Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: This is the All1Nerds podcast, where we are bridging the gap between the stethoscope and the soul and getting back to the human side of healthcare.
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Hey friends, welcome back to the All One Nurse podcast, where we're still bridging the gap between the stethoscope and the soul and getting back to that human side of healthcare. I'm your host, Chanel Tompkins, and today's episode, you don't want to miss it. I am joined with the incredible Brianna Corbett, who's a registered nurse and a fierce advocate for underrepresented and minority communities. And she's a rising voice on TikTok, where she's known as @iamthereal RN. Breanna's why for Nursing is rooted in one word, advocacy, and she's bringing her heart, her honesty, her humor, and her insight to this conversation. We are going to dive into four powerful themes that I unpack with every guest speaker here on All One Nurse Their nursing journey, personal insights, patient perspective, and their educational wisdom for the next generation of nurses. And somewhere in there on this episode, I'll be asking Briana a question that might just shift how you see your own role in healthcare. So go ahead, subscribe to the podcast, share this episode with a fellow nurse or nursing student and listen all the way to the end for a sneak peek of what's coming up next or who's coming up Next on the All1Nurse podcast. So let's get right into it. Hey Brianna, how are you?
[00:02:11] Speaker B: I'm doing well. Chanel, how are you?
[00:02:14] Speaker A: I'm doing well. Thanks for being on the podcast today. I am just excited to be meeting with you from TikTok to now all one nurse podcast. It's exciting.
[00:02:24] Speaker B: I am happy to be here.
[00:02:26] Speaker A: Yes ma'.
[00:02:27] Speaker B: Am.
[00:02:27] Speaker A: Now getting right to it with all my guests. Tell us what inspired you to become a nurse and tell us about your nursing journey.
[00:02:35] Speaker B: Yeah, I always knew that I wanted to be in the healthcare space in some capacity. I initially wanted to be a physician assistant and I wanted to open up my own clinic in the community to help individuals that look like myself have access to affordable healthcare. That's always just been my thing.
And I realized working too with physicians assistance that they don't have all the autonomy that I thought that they did. So I said, okay, let me just change, change it. So then I realized nurse practitioners can practice independently and they, they have so much autonomy. So I went the nursing route and I worked as a tech when I was an undergrad. And I said nursing is for me because the way that they get to experience their patients and be one on one with them, it's such a privilege and it's a blessing as a nurse to have that because providers are so busy, you know, and they're patient to patient, they're in and out. So unfortunately they don't get the time to bond with their patients, to really learn their patients. And that's why they rely on us a lot for those assessments and just being there. So that is initially what sparked the interest, just having that want to take care of people. I think I've always been the caregiver. I'm always the mom friend of the group. I'm always trying to help somebody, even when I don't mean to. It just, it's natural.
[00:03:58] Speaker A: Got you.
Now, how did you get into the program? Tell us about your journey with getting into nursing school.
[00:04:04] Speaker B: They ran me through the mud to be a nurse. Okay, I was ran through the mud to get here, but that's okay. But I initially, I fresh out of high school, went to a four year college and applied to, at the school I went to, they didn't have it where you apply as a freshman to the nursing program. You were nursing intent up until the end of your sophomore year and you just took prereqs. And so the sophomore year I applied, I didn't get in. Devastated. The world was ending. It was really bad. And I didn't have that support in that nursing program. They were like, oh, just take classes over, but not giving you anything solid, anything of substance. Okay, retake classes until when? Like, is there a cutoff point? Should I do something else? If I don't get in after the third or fourth time, I'm not going to be 35, still trying to get one bachelor's degree. Like, that's insane.
So I did take, I think I had like a C in anatomy and that was my lowest grade. I retook that, got a B plus and then they didn't tell me that, okay, you retake these classes and your GPA is going up by 0.1. So I went from a 3.5 to a 3.6. Baby, what am I doing with this?
Just wasting my time. I reapplied my junior year. I did not get in again. I was like, you know what? I'm done. I'm done. Because I was 20, 21 years old and nobody prepared me, nor do they prepare students for that rejection. Nobody tells you what do you do if you don't get into the program that you want to get into. You know, it's like we don't have any Plan Bs. As I feel like young adult. You just think I'm going in, graduating four years. Like, no, it didn't happen like that for me. It happens for some people, but it did not happen for me. So I ended up. And I, when I say I honestly did not know what to do, I'm like, well, what do I do now? I always said I want to be a nurse. What do I apply to? What is my major? Like, I am struggling mentally and I had one awesome teacher and she not in nursing, but she was just health science. And she said, well, why don't you do public health? I was like, public health? I didn't even know about what is public health. Started doing some research and it was interesting. So I took 21 credits my senior year just to graduate on time because they had me behind. And I graduated with the bachelor's in public health. I honestly was discouraged. I said I wasn't going back for nursing and I took some time off, told my mom, I said, listen, don't that nursing, don't mention it to me. Don't say nothing about a nurse to me. And I just started working in public health. I worked at the public health department where I live and that was a really, really interesting experience for me. And eventually though, anybody that knows who wants to be a nurse or is trying to be a nurse, when you're around other nurses, when you work with other nurses. I worked in the public health department with nurses all around. Why don't you be a nurse, Brianna? You would be a great nurse, like lady, don't you.
[00:07:04] Speaker A: It just came back to you, literally.
