How to set 2024 career intentions…

By: Sarah K. Wells MSN RN CEN CNL

Setting intentions in our careers helps us set goals, focus our behaviors, and begin to create a path forward to achieve them. 

How do I set 2024 career intentions? 

•  What is #mywhy? – Spend some time considering what fuels your nursing fire. Your “why” may be the goal of your intentions.

• It’s the journey instead of the destination. – Focus on the steps to get to the goal and write down those action items. 

•  Make it action oriented. – Intentions can be physical actions or something that supports your mental or physical wellbeing that will help you achieve your goals. 

•  Refer back. –  Carry your intentions on a piece of paper or in a note on your phone. Look at them frequently to guide your actions over time. 

Celebrate your success! – Occasionally consider the intentions that you have fulfilled and be proud of your work.

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New Thing Nurse helps the nursing and NP community thrive in their careers! Join us on IG or Facebook @newthingnurse 🩺

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About the Author: Sarah K. Wells, MSN, RN, CEN, CNL is an experienced nurse career strategist dedicated to helping nurses and nurse practitioners of all experience levels and specialties achieve success in their nursing and NP journeys. Sarah founded New Thing Nurse to help provide support and guidance to the nursing community in a simple and direct format. Sarah’s vision is to foster a more supportive and fulfilled nursing world that spreads throughout healthcare and beyond.

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Nurse Holiday Gift Ideas

By: Sarah K. Wells MSN RN CEN CNL

Still need to do some gift shopping for the holidays?

Whether you’re buying for your nurse boos, the boss RN, your nursing staff, or nursing students in your life, here are some gift ideas to make the holidays a little more fabulous:

• Personalized Stethoscope Tag - Add a little personalized flair that will help keep stethoscopes from getting lost.

• Black Angels: The Untold Story of the Nurses who helped Cure Tuberculosis - Black southern nurses moved to New York City to work in Sea View Hospital after white nurses left en masse. While caring for the city’s poorest residents, these nurses, known as the Black Angels, helped find a cure for tuberculosis.

• Lululemon Belt Bag - Cute and practical, this bag can work on and off shift.

• Midnight Nurse Coloring Book - Color your stress away with these delightful #nursehumor coloring pages.

• Rad Girl Creations Pins - Perfect for your badge or bag, these pins are fun to collect or swap with healthcare worker friends.

• Burt’s Bees Hand Cream - Those hands work hard so give the gift of soothing hand cream for home or the hospital.

• Latinas in Nursing - Latinas in Nursing is a compilation of the beautiful and powerful stories of the challenges, triumphs, growth, and discovery from Latina nurses working across the United States.

• Tribe RN Badge Guru Set - 88 nursing cheat sheets on 44 badge cards, this educational resource can help a nurse of any experience level.

• Sockwell Compression Socks - Hug those calves so that they can go the extra mile for you and your patients.

• Journal of a Black Queer Nurse - This book is by Britney Daniels, a Black, masculine-presenting, tattooed lesbian emergency nurse, who shares their personal perspectives and work experiences. I loved it.

• Figs Catarina Scrub Tops (Women) - My favorite scrub top, this classic style has the pockets you need to get the job done.

• Figs Leon Scrub Tops (Men) - Same thing. Easy scrub top that looks good and will get you through the shift in style.

• Dickie’s Scrub Top (Women) - A basic scrub top that will not break the bank and keep you body fluid free all shift long.

• Dickie’s Scrub Bottoms (Unisex) - Scrub bottoms, no pockets, but cheap and durable.

• Blackout Curtains - Make daytime sleeping better for the nightshifters in your life.

• Portable Charger Power Bank - For the nurse on the go who needs to keep their devices charged up, this power bank is a basic essential.

• Safe with Me Badge Stickers - Let LGBTQIA2S+ patients know that they are safe with you.

• Caffeine til GCS 16 Sticker - This sticker makes me laugh every time and is 100% accurate.

• Healthcare Affirmation Card Set - An affirmation card set made especially for healthcare workers.

Have more gift ideas? Share them in the comments below!

Happy shopping!

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About the Author: Sarah K. Wells, MSN, RN, CEN, CNL is an experienced nurse career strategist dedicated to helping nurses and nurse practitioners of all experience levels and specialties achieve success in their nursing and NP journeys. Sarah founded New Thing Nurse to help provide support and guidance to the nursing community in a simple and direct format. Sarah’s vision is to foster a more supportive and fulfilled nursing world that spreads throughout healthcare and beyond.

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New Thing Nurse helps the nursing student, nurse, and nurse practitioner community achieve their professional and academic goals! Join us on IG or Facebook @newthingnurse 🩺

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What to do if you are a patient or have a loved one in the Emergency Room

This post is dedicated to all the other nurse family members and friends out there.

As the emergency nurse in my family and friend circle, I am almost always one of the first calls or texts by people when they wind up in the ER or have a loved one that is an emergency patient.

First and foremost - I always tell the person on the other end of my call or text that I am so sorry that this is happening but please know that if you or your loved one is being taken to the emergency department, you most likely need to be seen by a medical provider and that the hospital is THE PLACE to be evaluated for all things medical. This often helps calm the person or at least put some of their concerns in perspective.

Next - I always validate whatever feelings they are having. It is normal to freak out when going to the ED or hearing that your loved one is going there. We do not have to be rational in a moment of crisis. Give people space to be emotional. Validate those feelings, then try to guide them back to the practical. I feel that is the greatest gift a nurse friend or family member can do - direct a person in crisis to something practical and addressing the scary unknown.

Now, if you’re reading this and you are not a nurse or medical person, WELCOME to the organized chaos that is emergency medicine! I am hoping this blog post will help clarify some of the confusion that you may be feeling and give support by answering some of the most common questions that I get as an emergency nurse friend and family member.

Clarification on the method to the madness that is emergency medicine:

• Is it the ER or ED? Emergency Room vs. Emergency Department

  • Funny thing, it’s both. - The Emergency Department (ED) is the same thing as the Emergency Room (ER). You see, the specialty of emergency medicine was born in a room and originally, seemed confined to those original four walls. As the specialty became more advanced and comprehensive, we took up more than a room, and the ER went through a re-branding to become the emergency department. In common nomenclature and thanks to Hollywood, ER will always be more widely used. ED also stands for ‘erectile dysfunction’ in medicalese, so there is that challenge too.

• What happens when I or my loved one arrives to the ED?

  • The short answer: lots of things. - Being a patient in the ED is like being a Nascar car that just arrived in the pit and is getting a quick turnover by the pit crew. Upon arrival, a patient will be quickly registered in the computer system - this means that their name, DOB, and other personal data will be put in the computer to create a digital chart that medical providers will use to document their care. This is not when they ask for your health insurance.

  • At the same time as registration, the patient will be taken one of two ways into the ED (assuming no one is ahead of them) >> to the triage room/area or directly to an ED exam room. In either case, the patient’s vital signs (i.e. heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, temperature) will be taken and documented, lots of questions asked about their health history (things that have happened to them in the past medically), about their current issues that have brought them to the ED today (AKA “Why are you here today?”), current medications, and screening questions that they ask everyone related to domestic violence (“Do you feel safe where you live?) and suicidal thoughts (“Have you thought about ending your life, harming yourself, or others?”). Do not take these screening questions personally. They are often mandated by a regulatory body to be asked to everyone who can answer them.

    • In the time of COVID-19, ED’s are incredibly full of patients 24/7 so more realistically, you will be waiting in the waiting room for a very long period of time (think many hours) if you come by private vehicle (AKA your car) or a very long time on an EMS gurney if you come by ambulance. There is also the chance that if you come by ambulance, you will be re-directed to the waiting room too to wait. I am sorry. This is just the reality of emergency care at this time.

  • As these questions are being asked, orders may be placed for an EKG, blood labs, medications, IV placement, or imaging like X-rays, ultrasounds, or in some cases, CTs ( AKA Cat Scans - no cats involved). If this is the situation, you may be quickly poked or transported somewhere to have pictures taken of various body parts. This is good. You want answers and to get answers, tests need to be done. However the results of these tests may take anywhere from 45 minutes to hours to come back. A medical provider will review any abnormal results with you at a later time.

  • To complete many of these tests, you will need to be undressed to your birthday suit and placed in a hospital gown and socks with those rubber skids on the bottom. Please do not fight medical staff as they try to undress you. It is for medical reasons and not our entertainment that we need to get you naked. if you have cultural needs that need to be addressed like needing a specific gendered medical staff to assist you while undressing or religious garments that need to be maintained in a certain way, please let your medical staff know, and they will do their very best to make those accommodations while also meeting your medical needs as quickly as possible.

  • All of these events can happen concurrently which is often why the patient feels like the car getting handled by a pit crew. Lots of stickers may suddenly be attached to you with cords going all over the place. There may be pokes with needles or probes in various orifices. You may be asked to produce body fluid samples like urine or sputum while all this is happening. None of this is ideal or often comfortable, but know that we are asking you to do each task with the goal of getting you the care that you need rapidly and efficiently.

• After the initial triage or intake process is completed for my loved one, does that mean I saw a MD/doctor/provider such as an NP or PA?

  • Maybe! But probably not. - Sometimes a physician or advanced care provider (NP/PA) will see you as soon as you arrive to the ED. Most often, it will take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours to see a physician during your visit. Average ED visits in the United States take anywhere from 4-8 hours, often longer in our current pandemic world.

  • If I am not immediately seen by a MD/provider as soon as I arrive, are things even happening those first few minutes to hours?? - Fear not! Lots of things will happen before the MD/provider physically sees you. Thanks to collaborative care and technology, many things will be ordered on you based on your “complaint” or reason why you are in the emergency department. Labs, scans/x-rays, medications, IVs, fluids and more are ordered “per protocol” or through “standing orders” and will be started as soon as you are seen (when applicable).

  • What if I get there and nothing happens? - This may happen too. If that is the case and you are waiting for an extended period of time in the waiting room, there is a reason. There is always a reason. However nothing is perfect and if you feel that you are there for a very big reason, check back in with the front desk. However if they say there are lots of sicker people who are waiting ahead of you, get comfortable and try to be patient as you wait your turn.

• Why aren’t I being seen faster?

  • Who gets seen first in the ED - The order of who gets seen first is not based on when people get there. It is based on a combination of complaint or illness/injury severity, timing, and who shows up next. Remember that the ED has two entrances - the front entrance where triage and the waiting room is + the ambulance entrance which you cannot see from the waiting room. The waiting room may be empty but ambulances might not stop coming, so it may appear that the ED is not busy from the waiting room while all the rooms are actually full of patients with a line out the ambulance door in the back. Please be patient as we work to get you and your loved one taken care of.

• Who can come into the ED to visit or accompany me or my loved one?

  • It all depends. - This is a hard one. During high COVID-19 surges, there are often NO VISITORS allowed in the ED. The only exceptions are an adult guardian for minors, possibly a care giver or guardian for memory (EX: dementia) or cognitively impaired or delayed patients, and end-of-life patients. When it is not a COVID-19 surge, the ED usually will limit visitors to one per patient. Please keep all minors home who don’t need to be there - siblings of a kiddo being seen for example. Encourage worried family members not to come to the ED in times of crisis. I always recommend making a point person for communication for the family or friends so that all info is filtered through one person. It can be a great tool to keep communication clear and concise.

• What should I bring to the ED if I am going as a visitor or as a patient?

  • If you are the patient and not going by ambulance (AKA - you have time to think about what to bring and collect it all.) - Things to bring - A LIST OF YOUR CURRENT HOME MEDICATIONS or your actual pill bottles of current meds, your POLST or advance directive if you have a copy, ID card, health insurance card, credit card, your cell phone, CELL PHONE CHARGER (the longer the cord the better) with wall plug, a change of clothes, a book or something to read, a computer or tablet if you need it. We usually encourage people not to bring valuables unless they absolutely need it because things can go missing in the ED. I wish that wasn’t the case, but just know it happens. DO NOT BRING FOOD OR DRINK TO CONSUME unless you can wait until after you see the provider and are told by the nursing staff that you can eat.

