Becoming A Whole Nurse with RN Prep Bestie Bria Burley

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Not a ketorolac, Not a acetaminophen Not a nothing I have counterparts that just have little ouchies and boo boos Norco Dilaudid morphine Not an I never received nothing for my pain that entire ordeal Never received nothing for my pain this. [00:00:18] Speaker B: Is the All One Nurse Podcast, where we are bridging the gap between the stethoscope and the soul and getting back to the human side of healthcare. [00:00:33] Speaker C: Powered by Riverside. Welcome back to the All One Nurse Podcast, where this space is just for you, where faith meets mentorship and and every story reminds you or reminds us why you chose this calling. Or maybe nursing chose you. But did you know that the NCLEX. [00:01:08] Speaker B: Exam is expected to add a remote. [00:01:11] Speaker C: At home testing option in 2026? According to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, the NCSBN and Pearson Vue, nursing students will be able to choose between traditional test centers and a secure, remotely proctored exam from home. And even nurse.org has confirmed this well, welcome. Today I'm joined by Bria Burley, who has her Master's in nursing as a nurse educator, and she is the founder of RN Prep Bestie. And she's built a tutoring platform that's transforming how nursing students prepare for the nclex, how they build confidence in their clinical judgment. And Bria's story is one of resilience, innovation and heart. She will tell you she's not just teaching you how to pass nclex, but she's teaching you how to be a whole nurse. A whole nurse. And that is what's needed when you feel like you're being pushed through the nursing program. You want to be confident in the information that you felt like was thrown at you and you were jumping hurdle after hurdle and now you're facing this big exam. It's not just about passing tests and it's about safely taking care of people with compassion and with competence. Now back to Bria. Since 2020, she's helped countless future nurses overcome text anxiety, master study strategies, and believe in themselves. Again. How awesome is that? Her work is just more than tutoring. Again, it's mentorship. It's empowerment and a reminder that your story as a nurse is worth sharing. Before we connect with Bria, I'd love for you to go ahead and subscribe to all one nurse. Whether you're listening in on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music, wherever you're tuning in for from, go ahead and subscribe. Because when you subscribe, you're letting others know that this podcast is worth listening to. And it allows me to find the you's out there, the other you's out there that need to get this information as well, and listen into these nursing interviews that are literally changing lives because you get to see that, hey, you're not alone. Now, stay tuned to the very end so that you don't miss what's ahead. [00:03:45] Speaker B: And I'll share some updates about our. [00:03:48] Speaker C: Mentorship, our community, and some upcoming resources and how you can connect directly with Bria and whether it's through her social media or booking her services. Now, as you get settled and ready to just tune in, just know that this episode is a special space for you, especially if you're getting ready to face Goliath, better known as nclex, or if you're preparing to battle him again or again or again. Just know you are exactly where you need to be, and that is right here. And if you ever need more reassurance, check out other All One Nurse episodes because they're here to remind you that you are never alone on this journey. So let's tune right in. Let's dive in with Bria. [00:04:42] Speaker B: Yes. [00:04:45] Speaker C: Hey, Bria. [00:04:46] Speaker B: How are you doing? [00:04:47] Speaker A: Doing great. How are you? [00:04:48] Speaker B: I'm doing great. I'm so glad to have you here on the All1Nerds podcast. Finally. [00:04:53] Speaker A: Y. Yes. [00:04:55] Speaker B: Now, as always, you gotta tell us, who are you and what inspired you to choose nursing? [00:05:02] Speaker A: Okay. My name is Brea. I have been a nurse going into my 10th year of nursing next year. I'm so excited. I am also a nurse educator. I educate nurses and training, and I also tutor nursing students and prepare graduate nurses for their NCLEX examination. What inspired me to be a nurse is pretty simple. My mom is a nurse, so there's really no, like, spectacular story. I will just be honest. And I just kind of feel like it was maybe just divine, you know, destiny for me to become a nurse, because it's really just shaped the person that I am today. And I'm. And I love it. Like, being a nurse is so it's the core being of who I am, and it has shaped me into who I am today. And it has taught me so much about myself, like, who I am as a person, my passions, my morals, my dreams. So I love it. [00:06:02] Speaker B: Awesome. Awesome. Now tell us. I know you have your master's, but tell us a little bit about your nursing journey, how it began. [00:06:08] Speaker A: Okay, so of course, when you get out of nursing school, they tell you, oh, get your feet wet, go to the hospital, right? So I did my Due diligence. I started in the hospital. I worked on oncology med surg unit for a very short period of time. I did not stay in the hospital long. Quickly, quickly realized that it just, it just was not, it was not a fit for me. And it wasn't a fit for me because of like the politics. When I, when I saw my mom as a nurse, like my mom was my school nurse all throughout my life. Like every school that she worked at, I was there, right? So she was, you know, a school nurse. It was kind, it was caring. It was like that one on one care. So here I am, little girl thinking like, oh, that's kind of nurse I want to be. So I get thrown into the hospital, you have this ratio of patients and then you start to learn like the politics more. So like get them in, get them out. I wasn't getting that one on one care. And then you got a chart every hour on the hour. Like, when do I have time to sit and be with my patients and really cater to my patients? And I had one really traumatic experience. And after that I was like, okay, this is just not it for me. Like, I put in my two weeks and I was like, I went into depression. Like, I went into an actual depression. Yes, I went into depression because of that experience in the hospital. I had to make like a decision that I did not agree with ethically and morally. And I was like, okay, this is, this, this is not a fit for me. So I left the hospital and I went and I was a school nurse and I went and became a school nurse. I was like, let me just do what my mom did, you know? And I loved. My gosh. School nursing was it for me. But then I realized, I'm bored. There's nothing to do here. There's no challenge. There's no, nothing. Like, you know, and I was at like a very small school, was only 500 students. And like, I mean, it was so small. I knew every single student's first and last name. Like I was that type of nurse. And then I couldn't sit still. I'm walking around the school. I had to find stuff to do. I have a principal and she was so cool. She let me start a program. It was called Clinic Helpers. I bought four lab coats and like, the students had to make an application, they had to fill it out. And so like twice a week they would come to the clinic, like during recess and I would start teaching them how to do things. These were fourth graders that could take manual blood pressures. Check your Temperature. I had them going, like the vision, the scales, taking the weights of stuff, like the hearing and vision examination. It was so much fun because I just couldn't sit in that clinic. It was no windows, it was small. Like, I made the most out of it. I loved that experience. And like some of the students that were in that program, I still know them to this day. They're all juniors and seniors in high schools. They're my mentees. Like I. They. Yeah, I've known these girls from, like, fourth grade, and now they're about to graduate high school. So I love that experience. And then while I was doing school nursing, because I had so much of that idle time sitting in the clinic, that's when I went back and got my master's degree. So while I had like, the slow days doing my papers, typing my papers, doing my, you know, all the coursework for getting my master's, then also, you know, because with the schools, it's like, you know, 7:30 to 3:30. That's when I started doing more home health. So that's when I started doing home infusion nursing, because that started to come about, and that's