Stacie is a pediatric nurse, mom of one of the cutest little babes ever, and a native Texan! She joined the Trusted team in April as one of our Nurse Advocates after spending 5 years working at several units at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, TX.
We adore Stacie and if you keep reading, you’ll understand why :)
What was your first experience with nursing? What influence did this have on your decision to become a nurse?
My little sister, Kylee, was very sick as an infant. She spent a lot of time in the hospital and wasn’t expected to live past 1 and a half years old! She’s now 25 years old, but I’ll never forget the impact that her nurses made on me. Introducing me to the hospital setting and what to expect, they truly went above and beyond. I’ll forever be grateful to the nurses that gave her round the clock care and were there to support us as a family.
What advice would you give someone considering nursing as a profession?
To be perfectly honest, nursing is TOUGH and burnout is something that many nurses have dealt with, myself included! And if you’re in that space now, take a step back and remember why you chose nursing to being with <3 Even so, I still encourage others to DO IT! And if bedside nursing isn’t your jam, there are tons of other avenues to take with your nursing degree!
We talk a lot about building a personal and professional brand as a nursing professional. What's your take on this?
I was in the Float Pool (which I like to say is the baby sister of travel nurses). I interacted with so many new people on a daily basis. First impressions, to not only patients and families, but also colleagues are super important! For me, it was a lot of introducing myself to all of my neighbors and offering my help!
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
My daughter, Emily, gets me out of bed and the coffee shortly afterward gives me the energy to keep it moving :)
What do you think is the most difficult part of being a nurse?
Not taking it home with you. You keep a brave face for 12+ hours and what do you do with all of that emotion afterwards? I think that it’s super important to let out your feelings at the end of the day and participate in self-care especially on your days off. Having friends in the field to wind down with is something that I think is undeniably important. Nurses just get it!
What do you wish the world knew about nursing?
It’s more than just following ‘doctor’s orders’! It’s an art and a lifestyle! Threading 24G IV catheters in the tiniest of veins to recognizing life-threatening arrhythmias on an EKG. We have a very unique skill set that proves incredibly valuable inside and outside of work.
What are some important things you learned as a nurse that have proven to be invaluable in other areas of your life?
Something silly here, but “closing the loop”! Vital during codes and also during lengthy, Important conversations :) But a background in nursing is simply invaluable itself. During emergency situations in public we carry the knowledge and level-headedness required in order to overcome a crisis. We have medical comprehension to help loved ones understand the medical field during significant moments. We work with interdisciplinary teams, patients and families and tailor our verbiage to each in order to effectively communicate. Creating incredible skills in everyday communication. This list is endless :)
And then these fun ones!
Healthiest habit for work days: Getting outdoors and soaking in that Vitamin D!
My work mornings usually start with… a shower!
Go-to meal that I pack for work: PBJ + Cheetos -- Classically delicious
Favorite thing to do on a day-off: Family quality time with hubs and babe!
Favorite app: YouTube, hands down! I’ve learned how to change my headlight on my car and also how to apply contour on my face LOL
Clogs or sneakers? Clogs for life! Also, when you’re 5’2 the couple inches is just what ya need to reach that foley volumeter on the top shelf ;)
If I wasn't a nurse, I would probably be.. some sort of engineer! I love to fix things and find out how things work!
Compression stockings, compression socks, or neither? Not going to lie, I had to Google the difference! Compression socks!
Puke, poop, sputum, IV starts in babies, we've all got our aversion, what's yours? SPUTUM. I. Just. Can’t. You can imagine how tough it was for me with ETTs and Trachs.
Go-to choice of caffeine? Basic over here -- COFFEE. And I’ve even been known to drink a PSL in the Fall. No shame :D
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