[00:07:07] Speaker B: It's like you just can't escape it. And it's frustrating because you know, when you don't accomplish something that you really want to, it's, it's hanging over your head. Even if you might tell other people it's not or I'm over it, like you're not it definitely. I couldn't get over something that was my passion. So I applied to another program, a very well known program, very expensive. And I didn't know at the time because that was a master's to BSN program.
So I didn't qualify for the traditional student loans, which they didn't tell me that until I already.
Yeah, so they were, oh, you have to get private loans, etc, et cetera, I don't know. And then they sent me the estimated loan payment. I am not going to school for Anesthesiology. I mean, come on. I have a humble position of a nurse with a humble paycheck. No, I'm not going to get it. All this debt. But it was literally like I found all this out probably three weeks before the semester was started. Like, they sent everything so late. I'm just, I'm stressed. I'm like crying again. I'm like telling my boyfriend at the time, I said, oh my God, like, it's not going to work for me. And that's when I went into.
Probably six months later, I applied for my master's in healthcare administration.
Knew I always wanted to be a leader as well. Leadership position. I did that.
And then I applied to my nursing program around the same time. I was just doing things. Chanel, I'm not going to lie.
[00:08:29] Speaker A: Two at the same time.
[00:08:31] Speaker B: I didn't plan to do two at the same time. Honestly, I didn't even plan on getting accepted. I didn't. I got accepted in that nursing program and I was like.
And again, now I'm like, what do I do? What do I do? And my supervisor said, well, do both. Do both. Who does two at the time? So she really put it, she said, I don't think anybody could do two, but I think you could do two. So she believed in me better than I could believe in myself. Yes. So I did both. It was honestly, I'm not gonna lie, it wasn't bad for me at all. But I am, I am a nerd. I'm an overachiever. I do a lot. I do a lot. And I hold myself to a standard that just not safe up here for me. So it was fine for me. I graduated 4.0 with my master's and I graduated with 3.7. In nursing school, you know, when we need to do it, we need to do it.
[00:09:24] Speaker A: But I did it and thought your master's was online.
Right. And so for nursing, you had to show up in person.
[00:09:33] Speaker B: Yes, yes. You were busy. It was so. Because I had did all my prereqs and then I had all these credits for my bachelor's degree. I was a part time nursing student. You know, it really was like I was taking like 6 to 8 credits because all I needed was the core nursing. Whereas it's not like I'm taking all of these other electives that they make you waste your time to take. So it was easier for my time management as well, because I wasn't there all the time. But it still is demanding. You know how nursing school is. But we do what we have to do.
Yes.
[00:10:08] Speaker A: Well, thank you for sharing that journey. So you got your bachelor's in public health, your master's in health administrator. As a health administrator, right?
[00:10:16] Speaker B: Yeah.
So I'm not an administrator because I did not take my license. I knew I didn't want to be an administrator. It's healthcare administration, so it's different, but yes.
[00:10:25] Speaker A: And then you got. And at the same time, you got your associates in nursing.
[00:10:31] Speaker B: Correct?
[00:10:32] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:10:33] Speaker B: Correct.
[00:10:34] Speaker A: Wow. Now, how long have you been a nurse?
[00:10:37] Speaker B: I have been a nurse. This will make it year going on year five for me.
[00:10:42] Speaker A: Awesome.
[00:10:43] Speaker B: Awesome.
[00:10:43] Speaker A: How long have you been in public health? Seven years.
Next thing you know, you're gonna be going on like 10 years in public health.
10 years in nursing.
[00:10:53] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:10:54] Speaker A: But time definitely passes by.
[00:10:57] Speaker B: It does.
[00:11:00] Speaker A: Now, was there a moment in nursing school or early in your career that made you say, I need to speak up for others? I asked you your one word for why you do what you do or why nursing, and your word was advocacy. So is there a moment in time?
[00:11:18] Speaker B: I can't really say it was a moment. I would say it probably was a collective of moments for me, you know, even the journey that it took to get there. And I'm not, I'll say this, I realized that sometimes you have to assert yourself in spaces where people might make you feel like you don't belong in those spaces. And healthcare is the same thing. So I think that nursing students that look like us have those same challenges. Being an African American, being a minority in a nursing program, that is the barrier just right there. So on top of all the other things that we're going through, we already walk into it with challenges. And for me, that program that I did get into, I mean, honest, they were so, so loud. And most minorities don't get in is what one of my peers was told, because she didn't get in. I mean, literally, I knew so many minorities, and I'm not saying that they didn't get in because of that. It literally was a gpa. But I was also told after I had tried two times, they didn't interview people, which was a huge red flag for me. I'm like, this is why we have the issues that we have in healthcare. If you're just going off of a gpa. And she said, all we do is write down all the GPAs and go down the list, and the highest of the 40 is who it is, you know, and that's just not how. That's not how nursing should be. That's not how healthcare should be. And if you can look at somebody and say, oh, most minorities don't get in, or, you know, that's already creating a narrative that I don't belong in this space, or you don't think I'm going to make it to this space. So that was one huge motivating factor for me that said I need to speak up. And just along the journey, when you just see the patient, the patient that you're coming into encountering, excuse me, a lot, and you realize they're looking around and they don't find many health care providers that look like themselves. Representation is super important. Then this is why we get into why minorities don't feel comfortable going into the healthcare system, why they don't trust the healthcare system. Well, because most of their providers don't look like them. They can't relate to them, they don't understand them. So for me, that was huge. Like, I need to speak up for the people that can't speak up or the people that aren't being heard if they are speaking and they're not just listened to. That's huge for nurses. And it doesn't matter if you're white, black, purple or pink, you can speak up for everybody. But I just feel like, I feel more like I need to do it because I know how it feels to not be listened to.