    • Free advice - DO NOT EAT OR DRINK ONCE YOU ARE IN THE ED.

  • If you are the patient and are brought in an ambulance - You bring exactly what EMS or the firemen say you can bring. Do not hold up anything if medics are trying to get you in an ambulance. If you do have a minute, grab A LIST OF YOUR CURRENT HOME MEDICATIONS or your actual pill bottles of current meds, your POLST or advance directive if you have a copy, ID card, health insurance card, credit card, your cell phone, CELL PHONE CHARGER (the longer the cord the better) with wall plug.

  • If you are a visitor to someone who came by ambulance as a patient - Often the patient will not have time to grab anything at all, so you can try to collect things for them.

    • In this case, I recommend bringing the following for a loved one in the ED who is a patient: A LIST OF THEIR CURRENT HOME MEDICATIONS or their actual pill bottles of current meds, their POLST or advance directive if they have a copy, ID card, health insurance card, credit card, their cell phone, CELL PHONE CHARGER (the longer the cord the better) with wall plug, a change of clothes, a book or something to read, a computer or tablet if they need it. We usually encourage people not to bring valuables unless they absolutely need it because things can go missing in the ED. I wish that wasn’t the case, but just know it happens. DO NOT BRING FOOD OR DRINK TO CONSUME for them. Just don’t. No patient in the ED should eat until instructed to do so by their ED nurse.

  • As a visitor of a patient in the ED, you really just need stuff to occupy yourself, keep your devices charged (the longer the cords the better + the wall plug), and $$$ to buy stuff to feed YOURSELF (NOT THE PATIENT until the ED nurse says so), and a way to get home. If it is a COVID-19 surge, ED staff will most likely not let you in the building, and you will have the option of waiting in your car in the parking lot or somewhere near by.

  • If you are a visitor who is not let in the ED and has to wait outside for updates, make sure the ED staff has your correct phone number. And make sure that you have a correct phone number that you can call for updates. We really mean well in the ED and try to call with updates when we can, but you may want to call and get updates at regular intervals. Ask the ED staff what those regular intervals are. Results come back at expected times, so staff should be able to tell you when the next update in information will be. If they say don’t call back for an hour, listen to them. If you call back too often, you will not get any updates and further stress the already stressed out ED staff.

• What will happen to me or my loved one in the ED?

  • In the majority of situations, you will either stay overnight in the hospital or get discharged home. - There are only two final options as a patient - you will stay or go.

    • Staying overnight in the hospital is called “being admitted to the hospital”. For an admission to occur, you will need to be seen by an “admitting doctor” which can be a hospitalist (think your main doctor for your hospital stay) or a specialist depending on your injury or illness. This doctor is different from the ED provider/MD. The admission doctor will see you after your initial ED work-up (all the tests done in the ED to determine if you need to stay overnight in the hospital or not) is completed. Whoever the admitting doctor is, they will have to evaluate you or the patient (your loved one) and write admission orders. This is done still in the emergency department. At that time, they will request an inpatient/admission bed for you. That bed will then need to be assigned. This bed is a bed NOT in the emergency department, but in a different part of the hospital where you will stay for the duration of your hospital stay. It can take hours to days at times (sorry - blame COVID-19) but usually hours to get this bed assigned. Then you will be transported to that assigned room via a ride in an ED gurney (bed with wheels) or a wheelchair. Then you will be assigned a new nurse and settled into your room for your continued hospital care!

    • Being discharged home from the ED means that you are not sick or injured badly enough to need to stay overnight in the hospital. Congratulations! You get to go home! What will happen next - the ED MD will come tell you about all your test results, give you verbal discharge instructions, and tell you to go home. But WAIT! You still have to wait for the PRINTED discharge instructions and the official discharge talk from your ED nurse before you actually physically go home. If you don’t get printed discharge instructions and any paper copies of prescriptions (or instructions that your prescriptions have been sent to your pharmacy), you are not ready to go home yet. The ED nurse does this with you. You usually hear about your follow-up care plan, recommended follow-up appointments (as applicable), and a review of any medications you need to continue at home + where to get them. Listen to all of this. It may be a very quick talk with the nurse. You will probably be in a rush and trying to figure out how to get home + a million other things, but this talk with the MD and the ED nurse are often your best chance to get your initial questions answered.

    • If you get discharged home, you should ask for a copy of all your test results and a disc with all your imaging on it. - Depending on the facility, they will be able to get this to you in the ED at the time of your visit. In some facilities, they will tell you to go online and find this information via an online patient portal. At other facilities, you will be instructed to make a request via the Medical Records department. Whatever the answer, fine, but make sure you ASK FOR A COPY BEFORE YOU GO. If you forget, it’s fine. It’s just often easiest to get this info at the time of discharge.

    • If you get discharged home, do not forget to ask for any valuables that may have been locked up during your stay. - You will know if this is applicable. In some cases as an ED patient, you will be stripped down to your birthday suit, all your belongings placed in a bag, and locked up in a locker. At the end of your visit, make sure to claim your valuables. This is often at Security or Registration (front desk).

• Getting home from the Emergency Department - You will need to get home if you are discharged from the ED. There are a few options.

  • If you are able to walk and talk, you get to figure out how to get home. If you arrived by ambulance, an ambulance will not take you home. You should consider calling a friend or family member, use a ride share service (EX: Uber, Lyft), or have the ED call you a taxi (Note: you will have to pay for this).

  • If you cannot walk or need O2 or other assistance due to chronic health conditions or new illness/injury, a non-emergency ambulance can be arranged to get you home. However this is done under very specific situations for insurance to cover this. Please ask your nurse about this if you think you or your loved one qualifies.

  • If you are a visitor for a loved one in the ED who is being discharged, feel free to drive them home (if appropriate). One of the best things you can do for a patient in the ED is provide a ride home. Make sure that they get all their belongings and have their discharge instructions (paper copy) before you leave. It is usually best to drive up to the entrance for the shortest walk/wheelchair ride to the car. if you or your loved one needs assistance to the car, let the ED staff know. If someone is available, they will be happy to help! It may just take a little while as most ED’s are very, very busy at the moment.

I hope that helps! That definitely does not cover it all, but I think it hits the basics on how to navigate the confusing world that is the emergency department as a patient or visitor. Please know that every emergency department staff is doing their best every day, every shift, but we are under unprecedented (and I HATE that word) stress right now. It is feast or famine in the ED, meaning that it is either the busiest day of the millennia or it is deathly chill. You never know when that will change, so make sure you bring your PATIENCE when visiting us.

— Sarah @ New Thing Nurse

PS. A few additional tips for anyone coming to the emergency department that will make the ED staff much more likely to be in a better mood with you:

1. DO NOT yell, insult, harass, or even consider being violent with ED staff.

2. NEVER say that it is “qui*t” in the ED. - If there are not a lot of people in the ED, please never say that it is the “q-word”. It is bad luck. Just don’t say it. Also avoid using the word “sl+w”.

3. DO NOT EAT OR DRINK ONCE YOU ARE IN THE ED IF YOU ARE A PATIENT. Don’t eat on the way to the ED. Just don’t do it. And do not eat again until your ED NURSE says that it is ok. Not the ED MD, the ED Nurse. Just trust me on this.

4. If you are a visitor, do not ask the ED staff for food or beverages beyond water for yourself. There is usually a cafeteria. Or if you are allowed to leave and come back, feel free to go hit up vending machines or a close by drive-thru. We are here to care for your loved one, not you. No offense. And NEVER feed or give something to drink to the patient. See #2 again.

5. If we ask you for a urine specimen, please get it to us as quickly as possible. We need it. We really do.

6. If there are other kids in your family that do not need to be at the ED if you are there, please try to find someone to come get them or take care of them before you come. You do not want your kid in the ED unless they are being seen as a patient. I understand extenuating circumstances happen, but this will make everything easier for everyone if extra kids aren’t there.

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About the Author - Sarah K. Wells, MSN, RN, CEN, CNL is an educator, speaker, blogger and owner of New Thing Nurse, a professional and academic coaching company for the nursing world. New Thing Nurse is organized to provide support and guidance to aspiring nurses, newly graduated nurses, and veteran RNs looking to make a change in their life. 

Whether it’s a new school, new job or new idea,

New Thing Nurse wants to help with your new thing!

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The light in the dark of 2020

I have failed so many times this year.

I have failed to get out of bed on days where my body wouldn’t listen to me.

I have failed to be open with my family, friends, colleagues, and clients when the despair was too great to function.

I have failed to be as present as I could have been during this most unprecedented time – historical mostly due to failures in leadership, process, and procedure that have cost our country 289,000 deaths and counting as of the writing of this post.

But most of the time, I am able to do so much – get up, work, smile, speak, write, advocate, care, support, listen, live, be – and each action is a success that must be celebrated.  

These are the days that will define my life.

I was a high school student during 9/11, graduated college in 2008 during the Great Recession, and worked as an emergency and radiology nurse during disasters, epidemics, and the worst days in the lives of so many of my patients. But this pandemic, this year, these moments – these will be what I tell future generations about.

And while I will speak to them about working through PPE and supply shortages, not knowing what to do when others needed it most, shouting reassurances to patients through masks and goggles, managing the public misinformation, and drowning in cleaning supplies at work yet not being able to find basic hygiene products at home, there are other more important moments that I will share first and most frequently.

I will tell the future generations of nurses and other healthcare workers about the fear of others, fear of an unknown, and a fear of bringing an evil home that could harm or kill my loved ones. I will tell them about the loneliness – missing my family, my friends, and not knowing when it will be safe to be around them again. I will tell them about the isolation – not just the feeling of being alone but also the physical distance between people – eating lunches outside, not in the break room with my coworkers. About edging away from others because of the unease of being around people without a mask. And the feeling of fear that was not always of others, but of myself, not knowing if I was unwittingly passing on a novel evil to others.

I will tell them about the crushing weight of shame when I called out of work as an essential frontliner, not for COVID-19, but for anxiety and sadness that I could not get under control, no matter how much mindfulness, self-care, and therapy I sought out. I will tell them about the days when I couldn’t move without my husband physically hauling me out of bed and into clothes to get even the most basic things done.

I will tell them that even in the darkest, loneliest moments that I was still me.

I was still a nurse. And I was no less of a nurse because of my struggles. Every time I took a stronger dose of my SSRI - I was a nurse.  Every call to my therapist, appointment with a psychiatrist, and day I stayed in bed and streamed 12 hours of TV in an attempt at harm reduction – I was a nurse. I was nursing myself. I was nursing my mind and my brain chemistry. I was nursing chronic conditions called anxiety and depression that were exacerbated by the most unprecedented year in medical history.

And I never did it alone. I had my husband, my amazing partner in all things, who cared for me every day. I had my family and friends, IRL and online, who helped support me during my best and worst moments. I had my incredible nurse community – because we are a community that can withstand all things – who checked in, sent me packages, emails, texts, DMs, messages, and the most hilariously inappropriate memes to make me smile on days when I thought the world was ending. I will tell them that my nursing and healthcare people came together to support me because that’s what we do when the shit hits the fan – we roll up our sleeves and figure out how to fix it.

I want to tell everyone going into healthcare in the future that you are never alone.

You have generations of us - nurses, doctors, nursing assistants, techs, phlebotomists, imaging technologists, respiratory therapists, social workers, therapists of all varieties, and all the other medical roles that make up our incredible healthcare team – who have had those dark days, been in those paralyzing moments, and gotten through to the other side. We are here for you to lean on, get guidance, and receive all the wealth of our collective experiences. We are also here to represent those who have not made it. We know how impossible the work is, yet we continue to do it. Through the hardest moments, we are there to care for others, keeping them alive and comforted, making them better. 

But know that you will have dark, challenging moments too. And often those moments will be in your car, on the way home, or at 0400 when you are unsuccessfully trying to sleep. You will be replaying things in your mind, wondering what you could have done differently, or thinking about how all of it doesn’t matter anyways. You may despair. You may want to give up. And it’s OK. I want you to know that I have despaired. I have wanted to give up.

But I haven’t, and you shouldn’t either.

