#35 - Self Care and Segways (Mini Episode)

I’m back with my husband Brett with Two Ts aboard NurseCon at Sea ‘22, the inaugural sailing of the most EPIC nursing conference. Listen in while we sail away somewhere in the middle of the ocean! Brett and I presented the show in front of a live audience on the third night of the conference. This special live recording was just one small part of an incredible week! I share why I wanted to create NurseCon at Sea following my own experiences at other nursing conferences. Why not make them more fun?? I also talk about what it feels like to finally put on the event, and you get to hear Brett and I's reactions to everything that has gone down so far. Expectations were definitely exceeded, and we loved seeing all the nurses make connections and make the most out of the experience! What are we looking forward to next? Could we live on a cruise ship? After asking ourselves some fun questions, we answer some questions from our live audience. It was a blast and I’m already so excited for next year! NurseCon at Sea 2023 registration opens this Friday 6/3 at Noon ET!! SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY SUBSCRIBING

Happy New Year! I’m sad to say I will be taking a bit of a hiatus, so this will be the season finale for The Nurse Blake Podcast. I appreciate every listener, but I have a lot of other exciting things planned for 2022. Stay subscribed because I’ll be back for NurseCon at Sea in April! As usual I’m with my husband Brett with two T’s, and I’m going over all of my favorite things this past year. I share my favorite thing this week, which is artificial turf for my pups! Then, Brett and I recap our winter break vacation in the British Virgin Islands. We spotted Jeff Bezos’ mega yacht, and we ran into a bunch of nurses! We also talk about our favorite songs, tv shows, and movies we watched in 2021. Brett and I reflect on some major milestones from 2021, and our goals for this year. I also cover trends that may shape the nursing profession in 2022. After that, we play a game that quizzes our knowledge on what was searched the most on Google last year. To wrap up I am reading a BUNCH of shout outs, thank you all for your submissions! Only a few rooms left on NurseCon at Sea! https://nurseconatsea.com/ Stay tuned for more show dates! https://nurseblake.com/ Thanks for listening!

This week’s podcast will be the last one of the year, and it's all about the NCLEX. How is 2021 almost over?? My favorite thing this week is drinking around the world at Epcot! As usual, I’m with my husband Brett with two T’s and we break down our Epcot day with my family. We took my Nan, who has previously been a guest on this podcast and was the star of one of my latest videos. Go check out my TikTok documenting our Epcot trip! Congratulations to all the nursing students who have recently graduated! Unfortunately, you all aren’t nurses yet. You still have to take the NCLEX. I’m going over the basics of what the NCLEX is, the registration process, and when to take it. I’m also sharing the special trick to see if you passed or failed! Then, I go over the top tips for passing the NCLEX. It’s not like any test you’ve taken in nursing school. Brett and I also play some geographical trivia in honor of drinking around the world. To wrap up, I answer a “Dear Blake” question and read shout outs submitted on my website nurseblake.com/podcast. Each week we will take on a new nursing topic and bring up questions and stories submitted by our listeners. Only a few rooms left on NurseCon at Sea! https://nurseconatsea.com/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY SUBSCRIBING Thanks for listening!

What’s up everyone! For this week’s podcast I’m talking all about OB nursing with my husband Brett with two T’s. I’m also mentioning NurseCon at Sea, and the planning cruise I recently sailed on. It's going to be so much fun, and there are only a few rooms left for the sailing in April! Plus, I give a special shout out to the 2021 Nurse Blake Awards winners! Then I get into the different OB specialties like labor and delivery and postpartum OB nurses, the high pressure around the main event (the birth), and if eating placentas is vegan or not. Our game this week is all about cruising with some true or false Royal Caribbean trivia. I also read some day in the life messages from OB nurses who are NurseCon members. To wrap up, I answer a “Dear Blake” question from a nursing student. To close out we read shoutouts submitted on my website nurseblake.com/podcast. Each week we will take on a new nursing topic and bring up questions and stories submitted by our listeners. More giveaways coming soon through NurseCon! https://www.nursecon.com/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY SUBSCRIBING Thanks for listening!

I’m back!! This week I’m in the studio again alongside Brett with two T’s. All good things must come to an end, and the tour is officially over for 2021. Thank you to everyone who came out! My favorite thing is Adele’s new song OMG. I give an update on the Croc saga, I share who’s getting my tour bus next, and Happy Birthday to Brett! The nursing topic for this week is ER/ED nursing vs. ICU nursing. I go in depth on each specialty and share the similarities and differences. In the ER there’s a lot more unknown, because you never know who’s going to come through the door. I share my experience as an ICU nurse, which is more of a controlled environment. Which specialty would be the best fit for you? We also play a fun Netflix themed game, and I answer a “Dear Blake” question for a nurse that’s afraid to use her PTO. To close out we read shoutouts submitted on my website nurseblake.com/podcast. Each week we will take on a new nursing topic and bring up questions and stories submitted by our listeners. More giveaways coming soon through NurseCon! https://www.nursecon.com/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY SUBSCRIBING Thanks for listening!

