2024 Nurses Week Collaboration
It’s crazy to just imagine that 8 months ago I had an idea to start a candle business and 5 months later we launched. If you’re new here, my name is Jennifer and I’m the owner and creator of Eleventh Hour Candle & Co. I have been a nurse for a little over 7 years with 5 years of travel nursing under my belt.
I started this business because I was run into the ground, burnt out, and tired of nursing. I’ve met so many amazing people throughout my nursing career but we all seemed to feel the same way. We love being a nurse, but we also have days where the anxiety and stress can be through the roof. Burning candles, meditating, and increasing my yoga practice has helped me tremendously in keeping my energy focused and my heart aligned so that I can still be the best version of myself for my patients.
If you didn’t know already, Nursing is a career that is very demanding physically, mentally, and emotionally. Not to mention this group of ladies and myself, currently work at the bedside and night shift.
So without further ado, let’s meet 3 amazing women who have done a lot for the nursing community and are trying to become the change we so desperately need in this field.
Kacie (Second Chance)
Tell us about yourself. Where are you from/currently working. How long have you been a nurse. What specialty are you working in currently.
I’m Kacie. I’m a 30 year old female from Mississippi, currently residing in Tampa, FL, where I’ve been the last 12 years. I work at a Level 1 Trauma Center in Tampa on a Cardiothoracic ICU as an ECMO Specialist RN. I’ve been a nurse for 7 years, and spent the last 5 years in the ICU.
What made you consider nursing?
As cliche as it sounds, I truly enjoy and love giving back to people. Nursing was my way of doing that, along with inspiration from my mom, who is also a nurse. I knew I would never be without a job, or be bored. Nursing has so many different avenues, outside of working at the bedside. As hard as it is, you have to love it… and I do!
Being a woman of color, how do you feel that has affected nursing?
It is very hard being a woman of color in my profession, especially in a CTICU. There is this big stigma that black women don’t belong in ICUs, and if we do, it’s very few of us, sometimes one. Additionally, we’re usually placed on night shift, “tucked away.” You can let your “hair down.” You’re constantly, or at least for me, having to “code switch,” and always holding this “professional shell.” It’s exhausting having to constantly prove yourself and go above and behind, and it still not be enough, compared to your colleagues. I truly hope this changes.
Where do you see yourself going in your nursing career?
My goal is to be a CRNA! I’m currently applying, hoping to start spring, summer, or fall 2025. Beyond that, I’ve always said I would love to open a daycare with a clinic attached, income based, and open early and close late, for people with shifts like myself.
How do you cope with the stress and pressure of working in your field?
I leave whatever happened on the floor, on the floor. Once I leave those double doors, I shift my mind to focus on my day ahead. I can’t change what happened, and I know I did my best. So I simply “let it go.”
What would you tell others considering nursing and going into your specialty?
Don’t let social media and others experience tarnish your dream. The beauty of life is that we have the ability to change. A nursing degree will never be wasted. As far as unit goes, find your people or a like minded individual, and stay focus and trust yourself only.
How do you feel nursing has shaped you as a person?
Confidence boost, leadership skills, and growth. I try not to make it my identity, as I am more than a nurse. But it is a title I am proud to have.
Pros and cons about nursing?
Pros: The schedule (3 12s). The pay (at the right facility). The ability and easiness of switching to a different pathway. I.e going back to school, switching units, working in a court of law, working on a cruise ship. Always comfortable (scrubs, tennis shoes).
Cons: Long shifts. Not sleeping in my bed at night. Emotional abuse, from those higher up or family.
Lauren (Golden Hour)
Tell us about yourself. Where are you from/currently working. How long have you been a nurse. What speciality are you working in currently.
Hi! My name is Lauren and I am a Labor and Delivery nurse from Philly. I have been a nurse for 9 years (crazy)! I graduated from Drexel University in 2015 with a Bachelors Degree in Nursing. I became certified in Inpatient Obstetrics in December 2020. That BSN, RNC-OB is everything I worked so hard for.
