Awaiting my Marine Officer out here. I live in Woodbridge and commute to Falls Church for work. The traffic is unlike anything I have ever experienced (bad) but there are ways around it and its definately doable! You can carpool, take the trains, vanpool, do the SLUG thing, plus traffic changes depending on the day. Sometimes I don't leave work until close to 7:30 and going south at that time of day is much more manageable. If you 9-5 it, traffic will be horrible, but like I said, there are lots of ways around it. Most DC companies even have ride share progams in place already. Lots of people make the commute.'
PS- RN's rock, coming from one herself- good for her!