Student Nurse Teacher

For every shift I have a few essentials. You know, things like scrubs, my stethoscope, comfortable shoes, my cell phone charger, water and coffee, a positive attitude, my brain etc. 😉 I also always take my nursing bag and I thought it would be fun to show you what I pack in it! So here is my nursing bag: RN edition. The Bag. I love Vera Bradley bags . This one has several pockets for pens and small items. The shoulder strap is comfortable and it is just the right size to be manageable but hold what you need with ease! 😊 For Reference. For the first several months on a new floor I like to keep my basic orientation information with me to review. My floor provided me with information on common procedures and medications, EKG rhythms, and more. It was super helpful to be able to review details and brush up on things when I had some extra time in the middle of the night. After I was more comfortable on my floor I compiled a lot of this information onto little cheat sheets that I ...

Today's nursing specialty interview is very near and dear. ❤ Not only is Kandis a close friend, but she is a former coworker of mine! She has worked on a Telemetry floor for several years now and it has been so neat to watch her learn and grow there from a new nurse to a leader and strong team player.  What type of nursing do you do? I do inpatient cardiovascular telemetry nursing. (That's medical jargon for hospitalized patients with heart problems.) Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and why you chose that specialty? I graduated from a technical college with my ADN looking forward to working in material nursing, either labor and delivery, mom/baby, or even antepartum. I had done my practicum on a mom/baby unit about an hour away from my house, and didn't feel the Lord was leading me all the way back out there full time on nights, so I applied for several positions at hospitals closer to me. Those maternal/infant positions remained closed, so I applied...

In my first two nursing interviews, we got to know a Pediatric ICU nurse and a Labor and Delivery Nurse . This interview features Rachel, a nurse who works for a federally qualified health center , where she provides care to a variety of patients who may not be able to find the healthcare they need anywhere else. Rachel is a compassionate nurse who uses her skills to serve her patients on a daily basis. Thanks for sharing with us, Rachel! What type of nursing do you do?  I work in family practice at a federally qualified health center. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and why you chose that specialty?  I am a 2016 nursing grad. Being in church every Sunday is important to me. I chose this job because it allows me to have weekends off. How is your specialty unique to other types of nursing? What are some of its challenges and rewards? A FQHC has some differences from other family practices, because of the population with which we work....

I see you walking into your shift. Coffee in hand, bag slung over your shoulder. You casually glance at the assignment board as you go to clock in and set your things down. It seems in that moment, you already know how your shift will go. A few minutes later you are on the computer, flying through your charts while waiting to get report. You know more about your patients than the off-going nurse, and know exactly what questions to ask as she gives you report.  As I begin my night, I am anxious; I grab some supplies to fill my pockets, and have to stop and think about what patient I should assess first. I am calculating how to most effectively pass meds when you pass me in the hall. Your eyes meet mine. "Your patient in room 201 just called asking for water, do you want me to get it for him?" you ask. I say no, I will be in there soon and don't want to put you out. But, I wonder how you seem to know more about my patients than I do. Your confidence is intimidating and ...

Whether you are a nurse or a nursing student, chances are you feel overwhelmed, and stressed, at least a few times a week 😄 We work in a demanding field with a high level of responsibility. No one, no matter how seasoned or how smart, is immune from the pressures of healthcare. So how do you deal with the stress of the your classes or job? There are many avenues of #selfcare and hopefully you have already learned your favorite ways to unwind. Here are a few of mine! -- Hang out with friends, especially those who remind me I am not alone in this journey -- Play the piano (love me some Rachmaninov  if it was an especially stressful shift 😉) -- Get outside and enjoy nature So what about you? How do you find refreshment after a tough day? Cheering you on, Laura Follow me on Instagram

Meet Priscilla! Like  Kimberly,  Priscilla and I went to nursing school together. We actually met the very first week of freshman year--in Chemistry lab! After many successful (and some not-so-successful) lab projects, we became great friends: encouraging each other through tough nursing classes, jamming together, and discussing life. She has had a dream of becoming a Labor and Delivery nurse since before I met her, and it has been so neat to see her live that out. What type of nursing do you do?  I am a labor and delivery nurse on a large L&D unit in SC. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and why you chose that specialty?  I always loved the OB specialty, even when I was a child. My brother was born when I was 7, and I very clearly remember going with my mom to her doctor appointments, seeing the ultrasounds being done, and just absolutely loving all the excitement during my mom's pregnancy. I had a lot of curiosity about OB, and ...

Introducing a new series here on Student Nurse Teacher: nursing specialty interviews! I will be interviewing nurses of various specialties, giving them a chance to share why they love their job, and giving you a glimpse into their roles!  The first nurse is my friend Kimberly. Kimberly and I went through nursing school together. We sat together in classes, shared clinical experiences, and now support each other in this grand adventure of nursing. She is an excellent PICU (pediatric intensive care unit) nurse. Here is her story.  What type of nursing do you do?  Pediatric ICU - the ratios are 1:1 or 2:1. I can get anything from a seizure kid who is intubated on sedation drips/paralytic drips to a full-blown septic shock case on 3-4 vasopressors, sedation, intubated on the oscillator and on nitric. Also sprinkle in there the Level 1 traumas post car wreck, some of which end up being organ donors.  Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and why you chose ...