Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: I went full spectrum. I wanted to be like, you know, a detective. I wanted to be a teacher.
I wanted to work in ultrasound. And then I was like, that's crazy. I'm going to nursing school.
[00:00:13] Speaker B: Did you know that first year nurses experience the highest turnover of any group?
[00:00:20] Speaker C: That reality is staggering, but it also
[00:00:23] Speaker B: tells us something important.
You are not alone and your growth matters.
Welcome to the All One Nurse Podcast, where we are bridging the gap between the stethoscope and the soul through real nursing stories and nursing conversations.
Here, our mission is simple. To get back to the human side of healthcare.
I'm your host, nurse Chanel Tompkins, and I'm also your mentor and nurse educator. And this space was created just. Just for you to breathe, to learn, to grow, and most importantly, feel supported no matter where you are in your nursing journey.
So take a deep breath and let's step into your next breakthrough.
[00:01:15] Speaker C: Hey, nurse friend.
Welcome Back to the All1Nurse podcast. If you're listening on your way to class or headed into a shift, or while cheering for your child from the sidelines at practice, I'm so glad that you're here with me. And if this is your first time, welcome. I'm your host, Chanel Tompkins, and my mission is very simple. To get back to the human side of healthcare.
And you may ask, well, Chanel, how are we going to do that? By first taking care of ourselves. And bring you those real conversations that help you grow both personally and professionally as a individual, not only as a nurse. And today, I'm joined by Devin Patterson, our ER nurse and founder of Surtracker.
As promised. And in this conversation, Devin shares her nursing journey in emergency nursing, with which I know a lot of new nurses love high stressful environments coming out of nursing school. Why, I do not know. But Devin, of course, is going to share some practical advice for nurses working in high pressure environments and honest insights from her own lived experience at the bedside. And she also opens up about the emotional and mental toll that comes with caring for patients in the ER and the ways that she protects her mental well being while still showing up with excellence to serve patients at the bedside. So whether you are a nursing student, a new nurse, or you're like simply looking for encouragement, this conversation is definitely for you.
Now, before we dive in, be sure to go ahead and click that subscribe subscribe button and listen all the way to the very end for some special updates.
One includes a giveaway as well as how to connect, like literally connect and speak with me. Your host, Chanel Tompkins and connect with Devin and the awesome things she is up to. That will benefit you more than you know. So let's dive right in.
Hi, Devin. Welcome to the All One Nurse Podcast.
[00:03:39] Speaker A: Hello. Thank you for having me. So excited to be here.
[00:03:42] Speaker C: Yes, ma'.
[00:03:43] Speaker B: Am.
[00:03:43] Speaker C: Yes, ma'. Am. So, as always, we have to unpack your nursing journey, of course, your expertise, and what you're up to nowadays. But first, tell us who. Who is Devin Patterson?
[00:03:57] Speaker A: Okay, so I AM Devin Patterson, Iguay. I am an ER nurse by trade. I've been an ER nurse for the last 11 years, healthcare for 20. I've been at the same facility that entire time, which is really hard to come by. But, yeah, most of my career has been spent in the er. I actually still continue to work bedside some, and then I have done some outpatient surgery on the side, but otherwise, I'm a ER nurse to the core.
[00:04:33] Speaker C: Awesome. Now going all the way back to nursing school. What kind of program did you go through and what inspired you to become a nurse?
[00:04:42] Speaker A: Okay, so I went to a bachelor's degree program through Langston here in Oklahoma. I'm from Oklahoma, born and raised. You know, I don't have the typical story. It wasn't like I always wanted to be a nurse, but I know there's a few of us out there. But I went to the tech program in high school, which gives you free credits, if you will, to take, like, tech classes once you graduate high school.
And I wanted to do radiology, and I was struggling to get into their program, and so I got my cna, and then I went to work at the facility I work at, and I actually took a job in the ER as a, like, registration clerk instead of cna.
Yes. Yes.
And so from working there, yes. I was 18, and I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do. And so working in the ER all that time brought me to nursing. I went full spectrum. I wanted to be like, you know, a detective. I wanted to be a teacher. I wanted to work in ultrasound. And then I was like, that's crazy. I'm going to nursing school. And honestly, it's been the best decision I've ever made.
What would I do if I wasn't a nurse? Who knows?
[00:06:06] Speaker C: Right, Right. Well, that's very insightful. It's the things that we don't know unless we ask.
[00:06:13] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:06:14] Speaker C: That is so surprising. I love that. So you've always kind of had that ER world, just in general, which is, to me, crazy.
I love critical care, but when people come through the er, it's like you get everything.