actually something that I still do now. So almost about like eight, nine years ago, I started doing home infusion therapy. Therapy where I was administering like, ivig, I don't know if you've heard of that, like the immunoglobin and like the biologic medication. So I would get off from work at the school, and then I go to somebody's house, start their IV and give them their treatment. So I've been doing that as well. And then I started doing research nursing. Then I was like, ooh, I want to do. I was doing so many things. I'm collecting breast milk, running to get dry eyes, putting the breast milk on dry eyes. I was working with the kids that had like, dishing muscular dystrophy and giving them, like, the trial drugs. I was. I did everything I was trying to figure out, like, I had. I really kind of did a lot of different things in nursing, trying to figure out, like, what my niche was. Because school nursing kind of was like, I enjoyed school nursing, but like I said, I was. I wasn't bored, but I wasn't challenged. And I'm the type of person that I constantly need to be challenged. So I was in school. School nursing had all these side jobs. And I guess what stuck with me after, you know, doing that program with those students, you know, the clinic helpers, that's when the education kind of stuck with me. Because getting my master's, you can either become a nurse practitioner, you can work in administration, or you can do education. And then I was like, okay, think. I think I enjoy teaching because it was, like, the way that I teach. I felt like the students could. The information stuck so easily and so well for them, and I enjoyed teaching. So eventually, that's the route that I took. So that. That's. And I'm pretty sure there's many other things that I've done as a nurse. I've done so much. And then when the pandemic hit, I went back to the hospital, but instead of doing, like, you know, mess, surg, I went to the rehabs. I enjoy doing the rehabs because I really enjoy watching people rehabilitate themselves, go from, like, one stage to the next. So I worked in rehab hospitals during COVID and still was doing, like, the home infusion therapy and stuff. Yeah, I've done a lot of different stuff, and I'm pretty sure I'm leaving some things out. [00:11:41] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:11:42] Speaker A: But I have a wealth of knowledge, which is necessary as an educator. Right. Like, you got to be able to, you know, things to teach them to your students. So that's a little. That's a little bit about me. I know I said a whole lot already. [00:11:55] Speaker B: Well, you took the words right out of my mouth when you decided to go back to school, because, like you said, you weren't being challenged, even though you loved your role as a school nurse. And then I also love that, and I commend you for stepping away from the hospital setting because it wasn't for you. And. No. And then your mom kind of paved the way, too, because you got to see her experience as a school nurse. And in your other roles outside of the hospital setting, you're letting nurses know that, hey, the hospital is not the only place that you're limited to. And unfortunately, it's, like, a lot of times. And I've been in the hospital all of my career. And so with that, it's just nice to hear you talk about your different roles in the community, with research, with IV infusions, in the home health setting, other than just being a home health nurse. [00:12:49] Speaker C: Right. [00:12:50] Speaker B: So I just really enjoy hearing a little lot about you. That's awesome. That's awesome. And that does make you well versed in what you actually do now as an educator. So that's awesome. That's awesome. Bria. [00:13:05] Speaker C: Yes. [00:13:06] Speaker B: Now for my new nurses or my nursing students, because, you know, I'm always trying to get advice for them. Words of encouragement for them. What were some of the challenges when you were going through nursing school? [00:13:17] Speaker C: School. [00:13:17] Speaker B: And I know you definitely. And they may. It may not even be just your challenges, but some of the challenges that you see now with helping students. What would you say some of those challenges are? [00:13:28] Speaker A: It's my favorite question. Okay, so in nursing school, in these programs right now, the thing that gets me this program, everything that students have to learn, the amount of time is not long enough, in my opinion. I'm sorry, it's just not. You have to learn so much information in a short period of time. Where do we build critical thinking skills? Where do we truly build application? Then they got to graduate. Then they got to take nclex. And what is NCLEX about application? All the students learn is to memorize and flashcards and recall and learn and learn and knowledge, knowledge, knowledge. All they know is textbook. When do y' all learn how to think like a nurse? That was the challenge, because the questions, the students that always come to me, they're always like, I can. They can tell me up and down, night and day, right and wrong, highs and lows, all of, like, the textbook knowledge. But then you give them a question like, hey, as a nurse, what do you do first? Or which one of these interventions do you need to do for this patient? They don't know. I don't know what to do. How is that? You know what I'm saying? So that's the challenge. Because, like, in anything in life, when it comes to, like, growth, when it comes to, like, cognitive growth, it takes time. It takes time to build. And then when the students are telling me about their experiences in the universities, in their nursing program, where are our educators doing that for the students? You know what I'm saying? Like, I hear my students say, my teacher tells me to go look in the book, or, you need to go figure it out, or you need to. We gotta teach them something. Like, where are they gonna get that? You're gonna throw them out there, and they're gonna look at their patients. These are human beings that have not. They're just not one note. No person is one note. We're not one note. They have to learn that. That's part of nursing. You have to piece it together. You have to look at all the signs and symptoms, all the lab values, before you give them medication, before you implement anything. And that's not. That's not something you can just do from a book and just. Yes, you can't get correct. That's the biggest challenge, you know, you can have all the knowledge, but if you don't know how to apply it, you're really not doing nothing. You can't do anything. [00:15:29] Speaker B: Nothing at all. [00:15:31] Speaker A: So that, to me is the biggest challenge. [00:15:33] Speaker C: I love how you articulated that because. [00:15:35] Speaker B: That is very true. And I know that we had to do a lot. You know, it's like, it is a lot of content, it's a lot of information. When you're not, when you're just, you're brand new coming into nursing, it's just different. But like you said now it's like information just like thrown at them and it's like truly jumping hurdles and before the dust settles. Oh, and then the students are more stressed about passing and also stressed because they know they're not retaining the information the way they should because they're just, it's just moving so fast. And they get to nclex and unfortunately some of them do not pass. And then for even the ones that do get your nclex, but then you get to the bedside and there is no application. And I tell them this. Clinical judgment, clinical judgment. Instead they, it's like they're trained to check off tasks. Like they're task oriented when they get to the bedside, especially in the hospital setting. And it's like, oh, okay, well, I need to just do this, do this. But really, you may not be able to do one thing because of something else that's going on with your patient, but you're unable to use clinical judgment. [00:16:49] Speaker C: To see the full picture. [00:16:50] Speaker B: So that's, that's definitely, definitely a big challenge. A big challenge. And there's a lot of programs out there. A lot of programs. And I remember, for me it was one of those, like what? Like, always pay attention to their pass rate, like their NCLEX pass rate to know if that's a good program or not nowadays. And you've mentioned it even on one of your tiktoks about like they, they learn how to take the test or they want to do all these things to learn how to take the test and just want to pass the test. But it's not about just passing. It's about understanding the content. [00:17:26] Speaker C: So what is it? [00:17:29] Speaker A: I think it's more