[00:13:58] Speaker A: So definitely feel like a calling, like, God, if it didn't bother you, you wouldn't do it. But you obviously have that discernment that, hey, this is a moment that this patient need me to speak up for them or because of my own experiences. Okay, let me share with other young nurses, future nurses, because they may not be young, they may be, like I said, non traditional and going back into. Because they couldn't do nursing early on. And so now they're getting back into the program. And you have this imposter syndro, this self doubt, because you're in a space that you're like, okay, do I really belong here?
[00:14:32] Speaker B: Exactly, exactly.
[00:14:34] Speaker A: And you may in some cases even hear people say something along the lines that you're not gonna pass. And it's like, why would you say that other than support me and give me what I need?
[00:14:47] Speaker B: Exactly.
But how can you be so loud? This is what I don't understand about people.
You don't know me, you don't know her. They don't know you. So to even say and assume you're not gonna pass. I already know how you think about people as a group. You know what I mean? You don't know anything about what that person can do. So sometimes you just have to prove people wrong. And that's just. That's just sad.
[00:15:14] Speaker A: Yes, unfortunately.
Thank you for sharing that insight because that is a really good perspective and that's why I'm really big on creating a space to mentor new nurses and nursing students. Because sometimes it's just having those conversations and letting them know you're not crazy and you're not alone.
And definitely keeping a faith based narrative and keeping it positive rather, you know, someone is spiritual or not. There's still value that you can add to someone based off your experiences and letting them know you are not alone. Let's talk about it. And the only person you can control is you.
[00:15:49] Speaker B: Exactly.
[00:15:50] Speaker A: When you go into spaces. Thanks for sharing that. Now, jumping right into personal insights. One thing I think I've heard you say is that nursing school don't have to be so hard or so difficult. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but you know me on TikTok, you on TikTok, and I'm just scrolling through.
[00:16:06] Speaker B: I truly think that is a misconception. But I also tell people everybody learns differently and everybody's school experience would be different. Right. So like I just said, it goes back to you. There are some people who are highly motivated, like myself. I don't need anybody to tell me when to do something. I'm going to be three, four modules ahead. I don't like to be behind.
You tell me to read chapters one to two, but only read these pages. I'm reading the whole chapter because that's the way my brain works. You can't give me a piece of information. I like to dive into everything.
And that's why I think nursing was easier for me to just digest. Because I'm not taking pieces of what you're telling me to learn. I'm learning the whole thing because that's how my brain works. So you have to learn as a student. How? Just because your teachers are telling you to do something a certain way doesn't mean that you can't personalize it. Because Chanel might be more of a auditory learner. So while you're sitting here trying to get these PowerPoints and nothing is sticking, you might have to figure out, how can I get this on an audio? How can I, you know, whatever. So it's not hard or easy. It's just about how you learn and how you make your work for yourself. You know, I don't sit here and say it's easy, girl. No, because it might be the Worst thing you ever did. But that might also be based on you and you know, like, we have to take accountability. Are you studying? And that's why I like to say on my TikTok, people study wrong. I didn't know how to study until I got into nursing school. Undergrad is a completely different world. It's like the Hunger Games. You're just literally trying to just get this information down. I forgot it right after I left lecture. Whereas nursing school, you are trying to keep this information in your long term memory so that alone nobody tells you how to study. They don't teach you how to study. You have to pick that up and develop that. And that will make your experience in nursing school like it can really set the tone for it. But I agree that that is a huge misconception. Don't ask anybody if it's hard or easy because honestly what I'm going to say is it doesn't matter if it's easy or hard. Do you want to be a nurse? Because that's really. What are we doing? You're going to push yourself, you're going to challenge yourself and we're going to get it accomplished. Yes.
[00:18:22] Speaker A: I love it. I love it.
[00:18:23] Speaker B: That's good.
[00:18:25] Speaker A: Good stuff, Brianna.
[00:18:26] Speaker B: Good stuff is up here.
[00:18:29] Speaker A: You coming down that road with that one. Bottom line, do you want to be a nurse?
[00:18:33] Speaker B: Do you want to be a nurse?
[00:18:34] Speaker A: Because that's good. Now what has surprised you most about yourselves since becoming a nurse?
[00:18:42] Speaker B: I guess for me, I mean, I knew I was an empathetic person, but when I got into these spaces, I. Oh my God. I'm very careful about settings that I work in for this reason because I take so much home with me and I can't. I mean, I guess it is surprising to know how heavy your job can weigh on you. To know I don't know you, I didn't know you up until today and all that you're going through. I'm still thinking about it when I go home, you know, and nobody, you won't know unless I tell you what I'm thinking about. But you know, there's been some times where I'm, I'm like, this is, this is heavy and I hold it for so long. And I guess that is the surprising part too. Like, you know, you gotta do self care and stuff like that. But it's still, I'm just very cognizant. And I don't just put my icu, I would never do. There's just certain things this, I think there's amazing Nurses, and they need to be in all those spaces. But you have to be aware of the type of nurse, the type of person that you are. Because I can be an amazing nurse and I know I would be great to them, but that wouldn't be a good use of. That wouldn't be a good space for me. I just say, like, that I would really be burnt out quick.