What made you consider nursing?
I have wanted to be in the medical field for as long as I can remember. I had a heart murmur as a child and remember going to the children’s hospital for care. Everyone was always so nice to me and I knew when I grew up I wanted to help others just like they were helping me. I wanted to be a Pediatrician first, but as I got older that changed, and I wanted to be an OBGYN. I think the true change happened when I was 21 and hurt my back at work. I had to get injections and other procedures on my back to help relieve the pain. These procedures were often very painful themselves and I remember crying on the table and my nurse and CRNA grabbed my hand and comforted me. From that point on I wanted to be a nurse! The kind of care nurses provide is much different than doctors. Nurses spend so much time with their patients and I knew I wanted that kind of relationship with my patients. I still wanted to deliver babies so I decided that Labor and Delivery would be my goal and maybe eventually midwifery school.
Being a woman of color, how do you feel that has affected nursing?
It is hard being black in healthcare period. We are in the minority and often treated differently and not listened to. This experience mirrors that of black patients. Looking around at my coworkers I am often the minority. There are not many black L&D nurses which is a shame because black women are 4-8 times more likely to die in childbirth depending on where they live. Often times my black patients will sigh with relief when I walk in because they can see themselves in me and know that I will do everything in my power to keep them and their baby safe. I have to advocate so much harder for my black patients because they are not listened to and ignored. I have seen this first hand and nothing angers me more than this. Just know if you are working with me I will call you out, I will correct you, and I will argue until my patients are taken care of. That’s all of my patients, but I will fight harder for my black patients because they deserve it. It’s exhausting being black in general and it’s hard being a black nurse. Nevertheless, I will continue to excel in my career and prove people wrong. When people doubt me or question me I continue to show them that not only do I belong here but I excel at my job.
Where do you see yourself going in your nursing career?
Ideally I still want to be a midwife. There aren’t many black nurses and there are even less black midwives. I want to be a provider my patients can trust, but also see themselves when they look at me. I am working on convincing myself to go back to school. We shall see!
How do you cope with the stress and pressure of working in your field?
Oooooo chile the stress! I was doing travel nursing for 3 years and sometimes the stress is out of control. I often times listen to music, light a candle, and curl up with a good book. Reading takes me out of my head and puts me into another world. I also enjoy a good dance party or a nice dinner with friends or my husband. Actually, playing video games with Eric helps tremendously! We can spend hours playing and all that stress just melts away (we are currently playing Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth).
What would you tell others considering nursing and going into your specialty?
Honestly, this answer depends on the day that you ask me. Sometimes this answer is run and do not do it. Nursing is stressful, under appreciated, and underpaid. But if you ask me most days, my answer is absolutely do it if you are passionate about it! Labor and Delivery is hard work. I know everyone thinks we just cuddle babies all day, but that is so far from the truth (I rarely get to snuggle a baby). As a labor nurse you are many specialties wrapped up into one. You are triage, antepartum, labor, postpartum, OR circulator, PACU, ICU, step down and sometimes a med surg nurse. You also have to care for two patients at once which can be stressful. Not to mention this job is not always rainbows and butterflies. You are involved in some of the worst times in a family’s life. As a Labor and Delivery nurse, you really have to want to be there and care about the work you are doing. It is mentally, physically and emotionally draining, but also the most rewarding job I have ever had.
How do you feel nursing has shaped you as a person?
Nursing has made me a critical thinker who is compassionate and able to multi task at all times. That’s really all there is to say. I see and hear everything even when you think I don’t.
Pros and cons about nursing?
Pros: I have made some of my best friends by being a nurse. I am continually learning all the time and will never be done learning. I have truly made an impact on so many of my patients’ lives. I have been able to support my patients through some of the best and worst times. I have the ability to work anywhere and can always change specialties if I want to. I have had the opportunity to make money and do and see a lot of cool places in the world.