And so I at least tell people. It's like patients pass this right to be admitted, so at least we know what we're, who we're getting and why we're getting them most of the time.
[00:06:43] Speaker B: Right.
[00:06:43] Speaker C: Especially when they enter through the er. So I take my hat off to all my ER nurses and I thank you.
[00:06:50] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:06:50] Speaker C: And I tell my med surg nurses to have grace with the ER because it has its challenges and it does.
[00:07:01] Speaker A: We're doing our best.
[00:07:01] Speaker C: I promise, man. I'm telling you, it's like, go down to the ER during a certain time and you'll be like, I'm glad I'm on the floor. I'll take my patience and keep going.
Seriously. So thank you for sharing. Now, when it comes to. I know a lot of new nurses want to go into the ER setting and, or into ICU or nicu. These high stressful environments. What are some of the qualities, just looking back over your career, do you believe a new nurse should have or develop as they're going into the ed?
[00:07:33] Speaker A: I would say there's a few that are like, super stick out. To me, critical thinking is a must. Right.
[00:07:39] Speaker B: Right.
[00:07:39] Speaker A: Quick on your feet, quick learner. And also somebody who's always willing to learn. The ER is ever changing. There's always something. It doesn't matter how long you've been there, something can come through that door that you've either done one time in your career or you've never seen. And so you have to be willing to learn as well. And I think a lot of the time people are like, oh, I know everything. And there's. It's just simply not true.
[00:08:04] Speaker C: That's good.
[00:08:04] Speaker A: Nursing in general. Yeah, Nursing in general just always changes. But especially in the er, there's, you know, we do pd, pediatrics, we do geriatrics. You know, you're doing cancer patients, all wide variety. And so you have to just be super willing to learn. Quick on your feet, ready to go. And also, like, manage stress well, because it's a high stress environment.
[00:08:27] Speaker C: Yes. Now I have to ask, how do you manage the mental and emotional stability that's required for ed?
Okay, let's pause for a faith intermission note.
If your life feels anything like the ER right now, full of noise, interruptions, unexpected challenges, and constant demands. Take a deep breath. Go ahead, take a deep breath. God is not overwhelmed by the chaos that overwhelms us. I'm going to repeat that. God is not overwhelmed by the chaos that overwhelms us.
And Scripture reminds us in Psalms 4610.
Be still and know that I am God. Be still and know that I am. Even when everything around you feels urgent, God remains steady. Take comfort in knowing that his peace is available to you right in the middle of the storm. So his peace is available before a storm, while in a storm, or coming out of a storm, because that's kind of how life cycles. Be still and know that I am God, says the Lord. So take that scripture with you when you feel like you're overburdened, when you feel like God. I just don't know why I'm doing this or how I'm going to get this done.
Remember his words. Be still and know that I am God. Let your mind be still. Have faith in God and continue to show up. Continue to take the next step. Don't shy away. Don't throw in the towel. Don't give up. Have a yes for God. And when he provides, he don't want anybody else to get credit, not even you.
Be still and know that he is God. Okay, let's jump right back into our conversation with Devin because this is where it gets really interesting.
[00:10:40] Speaker A: Say for myself, it's funny that now that I've kind of stepped back a little and I've gone to work more full time in a standalone ER versus my, like, trauma center, it is interesting to look back now and be like, wow, there actually is a lot of trauma that I probably have and that I've, like, kind of dealt with that I'm just like, throwing back over my shoulder. But I do think that co workers become family, especially in the er, but just in nursing in general. And so I think it's super important to find co workers and friends that you can relate to, talk to after shift, like, debrief together, and also, like, give yourself space. If you need to take a mental day, you're gonna. You just take it. Like, you have to say, I need to take a mental break, decompress.
Like, no work, no, you know, business, no, like, relationship. I need a me day. And so I think for myself learning that that was okay as I started, you know, recognizing okay, I am getting hit hard with some of the things. It's time for me to take a break.
[00:11:55] Speaker C: Got you, got you. God, that. Thank you for sharing.
[00:12:00] Speaker A: Yeah, you're welcome.
[00:12:02] Speaker C: Yeah, I just take my hat off to you and say you went from trauma to now a standalone ed
[00:12:10] Speaker A: and I still work at the trauma center. Just prn. I had to. It was time to take A step back.
[00:12:17] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:12:18] Speaker A: So sorry.
[00:12:19] Speaker C: Just like nurses. How many jobs do you have? How many do you have?
[00:12:22] Speaker A: Just two. Just two now. Just two now. Plus our business, but so three.
[00:12:28] Speaker C: Tell us about what you're up to now.