than that. Like, so it's like the culture that they learned while they were in school. Like the, the cramming the test, the anxiety, the, the quick shortcuts. What, what, you just need to learn to pass this test. You don't need to learn. I, when I taught, so one of the, the jobs that I, that I left out of the many jobs that I did, I did teach in a university. I taught in a non profit LVN school. My students will literally come to me and say, what do we need to know for the exam? You need to know everything. What are you talking about? What do you mean? What specific electrolytes do you need to know for the exam? You're going to be a nurse. So yeah, it's not about. And I know I'm kind of, when I get passionate, I get a little. So the Leo in me comes out. I get a little. So it's like, no, it's not about passing the nclex. It's about, you're about to be a whole nurse. You're about to go out here and take care of real life people. Real life people with real life issues. They're sick and these people don't know nothing about nothing. They're sick and they're depending on you. So no, it's not. When I teach my students, it's never about, this is the question. This, I don't even use the term nclex when I teach my students. I said, this is the patient scenario. This is your patient. How are you going to care for the patient? I don't even use those terms when I teach the students. I always phrase it to like, this is your patient. How are you going to care for your patient? As the nurse stray away from the terms because it's like they get so focused on that, you know, like the scrolling dopamine hits that we get now. Like that quick stuff. Like that's what they want. They want the quick cute question banks. They want the, the quick scores to let them know their progress. Am I doing good or not? And then these question banks now tell them you have a high chance of pass, you have a high chance of passing. And then, then you don't pass. Yeah, but then they come to me and they're like, oh, what do you do? I break it down. I simplify it. You probably only gonna do 50 questions this week. 50 questions? That's all I'm doing in a week? Yes, because if you have the mindset to think like a nurse, you ain't gotta do 50 million questions in a week. You only need to do a handful. They don't like that. They don't like that. They're scared. They're like, this is not what I'm used to. But if you change, if you're doing something that's not working, you're getting the same outcome. You need to change the way you're doing it a different outcome. Like, you guys got to start thinking like real nurses is not about the questions. The questions is for practice, but the mindset is what gets you to pass. Y' all gotta start thinking like real nurses. These are real life people. These are real people. The textbook breaks everything down. But people in the real life have multiple issues going on all at once. Like, your patient's high blood pressure and their sodium lab value could be totally connected to something else that they have going on. If they had a brain injury, the sodium level could be thrown off, not just because of their hypertension. It could be the brain signaling. It could have injured their pituitary gland, their hypothalamus, and that could be why they're having the fluid shift and the imbalance. But you gotta look at the whole picture to even understand that. But y' all so textbook. They see brain injury and they automatically icp. And I'd be like, what in this question says icp? What are the vital signs? And they'd be like, what are the signs and symptoms of icp? I'd be like, that's not even in the question. You're so focused on the textbook, you didn't even think. [00:20:51] Speaker B: Not even thinking about the patient. [00:20:53] Speaker A: They're so textbook. [00:20:55] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:20:55] Speaker B: It's so funny you said that. I remember when I was doing clinicals, everything was sepsis. Everything was sepsis. I said, no, bring it back. Bring it back. It's not always sepsis. [00:21:05] Speaker A: Let's. [00:21:05] Speaker B: Let's talk about it. So it is so funny that you said, like, they always go to the worst case scenario. And I'm like, no, bring it back. It's not sepsis. I want y' all to come in, and before you even get to sepsis, we got to get to the root cause analysis of why this patient is becoming. Yes. Like, that's gifting. [00:21:24] Speaker A: Figuring out what's wrong. Ooh, yeah. You would think that'd be the first thing you would want to do, right? But. And that's the thing. But they're not trained to do that. You know, they're so focused on, like, we just have to learn all this stuff in the textbook and, like, in the keynotes and the. These notes and this book that just tells you just a few things. Don't ever come to me and be like, well, I just need to know exactly what's going to be on this exam. What? No, you need to know everything. And there's no cheap book for nclex. It's an adaptive exam. And there's no Cheat way. To be a nurse, you have to know it all. You have to want to know it all. Like you should be excited to study about the body. You know what I'm saying? [00:22:07] Speaker C: Yes, yes. [00:22:09] Speaker B: But they have to wanna, okay, so I did a career fair and, and this was high schoolers. I'm like, hey, just let me in the room. I just wanna pour it to others. And so a lot of em wanted to be nurses. And so I asked them, but when I asked them what did they want to do? And they would say, I wanna be a travel nurse. I wanna be a travel nurse. So I was like, okay, so what makes you want to be a travel nurse? And of course they say, well, you know, they make a lot of money. Or they'll say, the money, the money. And I said, well, before you become a travel nurse, you actually have to be a nurse. You have to figure out what type of nurse you're going to be. And you, you have to be the best version of that nurse so that then you can take those wonderful skills and travel and take care of patients in different locations. And they just like, I'm like, yes, so travel nursing is not a specialty. It's the type of nurse you want to be. And so it was just interesting because every single one of them, maybe with the exception of a few, knew like they wanted to, wanted to do pediatrics or something like that. But most of them, I want to be a travel nurse. Okay, well, I hope you don't go get your nclex and just go travel, because you're going to be the most dangerous nurse out there. [00:23:29] Speaker A: Where's your passion? Like, why do you really want to do this? Because if it's just, if it's fueled by financial freedom, I mean, we all want financial freedom. Yeah, I mean, we all deserve financial freedom. You know what I'm saying? If that's what this country was built upon. But don't get me into that. But it's just like, don't get me started with that. But it's just like that cannot be why you want to be a nurse. There's no way that you can go through the program this rigorous. This is, this is not easy work. Like, you can't go through this just because you want financial freedom. You want to go to Turks and Caicos. You want the, you know, come on, you can't. This is. If that's you, then this is because you have to be empathetic. You have to care for others sometimes more than you care for yourself. Like this, this is, this Is a different type of profession. You might want to go do something else that might get you some. A little bit faster, a little bit. You might want to go work in a corporate world where you. Where you don't have to be, you know, so. Because this is a. This job requires all the things. All the things out of somebody. You have to be emotionally there for people. Sick people, they don't feel good in all realms. Imagine waking up and not feeling well. That really. And we'll get there, too. Because I'm a patient too. Like, I'm not just a nurse. And that's a big part of, like, another reason why I'm the nurse that I am today and the educator I am today. I have five chronic illnesses. I wake up every day and I die. You know what I'm saying? So, like, if you're gonna be a nurse, you have to understand, like, sick people don't feel well, not just physically, but also emotionally and mentally and financially. You can't just wake up and say, I wanna be a nurse. Cause I wanna make money. You gotta care for these people. [00:25:13] Speaker B: What? [00:25:13] Speaker A: You said, you gotta care for these people. Cause they can't care for themselves. And they need support, real support. So you might wanna. You might wanna change that. And then you thinking that nurses make good money, they make okay money, but for