Ask Nurse Blake: Answers to Readers' Questions

FAVORITE NURSING PROFESSORS

Hi Nurse Blake - first off, big fan! Love your shows and the magazine. The cruise is totally on my bucket list! I’m a nurse educator in the world of academia. What was your favorite course and/or professor? Did any of them inspire you to pursue comedy by sharing their fun patient stories? — Connie P.

Hey Connie! Big thanks for being a fan. I totally appreciate you! Can’t wait to see you on the cruise.

Hats off to you for being a nurse educator! OMG, the work you do is so incredibly important. You get to nurture the next generation of nurses and influence their journey. This is huge! Kudos to you, and thanks!

But to answer your question, I’ve had my share of both amazing and not-so-great professors in nursing school. The ones who stood out the most were Professor Ritten and Professor Littlejohn.

Professor Ritten would walk into class each day, flash her warm smile, and enthusiastically greet us with, “Hello, Future Nurses!” I just adored her positive, uplifting energy. I loved that she saw each of us not just as students but as the skilled nurses we were working hard to become. Her Health Assessment course was definitely one of my faves. Professor Littlejohn also treated us like fellow professionals, not just students.

These two professors definitely had a profound impact on me. They created an empowering space, allowed me to be true to myself, and helped each one of us find our passions, one of mine being comedy.

FACING NURSING CONFLICTS

Have you ever dealt with a nurse bully or a nurse you just didn’t “vibe” with? How did you deal with it/figure it out? — Erin D.

Hey Erin! This is such a good question. I’ve seen that unfortunate “nurses eating their young” behavior, and it’s definitely real. My hope is that the next generation of nurses will end that cycle.

When I first started in the ICU, I had a bit of a rocky beginning with one of my preceptors. They were way less than nice (if you get what I mean!). They weren’t a “bully,” but they definitely didn’t have a warm or welcoming attitude conducive to learning.

My advice is to speak up and address things as they happen. Don’t wait until another incident happens. Same when you see bullying or lateral violence towards another nurse. Speak up and remind others that it’s inappropriate and nurses should support one another.

So, I bluntly asked her if anything was wrong and that I would appreciate it if she treated me with a little more respect. She quickly apologized, and we hit it off from there. She ended up being an incredible preceptor. This goes to show the power of facing conflict tactfully.

One more thing: loop your manager in via email so there is a record of what occurred. And always remember, “Nurses Support Their Young!” If we lead with that mindset, we can improve the nursing culture.

TO STAY OR NOT TO STAY

Hey Blake, I’ve recently hit one year of being a nurse (yayyy)! I love the hospital and department I work in. However, lately, I’ve been wondering: Is it worth it for nurses to stay at a place for more than two years? I feel like the pay is not what it should be when you hit that point and that the benefits of staying in one place longterm start to dwindle. What are your thoughts on this? — Hannah A.

Yay, Hannah! Congrats on hitting the one-year nursing milestone! That first year is so critical, and you should feel proud.

Listen, you do NOT need to stay at a job for any certain length of time. You don’t owe any employer a set tenure before moving on (unless you signed one of those contracts). Anyway, if a new adventure calls to you, and you feel like making a jump, DO IT!

It’s unfortunate the hospitals won’t appropriately pay nurses until they get up and leave. Then, the hospitals need them back.

If a new adventure calls to you, and you feel like making a jump, DO IT!

Here’s the thing, though: if pay is your main concern, talk to your nurse manager or HR about getting a raise. And don’t be afraid to tell them you will go elsewhere if they don’t match your ask. Leaders need to know these things. Besides, hospitals need nurses so badly right now that you have the chance to be PICKY! The decision is yours.

Good luck on your journey, and again, welcome to nursing! You got this.

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