[00:20:00] Speaker A: Same.
I'm totally different. I'm like, I have been told I should be a hospice nurse and. And I've definitely done icu, done cbicu, but I couldn't do ER like my.
[00:20:11] Speaker B: Brother, be in the emergency room, really.
[00:20:14] Speaker A: See, I can pray for someone really quick, but in the er, y' all will be like, chanel, move. This is not the time to pray.
[00:20:20] Speaker B: That's true, that's true. I mean, I could pray for you, but I'm going to need to pray for myself after I leave you and you done pray. I remember I was a tech and, oh, my God, it was just patient. His wife, girl, I told you my memory bad, but I don't know if she had passed or she was about to pass. All I remember, I have his man's voice living in my head right now rent free. And he just started sobbing like, no, no, please just wrap me up right now because I'm gone. I'm gone. I am right there crying with this man like, I am so sorry. And we make the best nurses. I understand that. But again, like, I have to protect my mental health, too, because I can't be in that every day. It's like, yeah, I just want to hug you. I just want to. I do want to pray for you and I just want to hug you and make it better, but I can't. So it's tough.
[00:21:12] Speaker A: And sometimes just being there, just being there and allowing yourself time to decompress. And that was actually one of my questions upon the personal insights. As we're into personal insights now, do you have any faith mindset or wellness practices that keep you grounded as a nurse and content creator?
[00:21:31] Speaker B: You know, this content creation thing is new for me, so I can.
Am I really. I don't even know if I'm a content creator for.
You are.
I mean, I definitely have my faith. I believe in God. I think that anything challenging that you're going through, like you said, it doesn't matter who you believe in, what you believe in, but I do think it's important to have some type of belief, some type of belief in something higher than where we are. And I believe in God. So for me, he is definitely somebody that keeps me grounded. Sometimes I know it's like, oh, Lord, I'm sorry, just work on me. Help me, help me. Because we're not perfect. But when I pray, that helps me refocus. And sometimes I just need to be by myself. But I also, I'm really big on trying to be mindful and I used to meditate. I'm not going to lie and sit here and say that I do it the way I want to. But I think it's really important to sometimes just quiet all the things around you. You just really need to take time for yourself, focus on what you're going through right in the moment. Because there's so much happening in our personal lives at work that it's overwhelming. And sometimes it's too much. You don't even know how to process the information, take one thing at a time and go from there.
[00:22:51] Speaker A: That's awesome. I think for me it's. And sometimes I find myself at night, I like to turn everything off. Like once I put the kids to sleep, it's like the TV has to be turned off. I really don't want any noise because I work in a hospital setting and you just hear noise all the time.
Yes.
And so for me, I think that's a good way of like decompressing as well.
[00:23:14] Speaker B: Absolutely.
[00:23:15] Speaker A: And just sometimes just sitting there in the dark. Don't want to be sounds scary. But just sitting in the dark and just quiet my mind. Or read a book sometime. I love a good book.
Yes. On my phone. And then I wake up, my phone's dead. So you know it be like that sometime.
[00:23:30] Speaker B: Come on, content creator, you know better than that.
Yes.
[00:23:34] Speaker A: Look, speaking of with creating content, I haven't been able to read lately, so you can't read and record at the same time. But I love it. I love it. Okay, so going into patient perspective, how has your journey shaped your approach to patient centered care? And just to go back before you answer that, with your patient care, are you still working in the public health?
[00:23:56] Speaker B: No, I work in private sector now.
[00:23:59] Speaker A: Okay, awesome, awesome. Now, how has your journey shaped your approach to patient centered care?
[00:24:05] Speaker B: Well, for sure, working in public health, working in the community, working with patients that look like me, every patient centered care. So I realized that when it comes to the patients, their goals and the provider's goals often do not match. Not even close to being the same. Right. So the provider was worried about their physical health, which is great. Like that's your job. But when it comes to patient Centered care. You really need to be listening and you really need to be aware of what else is going on in this patient's life. Because once they leave and you just fill their medications or you know, you're trying to get them to be compliant with their diabetes medications, you need to figure out what's the barriers because it's like a revolving door. And that's what I realized. I'm like, and I, and I don't want to act like every person in the community has the same struggles, but I've seen a large percentage of these patients who are in lower socioeconomical statuses, they don't have the resources that their counterparts have.
So transportation might be a barrier. You are scheduling these people for appointments, for follow up appointments, wondering why they're not coming. But you're not asking the important questions. And that's the problem. You need to ask the important questions. Don't just sit here and say you're trying to figure out why Chanel can't make it. I'm trying to figure out why she's not a compliant patient. Figure out what Chanel needs to do in her life.