what we have to put into it, we don't make enough. We're not making enough at all. And then now I'm. I'm finding out we're not making anything. Like, how is it that I've been a nurse for almost 10 years, and then the offering pay that I'm getting now, even as an educator, is the pay that I was starting off with 10 years ago. How did we go backwards? That's crazy. That is crazy. [00:25:49] Speaker B: Yep, it's backwards. [00:25:50] Speaker A: Y' all might want to. You might want to look into something else. Do something else. [00:25:54] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:25:54] Speaker B: And with the program being so rigorous, like, if you have to go through all that stress just to get to the other side of nursing to get your licensure, why put yourself through the stress of joining the profession, which they are now saying is not a profession. But we don't need anyone to tell me who we are, right? What. [00:26:14] Speaker A: What are you talking about? [00:26:15] Speaker B: Have you not heard that nursing is not a profession? Not considered a profession. And therefore government is not acknowledging or they're reducing the funding for advanced degrees for nursing. So more like medical providers, they will still get X amount of funding a year, but they have reduced the amount of funding made available to Nursing and other groups up under the health profession. I think it affects therapists, too, so. Yes, friend, where have you been? You've been busy? Yes, yes, I have been so busy. [00:26:52] Speaker A: I'm not even gonna lie to you. I. I'm not on my phone too much these days. I'm trying to build mine. [00:26:57] Speaker B: It's a good thing. It's a good thing. [00:27:00] Speaker A: It is a good thing. [00:27:02] Speaker B: They are. Well, this is. It was a poor. For me, it was a poor choice of words, of how they said it. And yeah, if you just Google, even American Nurses association has made a statement, because when you limit funding for something as important as the nursing profession, who makes up a big, big part of the healthcare workforce? [00:27:28] Speaker C: Right. [00:27:28] Speaker B: People come to the hospital because they need a nurse, not because they need the provider. We can go to a clinic. [00:27:34] Speaker A: Nothing gets done without the nurse. Nothing gets done. [00:27:36] Speaker B: Nothing gets done without the nurse. [00:27:38] Speaker A: The red flags, the clues that piece everything together doesn't get done without the nurse. The doctor comes in, puts the plan together, and we do it. The pharmacy makes the medication, but it doesn't get inside the patient's body without the nurse. [00:27:51] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:27:51] Speaker A: So y' all want to do it? Yeah. Y' all want to. You want me to show you how to do it? I can show you. [00:27:56] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:27:57] Speaker A: Y' all gonna do the Porta Porter cast? Y' all gonna do the. [00:27:59] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. [00:28:00] Speaker A: Y' all gonna do all that? [00:28:01] Speaker B: Yep. [00:28:02] Speaker A: That's not a profession. [00:28:03] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:28:04] Speaker A: That's crazy. [00:28:05] Speaker B: Yes. [00:28:06] Speaker C: Yes. [00:28:06] Speaker B: They're trying to say that it's not considered a profession according to whatever they just passed. So I'm not political, but one thing I'm in this space, and of course, not being at the bedside, being, you know, just zoned into direct patient care, is that. It is a lot. That organization is like the American Nurses Association. Like, they. They are out there. They are. They are trying. And so it's important to be a part of our organizations, you know, whether it's local or whether it's. [00:28:34] Speaker A: That's just. What's that word? That's that p word. Propaganda. Yeah, something like that. It's a money thing. That has nothing to do with. That's just. Just that there's no way people believe that. There's no way. People have to believe. That's just one thing. [00:28:49] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:28:49] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:28:50] Speaker B: And I don't know if it's just. I don't know if it's used to, like, just spark emotion. I'm sure there's a bigger picture to it. As with everything. [00:28:59] Speaker A: I don't think they Care about sparking emotion. They put the things out there so that they can justify cutting the funds. That's the whole point. The whole point was cutting the funds. They don't care about emotions. If they cared about emotions, all the things that would happen in this country wouldn't happen in this country. They care less about emotions. They don't care about emotions. Okay. The way that they handle certain things, even outside of our own realm here, how they handle immigration, how they. They don't care about emotions. [00:29:25] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:29:26] Speaker A: They just put the things in order so that they can have their funds or whatever it is that. Yeah. It's not about their agenda. That would definitely be. Poor choice of words. [00:29:37] Speaker B: I know. I'm saying if you were gonna cut funding, you didn't have to say it like that. [00:29:41] Speaker A: Just do it like y'. [00:29:42] Speaker C: All. [00:29:43] Speaker A: Just like. You ain't even got to say all that. Like, ew. Because one, everybody's going to need a nurse one day. And don't you dare say that. It's not a profession. Then you need a nurse one day. No, no, no. Let the doctor come up in here and change your wound and put this foam on here and seal this wound back after you got. Cause you said, let me just be quiet. Let me be quiet. Let me be quiet. B. Because I'm not a professional. Let the doctor come in here and seal your wound together. Because they don't do that. We do that. I do that. Like, what is not a profession that's, like, so intricate. Like what? [00:30:21] Speaker B: Yeah. And to limit. To set limitations when really you should be giving us even more funding. For those who are willing to go to risk it all to practice. [00:30:31] Speaker A: Right. [00:30:32] Speaker B: In an advanced role. I chose education because I did not want to practice on individuals, and education was my thing. Like, I just love for people to see that. Aha. Moment. [00:30:43] Speaker C: Yeah. But for those who are really taking. [00:30:46] Speaker B: That step to have a seat at the table with other providers as an advanced provider and help serve their community. Why would you limit funding for that when you already don't have enough providers and they have the ability to bring everything that comes with the nursing role of how to see that patient holistically and know what it's like to take care of them, to do all the things, and now they're able to really have a conversation and provide a means to help treat them? So why would you limit that? Out of all the help that we. We could take good help, why would you limit that? Again, nobody has to tell me. I don't depend on anyone to tell me What I am and what I am not. Of course we know what we. [00:31:36] Speaker A: They just. Just the greedy just want to be greedier. That's fine. One day they'll get tired of being so greedy, you know, stop. [00:31:42] Speaker B: Bria. [00:31:43] Speaker C: Free. [00:31:44] Speaker A: You know, I don't know what else they want. Life is just so much more enjoyable when you're focused just on your dreams and your passions. Like something as. Yeah, I don't even have a word for it. Money, Funds. I don't know. Like, what. What thrills me, what excites me, what brings me joy is, like, community and people in healing. And a student texts me, I passed and thank you. And my patient's saying, oh, I'm feeling better. You know, the treatment is working, and I got my scans back, and the inflammation is 99% gone. Like, that's what gets me. Not a dollar bill, right? Not a dollar bill, right. [00:32:27] Speaker B: I mean, hey, it's the connection for me. Yeah, it's crazy. [00:32:31] Speaker A: Crazy taught me something today. What in the world is going. I'm gonna go on TikTok. Maybe this weekend. Okay. I got stuff to do, but, oh, my goodness. [00:32:40] Speaker B: Don't worry. You don't. Don't major in minor things. [00:32:44] Speaker C: Don't worry. [00:32:45] Speaker B: I feel like I'm watching a movie. I'm like, okay, whatever, whatever, whatever. Who did you need during COVID Okay, whatever, whatever. [00:32:53] Speaker A: Okay. [00:32:54] Speaker C: I don't know. [00:32:55] Speaker B: I don't need to drop any more bombs