I have seen the dark, and yet I eventually got up out of bed again. I showered, grabbed coffee, and put my scrubs back on. I got my PPE. I grabbed food and my nurse bag and went to work. I put on my mask and goggles. I cared for others because that’s what I do because I am a nurse.

 When I tell others about 2020, I want to make sure they know all the parts.

And I want to make sure that no matter what year it is, the dark moments have happened and will happen again, but despite the darkness, there is so much light to be had. I show up every shift for the light. I am here to help you see it too.

Sarah @ New Thing Nurse

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About the Author - Sarah K. Wells, MSN, RN, CEN, CNL is an educator, speaker, blogger and owner of New Thing Nurse, a professional and academic coaching company for the nursing world. New Thing Nurse is organized to provide support and guidance to aspiring nurses, newly graduated nurses, and veteran RNs looking to make a change in their life. 

Whether it’s a new school, new job or new idea,

New Thing Nurse wants to help with your new thing!

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The Beauty of Masks

Masks can be such a simple thing.

From a just a piece of cloth across your lower face (always covering your nose and mouth) to high-end pieces of technology with valves, filters, full eye protection, and many more bells and whistles, the mask has recently become a major part of everyone’s lives.

As COVID-19 cases continue to skyrocket across the United States, the wearing of a simple cloth mask (along with washing your hands, staying at least 6 feet from others, and staying home when possible) has been hearalded as one of the best infection prevention measures that any member of the public can take to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

On Monday, the American Hospital Association (AHA), the American Medical Association (AMA), and the American Nurses Association (ANA) even joined forces to issue a joint letter to the public urging them to wear masks to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19:

July 6, 2020

An open letter to the American public,

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have urged the American people to protect themselves, their neighbors and their loved ones amidst the worst global health crisis in generations. After months of physical distancing and staying at home, infections and deaths began to decline.

But in the weeks since states began reopening, some of the steps that were critical to the progress we made were too quickly abandoned. And we are now watching in real-time as a dramatic uptick in COVID-19 cases is erasing our hard-won gains. Hospitals in some states are at or nearing their ICU capacity. Shortages of personal protective equipment and testing supplies continue to pose a dire threat to health care workers and patients alike. And last week, Dr. Anthony Fauci told Congress that the U.S could see 100,000 new coronavirus cases each day if we do not take more precautions.

This is why as physicians, nurses, hospital and health system leaders, researchers and public health experts, we are urging the American public to take the simple steps we know will help stop the spread of the virus: wearing a face mask, maintaining physical distancing, and washing hands. We are not powerless in this public health crisis, and we can defeat it in the same way we defeated previous threats to public health—by allowing science and evidence to shape our decisions and inform our actions.

The toll of this pandemic is already staggering, and it will take many more months, perhaps years, to truly understand its impact on our country and our way of life. But what is certain – and what the science and evidence are telling us – is that COVID-19 is not behind us and we must resist confusing re-opening with returning to normalcy. Doing so will escalate this crisis and result in more suffering and death.

To those of you who are doing your part in helping turn the tide of this pandemic – thank you. Your actions are critical to stopping the spread of COVID-19. Moving forward, we must all remain vigilant and continue taking steps to mitigate the spread of the virus to protect each other and our loved ones. There is only one way we will get through this – together.

Your continued partners in health,

American Hospital Association
American Medical Association
American Nurses Association

Masks are here to help. They will help keep our communities healthy. Masks are simple and accessible to everyone. And they can be ever so cute!

I am personally loving the many styles of masks that I am seeing being made available for donation and sale. Here are a few of my favorites from free to high-end (click any of the images to go to the company websites):

Dhvani Mask from Dhvani - Free

Black Floral Face Mask from LAFaceMasks.com - $6.50

Reversible Non Surgical Fashion Mask and Head Wrap Set from SonSon.com - $45.00

It’s a simple thing, the cloth mask. And how easy it is to wear, style, and use to prevent the spread of illness is a true thing of beauty.

- Sarah @ New Thing Nurse

*None of the companies featured in this post are affiliates of New Thing Nurse. I just truly love their stuff.*

Resources:

AHA, AMA, ANA Joint Letter to the Public Supporting Masks

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC): Use Cloth Face Covers to Slow the Spread of COVID-19

World Health Organization (WHO): When & How to Use Masks

And if you have any Hamilton lovers, this is for you:

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Hate is a public health issue.

Hate for others.

Hate for yourself.

Hate due to misinformation.

Hate that leads to violence.

Hate that results in isolation.

Hate that creates poverty.

Hate that leads to fear.

Hate that causes inequality.

Hate that prevents people from getting what they need - including appropriate healthcare.

Hate causes illness, pain, injury, mental health problems, trauma, and death.

Hate is a public health issue.

- Sarah @ New Thing Nurse

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Corona Conversations Vol. 2: Working a COVID-19 Relief Travel Assignment in NYC, Being a New Nurse during the Pandemic, & more with Mica David of @registerednoire

Remember how hard it was being a new nurse? No imagine that you are a new nurse during a pandemic.

COVID-19 has been a challenge for everyone in the medical field but for our new nurses, it has been a real shift show. No one taught them to be prepared for a pandemic in nursing school. This year has been a real baptism by fire for us all, and one new nurse has jumped in head first into the chaos.

I want to introduce you to Mica David of @registerednoire. Mica and I met through the Emergency Nurses Association this year, and I have been following her ever since. Mica is a young nurse from Georgia (my home state!) who started her career at a busy Level II trauma center emergency department last year and has recently transitioned to travel nursing. Mica is currently working NYC on a COVID-19 relief contract as her first assignment!

I got to sit down with Mica on one of her days off to discuss what it is like working in NYC on a disaster relief assignment, being a new nurse during COVID-19, and what she is doing to cope with the stress of it all. Mica has some great tips for newer nurses considering travel nursing and shares her post-shift COVID-19 decon process for her apartment (this was fascinating to me - i’m a mega-nerd). Happy watching!

- Sarah @ New Thing Nurse

Follow Mica’s adventures on social media:

Instagram - @registerednoire

YouTube - @registerednoire

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Corona Conversations Vol 1: Nursing, Stress, Mental Health, PPE, & more with Sarah of New Thing Nurse & Anna of The Burnout Book

Is this pandemic over yet?

We’ve officially been sheltered in place for over a month here in Oakland, California, and I am feeling it. The stress of everything related to the novel corona virus/COVID-19 is making life in and out of the hospital hard. I have had up’s and down’s with my mental health. I feel that I am now on an upswing, but that definitely can change day-to-day. Some shifts at work are awful - I had a total meltdown this week in the ED. Other shifts are just fine.

On Monday, 4/13, I had the chance to sit down and chat with Anna Rodriguez of The Burnout Book via the almighty Zoom and discuss everything that is going on with nursing in the time of COVID-19. We decided to record the conversation and share it with you all. I hope you enjoy!

Without further ado, I present to you Corona Conversations Vol 1 on the brand new New Thing Nurse YouTube channel:

Description: Sarah from New Thing Nurse and Anna Rodriguez from The Burnout Book have a Corona Conversation about the status of their nurse mental health and wellness as of 4/13/2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sarah and Anna also have a robust discussion on COVID-19 stress and the PPE shortage, how that affects our ability to provide compassionate patient care, and tools on how to reconnect with our patients and nursing community. Plus get Anna and Sarah's Top 3 Tips of the Week on how to make it work as a nurse during the novel corona virus crisis. Enjoy!

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COVID-19 & My Nurse Mental Health - I feel like shit that has been trampled by elephants.

I literally can’t get out of bed some days. 

Everything makes me cry. 

Going through the day feels like walking through waist-deep mud.

I am tired of talking to people who are not my nurse or healthcare friends. No one else understands.

This is what COVID-19 has done to me. I have not caught it. I am physically well but mentally, I feel like shit that has been trampled by elephants over and over again.

If you are in the healthcare field, you may know what I’m talking about. There is a constant dread during every waking moment. It is a heaviness that for me, is often on my chest, making it hard to breathe. I have heard others describe a giant pit in their stomach that will not go away. 

And your dread is valid. This effing novel corona virus is a REAL bitch, and it’s killing healthcare workers around the world. 

Plus, we are often being expected to work without the equipment we need to stay safe and keep our patients safe. It’s a time when we are being called “heroes” but are being treated like trash. 

Yet there are people out there who care. I see social media posts, public displays of appreciation, and huge philanthropic efforts to support us. Everyone I know texts, calls, or emails. They all want to know the same thing - “How are you?” 

I don’t know how to answer.

I want to say - “I am awful. I am afraid. I am worried about every one of my friends and loved ones getting sick or dying. I can’t see my family or best friends. I’m terrified that I am going to bring this wretched virus home to my husband. I am so lonely that I can’t move. Every shift gives me a panic attack before and after and sometimes during… but otherwise, I’m good. Have you watched Tiger King yet?”

I don’t think that’s what people are hoping for…

Thankfully, I have amazing friends.

A brilliant nurse friend and colleague of mine posted the most eloquent response to this question, which I have now borrowed with her permission and will use as the response for me, and I think, most nurses right now: 

“People keep asking how I'm doing. I wanted to be very honest, so here it is. Strap in - this is long.

We are struggling.

The burden of this pandemic weighs so heavily on us. We are bearing the weight of the world on our shoulders and we aren’t sure that we are strong enough.

We carry a rock in our stomachs and a lump in our throats which have taken up permanent residence and from which we cannot be released.

We put on a brave face, but we are taking enough antacids to medicate an elephant. If we are already on antidepressants, we’ve increased them. If we aren’t on them, we are considering starting them.

We’ve stopped worrying that we’ll bring this home to our families anymore. We’ve taken that as a given. We worry that our family members could be the vectors who unknowingly spread the virus to somebody else. We need to protect the world from US.

For that reason, we take social distancing extremely seriously. Guess what? That social distancing, though? It’s killing us. We are empaths. It is both our nature and our job and now we can’t give our love to anyone. Do you know how much we could all use a hug right now? We can’t have one. Our children miss their relatives and are begging for real in-person hugs and we can’t let them. Our hearts ache.

We worry.

We worry about all of the same things that you do. We worry about our families, but we don’t get to dwell on that because we’re worried about your families, too. We worry that you will be the patient we have to tell, “I’m so sorry, but due to the isolation precautions we will all be trying our best not to enter your room after I leave. Here is your call bell. Let us know if you need anything!” We worry that you will feel alone. We worry that it will be the last words you hear from another human before you are gasping for air and we have to intubate you with no family present and nobody to hold your hand.

We worry that our kids will internalize our grief, anxiety and depression due to what we face each day.

We worry that you call us heroes. We don’t feel like heroes at all. We are just as frightened as you are.

We feel guilty to be gainfully employed when so many are not. However, we worry what the ultimate price will be for continuing to do the job we love so much.

We feel sorrow for the lives lost and for the many more that we are bound to lose due to poor planning and preparation.

We feel disposable. Under a president who refuses to acknowledge the severity of this pandemic, the CDC making subpar recommendations for PPE, a national administration that has been unable to equip its frontline staff appropriately to protect themselves so that we can SAVE FUCKING LIVES – WE FEEL DISPOSABLE.

Despite all of this, we will still SHOW UP. Because when you are a nurse, it is more than a job. It’s a calling. It’s what we do. We SHOW UP.

To all of our colleagues – from EVS to RT to MD and everyone in between – THANK YOU for showing up.

To all other essential employees of the world – THANK YOU – for feeding us, delivering our mail, picking up our trash, keeping the streets safe. THANK YOU.

And to those who are forced and/or able to stay home, THANK YOU for doing your part to flatten the curve. We know that it is not without great sacrifices for many.

To those who are donating, volunteering, sewing masks and caps, lifting us up in prayer, helping your neighbors, and spreading kindness and love – THANK YOU.

This is a battle that we are all fighting together and everyone plays their respective part, so THANK YOU.”

 - Ginelle Rasch, Emergency Department Nurse

I know. Ginelle is THE BEST.

Things are so hard. If things seem impossible for you too, know that you are not alone. I feel the same. Ginelle feels that same. But somehow, together, we are going to get through this. 