Because that is the huge disconnect is that you're treating one part of this patient, the patient centered care is this patient as a whole. And once he leaves here, they still have real life problems that are so far to them. It's bigger than their health, it's bigger than this medication that you're trying to be, trying to give them, not feed them, trying to give them. You know, they're worried about unemployment, they're worried about housing, they're worried about food, they're worried about their kids and who's like. But not everybody is going to be able to relate and that's fine. But you have to be willing to educate yourself about the people that you're taking care of. You can't be in this bubble of ignorance where you have privilege, which is great, but your patients don't. And what your, what might be your problem, your biggest problem of the day might be that Starbucks messed up your coffee. And these people are like, I don't even, I don't have no coffee, I don't have no food. So that was something that really shifted my perspective because in my first public health job I worked in the STD department. And it was just eye opening to me because even myself was one of those people. Not to that extent, but okay, you need to be treated for this or you know, you have a positive hiv, newly diagnosed. And I'm hitting my Brain of why you are missing all of these appointments and you have this disease that can kill you. You know what I mean? But I took the time to educate myself and I took the time to really just pay attention. Like, you, literally all you have to do is just be quiet and listen. And it's just like, oh, my God. I. You don't care that you have this. You don't care that you have that because you are really worried about when your next meal is going to come. You are really worried about that eviction notice you had. You know, it's real life. Things that, no, I don't know about per se, but I can, I can understand how that would take precedence over everything else. So you really have to just be a. You have to be a good listener, you have to be compassionate, and you have to be able to meet your patients where they are. And all of that shapes who I am as a nurse, you know, and patient centered care is huge, but people really need to redefine it because they don't know it.
[00:27:59] Speaker A: Amen to that. And that's why I'm so big on, you know, it's not what you say, but how you say it. So when I hear people talking about getting the bag or making more money as a nursing professional, I'm like, that's awesome. But that cannot be your. That can't be your sole reason, because patients are the reason why we do what we do. And yes, you can be strategic on being financially healthy, your financial health as you get your license and things do improve for you, but ultimately, that patient is the reason why we do what we do and why we're needed in the first place.
[00:28:36] Speaker B: Absolutely.
[00:28:37] Speaker A: And all you're getting. I'm. All I've even. I'm learning to not be so biased to certain things because, you know, technology just moving fast. And so yes, people go straight into nursing school and they go straight into advanced roles and, you know, and continue to move forward. And I'm like, okay, that's okay. Long as you're doing it for the right reasons.
[00:28:58] Speaker B: Exactly.
[00:28:59] Speaker A: As long as you're doing it for the right reasons. That's all that matters. Because the worst thing ever is to have someone caring for a patient and the patient does not do well, and the provider or the nurse have no idea why the patient's not doing well. Like, it's like they're missing the whole point.
[00:29:16] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, the whole point.
It's. Listen, I will tell you this, and I will tell anybody I am, and I call it a trend because that's what it is to me. I always say, I just can't wait for this little nursing fad to be over with because you are completely right. It is not about the money. And I would tell somebody. First of all, I will completely debunk this myth. Don't tell, tell anybody that there is a nursing shortage. I don't care if you're trying to get more nurses. Do not come into the nursing profession because there's a shortage. There's a shortage in so many other professions. Find something that you really want to do because at the end of the day, you're taking care of people and these people matter. They're important, you know, so you cannot just be in it for a financial gain. You cannot just be in it because it's so popular now and everybody wants to just do it for TikTok and content creation. Like, that part really makes me sick. I'm not going to lie. I can't stand it because I always put my family and people that I care about in those shoes. The people that could be in the hospital and I would not want somebody to again, like you said, I'm not knocking anybody. I like a good check, too, but that definitely is not my reason for why. And I always say if I really wanted to make money, I would have really went down the medical doctor route if I really wanted to make some money.
Yeah, I don't like this little. Nursing has become kind of glamorized. And a lot of times people, people boast these things up. And I'm all about transparency. I'm not saying that there's not money in nursing, but that should not be your only reason. You're only to do it for the patients because you're going to burn yourself out anyways. It's. It's hard to do something in a field that requires compassion and that requires care. If you don't have that and the patients know it, they understand and they feel a genuine person the minute you walk in the door. And I'm going to tell you, if I ever step in the hospital and I'm a patient, please, please don't bring a nurse that's just there for a check because I'm going to politely send them back out the door, you know, because it's just. It's not fair to the patient. It really isn't.
[00:31:24] Speaker A: Yeah, I actually just. I actually had a patient that I. That were going through a difficult time and I went back just to lay eyes on them. Like, I'm like somebody grandmother. I'm like, let me just go lay eyes on them.
[00:31:35] Speaker B: Don't know them.
[00:31:36] Speaker A: Yes. Don't know them from a hill of beans. And I actually just sat there and let them talk. And in that, you know, we prayed, and then I basically just told that patient, be sure to hold your nurse accountable for the standard of care. Like, start owning your care. Like, yes, you're familiar with your, you're very. You're not new to the healthcare field because you've, you've needed healthcare most of your life.
[00:32:02] Speaker B: Exactly.
[00:32:03] Speaker A: But now you're at a point. Now you, yes, nurses, we, we are one of the most trusted professions. But as a patient, I need for you to own your care. The nurse should be assessing you. You do not let anybody give you meds without listening to you looking you over.
And it's so funny, the patient said, and I should know what my blood pressure is, right? Yes, you should know what your blood pressure is.
[00:32:27] Speaker B: Exactly. Patient. Yeah, it was just a, it was.
[00:32:30] Speaker A: Just a moment, and I said, and don't let them give you meds without scanning your arm band and asking you for your name and date of birth. I said, these are things that are just standard. I said, so you make sure that you're holding them to that standard standard for your care. And if you're getting that nurse that you have to ask them to do that, then hopefully that makes them think. When they're going to the next room with a patient who doesn't know, hopefully it makes them think, oh, if a patient got to ask me to do my job, let me go ahead and just start doing my job.
[00:33:02] Speaker B: We hope. Because that is standard. Like you said, it's just standard. They know that. Yeah. Yeah, it's standard.
[00:33:08] Speaker A: I would never.