[00:12:31] Speaker A: Now I am the founder of Cert Tracker which is an app to help us all keep track of our credentials like your license, your ACLs, BLs, your vaccinations, everything. Essentially anything you for your career can live inside Search Tracker and it's on the app store, it's free.
It's honestly been such a game changer.
[00:12:59] Speaker C: Wow. Wow. Now what was what made you just say I want to be a businesswoman and create something to help solve a problem for nurses.
[00:13:09] Speaker A: So I was local travel nursing at the time I left my. That's when I first left my trauma center full time. I dropped to PRN status shortly after Covid and started local traveling. And I was traveling and noticed every time I reached out to a recruiter there was like six emails going across trying to get all my certifications to them. It was chaos, literal chaos. And then I was previously had encountered a couple times like my certification reminders not coming across in a timely manner. And then I'm like wrestling trying to find a way to get my certification updated.
But at the same time I got diagnosed with Ms. And so my boyfriend, now husband, who has a tech background. Tech background, he, you know, he's like let me impress this girl. And so he created an app and from there we have just blossomed into Search Tracker.
[00:14:13] Speaker C: Well, shout out to hubby. Yes.
Oh my God. So
[00:14:21] Speaker A: yes, we are a duo. He's my co founder, tech side. He is all things search tracker as well. Yes.
[00:14:30] Speaker C: Yes. Well congrats and props to him because I know he's not here with us today, but props to him as well.
[00:14:38] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:14:40] Speaker C: What all do you have coming up with Surtracker? I was looking at your LinkedIn. It looked like you're also looking at more of the entity side too.
Organizations. You're hitting not only the nurses, but you're also helping organizations with compliance as well.
So tell us more about that.
[00:14:59] Speaker A: Yes. So we have opened it up to be kind of a full system wide solution.
[00:15:06] Speaker C: Wow.
[00:15:08] Speaker A: After having one of the directors from Houston, she reached out, was like wouldn't have on the app and was like hey, I love this. Could this work for my team?
At the time we were like not exactly, but let us do something. And honestly that sparked us like this is an actual problem system wide. It's not just nurses, doctors, you know, nurse Practitioners, it's system wide.
And so from there we have created. So we have our app and it directly links to the facility side, which is Cert Tracker Manager. So it's like a one click kind of thing.
And then we're starting to work on some accreditation side as well. So we're doing some magnet. Yeah, doing some magnet things. We're doing, we're doing a lot.
[00:16:04] Speaker C: That is awesome, Devin. Thank you.
[00:16:06] Speaker A: Thank you.
[00:16:07] Speaker C: Now to really bring it home with my listeners, we met for the first time in Tampa, Florida.
[00:16:14] Speaker A: Yes, yes.
[00:16:16] Speaker C: With Dr. Farrah Lawrence. And you also was on the panel with some other awesome speakers as well. I just love how you're very humble for one, as my listeners can hear.
[00:16:28] Speaker A: Thank you.
[00:16:29] Speaker C: And with that, being a nurse and now an entrepreneur, what advice do you have for nurses?
[00:16:37] Speaker A: Tons of advice. Tons of advice.
Okay. I've got so much advice.
So I think that nurses and just healthcare professionals in general are the perfect entrepreneur. Right. We troubleshoot, come up with ideas all the time while we're at work. Right. You come across something, you're like, I don't actually have that supply or tool that I need to make something work. And you're like, I've got it, I've just made something.
Whatever you have to do.
And so I always say, like, if you have an idea, you can do it. Because we are already critical thinkers. We're MacGyvering things all the time. We come across constant problems. And also there needs to be more nurses at the side of the technology and things that are needing to change inside our systems. Right. There's so many people who don't know about like the actual processes that go with nursing and healthcare in general.
And I just really think there needs to be more of us working on things to solve the problems that we see every day.
[00:18:03] Speaker C: That's awesome.
[00:18:04] Speaker A: Yes. But with that said, if you have an idea, go for it. But also, I think it's really important to also find programs that teach us the business side of things. Right. Because I'm a nurse and I know nothing about business.
[00:18:22] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:18:23] Speaker A: And in that very early stages we started doing accelerators and things like that to not just teach me, but just a lot of the time they help with funding, whether that's equity based or grants.
But also it's just like gets you familiar with the business side of stuff.
Yeah. Those are my big recommendations for sure.
[00:18:46] Speaker C: Now when you say accelerators, because just for even for me. Yes. Are we talking about a program?
Someone that's going to help you get to where they've already been like some training.