on you. Okay? That's all I know. Cause I'm not ready. I'm not ready to respond to the bomb that I might drop. Okay? [00:33:04] Speaker A: So let me try to. Yes, I'm very excited. [00:33:07] Speaker B: I love it. They need to hear it. I really desire for aspiring nurses and nurse and new nurses to really hear from those who care. That's what I want them to hear on the other side of this speaker. I want them to hear that same compassion, that same empathy, so that they will have that same drive to go out there. If you're going to take on that nursing badge, that nursing licensure, you're going to own it. [00:33:39] Speaker A: Own it. [00:33:40] Speaker B: Do right by it. Take care of patients. Do the right thing by the people that keeps us employed in the first place. They're the sole reason for our whole job to take care of them. [00:33:52] Speaker C: We have to take care of our patients. [00:33:54] Speaker B: When I took care of patients, it was still. When I go into that room and I cross that door frame, I call that my threshold. Hey, I'm in here for that patient. I may not be able to save the whole unit. But at this one moment, I'm in here with you. [00:34:08] Speaker C: How are you doing? [00:34:09] Speaker B: This is what the plan of care is today and go from there, but try to make whatever connection it may be for that moment. And you know, some patients, it's just a matter of just give them their meds, assess them, just do the things and then, you know, they just, they already don't want to be there, so I'm not going to force myself on them. But then you have some that need that extra tender love and care. So I may just chart standing in the doorway because the patient doesn't have a family member, you know, so it's just those things, not just there to get a check like that. Money cannot, money cannot amount to what patients need during those vulnerable times that they're in. Because that's when you're most vulnerable. Laying in a bed, looking up at a ceiling, with a gown on, with no undergarments. That is vulnerable vulnerability at its best. [00:34:57] Speaker A: Yes. Yeah. [00:35:00] Speaker B: Okay, now how have. Just talking about patient perspective, because I think we just kind of dove right into it. How have your personal experiences influenced your approach to patient centered care or healthcare in general? [00:35:13] Speaker A: Okay, so kind of like piggybacking what you're talking about and then like my own personal experiences as well. Like, it is very important to understand one real truth, right? We're all human. The same feelings, the same things that you go through day in and day out, your ups, your downs, your highs, your lows, your happies, you're sad, you're anxious, your fears, that person is going through that too, and they're not feeling well and they're sick. So you have to be mindful of that. You know, you have to, to be mindful of that as a nurse. You know, if you're going to go into the job, just. Do you know what that means? Like, you're just here, right? I'm just here just doing my tasks. Like the whole task list. That's not providing the care that you should as a nurse. Right. And then also from like my personal experience. So last year I was having my own health thing, right? And I ended up in the hospital. I was in the hospital six months out the year last year. And yes, yes. So I don't really. Of course I know now, but I didn't know what was going on. But I started just having like these various symptoms, like vertigo in my ears. And then at one point my vision was just doubled all the time. I just really couldn't understand why. I was just seeing double vision and Then one day I was driving to see a patient, and all of a sudden, I couldn't understand. I couldn't catch my breath, and I had to pull over. And then I had my blood pressure cuff, and I checked my blood pressure cuff, and it could not get a reading on me. I had to call 911 right there on the spot, and they took me to the hospital. Long story short, I had to get a lumbar puncture spinal tap because my ICP was 32, and their normal range is 7 to 15. [00:36:59] Speaker C: Now it's time for a quick, quick nurse note. A moment to pause, reflect, and reset. Sometimes healing isn't just physical. It's spiritual. It's the quiet courage to sit with someone in their fear. It's the grace to speak life over a student who's ready to give up. And it's the reminder that even when we feel inadequate, God equips those that he calls. Bria Burley chose healing. Chose healing as her why. For nursing not just healing bodies, but restoring confidence, renewing purpose, and reminding future nurses that they are never alone in the process. Scripture to reflect on comes from Psalms 147:3, where God says he heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. [00:37:55] Speaker B: That is, hands down, one of my. [00:37:56] Speaker C: Favorite scriptures that I leaned on in some challenging times in my life. But in every tutoring session, Bria is doing more than just teaching. She's tending to the unseen wounds of doubt, anxiety, and burnout. She's proof that healing can happen in a zoom call, a study guide, or a whispered prayer right before taking an exam. So question. Where have you seen healing show up in unexpected ways? What moment reminded you that God still works through your hands, even when you feel empty? All right, let's get back to the conversation with Ms. Bria Burley, our founder of RN Prep Bestie, because this next part is where her story meets her mission. [00:38:54] Speaker A: So I was diagnosed with this. This chronic illness called pseudotuber cerebri. So basically, my body produces too much cerebral spinal fluid, and there's no known cause. It's idiopathic. So I was in the hospital for that. And during my stay. And I'll say this, too, some nurses have. Have compassion, right? Some nurses are nice. But it's not just enough to be compassionate. You also have to be competent and knowledgeable. Because the nurse will come in and be like, so what are you here for? And I'll tell them, and they'll be like, I've never heard of that. And after a nurse tells you, like, they have no idea. Like, your condition just kind of makes you feel like, do you know how to take care of me? Like, I'm scared. Like, even me as a nurse, Like, I don't know what's wrong with me either. And then you're a nurse, and you're a sweetest pie, but you're just like, I've never heard of that. And that's just so weird. And then in the er, the whole time, people are walking past my room, and they're like, she has the mystery illness. Like, outside of my room, door open. Mystery illness? Yeah. I'm in a gown, too, with my booty cheeks just out. You know, no undergarments on. Like, I'm in there just crying the whole time. I don't know what's wrong with me. Like, my world. My world just changed upside down. Like, in the hospital, I had made an oath to myself, I'll never be a nurse again. I don't know why. I went through all the stages of grief. Like. Like, one by one, I was denial, angry, sad, bargaining. But one thing for sure, for that experience, I was like, I'll never be a nurse again. I don't want to be a nurse again. And I was like, what patient wants a sick nurse? What patient wants a sick nurse? But I overcame that. But my experience there was so terrible because. Because people were not competent. Nobody knew what was wrong with me. Not even the providers. Providers will come in there and be like, we don't know. We don't know what's wrong with you. But. And it's not. It's nothing wrong with people not knowing what's going on with you. But it's like how they say it. Like, don't just be like, I've never heard of that. There are times where I've been on the job where I might have been, had a new pump or new medication that I might not have been familiar with. Or if a company says, hey, are you familiar with this? I'll pull up my phone, pull up a video, go in the bathroom, be like, let me go wash my hands real quick. I am now. Yeah, yeah. It's as simple as that. Don't tell the patient that you don't know what you're doing. How does that reassure them? Like, you literally just said you were incompetent to my face, and you're my nurse for the next 12 hours if something happens to me. Because at this point, I've been driven to the hospital. I almost lost my eyesight because that's what can happen with this condition, I had to have emergency spinal tap. That was traumatic in itself. Like, I don't know what's happening to me. I can't trust you that you're gonna be able to recognize when I'm escalating or cr. You know what I'm saying? And that experience also told me, like, it's not enough to just be a nice nurs