I could never. And I can't never say never, but in this instance, I would not give a patient meds if I did not have a baseline of that patient's assessment.
[00:33:20] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:33:20] Speaker A: Idea of why they're there.
Like, no, we just, we can't do that.
[00:33:25] Speaker B: We cannot.
[00:33:26] Speaker A: It's just.
[00:33:26] Speaker B: Will not.
[00:33:27] Speaker A: Will not. It's just unsafe.
Unsafe. Like, how dare you give a blood pressure pill. You don't even know that blood pressure. Or it's from two hours ago.
[00:33:36] Speaker B: Like your make it make sense.
[00:33:38] Speaker A: And I ain't gonna say, okay, two hours may not be too bad, but let's just say hours ago.
[00:33:45] Speaker B: Let me just put it.
[00:33:46] Speaker A: Or never gotten it.
[00:33:47] Speaker B: I'm still rechecking that blood pressure because I'm not gonna be that one instance where your blood pressure tanks in two hours. We don't know what the body, the body, the body does things.
Yes, I'm retaking that blood pressure, but.
[00:34:00] Speaker A: Still need to assess them. Yes, you are. Right now with today's social media, social media culture, because we kind of spoke on that.
You know, there is a lot of humor shared about nursing duties and experiences. Some of it really resonates with us as nurses. But like you said, it may not always land well with those outside the profession. And of course, you mentioned, you know, you are mindful that that could be our family, our friends, that could be us. Right. These patients that they're trying, they are portraying for humor. But what are your thoughts on the balance between relatable humor and professionalism when sharing content? Because I think we both have. Both of our tiktoks kind of align as far as the like. We're sharing content, we're sharing value to pour back into the nursing community, new nurses and nursing students. But also there's still a sense of professionalism.
[00:34:55] Speaker B: Yeah, I think it is a delicate balance. And people, the thing about social media and platforms is it's your platform.
Everybody has the right to put out what they want. But at the same time, you also have to be accountable when you do have some type of negative feedback or it comes back because it's an uncontrolled environment. You don't know where it will go, who can see it? And even I, like, even though, yes, I'm not saying anything inappropriate, I'm goofy in real life. So if you don't know me. And I had to realize that, I'm like, they don't know me. So it got irritating to me sometimes if I'm joking, but I can joke and have a straight face on straight face. So people are on my comments. Oh, I'm like, yeah, you don't even know me. But. But I had to check myself. This is social media. You put this out in the atmosphere. So however it's received by the stranger a thousand miles away from you, you cannot be upset about it because they don't know you. But you were speaking out as if everybody is going to react. So you just have to be prepared for any response that you can get. But when it comes to your job, you definitely have to be smart. You need to be mindful, you need to be cognizant of the possible repercussions because we've seen so many examples where nurses, they lose their job or they're suspended or even if they're getting written up, it should never be a time. I'm not going to put myself in a position where my job is in jeopardy for something that I said that was inappropriate. I'm not talking about patients information, things like that, that like you said to be a standard, those are things that you learn day one of nursing school. So I just think social media is a beautiful thing. It has so much power, but you just have to use it in the right ways because I can see it going left for anybody so quickly. You know, it's one viral video, you said one thing and the wrong person can even misperceive what you said. It's like I didn't mean it that way. But again, everybody has the right to interpret it differently. So you just have to, you just gotta make sure what you put out there, you're willing to have anybody see it.
[00:37:13] Speaker A: Right, right. And then when it comes to just cell phone use in the workplace, we have to be mindful that cell phones are just not. You have to put it away. Yeah, like that's just a no brainer with that.
[00:37:26] Speaker B: Yeah, absolutely.
[00:37:28] Speaker A: Getting into educational insights.
Getting into educational insights. How do you personally define nurse confidence and how has yours evolved over time? And one piece of advice you would give to students or new nurses that's coming through nursing school and starting out, because I believe the lack of confidence, this is a big issue.
[00:37:52] Speaker B: Absolutely.
For me, nurse confidence is having those hard conversations with anybody. Especially in the healthcare space. There's always that hierarchy.
And I've never been the one that I respect all professionals, but I've never been the one to put any one person or one role. Like they're like they're up here with God. You know, it's like we all are here to do the same job in different capacities. I'm going to respect you. But like I worked with some nurses that I think too, like the nurses 50, 60 years ago, it's just, and I know that's how some providers put themselves up here too. And that was kind of just the norm of just like the nurse just being the nurse and the doctor being the doctor. But at the end of the day, everybody deserves the same type of respect. And that confidence starts with that being able to speak up against people that might have this influence in the healthcare space or have this. I don't know what word I want to use, but you know what, like they have, that's a doctor. Why are you asking the doctor to do X, Y, Z? I remember I was working in the hospital and I was in a contact precaution room. So I just peeked my head out the door. Because I needed a towel, and I refused to de. Gown to get one towel, so I was gonna get anybody. So I walked down the hall, and he was coming right by the linen closet, and I said, hey. I said, excuse me. Can you get me a towel? And he was like, sure. Where are they?
I said, right there.
And he got me the towel. And then this nurse, like, she made a.
You asked the doctor to get you a towel on my. And, like, she was just disgusted with me. And I'm just like, girl, I'm not putting this c diff on. Like, listen, I. You know, but that's literally how some people are. Like, don't bother the doctor. Don't ask them. That doctor has two working hands like every nurse. And it could be as simple as asking them for a towel. Is nurse confidence as simple as asking them, hey, I don't feel right about this patient. This patient doesn't look good to me. Can you go and talk? Can you go check them out?