[00:18:56] Speaker A: Yeah, essentially, it's training. For instance, our very first program we did was called Builders and Backers. They now have kind of changed their way of doing things, but they kind of help you take your idea and test it to see is it a viable solution or product that can come to market so you don't waste your time. You know what I mean? In our eyes, everything's a great idea. Yeah, but is it marketable? Can it sell and things like that. Like, you have to test your idea to see, okay, can this actually be something.
But outside of that, it's also teaching you, you know, business, foundations, financing, just the general process of how to kind of run a business. And so there's tons of programs like that across the nation. I'm here in Oklahoma, and we've done multiple. And there, I've done several that are just women focused, which has been really great. Build. And it helps you build community with people who are going through the kind of those same issues you are. You know, it's overwhelming to start a business. Plus, you're, you know, you're a mom, you're a wife, you're working. And so it just is really nice to create that community, too.
[00:20:17] Speaker C: Thank you for the insight.
And with that noted, I need to join an accelerator program.
[00:20:23] Speaker A: Yes. Yes, ma'.
[00:20:24] Speaker C: Am. Yes.
[00:20:25] Speaker A: Yes, ma'. Am.
[00:20:25] Speaker C: Yes, ma'. Am.
[00:20:27] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:20:27] Speaker C: But thank you so much. And unfortunately, I know I can't keep you forever, Devin.
[00:20:33] Speaker A: So, yes, yes.
[00:20:34] Speaker C: As we wrap up this episode, how can our listeners, for one, find Surtracker and how can they connect with you?
[00:20:45] Speaker A: So you can find Cerracker on the App Store, both iOS and the Google Play Store, as well as we're on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook under Cert Tracker. So it's Cert and then tracker, but 1T. 1T and then Devin Patterson. I'm on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, all the things.
[00:21:08] Speaker C: Yes, yes.
[00:21:09] Speaker A: Find me.
Be my friend.
[00:21:11] Speaker C: Yeah. Yes. Well, I really thank you for jumping on today and just having a conversation with us about you and about Surtracker and just really giving us a little more insight on ER nursing too. I guess we could probably do a whole nother episode about ER nursing.
[00:21:27] Speaker A: Boy, could we, man.
[00:21:29] Speaker C: Devin, thank you so much for being with us today.
[00:21:33] Speaker A: Thank you for having me. So great to chat. Let's do it again.
[00:21:37] Speaker C: Yes, ma'. Am. And I will drop all your links. And even if I could drop a link to the Surtracker, how to download it, I'll put that down in the show. Notes down below. So my listeners, you can check it out and actually download the app because as Devin said, it is free for all users. So thank you Devin.
[00:21:58] Speaker A: Thank you.
Bye everyone.
[00:22:01] Speaker C: I thank Devyn for her wisdom, her lived experience as an ER nurse and her honest perspective on navigating both the rewards and challenges of nursing. And if you appreciate Devyn, you can show your appreciation by leaving a raving five star review and comment on what you loved most. What was your biggest takeaway from this episode with Devin?
And Whether you're a nursing student, a new graduate, or simply in a season of your career, let this be a reminder calming the chaos is possible for one with God and practically number two with Surtracker. Download Surtracker to jumpstart your journey by maintaining your required documentation like vaccinations. Not only in nursing school, but as an employee myself who just recently got the flu vaccination, I can actually upload that to my profile. Not only vaccinations, but again, you can maintain your certifications like bls, which is required through nursing school, and ACLS and pals, which are other forms of life support certifications but required in certain areas of nursing. And we can't forget your nursing license. You can maintain your nursing license and CEUS on SurveyTracker as well as get reminders for renewal dates. Which is awesome because you're not gonna remember your renewal of these different certifications two years from now. Let's just be honest, like somebody has to remind us. And I'd love to connect with you by having you join the Private Nurse Group link is in the show notes below. Especially if you're looking for faith based encouragement, practical nursing support, and a community that truly understands the journey we want you to grow. You'll see weekly posts and a weekly meetup where we celebrate our wins, dissect our barriers and we pray over everything. Right? And don't forget to fill out the All1Nurse survey in the links down below because you'll have an opportunity to win a $100 gift card as my appreciation for learning a little bit more about you as an individual and it allows me to create more opportunities that's valuable to you. As for the winner, they will be announced on November 24, so be sure to get your entry in and of course share this podcast with others who wants to grow both personally and professionally or just need some words of encouragement. My nurse friend, Remember that you are called, that you are capable, you're never alone, and nothing is too chaotic for God. Keep showing up, keep trusting him, keep growing and keep taking it one shift, one day, or one class at a time. I'm Chanel Tompkins with all one nurse, and I'll see you in the community. Until next time, let your light shine. Bye.