And if you need a little extra help to push through, that’s totally ok too. In the past few weeks, I have switched my SSRIs, increased my talk therapy appointments (via telephone), and have had to be very open with friends and colleagues about my mental health needs. 

Your mental health is important, just as important as your physical health. Take time to care for yourself. And know that you are definitely not alone. 

- Sarah @ New Thing Nurse

Here are a few resources that I am using to help me get through the days. Maybe they will help you too:

Crisis Text Line - Mental Health Support via Text

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) COVID-19 Resources & Information Guide

Podcast: Kate Bowler - Everything Happens, “The Emergency Button”.

Podcast: The Hilarious World of Depression - Call a Friend, Find Out How They’re Doing.

I tried yoga once so far. It was nice. This yoga is free! - Down Dog

Connecting with friends:

Art of Emergency Nursing Podcast Episode with Me, Kristen Cline, & Kevin McFarlane

FB Live Fill Your Cup Virtual Meetup with Anna Rodriguez of The Burnout Book

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COVID19 at the Border: How Nurses are Caring for At-Risk Patients & How You Can Help Too

I met Helen Perry through the Emergency Nurses Association grapevine and the almighty Facebook. Helen is a Nurse Practitioner and veteran of the United States Army as well as an Emergency Nurse sister, and I could not be happier that our paths collided as she is a most inspiring nurse leader and humanitarian.

Let me tell you about Helen Perry…

After serving five years as a nurse in the military, Helen went to Georgetown University and received her Nurse Practitioner (NP) degree. While on break during her NP program, Helen went to Mosul, Iraq with a humanitarian organization called Global Response Management (GRM) and helped run Trauma Stabilization Points for civilians who were injured in the fighting. She was hooked! Helen loved how GRM applied military medical philosophies to civilian situations and managed healthcare challenges with an outside-the-box approach. 

Today, Helen heads the day-to-day operations of GRM and founded a program and clinic in Matamoros, Mexico that has provided medical care for over 3,000 asylum seekers and refugees since opening in September 2019. The GRM teams of highly trained medical volunteers work in the camp seven days a week to help families facing acute and chronic medical conditions to get the care they need. 

Find out more about Global Response Management

Global Response Management’s Mobile Medical Unit and Better Shelter tent structures, currently sit in the middle of the camp allowing residents full access to medical care every day of the week.

A view of the tents housing thousands of refugees at the border between Texas and Mexico.

A Global Response Management staff member plays with a young patient through the fence at the border.

COVID19 & Border Health 

Now that COVID19 has arrived, the needs of the patients in Matamoros are rapidly changing. The GRM clinic is the main medical resource for the area and is planning to increase their level of operations in preparation for higher acuity patient care needs as COVID19 continues to spread. 

Give to Global Response Management

Helen and the Global Response Management team need our help! To get the GRM Matamoros clinic ready for the potential COVID19 patient surge, Global Response Management needs funding. If you are a nurse, know a nurse, involved in emergency nursing, management, or have a passion for supporting at-risk patient populations, consider donating to the Global Response Management program in Matamoros. They are urgently in need of financial support to care for those who have no where else to go. 

Donate to the Global Response Management Matamoros Program

A Global Response Management clinic offering medical attention to asylum seekers and refugees.

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About the Author - Sarah K. Wells, MSN, RN, CEN, CNL is an educator, speaker, blogger and owner of New Thing Nurse, a professional and academic coaching company for the nursing world. New Thing Nurse is organized to provide support and guidance to aspiring nurses, newly graduated nurses, and veteran RNs looking to make a change in their life. 

Whether it’s a new school, new job or new idea,

New Thing Nurse wants to help with your new thing!

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COVID-19 is here! 😳 What does that mean for nurses?

COVID-19 is here! 😳 What does that mean for nurses?

Generally, it means chaos in our workplaces. The information related to COVID-19 (aka Corona Virus) is constantly evolving creating confusion and misinformation everywhere. This can make every shift 12+ hours of stress for nurses and other healthcare colleagues.

Here are my top tips for managing the stress of being a nurse during a pandemic:

1. Stay up to date! - The information is changing hour to hour. Keep informed by following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 page. It has the most current information available with the recommended guidelines for healthcare workers.

2. Keep clean! - Washing your hands seems like an eye roll worthy recommendation, but it is necessary to decrease your risk of exposure and transmission. I found this great article that gives some of my favorite songs as tunes to use to make sure that you are washing your hands for the recommended 20+ seconds.

3. Sick? Stay away from others. - Like any time that you are ill, stay home, cuddle up, and watch some TV. If you want to really get into the outbreak spirit, check out the Netflix docuseries “Pandemic.” I LOVED IT!

4. Make some mental space for yourself while at work - Your shifts are stressful on a normal day but then you get to go to work in a pandemic - AHHHHHHH! Now is an even more important time to take time for yourself to create mental calm so that you can be your best self for work and home. Check out this New Thing Nurse Blog post that offers a few tips on how to keep calm during a stressful shift.

Remember - Take care of yourself so that you can take care of others.

- Sarah @ NTN

Resources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Resource Page

New Thing Nurse Blog - When the Shift Hits the Fan

Atlanta Magazine - 9 Atlanta Songs to Help You Keep Time for Hand Washing

Pandemic Docuseries on Netflix

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About the Author - Sarah K. Wells, MSN, RN, CEN, CNL is an educator, speaker, blogger and owner of New Thing Nurse, a professional and academic coaching company for the nursing world. New Thing Nurse is organized to provide support and guidance to aspiring nurses, newly graduated nurses, and veteran RNs looking to make a change in their life. 

Whether it’s a new school, new job or new idea,

New Thing Nurse wants to help with your new thing!

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Guest Blog Post: Finding My People as a New Grad Nurse with Ted Rossini, BSN, RN, PHN

Hello New Thing Nurse Tribe! 

My name is Ted, and I am a new nurse who graduated in June 2019. I found my first job working at the Student Health Unit for the California School for the Deaf (CSD) & California School for the Blind (CSB) in Fremont, CA. When I started my nursing journey, I couldn't have known that I would end up here, nor could I have foreseen what a good fit it would be for me.

Before nursing school, I worked as a preschool teacher, a barista, a planetarium presenter, a waiter, a resident assistant for foster youth, and a summer camp director. I lived in four states earning just enough to pay taxes and in another five states for short stints with AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps NCCC. I accidentally fell into healthcare when I became an EMT while earning a FireFighter-1 Certification. All this is to say, I knew I had a lot of experience but was unsure how I'd fit into the nursing world when I graduated.

Sarah from New Thing Nurse visited my school in Fall 2018 with a presentation on the importance of self-care and avoiding burnout. At that point I was already feeling burnt out from nursing school and really didn’t know what type of nursing I'd like to pursue upon graduation. I was also hearing healthcare professionals tell the world that turning 36 hour weeks with lots of overtime is bad for them and bad for patients’ health. One thing that really stood out from the New Thing Nurse presentation was a picture of Sarah with her shift mates doing a silly dance on a slide entitled - "Find Your People." 

From my experience in EMS and non-profits, I was already familiar with how much self-care outside of the job and taking breaks was key to avoiding burnout. But this concept of "finding your people" was a new idea for me. So often I was devoted to the work that whoever my coworkers were just happened to be who they were. It was a very strong tool I carried with me on each clinical rotation throughout nursing school and sure enough, the rotations that were the most fun and meaningful had less to do with where I was than who I was with. Put me with someone who liked their job and wanted to help people, and I was happy in all kinds of clinical settings from Pediatric Heme One, the Cardiac ICU, Med-Surg, NICU, to orthopedic rehab. 

And then there was my nursing school cohort. I love my cohort dearly and wouldn't trade them for anything, but so often in class, my views and values clashed with theirs. I would often hear my fellow nursing students say things like - "I'm going to be in a level 5 NICU" or "I'm going to be an ICU nurse" . In protest, I declared - "I'm going to be a school nurse."

After I calmed down and took some breaths, I remembered once working as an EMT at a Renaissance Fair. I had met someone who was studying American Sign Language (ASL) and had just been accepted to a graduate program. In my travels and previous jobs, I had actually learned a fair amount of ASL and interacted with a large deaf community in my early adulthood. That was when I remembered that the California School for the Deaf was near my nursing school, and I had a simple thought - “It's a boarding school, so they must need nurses.”

I looked, and there was a position open! I kept my eye on that post for four months while I finished school, recovered from my preceptorship, and finally studied for and passed the NCLEX. I wasn't sure what I'd find there, and I certainly had almost no experience with the blind community. But even before I was hired, school staff were so kind and welcoming. 

Ultimately, I applied and got the job! On my second day, there was a "True Colors" team building exercise where I got to really know my coworkers and felt immediately at home. I quickly discovered a friend, who is now one of my mentors, who loves theater (like me!) so I joined her and her husband for a play my very first weekend on the job. I quickly realized that I had found my people - we're huggers, we like to laugh, we like watching kids grow from children into adults, and we wear fun scrubs. A great moment came when my mentor and her husband joined my grandmother, aunt, mother, and myself for Hamilton. She wanted to get a picture with just her and me, and I quickly thought we should make a sign together as one. She immediately knew the best sign: Nurse!

- Ted, School Nurse

Photo: Ted and mentor make the American Sign Language sign for “nurse”.

Photo: Ted and his colleagues are doing "serious” work at the California School for the Deaf (CSD) & California School for the Blind (CSB) in Fremont, CA.

Photo: Ted and colleagues in the fun scrubs on Crazy Hair/Punk Day during spirit week.

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About the Author - Ted Rossini, BSN, RN, PHN works at the Student Health Unit at the California School for the Deaf (CSD) & California School for the Blind (CSB) in Fremont, CA. When Ted is not at work, he enjoys attending the theater with family and friends.

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The Business of Nursing: An Interview with Amelia Roberts

I recently had the opportunity to do an interview with Amelia Roberts, RN for her Business of Nursing podcast, a project that Amelia started to showcase the variety of nursing businesses, what works, and what doesn’t for nurse entrepreneurs. Amelia is a former GI and Endoscopy nurse and digital native who officially became a practitioner of online marketing twelve years ago with a role as a virtual assistant. Student loans from nursing school inspired her to put her marketing experience to use and she started offering social media management support to a variety of purpose-driven organizations.

Shortly after, Amelia had the opportunity to become an online community manager for a health literacy association and later dove into social media data analytics with Stanford University’s MedX project. Along the way she saw a need for other health professionals to start disseminating their expertise and make reliable health content easy to find. One thing lead to another and Amelia now works as a visibility expert and digital marketing consultant, helping under-recognized professionals become thought leaders by skipping the maddening world of Facebook Ads, sales funnels, and algorithm changes. Amelia coaches her clients to engage online collaborative partners such as podcast hosts, bloggers, and social media referral networks who already have the “know, like, and trust” of thousands of supporters.

I asked Amelia a few questions to answer for the New Thing Nurse Blog. Read below to get her perspecive on transitioning from bedside nursing to starting her own business where she helps clients in optimizing their human potential.

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New Thing Nurse (NTN): The New Thing Nurse Blog is all about learning from each other by sharing our professional journeys. How did you fall into nursing? And what area of nursing did you start in?

Amelia Roberts (AR): My upbringing was influenced by women in my family who were either teachers or nurses, a group that has sometimes been called the “Pink Ghetto.” While I loved technology and computers, my mom said she would pay for school if I became a nurse like her, so I did. Yet I never loved working MedSurg, nights, weekends or holidays, so I started my nursing career in the outpatient world with GI/Endoscopy Nursing.  

NTN: Now that we know where you started, tell us about where you are now. What motivated you to make that transition into your "new thing" as you call it on your website - a Human Potential Optimizer? 

AR: Over the course of figuring out what I was born to do as a human, I looked at all of the things I enjoyed and projects that went well. They all had a common thread: I help people survive, thrive and get to their highest potential, at the bedside, in the boardroom or in their business. In short, I help people get visible, be seen and live optimized lives. 

This realization is what moved me into this work being a visibility expert and human potential optimizer.  

