 I'm the nursing school explained and the nurse interview series, and today I am very proud to be here with one of my former students. Hi Veronica. Hi, press reveal. How are you? I'm doing great. It's so good to see you. So nice to catch up with you before we got started here. So Veronica, would you share with us how long you've been a nurse now and kind of like your journey on where you are. Yeah, I'm happy to share. I'll say that I graduated from my associates program in May 2019. I passed my nflex in August of 2019, but I didn't start working as a nurse until about March 2020. The pandemic started taking off and I've been working at the clinic since July of 2020. Yeah. So between taking your nflex and starting the job, maybe a little bit more than six months went by, but you didn't just take the time to relax. You actually finished your bachelor's program during that time, right? That's right. I decided that I wanted to get my bachelor's program out of the way. I wanted to do an in-person program with a PHN option and have in-person clinical experiences. So I was working at that full-time at SDSU, which is a really good program. It took me a year to finish as a second bachelor student, a second baccalaureate, and it made me really interested in public health nursing. But I also believe that I needed to pursue bedside nursing first to become the most confident and capable resource for my community. I wanted that first before I went into that field, possibly. Well, there certainly are a lot of needs in public health nowadays with this pandemic and all the needs that we've identified with the vaccinations and all that. So there's a lot of opportunity there, I'm sure. You actually took a leap of faith. I don't know if we should call it that, but you just started applying and saying, well, I'm going to take my chances and maybe move across the country. And so you got this job at one of the big gun hospitals, the Cleveland Clinic, and you got into the Nugret program, which is an amazing accomplishment. So congratulations on that. So would you mind sharing what this Nugret program involves and how you got the job to begin with? Yeah, absolutely. Yes, it was on a whim. I have one friend out here in Cleveland and I decided that if I was going to move across the country, I really wanted to have a resource. And it would be great to have the experience of learning at one of the best institutions in the world. So on a whim, I applied when I saw an internet search. And there's lots of different Nugret positions, ICU, ED, med surge. You could do behavioral health. All of those options are available for Nugrats. And what you do is you just fill out a very brief online application and a recruiter will get back to you and you'll be invited to do a video interview, which is really awkward. But the norm now where you get like three options or three opportunities to record a statement in response to a prompt. If you don't like your first record, you get to say it again. And then if you don't like that one, you can try it for the third time, but they will take that no matter what. So it was very, very like, very, very odd. But it's important to just kind of try to be as authentic as you can. And I think now that we all have more experience with Zoom, it's a little bit easier. And really just researching some questions, some typical questions is like, was the best bet. So yeah, after that, my manager, my manager contacted me and we did a video interview. She showed me around the unit and invited to ask any questions and then she, she offered me the position. I work specifically, well, I don't know if I should say that but I really like the population that I work with. It's what I was hoping it to be and I like my program because we do get like 10 courses that you take throughout the year of your first nursing, and you have access to all of the educational staff and the clinic is so massive that you can take advanced learning courses. So now that I'm done with my 10 mandatory nursing classes, I can learn more about wound care or learn more about vascular access and or lots of other things. It's just, it's a really massive institution and I really appreciate that they were still even doing the new grad program during the pandemic, which was when I was hired. They're just like so efficient in that way and I really appreciate like honoring evidence-based practice. It's like what I wanted from a nursing program. Sounds very exciting and like it was a really good match for you specifically if you're now working with the population that you were hoping to and I know you that you probably can't share too much here so I will respect that. And so would you share a little bit how that new grad program worked? How many days a week did you actually have patient care? How many days a week did you maybe spend taking these classes and what were those classes about specifically? Yeah, sure. So I think before we actually entered like the units we had to take a few courses like to assess our level, which can be tricky because it was like you're assessing like urgency and you're kind of not, you're giving diagnoses to different situations, which was like weird and I presented so well and so I had to take extra classes before I started. But it wasn't that many. And so a couple weeks of that. And then I started on the floor with a preceptor and I had my preceptor. I can't remember for how many weeks. But we had to like follow like a tool of like certain like competencies we were supposed to do with their preceptor, like C1D1 teach one kind of kind of situation. And then review with a coach who would come in and talk to me and my preceptor to assess how I was doing and how to improve. And it was really about time management on my unit. So that stuff. And then the additional courses that I mentioned like the 10 weeks of courses, there are about four hours each. So those were very spaced out a supplement to my working. So after I completed the first, I want to say it was like 10 weeks of orientation with the preceptor, who like is with you very intensely for the first few weeks, and then you get your patient assignment load grows as you go on. And