This order doesn't seem right. Do not assume that just because they're a doctor that they know everything, because they're human. They are smart, just like you are smart. But again, we are in different capacities. We don't have any ordering privileges. You don't have any diagnostic privileges. But what you do have is assessment privileges. So if you feel that that assessment that you just did, it doesn't look right to you. It doesn't feel right to you, you can speak up. Don't just do things. Don't just sign off to things just because, oh, the provider said it.
You have to protect your license. And that is nurse confidence. Because a lot of people have this misconception that because the doctor said it. That's just. No, doctors make mistakes sometimes, just like we all make mistakes. So it's the double checking that really just keeps everybody safe. Because if a doctor knows he has a nurse, that's gonna hold him accountable. If I know this doctor's gonna hold me accountable. We're working collaboratively. It shouldn't be one person that's just barking orders and thinks that nobody's gonna check to make sure that I'm not just gon.
And I didn't look to see what. Like you said, why is he getting it? Why is he here? It could have been for been a long, sleepy night, and he put that blood pressure medicine for the wrong patient, and now that person didn't need it.
Simple things like that, you just have to be aware, you know, you have to be aware, and it takes time and personality as well, like I said, I've always been willing to speak up. It's never been a challenge for me, but it still can be intimidating sometimes in the healthcare space. Sometimes. I know that I probably was nervous to speak up, but did I? Absolutely. You can be scared and still speak up. There's nothing wrong with that. But just understand that your voice develops the more that you do it, and there's no right or wrong way. You just want to make sure that you advocate for your patients some way, even if you don't feel comfortable going to them. And you want to go to the nurse manager or you want to go to the nurse supervisor. There's a million different ways to get to the same result and get that message across. But don't stay quiet. Don't stay quiet.
[00:42:07] Speaker A: Yes. That's awesome. I like how you said it's the double checking that helps with patient safety. It's that double checking. I love that. And one thing I've learned and one thing I've had someone tell me is they put their pants on just like we do. One leg at a time.
[00:42:24] Speaker B: One leg at a time. Yes.
[00:42:25] Speaker A: You don't have to be intimidated. And just going from them being, you know, in a title, above a nurse, and just looking at titles, you have titles beneath us. It's like, we're all a team.
[00:42:39] Speaker B: Exactly.
[00:42:40] Speaker A: That's what I try to. That's what I try to. That's what I try to communicate to individuals that come into the hospital setting when I help facilitate orientation. Like you said, we all have our different roles, but we should never be above the person's role beneath us.
[00:42:59] Speaker B: Exactly.
[00:43:00] Speaker A: And I think that's the main thing. And I love that it's a provider on Instagram who actually just talked about this, and he was playing a video of one of the nurse comedians joking about a doctor being asked to get or a doctor saying that a patient needed water. And the Filipino comedian was like, don't your hands work? So go get the patient some water. And the physician basically said, like, he would go get water. And in the comments, they're like, what physician, you know, does that? And I'm like, fortunately, there are providers who are like that, who are just heaven sent. They're very, you know, personable. Approachable.
[00:43:36] Speaker B: Absolutely.
[00:43:39] Speaker A: But we all got to get there. Just like with nurses. Like, we all got to get there. And it's like, how do we get back to that human side of healthcare? Right. My whole mission for all of nurses.
But as we wrap up your episode, you know, what impact do you wish to have on the nurse community or healthcare community.
[00:43:57] Speaker B: Well, I love what you said about just that human aspect. That honestly is my goal too. I really want healthcare to feel human again.
And we all have our missions, we all have our goals. But for me, like I said, I focus more so on those underserved populations and those patients because I don't think that they have a voice. I don't think that oftentimes they're respected the way that they should be. I don't think that they're heard the way that they should be. And I can say that as a nurse and I can also say that as a patient because we've all been there in those same spaces. I work in healthcare, but I also am a patient as well. So it's unfortunate that, yes, there's not every provider that has that way about them that's gonna make somebody feel empowered. And I love that you said earlier that you empower your patient to know that they're in control of their care experience. Excuse me, because that's huge. This is not. If we're going to say it's patient centered. I want you to understand that you have the right to speak up, you have the right to ask questions, you have the right to say no. And you have the right, you have the right to tell somebody when you're not comfortable with something.
We need to get back to telling people that they can ask whatever they want to ask. Don't sit here and leave or get discharged. And you weren't sure or clear on anything that the nurse gave you as a discharge information or you weren't sure what the provider told you to do as a follow up. And so now again, you're back in this revolving door. And now we keep talking about these patients that are not really receiving the care that they should because they didn't understand it the first time.
[00:45:38] Speaker A: Yep.
[00:45:39] Speaker B: So it's all about education. But again, you have to meet patients where they are. I know again, I face, in the communities that I work in, low health literacy. So I have to meet my patients where they are. Don't assume just because they're 45, they're 55, that they have the same education level at you. You know, you need to break it down, make it easy to understand.
Golden rule is you need to be talking to everybody respectfully, but at a second grade reading level. Don't start throwing in all those medical jargon. Okay? You don't need to prove anything. We know that you went to nursing school. We know that you went to medical School, speak to them like you would speak to anybody else in a human way. Don't talk to them like they're your peers.
So I just want the impact to. I want it to feel like they can go and receive the same care that everybody else is receiving. I need them to feel like it's equitable, and I need them to feel like they're just as important.