NTN: Do you have any tips for anyone out there who might be considering jumping into a "new thing" of their own, especially for any of our nurse readers who might be interested in launching their own business? 

AR: Yes, as nurses our greatest fear is killing someone. Please note that death need not be a concern when it comes to trying your new thing! In short, you will not die nor will you likely kill anyone by choosing a new path that serves you best. 

NTN: What has been the best thing that you have invested in to help with your "new thing"? What was the least helpful? 

AR: Investing in reputable coaching has been the best thing that has helped me with my new thing. There is a lot of information that they do not teach in nursing school, so a good coach can shave YEARS off of a pretty steep learning curve. 

On the other end, some so-called “Experts” have been the least helpful. 

Following the advice of some "Gurus" led me to think that I needed to do #allofthethings just to get my business to take off, yet when in reality is was about having a specific outbound client getting plan and then working that plan to get clients. 

NTN: I love the idea behind your blog and podcast. Can you tell us more about the podcast and what inspired you to start it? 

AR: As I started helping people get visible and grow their audience, other  people seemed to be surprised that as a nurse I had the ability to learn something new. In short others were surprised that a nurse could learn a new skill such as marketing and get people results. 

Because of this knowledge gap, I created The Business of Nursing Blog to show that nurses are capable of learning MANY new things and our skills ARE transferable and VALUABLE in places beyond the bedside and traditional nursing roles. Related, I also wanted to use my blog to bring new resources to the attention of nurses who are thinking about what else is out there for them. 

NTN: Do you have any exciting "new things" in the future? 

AR: Yes, I plan to focus on helping under-recognized professionals grow their visibility by being featured as guest experts on podacasts, in Facebook groups and on virtual summits of their best buyers, clients and referral partners. 

NTN: Do you have any other advice for our readers?

AR: Yes, when it comes to reaching out for something new, dare to believe that it will be easy. 

Sometimes we have fears related to how hard something will be, yet many times people are seeking for someone with just the sort of skills you offer. You just may be the the solution that someone has been dreaming about having in their life!

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Listen to my interview with Amelia on her podcast, The Business of Nursing here:

Sarah K. Wells, MSN, RN, CEN, CNL on The Business of Nursing Podcast

How to find out more about Amelia Roberts, RN and her many projects:

Solutions by Amelia Website

Amelia Roberts, RN on LinkedIn

Amelia Roberts, RN on Facebook

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About the Author - Sarah K. Wells, MSN, RN, CEN, CNL is an educator, speaker, blogger and owner of New Thing Nurse, a professional and academic coaching company for the nursing world. New Thing Nurse is organized to provide support and guidance to aspiring nurses, newly graduated nurses, and veteran RNs looking to make a change in their life.

Whether it’s a new school, new job or new idea,

New Thing Nurse wants to help with your new thing!

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Guest Post: Finding Balance as a Nurse and Mom with Lindsay Woolf Grainger, MPH, MSN, RN

To me, the most amazing individuals in the world are the #nursemom and #nursedad. Like unicorns, they manage to rock the world of nursing and parenting with a magic that smells like coffee and determination. While I am not a member of the nurse-parent team, I know many of our #newthingnursetribe are and that is why I invited my nursing school friend and esteemed colleague, Lindsay Woolf Grainger, MPH, MSN, RN, to tell us how she has tried to find work-life balance as an almighty #nursemom.

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Hello readers!!

I am delighted to be sharing my experiences with you on the New Thing Nurse Blog!! I am Lindsay Woolf Grainger - a nurse, nurse educator, wife, mom, and friend of Sarah’s from nursing school. Yes, I remember the “good ol’ days” of skills check offs, late-night study sessions with Sarah, and fun ,yet random, hair cutting parties (look - we had to be creative with our budgets as nursing students). I am humbled to have this opportunity to offer my thoughts on the daily quest to balance work and family priorities as a #nursemom.

My husband and I have three daughters - ages 1, 3, and 6. Our days can seem like a blur of feeding, entertaining, refereeing, comforting, and disciplining our kiddos. I love the privilege of being a parent, and with these responsibilities on my plate, my career has had to evolve.

The news of my first pregnancy created some immediate changes in my work as a new grad, nightshift nurse on a transplant unit in a large, urban facility in Georgia. For starters, I actually asked for help when moving patients. I was extra sensitive to smells and took better precautions NOT to inhale. My participation in doing CPR compressions was frowned upon. I also realized that nightshift combined with the fatigue of pregnancy was pretty intense, so I put my name on the list for a transfer to dayshift and was grateful when a position came up within a few months.

Some really groovy things happened during pregnancy too. I discovered a new-found confidence and assertiveness. This led me to schedule a meeting with our CNO to discuss my concerns about the hospital’s then-recent decision to cut the training time for new grad nurses in HALF. I don’t know if I credit the hormones or what, but I felt compelled to advocate for future nurses, and it seemed like my barely emerging “baby bump” was leading the charge.

After the delivery of our daughter, a whole new wave of realities came crashing into my life - the challenges of breastfeeding, the haze of post-partum hormone shifts, and severely truncated sleep. New career questions emerged. I had the luxury to return to work PRN, but even so I was clumsy at maneuvering pumping while on the job (in the bathroom—really people?), and I felt anxious to be away from home yet anxious to maintain my professional pursuits while at home.

So that delicate teeter-tottering of balancing career/family time began quickly for me. Today I work as a full-time nurse educator, and I appreciate the flexible schedule that it affords. I still struggle to manage all of the childcare needs (especially when the kid(s) are sick) and worry that my mind too frequently drifts to work plans or schedules even when I am hanging out with my kids. There are many competing interests to balance between the needs of our family and the demands of my job, but I try my best. And I try to forgive myself for the days of lopsided priorities.

A few things that help redirect me towards balance include:

• Open Communication - I think that effective partner communication is essential (with or without kids). The more my husband and I communicate about our concerns and our needs, the better we seem to be able to work as a team to equilibrate our jobs and family.

• Landing Intentionally - To state the obvious, working in health care can be really stressful. With lots of family responsibilities in the mix, it is important for me to be intentional about where I work. I have decided that on the job I need to land somewhere in between “bored” and “stressed out.” I need a job that remains challenging and engaging without driving me nuts from the stress.

• Being Creative - My entrance into the field of nurse education started with a random phone call one year out of nursing school when I was 3 months post-partum. I was sleep-deprived, unprepared, yet curious. So (naturally?) I said yes. I am so grateful for the opportunities that this career path has afforded me and our family. Being creative and open-minded with career choices and scheduling can make work/family balance easier to achieve.

• Sharing - One of my favorite ways to prioritize my family is to include them in my job! As a new nurse, I invited (ok…begged…) my husband to occasionally visit me at work. I wanted him to understand what I was up to each day on the job. I have taken my children (even as babies) to the hospital to introduce them to co-workers and (hopefully) foster their interest in and appreciation for healthcare. Now as a nurse educator, I look for ways to include my kids in the classroom. My kids have also enjoyed volunteering (alongside nursing students) with Meals on Wheels in our community. (Full disclosure: I *might* be guilty of dressing our girls in child-sized scrubs during these events to max the cuteness factor.)

So, I have mentioned a few things that point me more towards balance, but I should probably mention a few of the pitfalls that distract me in this pursuit:

• Others! I cannot look at the lives of others (the credentials they have achieved, hours they work, activities their kids do, accolades their kids have achieved, relationships they have with their partner, etc…etc…). I don’t live anyone’s life but mine. No one is living anyone’s life but her own. The comparisons that tempt me are unhealthy and unfair and don’t help me figure out how to balance my unique responsibilities and goals.

• Sleep! For the record, I have tried (as probably most of you readers have) to sacrifice sleep for the benefit of my job and my family. Prolonged sleep deprivation has not moved me an inch closer to balance, so I would call this the ultimate “anti-balance” pitfall!

Every day can be viewed as a new opportunity to reassess our work/family balance and to move weight from one end of the teeter totter to the other. If work is suffering, then refocus on work. If family life is suffering, then refocus on family. And always know that no one (not even an acrobat, or your co-worker, or even your distant social media acquaintance) is perfectly balanced or put together. All of you nurses out there who work tirelessly to serve your families and your patients. YOU are heroes!!!

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Photo: Lindsay Woolf Grainger, MPH, MSN, RN

About the Author: Lindsay Grainger, MPH, MSN, RN is a full-time nursing instructor at the Mary Black School of Nursing of the University of South Carolina-Upstate. Her academic interests include community health, public health policy, immigrant health and refugee health. She holds a Masters of Science degree in Nursing (CNL) from Augusta University and a Masters of Public Health degree from Emory University. Lindsay has worked at the bedside in organ transplant nursing and in general surgery. Lindsay has also taught undergraduate and graduate clinical courses at Augusta University.

Outside of the classroom, Lindsay enjoys spending time with her family. (Her three daughters keep life whirling and twirling!) Lindsay's hobbies include learning languages, practicing yoga, and writing music. Lindsay currently serves as a volunteer at the Greenville Free Medical Clinic and previously served as a volunteer for Friends of Refugees in Clarkston, Georgia.

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Be the Change Agent: An Interview with Lauren Plaine

I met Lauren Plaine at Emergency Nurses Association’s (ENA) national conference Emergency Nursing 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She was the 2018 Emerging Professional Liaison to the National ENA Board. This was the first year that this role had been established, and Lauren was the pioneer to first take on the position. Lauren put her incredible energy and poise to work as a representative for ENA’s emerging professional membership to voice their opinions and needs to the Board of Directors.

I have had the chance to get to know Lauren over the last year and was lucky enough to get to ask her about her experience as a voice for new nurses across the county and about her next new things.

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New Thing Nurse (NTN): The New Thing Nurse Blog is all about learning from each other by sharing our professional journeys. How did you fall into nursing? And what area of nursing did you start in?

Lauren Plaine (LP): Well I definitely fell into nursing.  Growing up I always wanted to be a doctor, but that was not in the plans for me.  I completed an EMT class in high school and began running with my local rescue squad my junior year.  My initial major was athletic training until I realized that I really did not want to stand on the side of a high school football field for the rest of my life.  Through running rescue, I had interacted with the nurses in the ER and decided maybe I could be a nurse.  In nursing school, I worked as an ER Tech and my manager picked me up as a new graduate.  Honestly, had she not hired me I’m not sure I would still be a nurse today because I love working in the ER. 

NTN: You are a very active member in the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), the largest professional organization in the world for emergency nurses, and had a very special role with them in 2018. Can you tell us about ENA, why you are so active with them, and about your amazing role within the organization that you held all last year? 

LP: I am someone who will ask you all about “the why” of a decision.  I like to know how you got to your conclusion and after many questions, my manager encouraged me to join ENA to help understand why we do what we do in the ER and how our practice is guided.  From there, I became very involved in my local chapter finding that ENA truly is a resource for education and networking, but even more so a community of like-minded ER nurses who simply want to better our corner of the world.  On a whim, yes a whim (ask my mother), I applied for the Emerging Professional Liaison position for the National Board of Directors.  Stunned when I received my confirmation of appointment, I could not image the level of inclusivity that I was about to experience.  I sat as a non-voting board member, but was treated like any other director.  All of the board members valued my perspective and opinion. Millennials are the largest group in the nursing workforce, and with this role I felt that ENA values our perspective and is placing an emphasis on cultivating the next generation of nurses and leaders.

NTN: How was it being a younger nurse on a board with such experienced nurse leaders? What lessons did you learn from that experience that you have found valuable as a newer nurse and new nurse leader? 

LP: It is very intimidating to be the youngest and least experienced at a board table.  I was not sure I wanted to speak at all the first meeting for fear that I would sound unintelligent and inexperienced.  Let’s be honest, my previous baby nurse experiences in the ER were not always welcoming.  During my first meeting when I was holding back, Jeff Solheim, 2018 ENA President, called me out for my opinion and to offer the emerging professional perspective (insert sweaty palms here).  As I shared, I found everyone listening intently just as they had to other perspectives.  What I learned is that our engaged ENA leaders truly care what everyone has to say.  What I found meeting after meeting is that even as an emerging professional, I have the ability to make change with the help of this organization.     