depending on how well you're doing, you'll just maybe respond to that preceptor or only come to them with questions or they might be abided your shoulder or might not. But yeah, so in addition to that the supplemental courses really spaced out. You do 10 of those over really however long you want beginning two months after your orientation is completed. Because they don't want to overwhelm you, but was working full time after as soon as I hit the floor after my onboarding. Yes, thank you for sharing that. So I think most new grad programs work. Similarly, where the ones that I'm familiar with is that you're paired with a preceptor. And then again, the one that I'm familiar with is you work two shifts with them to two 12 hour shifts a week. And then you take some sort of a course for eight hours a day, whether that's, you know, in person probably mostly on zoom now. And then you kind of progress from starting maybe, you know, taking one patient that's just yours with the preceptor overseen and then moving on 234 depending on the unit that you're working on and what the patient load is. But I really like the way it was structured what you were describing plus the additional opportunity for all these courses because if we've learned anything in nursing right the learning never goes away. It's a it's a continuous process and I think that's why a lot of us actually choose a profession because it's just so cool to keep learning and keep improving and staying on top of the latest research. So it sounds like it's a really, really good match for you. And I know it's only been, you know, sent for about a year now so March last year, you said, but I know we all have these stories about patient interactions. So of course without giving any information away, would you mind sharing your like your most memorable patient interaction. Yeah, I think you learn a lot about delirium in nursing school, or as a new nurse, and we're taught to identify it pretty, pretty quickly. And that's something I encounter a lot on my floor, but there was one patient who I'd only known her as delirious and is just like it was really frustrating for her and for everyone. To work with her because we felt kind of helpless sometimes is her mental state was so altered. And it was, I remember, I was the one who recognized that she wasn't delirious anymore. And that was just kind of like a really, a really nice moment to just realize she wasn't hallucinating and we can like really advance her care and it was just a subtle thing. Realizing she wasn't hearing any more voices and that was, I don't know, that was, I was, it was so satisfying to be able to help her create goals and really progress her care after that moment. I, I'm always going to remember that I'm always going to remember that patient. That's a very interesting one because many times the interactions that will stay with us are the ones where the patient goes from okay to getting worse. In your case, it's the complete opposite. So the patient was actually not doing so great with her mental health. And then she kind of through all the care that you guys provided she kind of came to I almost want to say and became and can allow us these hallucinations and then I know that it can be difficult to to recognize sometimes what's real what's not for the patient as well as the nurse taking care of these patients. So to recognize that and then actually be able to help her get through this whole process and get better that's amazing. And mental health needs are definitely super important to take care of. And also, as we know that mental health issues are on the rise right now. So, and if anybody is a is a good candidate to take care of patients with mental health needs is definitely you because I remember from school you have a lot of patients and you have that very even killed calm demeanor and personality that definitely would go over well with with patients who have mental health needs. Thank you for sharing that. Now, now, looking back at this experience that you've had in your new grad program and these few this last few months of your experience, what advice do you have for people for students who are just graduating and maybe starting the career and what have you learned that you maybe did not learn in nursing school. I remember distinctly being paralyzed with like anxiety at the end of my program and even delaying this signing up for the NCLEX because I just wasn't confident. That's understandable. But I shouldn't have been so unconfident. I really feel like my program set me up for success to pass the NCLEX and I really want new grads to remember like they. This is like the most that you'll remember is the most that you'll know as a new as a nurse period. So own that confidence and apply for the positions you want. And don't be afraid to move out of state or whatever it could be temporary you could go back. Not everybody is in that position but ultimately just remember what your goals are. If you feel like you need to get bedside nursing before you can move on then get that experience. So start clocking in that time as soon as possible. And it is okay to work at a different facility on your way a lot of people do that they get the back door to new grad programs is to do skill nursing facility for six months and then apply you're still eligible for new grad programs in San Diego. That's an option. So try to get your hands wet as soon as possible so that way you don't, you can maintain that confidence or earn that confidence. That's a great piece of advice. I know that the NCLEX is this, this daunting big thing that you still have to overcome or encounter at the end of two years or however long your program was and you just feel like I finally graduated but I'm actually not quite there yet. It's this licensure exam, but for the most part if you've done well in school you're going to do well on the exam, because that's what what the school is all about right they want to prepare you for that NCLEX exam. And I think the other thing that's very important that you mentioned is don't be afraid and limit yourself to your own location where you currently located because sometimes new grad positions