nurse. You also have to be a competent nurse as well. So that's important, too, for the nurses to know. That goes with the clinical judgment and knowing more, you know, than just, you know, I need to be sweet. I need to be nice. Like, you also need to know what the heck you're doing. And don't tell a patient. I've never heard of that before. That's. We can't. Because people get scared. Like, the rest of the whole hospital thing. For me, I was like, no, I just. I was. I was terrified. It was a really bad experience because there is a really big problem going on with people just not understanding things. Like, they're. I don't know how they're still passing exams and getting certified. Because after I left that hospital the first time, two months later, I was back with the same issue. So I had to get another lumbar puncture, so I had to get the second one, and then I left. So after the second lumbar puncture, I went home. And, like, the next day, I had, like, a really bad headache. So it was, like, the worst pain I ever felt in my entire life. Key word, worst pain I ever felt in my entire life. What do they teach us in school about when someone feels the worst pain that they've ever felt in their entire life? That's not okay, right? Right. So I went to the ER and I told them that. They said, well, you just had a lumbar puncture. That's expected. And they sent me home. They sent me home. Okay. Lost my mind. Lost my mind. Lost my mind on the way home. Lost my mind. [00:43:04] Speaker B: Literally. [00:43:05] Speaker A: My mom was terrified because all I did, I laughed the whole way home. I just laughed. I. Joker Harley Quinn. Laughed my way home. Okay. Went back the next day because the pain was. It was still the same. It was like somebody just kept slamming me with the ice pick in my head. Went back the next day, and they were like, fine. We'll just give her a scan just to shut her up. Subdural hematoma in my brain. I. Tongue slurring, jaw numbing. I was stroking out. I had a brain bleed after my second lumbar puncture. And they sent me home. Yeah. So how do y' all do that? How do you do that? How are we missing these easy clue details like, what are we doing? What are we not doing in emergency departments? What are we not doing for our patients when they're coming in there? Why are we not listening to our patients when they're saying, we know our bodies? And let me tell you something, too. I will never. Every time I go to doctor, clinic, hospital, whatever, I never say I'm a nurse. I don't even say I help people. I don't say nothing. I'm a regular person off the street for as long much as you know, I. You don't know what I do. [00:44:13] Speaker B: Wow. [00:44:14] Speaker A: You don't know. I don't tell people I'm a nurse. I never tell people I'm a nurse. Because the treatment is different. When you tell people you're a nurse and they expect you to know how to take care of yourself, that's good. Yeah. This literally happened to me. Yes. Literally happened to me. So I was just like, okay, how did this happen? How do we miss simple clues like that? So what's going on in the hospitals that we're not doing where we're missing? Like, we're not even listening to the patients? [00:44:39] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. And dismissive about it. [00:44:42] Speaker A: Dismissive. [00:44:43] Speaker B: Dismissive. And we've seen a lot of that. [00:44:45] Speaker C: In the news, too. [00:44:45] Speaker B: I can't even mention it because you gonna really. You might get up and walk off on this one. You're gonna have to look into it. And I actually did not watch the video, but there was a video of a lady who was in labor. And basically the nurse was not concerned about the patient in labor, like telling you, I'm in labor. And it appears from rumors that she was just very dismissed. And then, of course, other people mentioned how they were in active labor, got sent home, and one lady, I think, had her baby on the side of the road or something like that, but I think that was like a different time. But something is now in the news at the time of this recording where someone has. A woman of color was in labor and someone was videoing it. But I didn't watch the video. Personally. I don't. First of all, I know me and I know my heart, and so I did not watch it. And like you said, when you're trying to accomplish things, you're not really just all in to just news and all that. But there's. [00:45:48] Speaker C: There. [00:45:49] Speaker B: There's just. Like you said, there's something. [00:45:51] Speaker A: There's something going On. And that whole time that I went through all of that, not a single. Not a ketorolac, not a acetaminophen, not a nothing, not a nothing, not a nothing. But let my counterpart. I have counterparts that just have little ouchies and boo boo hoos, Norco, Dilaudid, morphine. Not an. I never received nothing for my pain. That entire ordeal. Never. [00:46:16] Speaker B: Wow. [00:46:16] Speaker A: Received nothing for my pain. Even now, like, my diagnosis is considered a disability. It's a chronic illness, and I cannot get anybody to give me anything for the pain that I live with on a daily basis. I have fibromyalgia. I have endometriosis. I cannot get any doctor to give me anything. It's like, why is that? I know that's something totally different from what we're talking about, but it's kind of in the same realm. Like, yeah, women can't get no care. Why we can't get no help. [00:46:43] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:46:44] Speaker A: That's crazy, right? [00:46:47] Speaker B: And another thing that you mentioned, I. First and foremost, I'm sorry that you're even experiencing that, man. [00:46:53] Speaker A: I don't. I don't really have much to say about it anymore. You know, I went through that whole feeling sorry for myself, and I feel like that's another reason why six months out the year, I was not living. I was not alive. And that's another thing nurses have to realize. Like, these patients go through so much. A lot of them just waking up every day is a struggle, you know, like, it's a mind thing. Like, it literally took me so much willpower to be where I am today. Like, the testimony that I have, where I'm at today, rebuilding my business after going through that. After going through that to where I am now. [00:47:30] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:47:31] Speaker A: Getting diagnosis at the diagnosis after diagnosis and being turned away and not getting the help I had to rehabilitate myself. The doctor's like, we don't know what to tell you. We don't know what you should do. You know what? I got Chat. GPT. You. Figured it out myself. Figured it out myself. Figured it out myself. [00:47:49] Speaker B: Literally had to lean on your meds. [00:47:51] Speaker A: And now all I take is just one pill. That's all I take. Come on. Yes. Did it myself. How about that? Thank you, Chad. GPT. Thank you, God. And thank you. You know, like, yes. Yeah. But we got to do better, because healthcare and nursing is supposed to be about the patient. Where is the pa? Where's the patient. Patient centered in all of this. They're supposed to be. It's supposed to be about the patient. They're supposed to be owning their experience and saying, hey, this is the help that I need. Can you help me? How come they don't get to pick and choose the type of help that they get? Like, where is my treatment? Like, yes, you write a treatment plan, but how are we implementing this? And how is this actually helping me? And if you don't know how the answers, what are you doing to figure it out? Like, just something like, give me some type of help. [00:48:37] Speaker C: Yes. [00:48:37] Speaker B: And like you said, just going back to the root cause analysis, there's a couple of things that has to be done. Don't just treat symptoms. Figure out why I'm experiencing this. And with your treatment, make sure it works for me. Make sure it works for me. Make sure I can actually get to the place that you're telling me to go to to get the services that I need. Because it may look good on paper, it may look good on your chart. On my chart. But then I become non compliant when I'm unable to fulfill the treatment plan. When really I'm not non compliant. I just, I don't have the ability, resources. [00:49:18] Speaker A: Yeah, that's so important. That is so important. [00:49:20] Speaker B: Mm. Girl, we done went so deep. [00:49:22] Speaker A: I. Bria, I know this was like, dang, I'm a different type of person. I'm a different person. I'm like, ooh, I don't know if she picked the right one or the wrong one. Me, because I. I'll take it there. Like, there's so