NTN: What motivated you to make that transition into your "new thing" as the Emerging Professional Liaison?

LP: Everyone complains about their problems and the problems in their department or lives, but you are just as much of the problem if you sit idly by.  Be the change agent.  I was tired of accepting the status quo and decided that it was not enough for me any more.  You are responsible for living every moment.  So, I ask myself frequently - Are you satisfied with your life or is there something you can change to make it and the world a better place?

NTN: Do you have any tips for anyone out there who might be considering jumping into a "new thing" of their own, especially for any of our newer nurse readers? 

LP: I have three suggestions for anyone who is thinking about jumping into their new thing.  First, stop the self-doubt and go after what it is you want.  Only you can change the life you live.  Second, ask yourself what is your why?  What drives you to make this change?  Write it down and post it somewhere you can see it every day.  Third, be aggressive about your ambition.  Stop holding back, because the world could be a very different place if you actively seek to improve yourself and the world around you. 

NTN: The focus of New Thing Nurse is supporting nurses as they find their "new thing." As you have now completed your year as the first ever Emerging Professional Liaison for ENA, what will be your "new thing" for 2019? 

LP: My new thing is my national committee appointment.  I am serving a two-year term for ENA’s Emergency Management & Preparedness Committee.  Emergency and disaster management is something that I am very passionate about and I am perusing my Master’s in this field of study.  My other new thing is public speaking.  I hope to make new opportunities in 2019 for speaking engagements.  

NTN: I happen to know that you are also super passionate about physical fitness. Can you tell our readers about why physical fitness is important to you, and how it helps in your nursing practice? 

LP: I use fitness as an outlet for my stress, but I also think its important for us to be examples of health to our patients.  It’s also nice to work with a different population.  In the hospital we see a lot of people who do not value their health, but at the gym everyone in my classes comes because they actually care. 

NTN: Do you have any other advice for our readers?

LP: Find your why.  Why nursing as a career?  Why you went to the gym? Why you ate that delicious pizza (jk… maybe?).  But in all seriousness, asking yourself to evaluate the why behind the important things in your life will help you with personal development and creating a better future you.

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Aren’t you feeling amazing about the future of nursing? I know that I am.

To see more from Lauren Plaine, you can come to ENA’s National Conference, EN19, in Austin, Texas (I’ll be there too!) this fall where she will be speaking more on how to engage and support the next generation of nurses. YASSS!!!

For more details >> ENA’s National Conference - EN19 in Austin, TX

Lauren was ENA’s first-ever Emerging Professional Liaison to the National Board of Directors.

Lauren and Sarah (ME) at our first ENA rendez-vous in Pittsburgh, PA at EN18 last year.

Lauren rocking some PPE as she prepares to jump into a trauma case.

Lauren Plaine speaking at the Emergency Nurses Association's 2019 State and Chapter Leaders Orientation in Chicago, Illinois.

Perfectly poised for a 2018 ENA Connection photo shoot.

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About the Author - Sarah K. Wells, MSN, RN, CEN, CNL is an educator, speaker, blogger and owner of New Thing Nurse, a professional and academic coaching company for the nursing world. New Thing Nurse is organized to provide support and guidance to aspiring nurses, newly graduated nurses, and veteran RNs looking to make a change in their life.

Whether it’s a new school, new job or new idea,

New Thing Nurse wants to help with your new thing!

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The Violence Nurses Face

When I tell people that I am a nurse, their response is almost always positive.

They will either say, “That is so wonderful! You get to help people!” or thank me for my work and tell me a story about a kind nurse that made a difference in their life or that of their loved ones. I can see them picturing me in white scrubs, holding patients’ hands, and offering comfort to those that need it most.

But that isn’t really my reality.

I mean, yes, I get to help people. And yes, I often offer comfort for those that are experiencing unimaginable tragedy. But I also am required to take annual Workplace Violence training where I learn to protect myself and escape in the case that I am choked, grabbed, or beaten by someone during my shift. Almost every day that I work, I experience some sort of verbal abuse, intimidation, harassment, or physical threat.

You know, just another day at the office.

If you’re a nurse or other healthcare worker, this isn’t news. But I bet you aren’t surprised if you experience these things during your regular work day. Sadly, many healthcare workers have grown to accept the abuse that we face almost every hour that we are in the clinical environment.

Violence in the workplace has become a massive problem facing healthcare workers across the United States.

In a 2014 study, nearly 80% of nurses surveyed reported being attacked while on the job in the last year. That is nearly 8-0 PERCENT. When I asked my non-healthcare worker husband when he was last attacked at work, he paused, looked at me funny and said, “I can’t recall.” This is not a standard concern for those outside of our industry.

In the eight years that I have been an emergency department nurse, I have been spat on, had my hair pulled, grabbed at, swung on, inappropriately touched, present during an attempted machete-assault, part of more team efforts to restrain violent patients than I can count, had my life threatened, and had the pleasure of once telling my husband that if I go missing to look for a certain person because they will know where my body will be. And all of that does not include the countless verbal abuse, intimidation, and threats that I’ve experienced almost every shift that I have ever  worked. #thisismytruth

And I consider myself lucky.

I have never really been hurt on the job. Luckily, none of the threats have been acted on. I have seen more nurses and healthcare staff than I would care to think about seriously injured on the job or who have had to leave the medical field all together due to the effects of being a victim of violence in the workplace.

The public does sometimes hear about the violence. However, these usually are the most extreme cases, and only the ones that make it to the mass media. You may remember the viral video showing a patient beating on a group of nurses with a pipe pulled off his bed. Or possibly you saw the photo of the ED nurse who was stabbed repeatedly by a patient that she was caring for in the emergency department. Then there is the absolutely tragic story of Carlie Beaudin, a nurse practitioner at the Medical College of Wisconsin, who was violently murdered in the parking garage by the hospital where she worked in January of this year.

Only one word comes to mind when I hear about these kind of events – STOP. This has to stop.  

Nurses are rated one of the most honest and ethical professions in the country almost every year in Gallup Polls.

That’s great. Now it’s time to be the most respected.  

It is time to use our voices to advocate for safer work environments and to share our stories.

There are many groups who have already started these efforts. It is time to organize and unify to get workplace protections in place. I have heard stories about hospitals who do not encourage their staff to report incidents of violence or abuse, about nurses being told not call the police when assaulted, and about cultures of “patient satisfaction first” coming before staff safety. Just writing these words makes my eye start to twitch with rage.

So, what can we do about it? How do I work to make the violence stop?

Below are a list of organizations who have started the work. They are groups that advocate for workplace safety for healthcare workers, provide trainings, support legislation to increase penalties for assailants, gather data to analyze and publish, and provide all sorts of resources from legal to mental health support. Check them out and see which might be helpful for you to get started in your journey to stop the violence against healthcare workers.

I also want to make a plug for a new campaign that I am working with – the Raise Your Hand (RYH) Campaign. This campaign was started by nurses and is being led by emergency department nurses to raise awareness, collect data, and provide insight into solutions regarding violence against healthcare workers that occurs in hospitals. We have a brand new website – CHECK IT OUT – where we are gathering stories from nurses and other healthcare workers who have experienced violence in the workplace so that our Research Committee can start to extract data to help us find evidence-based practices to help us combat this epidemic of violence.

If you have experienced abuse in the workplace, know that you are not alone, and it is NOT acceptable.

We have to work together to create a new nursing reality, really a new healthcare reality, where we can ask each other, “When was the last time that you were attacked at work?” and all respond, “I can’t recall” with a funny look on our face.

Raise Your Hand Campaign - https://www.raiseyourhandcampaign.com/

Silent No More Foundation - https://silentnomorefoundation.com/

Stop Healthcare Violence - https://stophealthcareviolence.org/

American Nurses Association “End Nurse Abuse” Campaign -

https://www.americannursetoday.com/take-pledge-end-nurse-abuse/

 Emergency Nurses Association Workplace Violence Resources -

https://www.ena.org/practice-resources/workplace-violence

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About the Author - Sarah K. Wells, MSN, RN, CEN, CNL is an educator, speaker, blogger and owner of New Thing Nurse, a professional and academic coaching company for the nursing world. New Thing Nurse is organized to provide support and guidance to aspiring nurses, newly graduated nurses, and veteran RNs looking to make a change in their life.

Whether it’s a new school, new job or new idea,

New Thing Nurse wants to help with your new thing!

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A Nurse Reminder – The Importance of Humanity

We are back in the Holiday Season again friends, and the flavor of the month is kindness and giving.

You see it on commercials, billboards, and soda cans. The hospital is full of potlucks and gift exchanges. You may be getting ready for your holiday party and trying to find the right outfit that is not scrubs or yoga pants. It can be a cheery time when looking from the outside of the unit.

But in your department, it is probably a different story.

The census is high. Patients are sick. Staffing is short. There is no time to sit, pee or hardly stuff any of that potluck food in your mouth between call lights and IV pumps sounding off.

We are all busy in the winter. It’s a fact. Nurses wear their fun scrubs and Christmas light necklaces that shine so brightly, but their mood is dark and cold like the weather outside. Your department has run out of everything – no more sandwiches, personal belonging bags or the good, fitted sheets for the beds. Administration is sending out emails thanking you for all your hard work, but also asking you to pick up some extra hours to fill in the staffing holes. It is easy to get resentful and cranky.

These are the days that we see holiday silliness in the emergency department that seems only to arrive in winter – 19 dialysis patients with clotted vascular access in 4 hours, patients with sore throats on a Buy 1 Get 30 Special, and so much epigastric pain (mine included) that it can only be the weeks after Thanksgiving.

And you will get those patients that no one wants to deal with but who take an extraordinary amount of time - the homeless men and women who come for what seems like complete BS. Maybe the EMS call will be for a 67 year-old homeless woman who fell and can’t (did not want to) get up or possibly a 46 year-old transient man who is having a flair up of their chronic thumb pain. I agree, this is not an emergency. This is a waste of an EMS rig. We are receiving a person who does not need emergency medical care services.

However, I want to take a moment to remind us all that while these people do not need emergency medical care, or possibly no medical care at all, they are people who still need care. These are often the forgotten, the hungry, the cold, the mentally ill, and the individuals that our society is failing. They are not getting the medical or mental health care that they need. They are most likely lacking the absolute basics – clean clothes, a place to shower, decent food, and a safe place to sleep.  

**And I hear all of you who are saying that there are lots of people who choose this kind of life and just use and abuse the healthcare system. I agree. There are those people, lots of those people. But let’s just remember that they are still people.**

I had a patient like this yesterday. They needed nothing medically and were definitely taking up a bed that we needed for a sick patient. But as I tried to get them out of the ED, they told me about how much they just wanted a shower and some sleep. They told me how they had been eating out of the trash and scared to sleep because they never know who is around and what they might do.

This is not a person who needed any medical care, but they did need someone to care. We tried to help. We gave them clothes and food. We let them wash up. I led them to the waiting room to eat and rest while the ED continued to provide medical care to those who needed it.

I finished my shift and went home. And I was frustrated and sad. The emergency department should not have to be caring for the basic welfare of our patients. I truly feel that humans all have the right to clean food and safe housing.

And I can’t always make that happen. Shelters are often full. The department doesn’t have enough food to feed everyone a meal. Hospitals can’t be the fixer for all of these problems.

But for what it is worth, I know that I can always try to remember to care – to care enough to give each person the most dignified and respectful interaction that I can and to care enough to keep their humanity in mind even during the busiest time of year.

- Sarah @ New Thing Nurse

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About the Author - Sarah K. Wells, MSN, RN, CEN, CNL is an educator, speaker, blogger and owner of New Thing Nurse, a professional and academic coaching company for the nursing world. New Thing Nurse is organized to provide support and guidance to aspiring nurses, newly graduated nurses, and veteran RNs looking to make a change in their life.

Whether it’s a new school, new job or new idea,

New Thing Nurse wants to help with your new thing!

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FOLLOW NEW THING NURSE ON INSTAGRAM - @NEWTHINGNURSE

The Down & Dirty Nursing School Supply List

The semester is starting!