can be a little bit hard to come by and I feel like there's always an ebb and a tide with the new grad positions when I first graduated there were so many openings, it was, it was, you could basically pick and choose wherever you want it to go. But then a couple years later a friend of mine who I met in prerequisites she graduated and then there was nothing there was no new grad positions out there. And so she actually went and became a dialysis nurse got some experience there so very similar to what you described, and, you know, at the skill nursing facility or whatever other facility that you can work in just gain some experience, learn about other things that are out there and who might find your niche you might find what interests you, and then you can always try and go back to that bedside care and figure out what it is that you want. And that's the beauty about nursing there are so many options out there. If you like mental health like all these options that you mentioned for the new grad programs like public health mental health you can work for an insurance company you can work at all the departments at the hospital you can do outpatient care you can do surgery. I mean there's just endless opportunities. And that's the beauty about nursing and I like that you said, don't limit yourself just kind of go out there and see what's out there and then explore from there because there's always going to be opportunities. Absolutely. Like, that is, I mean that's the reason why we I think chose nursing a lot of us because we wanted that endless possibilities so why not start at the beginning. Absolutely. So Veronica now that you're you've moved across the country, and you're kind of far away from family and I know that they are important to you. What do you do to keep your life balanced and manage the stress of this new job the new location and the pandemic that we're all dealing with. Yeah, I think that's a, that's hard because I think you always have to retune your work life balance because things circumstances change. And like here, I had to, this is my first winter in my life. So what I was doing to unwind or to balance away from work had to change as well. But when I first got here, besides like scheduled zoom calls with my family, I was very much into exercise. I didn't have a car when I first got here I still don't have a car. And I would have picked up biking, and I really, really enjoyed biking to and from work. It helped me relieve a lot of my anxieties. And that was like my transition my mental state transition like, especially leaving work like, oh, this, this was horrible or I didn't know this quickly and as I was biking like you're physically exerting that out. And like, my body connection. So by the time I would get home I was tired and I couldn't think about that like mental exhaust anymore. So I really love, I really love that during the winter it was more about self care and other ways. I'm trying to like cook a little bit more I'm not very much of a cook so try to make cozy nights with myself and more yoga yoga was a really important thing to me in the past and again it's that mind body connection that I think was really helped and as homesick as I do get, and as overwhelming this first year of nursing, as it is, working on these coping mechanisms I think it's, is why I'm still feel strong and capable, even when I'm on even on the bad days know how the bad days. So, it's okay to eat like chocolate or whatever but that shouldn't be it. I even bought a stationary bike this winter to some like I need to sweat it out and it makes all the difference. I'm trying to just come with up with schedules I think it's nice. I'm not super time oriented but just kind of remind myself like what my goals are as well that this isn't this present isn't forever. So, what can I work on next, what's what's to come as well as the present. Thank you very well said thank you and I think physical exercise and exertion are super important because we know that nursing no matter where you work can be stressful. And like, I like you say sweating it out. When I worked in the ER for many years I will belong to a boxing gym that was my way of, you know, getting that frustration and that stress out and it worked well and then eventually I found my way to the more calmer modalities such as yoga biking and running. But you know whatever whatever does that works for you. And I feel that physical release sometimes is so important to in managing our stress. So Veronica words of wisdom that you want to pass along to if you say you talk to somebody right now any last words of wisdom who's about to graduate. Especially right now I have a lot of sympathy for new grads who won't have had the same clinical experience that I had. I, I've encountered a few students in my unit and I just, I think of the best ones are the ones who put that effort forward. So, I would just encourage people to always show effort always make effort. Nursing is hard so nobody's going to give you anything. You have to work with your team show that you're a good team member to get that reciprocity that I think we all want to, to share as nurses. So, do some research on YouTube. Try to get I these supplies and practice on a banana. Just make it happen show that you're trying and you'll get there and just have a good attitude about it. Have a good attitude that's what we need. We need a good attitude in nursing. Not only in nursing but in life in general right life right now is so complicated and although our world's got turned upside down but looking ahead and just always looking at the positive although sometimes that's not the easiest is. I think what's needed and also helping each other collaborating and that team effort are so important in nursing. Thank you so much for joining me and sharing your words of wisdom after your experience at the Cleveland Clinic and I'm so proud to say that one of my former students works there. And I hope that you stay in touch and when you come to town, maybe we'll grab a cup of coffee sometime. Sounds good. Or just some yogurt park. Oh, there you go even better. All right. Good luck to everybody. Thanks. We'll see you soon.