The Nurse Niche Podcast

This will be my last episode of The Nurse Niche Podcast. My show, my voice, and my conversation will continue. Please find me on The Chang of Shift Podcast : http://thechangeofshift.com/ Fan question: advice for a nurse interested in NP school. My answer: don't wait for the right time. Do it now. In this episode I answer a fan question and explain where my next adventure is taking me. Be sure to join me!!

Interested in advancing your career as a Nurse Practitioner? Well be prepared to make some decisions. The NP profession has become specialized.

Many of us think we know what Nursing specialty we will pursue once we graduate. That the answer will just magically appear. The truth is, as a Nurse, you'll change your mind several times before you find your 'niche'.

Even with all the support, growth in our profession comes down to self-confidence. The feeling of 'knowing' what you're doing. But be careful you don't turn confidence into blind arrogance.

Did you ever notice how Nurses share 'war stories'. Figuratively speaking. We communicate with nurses through shared experiences. It's then we realize we're not alone.

We talk about the infamous unicorn in the employment world, the 'Perfect Job'. Does it exist? Or should we be looking for the job that's 'Perfect" for you?

This episode we talk about transference and how it's not a bad thing. In fact it might be the best thing about nursing.

In today's episode I talk about Nursing orientation. Every nurse is eager, willing and anxious to complete their orientation sooner than later. Some (like myself) try to jump off that train early than scheduled because they want to 'arrive'. Be patient and take the time to learn. Utilize your support.

In this episode I talk about stress. How stress is a good thing. Stress as a result of struggle. It's the struggle that makes you better, that helps prevent failure. Charge nurses and supervisors started out by caring for a single patient, it was through challenges that they got better, they improved. I also mention that my Podcast is now on iTunes - wholly official Batman?!

Do Nurse preceptors get the appropriate guidance needed to effectively teach and train their orientee? The vicious circle of throwing the Nurse into the pool, making them 'sink or swim' is applicable across the spectrum of the Nursing profession.

In this episode I talk about team dynamics. "Playing nice in the sandbox" means you don't have to like one another, but all team members will need to express mutual respect and accept each others contribution to the overall care of the patient.

Everything about nursing involves sacrifice. Everyone around you will make a sacrifice. You will make sacrifices almost daily. If you plan on having anything related to Nursing as part of your life, you might want to become friends with idea of sacrifice.

Nursing will change you. You will not be the person you were prior to becoming a Nurse. And as a Nurse you will evolve and change as you progress in your career. The Nurse you are at year one will not be the Nurse you are at year 5. Chang is inevitable.

I talk about "Sleep is optional' in the profession of Nursing. How little sleep we actually do get during the 'flip-flop' and some tips that might help you sleep when working the dreaded NOC shift.

In this episode of the podcast I experiment with how I'm recording my new podcast. I talk a little about the myth of being too old to enter the Nursing profession. There is no such thing as being too old. And it's never too late. Nursing is my 3rd career. I started in my 30's.

The first episode of my new Podcast, The Nurse NIche: All things Nursing. I ramble on about how I'm giving the world of podcasting a try.