I can hear those alarms going off for 0700 clinicals already. I have seen lots of recommended back-to-school supply lists that have cute, glittery planners plastered with stickers and pens that come in all the colors of the rainbow. These lists are lovely however you’re going to nursing school, not creating a Pinterest board. While it has been awhile since I have been a student, I have crafted a guaranteed list of down and dirty supplies over the years to help you get started on the right foot for the school year and your future shifts at work –

1. Coffee – There is not enough coffee in the world for nursing school. Map out the nearest coffee shop to your classes and clinicals. Time your routes and take into account all possible delays, like if there’s a long line or a zombie outbreak, so that you won’t be late for class. If you’re on a budget, buy a tried and true home set-up and do a practice run with your home kit before your first day of classes. Invest in a good travel mug so that the sweet java stays hot all day long. #coffeeislife
2. Snacks – Once you have coffee, you will need calories. I consumed endless amounts of protein bars while in nursing school. As a nurse, I have switched to straight boiled eggs. Whatever your fancy, pack small meals or snacks to help get you through the day. Your brain needs calories to think.
3.  Water – After caffeine and calories, you next need water. Get a water bottle. Like a camel, you need to be able to survive off your own water stores until your instructors tell you that it’s OK to go to the facilities. During nursing school, you don’t know when you will have a break. Another tip – get one with a good lid. My backpack once had an episode of water bottle incontinence and only by the grace of the Patho Gods, did my laptop not get fried. Get a water bottle with a good lid. Tight seal. Enough said.
4. Pens – Black or blue ink is classic and won’t confuse your schoolwork with an episode of My Little Pony. Do not show up to class without pens. Just like at the hospital if you show up without a writing utensil, your classmates may or may not be able to/willing to bail you out with a loaner. I love cheap pens that come in a box for under $20. If you loose them or someone touches it with their poopy fingers, it’s no big loss. Like everybody, I like all the photos of pretty notes in 34 colors, but I just want a pen that writes in the color of A+.
5. Laptop or Tablet – We live in the digital era. Type your notes. It will save you time. If you want to kick it up a notch, find other people to take notes for different classes and then share to make a hive of mega-notes that will carry you all to glory. Teamwork makes the dream work.
6. Watch – You need to know the time in nursing school. Don’t always rely on your phone. Having your phone out all the time makes it look like you’re not paying attention, even when you are. Get a watch. Learn to sneak glances at it while still maintaining direct eye-contact with your professor. This skill will take you very far in your nursing career.
7. Apps – There are a million medical resources apps. I have no affiliations with any of these (ALTHOUGH I LIKE MONEY! NICE APP COMPANIES - I WILL BE YOUR AFFILIATE!) A few of my favorite medical apps from the old school to today include –
   1. Epocrates - This app helped me with all things pharmacology. It contains dosing infomration (adult & peds), contraindications & administration directions for everything. Remember to always read about the meds before you give them.
   2. Medscape - Medscape is my resource for every random question that I may have while on shift. I use it weekly now in my bedside care. Most hospitals even have Medscape embedded in their intranet. Use it. Learn it. Love it.
   3. WebMD - Another good app for all your random symptom, disease and other medical questions. Patients may use it incorrectly, but it can be a great source of info for clinicians.
   4. Taber’s Medical Dictionary - All those big words... what do they mean? Taber's Medical Dictionary will help you find meaning to all the crazy medical terms.
   5. NurseGrid - Need to figure out when you and your classmates can get together to study amidst your millions of conflicting schedules? NurseGrid is a scheduling app made by nurses for nurses (and nursing students). Create easy-to-read schedules that you can share with your classmates. It's pretty great.
8. Jacket – You need a good jacket that will carry your through class and clinicals. It’s a fact – universities and hospitals cannot seem to regulate their temperature. It’s usually borderline freezing, even in the middle of summer. Get a comfy jacket to avoid hypothermia throughout your studies and clinical rotations.
9.  Bag – You need a nurse bag. It doesn’t have to be crazy or expensive. It just needs to fit your stuff, be comfortable to carry and ideally, waterproof. Why waterproof? Because you never know what funky floor you are going to sit it on in the hospital.
10. Schedule Holder – It is necessary to have somewhere to put your insane school/clinical/study/exam/sleep schedule. But I am not going to use the word “planner” here because I hate paper. I know some people love their paper calendars but WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LOOSE IT?? I like to keep mine in my phone which syncs with my computer. Do as you will. If you need a cutesy, paper planner – DO IT. Just have your schedule somewhere easy to find and hard to lose.
11. Good Attitude – This is essential to get you through school and your nursing career. Nursing school was one of the hardest things that I ever did. It was only because of the members of my cohort that I was able to get through everything. I never would have been able to keep them in my good graces if I didn’t have a good attitude. That will also go for your future colleagues. Healthcare is a team sport and if you are the Debbie Downer or Poophead Paula, no one is going to help you. You cannot nurse alone. Keep a good attitude, and you will be successful.
12. Support Group – I already mentioned my amazing nursing school cohort (SHOUTOUT CNL C/O 2010). But you need more than just nursing school friends to get through nursing because guess what – NURSING SCHOOL ENDS. Your friends will get blown to the four corners of the earth and as much as you will try, you will not be able to depend on them as much as while you’re in school. Set yourself up for success and find a good support system outside of school. Family, friends, partners, pets – it doesn’t matter who as long as you can talk to them and depend on them for support and love.
13. Nurse Mentor – I waited too long to find one of these. A nurse mentor is someone who has been where you are going and can guide you towards success They are there to listen to you vent, get peppered with questions, and received yours texts in the wee hours of the morning (WARNING – there are no promises on their response time). If they do not know the answers, they will help you find them. They are a shoulder to lean on and help you through the hard days, because there will be many, during your nursing school journey.

That’s it! The Down and Dirty Nursing School Supply List from New Thing Nurse! There are many other things that will help you along the way - like scrubs and stethoscopes. However these basics will get you through the hard that is nursing school and set you up for success as you chase that RN dream!

Happy studying!

- Sarah @ New Thing Nurse

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Feel like you might need more help during school than just a supply list?

New Thing Nurse offers Academic Advisement and Career Mentoring services to help provide support and guidance to nursing students as they wade their way through the chaos of class and clinicals.

For more details, see the Services page

or contact New Thing Nurse directly.

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About the Author - Sarah K. Wells, MSN, RN, CEN, CNL is an educator, speaker, blogger and owner of New Thing Nurse, a professional and academic coaching company for the nursing world. New Thing Nurse is organized to provide support and guidance to aspiring nurses, newly graduated nurses, and veteran RNs looking to make a change in their life.

Whether it’s a new school, new job or new idea,

New Thing Nurse wants to help with your new thing!

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FOLLOW NEW THING NURSE ON INSTAGRAM - @NEWTHINGNURSE

An Interview with Anna Rodriguez from The Burnout Book

Confession - I really like social media.

I have been overly involved with social media for years, but got REALLY into my accounts when I started discovering the nursing social media community. From your phone, you can interact with nurses from literally all over the world. It is so wild how much you can have in common with people that you have never met and who are located in geographic areas that are literally thousands of miles away.

It was on Instagram that I first “met” Anna Rodriguez, the curator of the incredible IG account - @the.burnoutbook. I was immediately drawn into her posts about self-care, strategies to fight compassion fatigue and manage stress, her videos of her doing yoga with her Corgi, Walter, and her personal experiences that she would share about working through nurse burnout herself. I completely identified with her narrative and felt like I had found a kindred spirit who also wanted to help support the nursing community!

As luck would have it, Anna happens to also be very active on IG! We now have become regular commenters on each other’s accounts and decided to combine our passions for sharing nurse stories by featuring each other on our own blogs! Isn’t life neat sometimes?

It is now with much pleasure that I introduce you to Anna Rodriguez of The Burnout Book… or better yet, I'll let her introduce herself!

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Sarah @ New Thing Nurse (NTN):  ANNA! I am so excited! Can you introduce yourself to our New Thing Nurse readers?

Anna Rodriguez (AR): Hello! I'm Anna Rodriguez, I'm a critical care float pool nurse in Washington state! I've been a nurse for 10 years now (which seems crazy), and I've had a variety of roles in that time: bedside nurse in med/surg, telemetry, CVICU and then as a nurse manager in CVICU, then I transitioned back to bedside care as a travel nurse and then to my current job. In the future, my plan is to pursue a masters in nurse education. Through all the different jobs I've had, I discovered I find a lot of job satisfaction when I'm in a supportive role, helping others learn new things or helping make their jobs or lives a little easier. So, at the moment, I'm still working as a full-time nurse and started a blog on the side focused on nurse burnout reduction and prevention.

NTN: The New Thing Nurse Blog is all about learning from each other by sharing our professional journeys. How did you fall into nursing? And what area of nursing did you start in?

AR: I’m sort of an anomaly. I figured out what I wanted to do pretty early on and stuck with it, no changes in my major during college! I was in 6th grade and my best friend's mom worked as a CNA and her sister was a nurse, and so she introduced the idea to me. At the time, we envisioned ourselves in a pediatric clinic, playing with babies and kids all day and maybe having to clean up some vomit now and then. All these years later, we both became nurses but both ended up preferring to work with adults! But during high school, I made sure to do some volunteer work at the local hospital so I could be exposed to the environment and make sure I enjoyed it. I would help transport patients around to procedures or to their vehicles when they were discharging, and I found that I really like interacting with patients and being helpful. Nursing is a really good fit for me. I'm so glad I ended up choosing this path.

NTN: The focus of New Thing Nurse is supporting nurses as they find their "new thing." What made you explore nursing away from the bedside? And what was your first "new thing"?

AR: I believe bedside nursing has a bit of a shelf life, at least for me. I admire the nurses who are able to make a career out of bedside nursing, but I'm at the point now where I'm ready to branch past that that and into a non-traditional nursing area, like nurse blogging and education. That's probably what I'd classify as my first "new thing." Although, I'm always looking for opportunities to grow as a nurse, whether it's by attending a conference or volunteering on a committee!

NTN: What helped you make that transition into your "new thing"?

AR: First and foremost, I have an amazing husband who always encourages me to do new things and is incredibly supportive. I've also found an amazing nurse community on social media, and we're always encouraging and learning from each other. So definitely find your people who cheer you on. Second, I'm always staying curious and trying to learn new things and stay challenged. From a practical perspective, if you're a nurse who wants to start a blog, I highly recommend the book "The Nurse's Guide to Blogging: Building a Brand and a Profitable Business as a Nurse Influencer" by Kati Kleber (Fresh RN) and Brittney Wilson (The Nerdy Nurse). It's so, so good.
 
NTN: Do you have any tips for anyone out there who might be considering jumping into a "new thing" of their own?

AR: Don't wait until it's a "good time," there's always something going on that will make it inconvenient. You will find time for the things that matter to you. With that being said, it really helps if your new thing is something you're passionate about! Something that you think about non-stop, dream about at night, and talk to all your friends about. Pick THAT new thing, and you'll find time for it.

NTN: Your slogan says you're passionate about "helping nurses keep their spark!" What drives your work to help the nursing community fight nurse burnout? Did you have a personal experience with nurse burnout?

AR: My drive and passion for fighting nurse burnout definitely comes from a personal experience. I was working as a nurse manager for two years and during that time, I witnessed burnout in my staff and went through my own experience simultaneously. I was the manager when we implemented our new Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) program with nurses running the machine at the bedside. It tested us in a lot of ways, physically and emotionally. These are really sick patients who require a 1:1 nurse to patient ratio (sometimes 2 nurses for 1 patient!) and we were working extra shifts to account for this staffing matrix that we weren't anticipating. And because we were seeing sicker patients, there was a lot of moral distress and compassion fatigue occurring. I was considered a "working manager" and would frequently work full or partial shifts at the bedside to supplement the staffing needs while still doing my manger role. I worked some nights when we didn't have a charge nurse, I came in on a weekend for a family conference and missed a funeral for a very special long term patient of ours. We started experiencing nurse turnover (mostly on night shift) for a variety of reasons: interpersonal relationships with physicians, scheduling issues, the acuity of the patients, etc. I realized pretty quickly that I was putting in way too many hours and that my personality made it difficult to let go of a lot of the issues when I walked out the door. I would stress about conversations I needed to have the next day with staff or patient's families. It wore on me physically, mentally, emotionally and I was burned out within two years. I knew transitioning back to bedside nursing would help (at least from a time management perspective) so I helped train my replacement and moved on to travel nursing. It's been almost two years since I quit managing, and I'm still recovering from that experience. I share all my burnout tips on my instagram page (@the.burnoutbook) and on my website and blog, www.theburnoutbook.com.

