Sorry Kevin Gates, I *Do* Get Tired: How Elevate RN Came to Be

After five years in school and only being a few months into my new career, I was simply fed up. Going into this, I knew the work wouldn’t be “easy” per se, but I didn’t take into account how mentally and emotionally taxing nursing could get. My excitement slowly turned to indifference as shift-in and shift-out, I was scrambling between up to 6 patients, dealing with annoying inconveniences, and trying not to get poop on my shoe. I knew there had to be better, but since I was less than a year in, I was told there weren’t many options for nurses like me.

There’s this philosophy that new nurses must get their start in med-surg and climb the ranks, no matter how grueling, until they reach their goal. But why? I was determined to gain control of the career I worked so hard to start and I refused to let the status quo dictate my direction. So with that drive, I took the leap of faith! Nine months in, I began applying for any position that interested me regardless of required experience. Soon after, I got a call-back from a position that required two years of experience and guess who still got the job?!

I let go of fear and broke that glass ceiling that keeps nurses, new and seasoned, trapped in a box. By implementing a mix of confidence, deep knowing, and a desire to exit before sockin’ a b***h, I was able to go from being tired to triumphant in a matter of months! I finally learned how to take charge of my future and I’ll never feel bad for doing it! 

The lessons from this journey are the lifeforce of ElevateRN and why I’m determined to transform the thinking and practices of new and student nurses! You don’t have to work to death or be unhappy to be successful! Once you take your power back and bet on yourself, you’ll never lose again.