Narrative Nurse Project

Clinical Nurse Specialist practice is unique in each organization and each practice. The role has a great amount of variation. Kara describes and discusses the role so fantastically. She shares her story and journey to nursing, what drove her to become a CNS in her specialty practice role and watching her daughter become a nurse as well!

Arianna shares what brought her to nursing, how her career has changed over time and how she adapts her and builds her professional practice as a travel nurse. She shares her humor and joy for the profession and for life and I am grateful to have the opportunity to hear her story and share it!

Kelsay is an emergency department charge nurse in Washington state whose life has changed since one shift became infamous in October of 2022. Talking to her was an honor and I appreciate the position of advocacy she has taken on, when she never pictured herself in the position to need to do so. Kelsay talk about the decisions she made the night she called for more help because the emergency department became overwhelmed, the opportunities she has had to set the record straight, and the voice she is developing as a leader in the profession. She shared her story with This American Life in January, 2023. Listen here: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/790/youre-it And wrote a blog column for the American Journal of Nursing in December of 2022. Read it here: https://ajnoffthecharts.com/er-nurse-who-called-911-for-backup-what-are-we-afraid-of/

Eric's passion for vulnerable populations and public health brought him half-way around the world and to the profession of nursing. He shares his story of becoming a nurse and his work as a CRNA. 

Zita's story and experience as a nurse has taken her from Hungary to Dublin to Seattle with each step and stage in her career highlighted by her drive and commitment to the profession of nursing. Her professional practice and ability to adapt is inspiring and I'm grateful she shared her story and her journey! 

Josh shares his story and his journey to becoming a flight nurse. Flight nursing and critical care transport is a highly specialized practice within nursing and sought after for many within the profession. He discusses how he has committed to professional development, what the work and care of patients is like, and how he keeps himself engaged in the profession!

Margarita is a civilian critical care nurse and Army officer. Her ability to navigate both worlds has taken years of practice and commitment to develop successfully and she shares her story of coming to the United States as an immigrant, completing nursing school, and joining the military. Her story is so fantastic and our conversation flew by, we didn't event to talk about her life outside of nursing! 

Marianne is the Founder of Alzauthors and has built a fantastic community of writers around the experience of living with and caregiving for people with dementia & Alzheimers. It is a robust community of writers, speakers, and community events for those experiencing this diagnosis!  Check out the podcast Untangling Alzheimers & Dementia as well! Marianne shared her journey to nursing and personal experience working through this new diagnosis as a caregiver in her family.  Her story and journey is an inspiration and her book Blue Hydrangeas is so good and I am grateful for the conversation!

I had the opportunity to talk with members of the Greater Portland Chapter of AACN board. We talked about the what and why of professional organization membership, chapter engagement, and learned how they are navigating change in in a tumultuous time! 

Episode one of the third season of the Narrative Nurse Project podcast releases on February 10th. Thank you to the nurses who have shared their stories for this season. They are amazing people and I am excited to share our conversations with all of you! Check out narrativenurseproject.com to share your story!