Why did you become a nurse?
I became a nurse because of my desire to make a life-changing impact on the lives of individuals in my community. I have always known that in some way I wanted to help people. After praying for God’s guidance, the thought of becoming a nurse seemed to be instinctual, and I was certain it was a part of God’s plan.
Tell us about your journey as a nurse – where did it start, what has it been like, what have you encountered along the way, etc.
My journey as a nurse has not always been a walk in the park, but it has been one of the most fulfilling things I have ever done in my life. I started my nursing career as a new graduate RN in the Cardiovascular and Thoracic Intensive Care Unit at UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I had the opportunity to shadow the unit before accepting the position and absolutely fell in love. This was, without a doubt, my dream job. I recovered patients postoperatively from open heart surgeries, such as coronary artery bypass grafts (CABGs), heart transplants, aortic aneurysms, valve replacements and lung transplants.
I received specialty training on many advanced forms of life support, such as left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), intra-aortic balloon pumps (IABPs), Impellas and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). I witnessed so many miraculous things while working with this patient population.
Soon after the euphoria of my new career, I entered one of the darkest seasons in my nursing career. After coming off orientation, everything shut down because of COVID-19. I now met the challenges of a staffing crisis, burnout and a heightened amount of fear and anxiety. With help from God and the love of their peers, nurses made it through the extremely difficult time that none of us was prepared for. What the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche stated, “What doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger,” applied to many of our lives during this season. This difficult moment pushed me to branch out in my nursing career. I became a travel nurse, which allowed me to work with many different patient populations in underprivileged areas, before finally settling in Greensboro working for Cone Health.
Please tell us about one of the most meaningful nursing moments you’ve had and the impact it had on you.
I had the privilege to pray with the family of one of my patients during one of the most trying times of their lives. People never come to the hospital when they are well. Most individuals are irritable and fearful of what is to come and how it will affect them in the future. I was able to pray with one of my patients and their family, which brought them peace and comfort in the midst of calamity. It was a humbling and beautiful thing to share a very intimate moment with this family. It was a moment that I’ll never forget. It reminded me that it is a blessing to be able to serve others, especially in moments they are unable to care for themselves.
What would we be surprised to know about you?
I love animals of all types. I am a dog mom to two extremely spoiled pups. For the majority of my childhood, I wanted to be a veterinarian when I grew up.
What is the best patient experience you’ve ever had, and what did it teach you?
One of the best experiences I have had was when one of the patients our unit had cared for returned to the hospital and thanked us personally for all we had done. It was very heartwarming to see all of our hard work on the other side of recovery. It was reassuring to know that we do make a difference as nurses and people are thankful for the sacrifices we make to care for our patients. This moment taught me to ensure that I am being intentional with everyone I come in contact with. No amount of money could equate to the joy of knowing that you helped save someone's life.
What is one thing people should know about nursing, but don’t?
The majority of nurses I have come in contact with have a joke about working at a world-renowned hotel like the Hilton or Marriott. I have come in contact with many patients who believe that nurses are there to wait on them and keep them comfortable, without understanding the complexity of our jobs. We are placing orders for several patients who need to be attended to, reviewing multiple sets of lab results and relaying the necessary information to the appropriate people, as well as managing care for critically ill patients who could have an emergency at any second. I’ve had patients get upset that I had to wake them up to get necessary lab work at 2 in the morning or that I have insisted they get up in order to work with physical therapy. What we do, however, is ultimately within the best interest of the patient.
How does your background and previous experience affect your work today?
I grew up as a biracial child, which had its own set of difficulties and challenges. I believe this beneficially affected my ability to provide unbiased care to people of different races and ethnicities, regardless of their socioeconomic status. I love having the ability to serve a vast array of people from different backgrounds and experiences.
What has your experience as an ICU nurse been like, and how has it affected your personal life?
My experience as an ICU nurse has made me more grateful for my health and family. I believe the things I have witnessed have put into perspective how much we take life for granted. I’ve witnessed so many mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, uncles, aunts, grandmothers and grandfathers lose the ability to do simple things for themselves that we rarely think about. Things such as breathing on your own without the help of a ventilator, combing your hair, the ability to walk and even independently using the restroom. It has made me love the individuals I am close to even more and changed my perspective of simple things that make us blessed.
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