NTN: If you could give our readers your top tip or tips towards avoiding burnout, what would they be?

AR: I’m going to link to one of my first blog posts, "What to Do When You're Starting to Feel Burnout." It covers the first steps you should take if you suspect you're in that chronic state of physical/mental/emotional exhaustion that we call burnout.

First, talk to someone who you trust. Not only can it help you feel a little less alone when someone else knows your struggles, but it can help provide perspective. Second, write your experience down. Reflective journaling can help you process emotions and deal with negative things. But most importantly, I love writing down the positive experiences: the patient thank you, the compliments from peers, the positive and humorous interactions that you have as a nurse. The Burnout Book started as a little notebook where I documented those positive things so that when I had rough days and felt burned out, I could go back and read through the book and remember why I do what I do.

The last tip is all about self care, which can take many forms. It can simply be saying "no" when the staffing office calls to try and get you to work an extra shift. It can be doing things on your days off that are relaxing or energizing. It can simply be spending time with loved ones. I highly recommend setting healthy work boundaries and know what your limits are. That can go a long way.

NTN: I love nursing professional organizations. You seem very involved with the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). What can you tell our readers about the AACN, and how it has enhanced your nursing career?

AR: One of my favorite “new things” I've done recently has come about because I'm a member of a nursing organization, AACN (American Association of Critical Care Nurses).

The AACN is a national organization that creates a community of acute care and critical care nurses. There are a bunch of perks to being a member! You get access to a ton of continuing education, they have several journal publications that come in the mail, they provide discounts for certification tests and study material, they hold an annual nursing conference where you can meet nurses from across the nation (and around the world!), and a whole bunch of other online resources. There are other nursing organizations you can become a member of with access to similar things. This is the organization I chose 8 years ago because I was in a Telemetry unit with plans to go into critical care and it made sense at the time.

More recently, I've had the opportunity to be a volunteer on a committee to help create questions for a nursing certification exam, and I've been a social media influencer for their national nursing conference! I'm amazed at all the opportunities that have come because I'm apart of this organization!

NTN: Your IG account is full of videos of you doing yoga, often with your adorable dog Walter.  How does yoga help you? Do you incorporate yoga into your nursing practice?

AR: I’ve always enjoyed yoga from an activity standpoint. I love testing my flexibility and stretching, it's very relaxing. After going through my burnout experience, I've found a huge benefit from yoga because you are practicing breathing techniques and meditation to quiet the mind while being active. My mind used to be so distracted with what I had to face at work that I was constantly in a state of anxiety and even experienced what I'd call a panic attack. Yoga helps refocus my thoughts and bring them to the present instead of being fixated on things outside my control. But man, it takes time and practice. You can’t flip a switch. It takes time to retrain your thought patterns.

NTN: Do you have any "new things' on the horizon? New Thing Nurse wants to know!

AR: “New things” on the horizon: moving to a new city, I'll be getting a new job at that time, continuing to work on building The Burnout Book community online and collaborate with others! In the next few years, I hope to pursue my masters degree in nursing education as well.

NTN: Do you have any other advice for our readers?

AR: There are many things that can contribute to burnout that are outside of our control: staffing ratios, meaningful recognition, leadership support, etc. But what I suggest is find the things that ARE in your control and develop a self-care plan that works for you! Maybe it involves meeting your social needs by going out to lunch with a friend a couple times a month. It may look like finding new and fun ways to be active, like taking a barre class or going on a hike. Maybe it will come in the form of counseling, assertiveness training, practicing saying “no”, changing jobs, or getting a medical provider to help you with your physical and mental needs. You can't pour from an empty cup. Put your own oxygen mask on first.

Y'ALL - DOESN’T SHE GIVE THE BEST ADVICE?

Now - check out the Anna & Walter cuteness below!

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Want to learn more about Anna Rodriguez, The Burnout Book & Walter, the Corgi?

Email - anna@theburnoutbook.com
Website - www.theburnoutbook.com
Blog - www.theburnoutbook.com/blog
Instagram: @the.burnoutbook & @anna.the.nurse
Facebook: Anna the Nurse
Twitter: @anna_the_nurse

- Sarah @ New Thing Nurse

About the Author - Sarah K. Wells, MSN, RN, CEN, CNL is an educator, speaker, blogger and owner of New Thing Nurse, a professional and academic coaching company for the nursing world. New Thing Nurse is organized to provide support and guidance to aspiring nurses, newly graduated nurses, and veteran RNs looking to make a change in their life.

Whether it’s a new school, new job or new idea,

New Thing Nurse wants to help with your new thing!

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FOLLOW NEW THING NURSE ON INSTAGRAM - @NEWTHINGNURSE

New Thing Nurse visits the Athens Nurses Clinic

“If you don’t get your blood pressure under control, you could die.”

I was in school in 2009 when I met Paige M. Cummings, the Executive Director of the Athens Nurses Clinic. I was volunteering at a homeless resource fair when I overheard these firm, direct words coming from the booth next door.

I craned my neck to look over to see Paige taking a blood pressure cuff off of one of the fair attendees, a gentleman in his 50s. She was looking him in the eye and telling him in plain words that his blood pressure was too high and that he needed to take steps to bring it down.

The gentleman was not looking away or deflecting her words. He was listening intently and seemed to be really absorbing the information. In my short time in nursing school, I had not seen any medical professional speak to a patient so honestly about their condition. And it seemed to be working! I had to meet this woman.

After Paige finished with the gentleman, I not-so-coolly rushed over and introduced myself. I also may have thrown myself at her feet and asked (AKA begged) to work with her. Paige calmly listened and then told me about volunteer opportunities at the Athens Nurses Clinic.

What is the Athens Nurses Clinic?

The Athens Nurses Clinic (ANC) is located in Athens, Georgia and has its roots planted in providing healthcare to the homeless, indigent members of Athens-Clarke County since 1988 as the Georgia Nurses Association Foundation Clinic for the Homeless. In 1993, with the help of many local nurses and volunteers, The Athens Nurses Clinic moved to Reese Street, opening its doors to not just homeless members of Athens-Clarke County, but also to the uninsured, indigent members of Athens-Clarke County and Northeast Georgia.

In 2014, ANC moved to North Avenue and collaborated with three other agencies as a part of the Athens Resource Center for Hope. ANC is now open five days a week providing healthcare services and medications to patients at no cost. Services include the treatment of many chronic conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes, gastric re-flux, asthma, allergies, and arthritis. ANC also accepts walk-in patients Monday-Friday for the treatment of acute conditions, such as colds, flu, UTIs, rashes, or tooth abscesses. ANC also provides laboratory testing, free mammograms, pap smears, vision screening, dental care, and Hepatitis C treatment.

The mission of the Athens Nurses Clinic extends far beyond providing medical treatment to patients, focusing heavily on education and disease prevention. ANC provides a year-long CDC approved Diabetic Prevention Program for the community, encouraging diabetic patients to bring family and friends to tag along. Nutrition, exercise, and smoking cessation classes are offered to patients who want to lose weight, improve their health, and decrease their stress levels. Recently, the clinic has partnered with SNAP educators, UGA, and the Athens Farmers Market to implement what is called the FVRx program. Through this program, enrolled patients attend classes focused on healthy lifestyle choices and receive prescriptions for free fruits and vegetables from the local Farmers Market. Equipping patients with the knowledge needed to improve or prevent acute and chronic disease is a key function to the standard of healthcare ANC provides.

Source: www.athensnursesclinic.org

With over 6,000 individual patient encounters in 2017, ANC is not slowing down anytime soon. The staff and volunteers are making a difference every day and saving lives along the way.

My Experience at the Athens Nurses Clinic

Soon after meeting Paige, I became a regular medical volunteer at the Athens Nurses Clinic. It was overwhelming how much direct-patient care experience and knowledge that I was getting each day that I was there.

I also was so confused because I was the ONLY nursing student volunteering at the Clinic. Where was everyone? Had I  stumbled upon the last, unsaturated volunteer location in the city of Athens, home of over 30,000 students all vying for volunteer experience?

I started talking to my classmates, trying to recruit a few to help out at the Clinic. Then I started talking to the other colleges in town trying to see if there might be other students out there who might want to come volunteer from the pharmacy or public health schools. This work evolved into me being the first Volunteer Coordinator at the Athens Nurses Clinic!

Today the Clinic continues to be a clinical site for dozens of students each semester from multiple local colleges and partners with the educational organizations, like the University of Georgia (my alma mater), to offer free educational programs to the Clinic’s patients. The Athens Nurses Clinic is a holistic center of healing and treatment to its patients and community.

What the Athens Nurses Clinic Taught Me

I continued to work at the Athens Nurses Clinic throughout nursing school and when I became a new nurse. The Clinic is where I learned to be a patient advocate to everyone, regardless of their SES or cultural background.

Annabella Uhde, ANC’s Office Administrator and Interpreter for the many Spanish-only speaking patients that receive care at the clinic, helped teach me how to best address the cultural and language needs of patients from other countries. Her positive energy flowed through each patient interaction. I learned the importance of a smile and kind touch from her.

ANC is also where I learned to be a strong, nurse leader. Paige was (and still is) always juggling a million tasks and wearing too many hats to count. I would watch Paige find the funds to support the clinic, manage the staff and army of volunteers, orchestrate the clinical service lines, sit on a slew of boards/committees and still dabble in patient care when needed. An ex-military nurse, Paige always gets the job done. Paige was one of my first nurse mentors and taught me that you can be a great nurse leader no matter what kind of clinical setting you may find yourself in.

How You Can Support the Athens Nurses Clinic

The Athens Nurses Clinic is able to provide all that it does to its patients because of generous donations and financial support from the community. The world of non-profit healthcare can be brutally hard, but great people every day are out there in the trenches, fighting to increase access to care for many marginalized patient populations.

And YOU can help the Athens Nurses Clinic in their work! There are several ways that you can donate -

Tomatoes at Terrapin

Tomorrow is the 9th Annual Tomatoes at Terrapin fundraiser for the Athens Nurses Clinic. This is the largest fundraising event that ANC puts on each year. It is a great day of outdoor music, tomatoes sandwiches and beer, all held at the Terrapin Beer Co. brewery in Athens, GA.

Check out the details >> http://tomatoesatterrapin.com/

Volunteer

If you want to be more hands-on in your help to the Athens Nurses Clinic, they are always looking for qualified volunteers to help out!

Volunteer at ANC >> http://athensnursesclinic.org/wp/get-involved/volunteer/

Donate

If you have some spare dollars hanging around, you can make an easy, online donation on the Athens Nurses Clinic website. This money goes directly to providing free care to the patients who need it most in the Athens-Clarke County community.

Donate to ANC >> http://athensnursesclinic.org/wp/donate/

I continue to be amazed at the excellent work being done at the Athens Nurses Clinic. If you are in Athens, Georgia, go by and check them out! If you are not nearby, look in your own community to see if there are other non-profit clinics. I guarantee that they are out there, working to provide the same magic to patients in your area.

Go see how you can get involved. You never know what you might learn by helping out.

- Sarah @ New Thing Nurse

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About the Author - Sarah K. Wells, MSN, RN, CEN, CNL is an educator, speaker, blogger and owner of New Thing Nurse, a professional and academic coaching company for the nursing world. New Thing Nurse is organized to provide support and guidance to aspiring nurses, newly graduated nurses, and veteran RNs looking to make a change in their life.

Whether it’s a new school, new job or new idea,

New Thing Nurse wants to help with your new thing!

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FOLLOW NEW THING NURSE ON INSTAGRAM - @NEWTHINGNURSE