professional medical writer for pharma clients.

Side note: sometime within the next 5 years, run a full marathon! Also, take an amazing, extended vacation to somewhere with white sand beaches and drinks with umbrellas in them when husband and I pay off all the debt!!!