many things, like, honestly, you know, like how on a computer, right, you go control, alt, delete, right? And you have your task manager. You can just end task and restart. Can we just. Healthcare just put that. Let's start it over. Because I know Florence Nightingale did not. I know she did not think about this when she was trying to build nursing and all the, the founding fathers and stuff like that. When I teach, like, I sometimes I teach, I work with the workforce and I teach these night classes and we go over medical history and healthcare history and I'm like, I know these people did not think that it was going to end up like this. Like, well, we now it's for profit. This is a business. How are we turning healthcare into a corporate business? How is a life saving medication $14,000. You are billing the patient $14,000. And, and to be honest, I always tell my patients, if I could do this job for free, I, I would. But to be Honest, you're paying $14,000 for the medication where you wouldn't even get the medication. If it wasn't for me and I come in here and I get a hundred dollars, make it make sense. But it's okay. I'll never. I'll never. I don't. You know, that's not even me, you know what I'm saying? But still, it's just like the, the disconnect, you know what I'm saying? Like, y' all have really turned this into. Now I'm looking at the marketplace to try to get myself insurance because I'm considered self employed. I can't work full time. I can't stand on my feet more than five minutes. I chose this career because I love it, but I'm a chronically ill, could really apply for disability as a registered nurse. I have to get Marketplace. And Aetna said, we not fooling with y'. [00:51:09] Speaker C: All. [00:51:10] Speaker A: We don't. There's no plans on the marketplace right now. So it's like I'm looking at health insurance for myself next year, and I'm like, I don't really have a lot of options. Yeah, it's. It's getting really bad all around in all aspects. [00:51:22] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:51:23] Speaker A: But as far as, like, nursing goes, we could definitely do a whole lot better as far as, like, how we care for the patients. We could, we could do so much better to make that experience that the patients already have to deal with having to pay so much, and they're already feeling upset about that. And insurance and big pharma, we could do so much better with how we treat people. Like, don't forget where you came from and don't forget the reason why you're here. You know what I'm saying? Like, these are people. This could be your mom, your dad, your sister, your favorite person in the whole world. This could be them. Treat them like you would treat that person. [00:51:55] Speaker C: Yes, yes. And don't work in silo. [00:51:57] Speaker B: Like, we have to come together as a nursing community. We have to. And I know it's hard because if you're working in the hospital and working at the bedside, those, you know, when people say, oh, I know you love working just three days a week, three 12s a week, baby, you may go to hell and back in those three days, and you need two of your days off to recover. But in that you're too busy, honestly, struggling to help take care of patients during the, during that time that you don't have the, you know, it's hard to step away from that and say, oh, well, let me get my cup of coffee. Let me look up on healthcare policy right now. And see where I can write my senator, you know, So I. I get it. I get it. Like, it's. [00:52:44] Speaker A: It's. It's a lot. [00:52:47] Speaker B: It's a lot. [00:52:48] Speaker C: It's a lot. [00:52:50] Speaker A: It's a lot. [00:52:51] Speaker B: And so I'm glad to have this podcast so that I can get more Brias on here and. And really speak in love and in truth and. And honestly, it's off your personal. Own personal experience, too. And so this is not. Hey, what I think. This is not what Bria thinks. No, this is what Bria is actually living. And this just shows you that we cannot take anything for granted and to. [00:53:21] Speaker C: Be grateful for what we do have. [00:53:23] Speaker B: Because we never know what a day may hold. You never know when you may become a patient. You know, you never know what that's. [00:53:29] Speaker C: Going to look like for you. [00:53:31] Speaker B: And so I just commend you because through it all, you didn't let that break you, but you made the choice to continue to live with purpose, to continue working in spite of. [00:53:43] Speaker C: Yes, Ash, in spite of. [00:53:45] Speaker B: So you gotta pat yourself on the back for that one. You are definitely a queen. Being a nurse, it is. [00:53:52] Speaker A: Is a blessing. I really don't think that if I wasn't a nurse, I would be where I'm at right now, because everyone, like, I'm in, like, Reddit support groups. [00:54:01] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:54:02] Speaker A: All on disability, all in the bed. Nobody works. Okay. The people that are working all work in healthcare. So I feel like the people that are knowledgeable or the people that have, like, that have, like, healthcare backgrounds, for some reason, we're able to kind of, like, push through and like, still. We're still able to work, but other people, they don't get out of bed. They don't get out of bed, but it. It's hard. It is hard. I will say, when I first got diagnosed, for two months, I didn't get out the bed. It was. It was hard. Like, migraines every day. It was really hard. But now I'm like, I. I am so thankful. This was actually really good for me. I really needed this because I really needed this conversation. I need to talk to people more often. All I do is. [00:54:51] Speaker B: I feel grateful, too. So I'm. I'm gonna hit you with this bonus question while we're here. [00:54:56] Speaker A: I'm ready. [00:54:57] Speaker B: If every nurse had to carry one mindset into every shift, classroom, or exam room, what would you choose and why? [00:55:09] Speaker A: I don't feel like this is the best one, but, I mean, this is the only one that comes to mind. [00:55:13] Speaker B: Let me. [00:55:14] Speaker A: Let me Work it. So my mindset is your experience is what you make it. That's my mindset. Let me elaborate just a little bit. So your experience is what you make it. So it translates in all of those places, place spaces, right? So in school, nursing students, when they do their consultations with me, I ask them about their nursing journey and a lot of majority of the students tell me like their nursing school experience was terrible. I like to tell my students, you have to own your experience. Not every experience has to be negative. You can make it positive just because, like they're obstacles. There's so many resources now you can own that experience. You can literally make it positive. If your school is lacking in support, find your support somewhere else. We got TikTok, we got chatgpt. You got other people out there. There's people out there that want to help y'. [00:56:01] Speaker C: All. [00:56:01] Speaker A: And most of the, the help is free. You don't always have to pay for help. You can make, make the most out of your experiences. And to be honest, that's also going to help you with building your own critical thinking skills anyways, right? In the workplace, if you're struggling with your, you know, your 12 hour shift, you need to do some thinking yourself too and figure out what's the best way that I can make the most out of my shift. You do something that I do as well. When I did do bedside, I would figure out which one of my patients was the one that needed me the most or my dementia patient, the one always trying to get out of the bed, pulling stuff, the one that's always hitting the call light. Once I do my rounds, pass my meds, do all my skills, I'm coming up in here and I'm going to sit with you. We gonna watch the Golden Girls. We're gonna watch I Love Lucy. Cause I work night shift. Night shift was my thing and I'm a chart. And we gonna talk and we gonna sing, we're gonna put some music on. And that's what made my shift go by. I, I spent, I made sure as a nurse working on bedside, I spent time with my patients. I wasn't the type of nurse that sat at the nurse's station. I just, I just couldn't do it. I don't, I don't do idle. I cannot do idle. So I always made sure that I found a patient that needed me the most and that's who I went and spent my time with. And I also just. You just made the experience what you needed to. I made bedside fun for me. If I was able bodied, I would go back to bedside. I would. I miss it a little bit. I do miss a little bit. So you make the most out of your