Right? Like, I don't want you to feel like you're taking up space. I don't want you to feel like you're not deserving. You belong here just like everybody else, and you just got to take care of yourself. Yeah, girl, I can talk all day about what I want, but, yes, that is, I love it.
[00:46:55] Speaker A: Your passion for just being an advocate and your that one word, advocacy, is just bleeding through this whole episode with you. And so I'm just so glad that I got you on here to even just speak your why for nursing, your nursing journey, your patient perspective and personal insights, and even just talking a little bit about content creation.
[00:47:16] Speaker B: Right?
[00:47:18] Speaker A: So what would you like for listeners to just take away, in addition to what all we've said from this episode of the All One Nurse Podcast?
[00:47:28] Speaker B: For anybody that's in nursing school, for anybody that is an aspiring nurse, I just need them to understand that you're not slow. Don't compare yourself to anybody else's journey. You are right where you need to be in this moment. Do not make yourself feel like you didn't do enough. You know, that feeling of inadequacy is heavy and it weighs on all of us. Like, oh, I should have done this by now. No, it doesn't matter when you do it or how you do it. It just matters that you do it. So I want everybody to just stay encouraged. And I really try to be present and say, if I can help you, if you can ask a question. I really do try to answer my DMs and my messages because to me, education is free. Right. And I struggle on my journey for different reasons, but it doesn't matter. You know, like, nursing school was fine when I got into it, but to get here took time. So I'd rather you not struggle when I can tell you other ways that you can go do the same thing. You know, like, if it's not hard to help people, it's not hard to give information. So if I can help, please, please just let me know.
[00:48:35] Speaker A: Yes. And you definitely help out a lot in your content. Sometimes I'm sitting there watching it, like, let me do a good refresher on these medications, I'm telling you, break it down. You broke down the insulins and the barbecue. I was like, I like this look. And I must say I will. I take your content and I do share to my per. To my private community on Facebook because it's just so good. I'm like, they can tune into this.
[00:49:00] Speaker B: Thank you.
[00:49:01] Speaker A: I'm telling you. So just know everything that you're doing. You're right on time. You're right on time. And it's blessing individuals, even us seasoned nurses. Yes. I love it. I love it. Now tell us, how can our listeners connect with you?
[00:49:19] Speaker B: So I am on TikTok and I'm on Instagram, the same name. Iamthereal rn. I did just recently create a YouTube channel where I'm aiming to make longer videos. Listen, this content stuff is. I'm not an editor by any means, so I am on here, like just. But I'm on YouTube and I am working to do some tutoring sessions. I'm trying to ease my way in because now I'm getting all these DMs about tutoring, but I don't want to overload myself and take time from people. I really, if I'm going do it, I'm going to do it right. So few different ways to reach me, but I'm here.
[00:49:59] Speaker A: Awesome. Awesome. Now I'm also going to share your information in the description below in the podcast. So definitely as my listeners, you can tune in, look at the description so that you can also find out how to connect with and follow Ms. Brianna on TikTok and on Instagram and go ahead and find Briana on YouTube.
[00:50:21] Speaker B: Yes. It's the same name. It's the same name. Y' all trying to make it easy.
[00:50:25] Speaker A: Yeah. Awesome. Awesome. Well, thank you so much, Brianna for just tuning in.
[00:50:28] Speaker B: You're so welcome. You are so welcome. I do. Like I told you, we already talked about it, but I love what you're doing here. This is a beautiful space. Keep on going. I don't know how long you've been doing podcasts, but I know that the growth will just continue to multiply. So you deserve it.
[00:50:45] Speaker A: Thank you. I needed to hear that. Thank you for joining us for this, this powerful conversation with Briana. If this episode resonated with you somehow, don't keep it to yourself. Share it. Subscribe to the All1Nerds podcast and help us bring these faith filled, purpose driven discussions to an even wider audience. And speaking of impact, I would love your support by clicking on the link down below in the descriptions. That is a survey for Nurse Converse. And when you submit that survey, all you have to do is refer me, your host, Chanel Tompkins, and of course, what you would like to hear on Nurse Converse. And this allows me to get All One Nurse out there because Nurse Converse has a really big platform.
So thank you in advance. Now, are you ready to take the next step in your journey? If so, head over to All One Nurse Link tree that's down in the descriptions below. And whether you're a student nurse or a new nurse, this space is for you if you're seeking spiritual and professional growth. And don't miss what's coming up next on the All One Nurse podcast. I'm going to be sitting with Ebony Gonzalez, who joins us with a story that spans from military service to nurse management, bedside care and nursing informatics. And she's also the founder of the Preceptor llc.
And depending on when you're tuning in, you will be able to enter our giveaway for her Fat Mecum Nurse Journal that is designed especially especially for new nurses orienting to their unit. And this is just awesome. And I'm feeling very gracious and Ebony is feeling very gracious and we're giving away three of these nurse journals. So head on over to my social media platform. Whether you are on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, I feel like I'm missing one.
Just look for the flyer so that you can be entered for the giveaway for one of those awesome journals. And if you're not a nurse, a new nurse, then enter the giveaway to give it away to one of your family members or friends that's coming through nursing school. Well, I'm excited for what's ahead for All One Nurse and be sure to subscribe if you haven't already. And as always, may the Lord keep you, bless you, and shine his face upon you in Jesus name. And until next time, let your light shine.
Bye.