Cons: Nurses are under appreciated. Nurses certainly do not make enough. We are seen as disposable. Often times nurses are not supported like they should be. Especially new nurses. Being left high and dry and told to figure it out is not only unfair, but unsafe. Nursing is exhausting.
Deon (Mental Healing)
Tell us about yourself. Where are you from/currently working. How long have you been a nurse. What specialty are you working in currently.
I'm Deon and I’m from St. Louis, Missouri currently working on a Neuro/Telemetry unit. I’m 34 and single with 2 kids that are now in high school. I’ve been working at Depaul Hospital for almost 10 years starting off as a clinical partner. When I got into nursing school, I transitioned to a monitor tech. Then when I graduated, I became a graduate nurse until I took boards. My specialty is Neurology where I have been working in for the past 4 years. I also have worked in the PICU for two years for pediatrics, but did not like it.
What made you consider nursing?
When I was younger, my Granddad was helping take care of my Grandma. I didn’t want her to go into a nursing home facility so I stepped up to help out my family. I was in high school at that time, and would go over about 3 times a week to help with bathing, cooking, and sorting medication. I soon became a CNA, but then got pregnant with my daughter my senior year and she became a NICU baby. For 3 months, the nurses in the NICU taught me how to take care of her and adminsiter medications to her through a feeding tube. I was so greatful and thankful to the nurses who took care of my daughter that it inspired me to pursue a career in nursing.
Being a woman of color, how do you feel that has affected nursing?
I feel like being a woman of color has affected nursing in numerous ways. Being a minority and being able to climb into higher positions has proven difficult. For example, when I worked at my previous hospital in the PICU, there was most definitely some discrimination against women of color. I was the only woman of color on my unit and I felt it. Honestly, I wanted to be excited and happy to work in a critical care unit, but really I was sad and depressed. I didn't get the proper training that I needed, or have proper guidance in my opinion to succeed. Everybody was clicky and I didn’t feel like I was thriving as a nurse.
Where do you see yourself going in your nursing career?
As of now, I don't really know where I see myself going in my nursing career. I just signed up for classes in August to start on my BSN and eventually work my way up so l can have more opportunities. Eventually, when my kids get older, I would love to do travel nursing!
How do you cope with the stress and pressure of working in your field?
Work can be overwhelming majority of the time. l have trained myself to a point where I don't let work stress affect me, if that makes sense. I don't look at the schedule before I go in for a shift. When I walk into work, I come in with a smile on my face and my head held high. I look at work as just work even though it's my passion because I don't like negativity. I don't like stressful environments, and I know sometimes work can be a little hectic and uneasy. I just do what I can because I'm only one person. Journaling and working out also helps me protect my mental peace.
What would you tell others considering nursing and going into your specialty?
I would tell others that nursing in the real world is completely different from nursing at school. You learn a lot of things by trial and error, and it's going to be things that you don't know, and haven’t seen before. Ask as many questions as possible! Know there will be good days, bad days, sad, depressing days, and you just have to remember why you wanted to become a nurse. I find that a lot of Neuro is an every day thing that we do unconsciously. How is a person is talking? How are they looking? Their gate, how is their posture? So just be open to everything and learn as much as you can!
How do you feel nursing has shaped you as a person?
l feel like it made me more empathetic and more compassionate towards others. Nursing helped me understand health conditions that can cause longterm problems, especially towards African-Americans. Such as, diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiac issues, kidney disease, etc. Just knowing all of that, it has shaped me to try to be the best version of myself so I can live longer and treat my body right. Staying active and trying to eat healthy is important to me in the longevity of my lifestyle.
Pros and cons about nursing?
Pros: Amazing people that become family! Good money depending on what speciality you’re in. It's pretty much a family oriented environment on my floor and I love that. I'm able to provide for me and my kids without stressing as much financially.
Cons: Staffing issues! Doctors having an attitude or being rude. Things not being done in a timely manner so sometimes that forces more work for you to do. Also, the amount that we get taxed from our paychecks!