On seeing me the day I was born, my grandpa said these very words to my dad: "Son, this one is going to be a nurse- and a good one at that". It was a running joke for much of my former life, until I finally decided to become an actual nurse much later in life. Thankfully, it has been a decision that has served me well. My nursing journey has had many paths. I've met nurses who are community leaders, seasoned midwives, experienced specialists, well-paid travel nurses and ingenious new grads all from various countries, specialties and walks of life that have helped to guide, influence and remind me of the important things in my career. Unfortunately, as nurses, we have not all had that- and that's the reason for Dear Nurse! I wrote this book, because we sometimes, as nurses, forget to help each other navigate this road. When you first think about coming into this profession and even when you have been in it for ages as a nurse, there are so many opportunities, key issues unbound, behind-the-scenes happenings and so many unknowns we don’t share with each other! The insights, lessons-learnt and insider tips I expressed herein, just aren't commonly told. This book's purpose is to help us help each other…and why not? I'm hoping to give you some much needed enlightenment on how to make your career as a nurse work for you! You are already giving back so much to your world, to your community, to your family – so why not give back to yourself a little and make your own world better!
I was 15 years old the day I walked onto the University campus, a campus that would become a second home, and filled with trepidation and uncertainty, I sheepishly walked up to the Nursing Enrollment Station and told the nice lady behind the booth, that I wanted to become a nurse. She smiled pleasantly handed me the appropriate paperwork, asked for verification papers in return- and then she paused. She looked at my papers again, looked back at me and asked ever-so-nicely ''are you sure you are old enough to even be here for the Nursing program". That day is a whirlwind in my mind, and four years later, amidst some wild rides, a few amazing 'nurse mothers', jarring self-discoveries, life-long friends, and unforgettable patients and families, I graduated Nursing with my BSN degree - the youngest person to have ever graduated from my university's nursing program. It was an immense accomplishment- true, but oh how I wish someone had sat me down and told me how to be an excellent new grad nurse or how to use my Med-Surg nursing experience to take my next professional step early in my career. Nursing school does not prepare you for the real world- no matter the best theories taught. I went through the next 23 years of my nursing career, much like we all do, trying different arms of nursing- loving, hating, fearing, liking and failing, I think, at some of them. My Nursing career has spanned experiences held in Med Surg, Pediatrics, PACU/ Post Op, Gynecological- Surgical, NICU, Leadership, ICU, Telemetry, Observation, ER units and now most recently Nursing Education, to name a few. I hold a dual degree- a master's in business administration and a master's in nursing leadership. A degree that gives me the flexibility I never thought I would have- and probably haven't seen the best of yet! I am happily married to my lovebird Warren, for 11 years having known each other for twenty, and we have two little girls Ellie and Saige who are the love of our lives! My family- my parents especially - are my bedrock and have taught my siblings and I that accessing your own limitless potential, having love for God and love for others, and being your brother's keeper- are basic tenets of life. As for me, I'm happy-go-lucky most the time, I enjoy simple pleasures and luxurious ones equally, I enjoy authentic food- yes, I am a foodie, especially of Jamaican food and fruits, I love to travel, cuddle with a good book, get stirred by a challenging board game, appreciate eclectic music and I absolutely relish fun family time!
My story may not be your story, but together Nursing is our story! As nurses, we see so much, do so much and are so much to others, and sometimes we forget about ourselves! You know it’s true!! A pat on the back, a little ‘me time’, giving some sage advice, receiving that sage advice- we all need a little of all that sometimes!
I wish I’d had a guide like this book as a student nurse or as Pediatric nurse or even when as an experienced nurse I wanted to cross-train to ICU, one which could have explained to me what to expect in these specialties or that there are dual degrees I could pursue- and how to do that! This is what Dear Nurse aims to do!
Nurses who are marinated moms, accomplished leaders, advanced care practitioners, emerging innovators and new grads -have helped me prepare this book through our experiences shared, their personal stories, and time-tested tips. My aim is that we guide each other's paths and remind ourselves of those important things we sometimes forget. This is what we can do for each other.
I owe my community of ‘nurse moms’ who helped to prepare me in their own way, on how to navigate being a new nurse mom while simultaneously being an ICU nurse and pursuing a post graduate nursing degree! Their tips and stories encouraged me and helped me to divide and conquer and even excel at all of those things. The voices of seasoned nurses, who have seen things, new grad nurses who have blazed trails, I hope will inspire and guide you as well throughout these pages.
We are our own community, and your voice adds to the conversation! So, please share your insights, your stories, your questions, your reviews, your perspectives and your advice. There is no judgement here! Everyone’s little adds to the much!! Afterall, we are all in this together!