Hey everyone! This week is a mini episode because it’s been a busy week with my PTO Tour. There are only a few stops left, and I’m sad it’s almost over for 2021! I’m in California today with my husband Brett with 2 t’s, and we’re taking a little self-care day. I have two favorite things, and one is Thai massages. I explain why they’re so cool! My other favorite thing is segways, and I talk about my first time riding up and down San Francisco with my best friend @FabulousRn. Thanks for listening! We’ll be back the week after Thanksgiving. Enter for a chance to win through the free NurseCon app, the ultimate nursing organization! https://www.nursecon.com/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY SUBSCRIBING

For this episode, I’m going in depth on nursing shifts and how 3 12’s affects nurses. I’m still on the road with my husband Brett with two T’s for the last stretch of my PTO Comedy Tour! We’re recording in Denver, which reminds me of some memorable hikes I’ve taken in Colorado. I have a few favorite things, including the breadsticks at Olive Garden and Insomnia Cookies! Sponsor us? After some bowel movement talk, I jump into different nursing shifts including the most common 3 12’s schedule. The appeal of flexibility has definitely changed over time, and is it safe? Sometimes shifts can stretch as long as 16 hours! Overtime laws vary by state, but there are a lot of nurses who are forced to work mandatory overtime. I get into short staffing, on-call shifts, and what nurses are currently going through at their hospitals. Advocate for patients and the nurses that care for them. To close out I’m reading shoutouts submitted on my website nurseblake.com/podcast. Each week we will take on a new nursing topic and bring up questions and stories submitted by our listeners. Enter for a chance to win through the free NurseCon app, the ultimate nursing organization! https://www.nursecon.com/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY SUBSCRIBING Thanks for listening!

Happy Thursday! This week I’m going over more nursing specialties beyond the bedside. I’m still in Texas with my husband Brett (with two T’s), and we talk about how all of our favorite things come from Austin, our spiritual walk, and how our break has been. My favorite thing this week is bees, and I share some fun bee knowledge I learned during my trip to the bee farm! The specialties I go over this week include Forensic Nursing, Legal Nurse Consultants, and School Nurses! These nurses play vital roles in the community, and it’s fun to learn more about them. I’m also talking about Medical Script Nurses, which leads us to a Grey's Anatomy conversation. Then, I answer a “Dear Blake” question for new nurses. To close out I’m reading shoutouts submitted on my website nurseblake.com/podcast. Each week we will take on a new nursing topic and bring up  questions and stories submitted by our listeners. Tickets for my comedy show are on sale NOW! https:/nurseblake.com/ Enter for a chance to win through the free NurseCon app, the ultimate nursing organization! https://www.nursecon.com/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY SUBSCRIBING Thanks for listening!

What’s up everyone! I just wrapped up the Midwest leg of my PTO Comedy Tour, and I’m in Austin, TX for a short vacation break with Brett. We share some stories about the last time we were in Texas, which includes some water sports action! I also reflect on my big Nashville show, my fear of bees, and I’m giving the details on my Halloween costume. For this week’s nursing topic, I’m exploring different nursing specialties. And next week I’m diving into more! I’m starting with flight transport nurses (they have the BEST uniforms). I go into the expectations of the job, and requirements to apply. I also test my pilot husband with an aviation quiz! I also talk about telephone triage nursing and correctional care nursing. There are so many interesting nursing specialties beyond the bedside, so if you want to leave bedside nursing remember that you don't have to leave the nursing practice all together. To close out I’m reading shoutouts submitted on my website nurseblake.com/podcast. Each week we will take on a new nursing topic and bring up questions and stories submitted by our listeners. Tickets for my comedy show are on sale NOW! https:/nurseblake.com/ Enter for a chance to win through the free NurseCon app, the ultimate nursing organization! https://www.nursecon.com/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY SUBSCRIBING Thanks for listening!

This week, I’m talking to you all about nursing around the world with my wonderful husband Brett! I’m not covering every country, but I go over different regions of the world and see what the similarities and differences are in nursing across the globe. My favorite thing this week is my weighted blanket, and shoutout to the fan that gave me a Crocs gift card! What Croc charms should I get? Then I dive right in with some interesting global nurse facts. I guess we’re all short staffed? After that I’m going over what healthcare coverage is like in other countries, staff ratios, uniforms, and more. I read responses I received from international nurses from the NurseCon app and Facebook. I’m moving to Australia so I can be a casual nurse! I also test Brett with a “Countries Around the World” quiz. To close out I’m reading shoutouts submitted on my website nurseblake.com/podcast. Each week we will take on a new nursing topic and bring up  questions and stories submitted by our listeners. Tickets for my comedy show are on sale NOW! https:/nurseblake.com/ Enter for a chance to win through the free NurseCon app, the ultimate nursing organization! https://www.nursecon.com/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY SUBSCRIBING Thanks for listening!