experience. And that's honestly the mindset that I feel like works, works the best. You can control your environment, you can control your experience, but you have to make the most out of it. [00:57:30] Speaker B: That's. That's good. [00:57:32] Speaker C: That's good. [00:57:33] Speaker B: Say it again. You make the most out of your experience. [00:57:36] Speaker A: You make the most out of your own experience with your attitude, with your actions. Yeah, you don't conform to what everybody on TikTok is saying. You don't conform to the classmates. That's all complaining about the school. [00:57:47] Speaker C: School. [00:57:47] Speaker A: And we don't like this teacher and they not teaching us nothing. Go figure it out. [00:57:50] Speaker B: Go figure it out. [00:57:53] Speaker A: You don't have to conform to that because if you make your experience negative, it's going to always be negative. Then you're going to live in that and then it's going to follow you and energy is going to attract to you and that's what it's going to be. You're like, that's. You don't like me. She want me to fail. No, you fail because you failed. Okay? You can't put blame on everything. You know what I'm saying? Your experience is what you make it. [00:58:14] Speaker C: Yeah, that's good. [00:58:16] Speaker B: So as we wrap up this episode, tell us about Arian Prep Bestie. And now I'm shy. [00:58:24] Speaker A: Yeah, everything that I said, now I'm shy. Oh, my gosh. Improp Bestie is my nursing education business that I started back. Like I started just tutoring students just for fun. Just because, like, like I told you in the beginning, I like a challenge. I just, that's just me. So I arm Prep Bestie because when I was in nursing school, I did not pass my exit exam the first time I had to retake it. So that made me have to sit and reflect and see like why I didn't pass this exam. And then I didn't recognize that I had test taking anxiety. So that was something that I had to work on within myself. And then that kind of sparked something in me too. And then like the whole education route, there were also other people that weren't passing nclex and I just started tutoring people. And then I was like, I'm gonna start a business. And so the business started from word of mouth. So I helped one student virtually. And then she referred me to a friend and they referred me to a friend. My business was pure Word of mouth. I had never, ever had to market my business, ever. It was like, okay, amen. And as soon as, like, I would sit down and would get quiet. Cause I was still working, you know, working as a nurse right before, you know, all the chronic, you know, health cond and stuff, I would just be like, okay. And it wasn't anything that I truly focused on, but I did all the things to make it like a legit business, you know, got the LLC and stuff, but it was a side thing. And then it just kept growing, like, just kept growing. But then when I did get sick, then word of mouth kind of stopped because I did have to stop doing, you know, tutoring. Well then I was like, well, now that I can't really do, you know, nursing work too much because, you know, my condition, you know, keeps me from standing on my feet too long and all the other things, I want to pour into this more because I will say, every student that has ever experienced me when I was tutoring, they all passed. I had 100% pass rate. Nobody was failing. You know what I'm saying? Everybody was passing. So I was like, well, let me do this, because I feel like maybe it's a calling. Maybe this is for me. And then I started realizing from my students, they. They will always say, you challenge me. You challenge me. You make me see this differently than I ever saw it before. And. And I never thought of it this way. And I was like, you know what? Then this is what my brand is. Okay? So ARM Prep Bestie is a. A service that will challenge you. If you are looking for shortcuts, if you're looking for what's going to be on the test, Honey, I'm not for you. And that's simple. And that's what my consultations are for. I need to see what I'm working with, okay? Because there are times where students aren't. Aren't a good fit for me. And also, I'm not a good fit for you because of what you're needing, okay? I'm not. Quick fix, easy. I challenge you. I can make clinical, virtual clinical assignments. You're going to get a patient scenario with a matching video with a clinical breakdown with their vitals reports, provider orders, and you will have to answer questions. We're not doing practice questions. You're going to have to record your answer choices, submit them to me. I will review them, and then we will go over it together. Because that's how you're going to be a nurse. You're going to have to practice how to call the provider you're going to. Yeah. S Bar. Remember that? [01:01:49] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:01:49] Speaker A: You got to be, y' all gotta be confident in yourself. When you're calling the doctor, you have to be confident, say, oh, well, the patient's electrolytes are this, hey, this is our patient room, blah, blah, blah. This is what's happening. And I need these orders. Do you think is there? You know, I break it down. There's so many different assignments and interactive games that I do with my students in their study plans. And then we have our one on one sessions together where I go over different nursing content, but I break it down in a way that's not textbook. I don't use medical jargon in my, my tutoring sessions because y' all get that enough in nursing school. So I make things relatable. Like when we talk about diabetes. Insulin is the key that unlocks the doors to your cell to allow in glucose coats. That's the kind of stuff we do. We break it down. Everybody knows what a key is. Everybody knows what a door is. I like to make things simple for people to understand because. And that's also the way that we need to educate our patients. Our patients don't have that kind of background knowledge, so we have to educate them in that way as well. So my tutoring is very laidback. It's fun. If you're trying to do 150 questions a day, maybe we ain't doing that. That's just not me. Okay. So I've been spending a lot of time trying to, to revamp my business and provide just high quality tutoring materials. So actually I'm about to launch out a group course. December 15th, I'm launching my group course. It's called Shifting the Mindset. So it's going to be a four week course where students are going to shift away from recall and memorization and start thinking like nurses. And each course has a study plan that aligns with it with those, you know, those virtual clinical assignments and games. And then I'm also going to start launching just study plans to put on my website that students can purchase that also have those virtual clinical simulations that they can do as well to help them put the pieces together and just to help them in all kinds of categories like growth and development, maternity, fundamentals. And I'm almost at 1,000 followers on TikTok. So once I get to 1,000 followers, I'm going to do my first giveaway and I'm actually going to give away one of the group course course to a student so, yeah, I'm gonna give away a whole course to somebody. So I'm really excited for all these great things to come up with while I'm still tutoring students. And I just had a student pass her nclex yesterday, so congrats. She took her nclex and she was a word of mouth referral from her friend K, who's on my TikTok. K took her NCLEX in September and passed. And then she referred her friend Trisha, and then Trisha tutored with me for two months and she passed yesterday. So it's like the best friends are both nurses. I love what I do. I love this job so much. It's just amazing. I have a lot of great things coming. My thing is just that the students have to trust it. The students have to trust the process because I am different and I know that I'm different. And I tell myself that on the days where it's like, like, oh, you don't really. You're not getting a lot of traction. You're not getting a lot of, you know, students that are interested in your business. And I just tell myself it's just because I'm different. A quick, you know, question bank. I'm not uworld, I'm not Archer. I'm not that. But what I do works. So if you're somebody that is struggling to pass nclex and you want something different, you want a different outcome, you have to do something different. And that's what ARM prep does us. Like, I'm getting you guys to. Because I'm making you think critically. Let's learn how to think like nurses. [01:05:27] Speaker B: Yes. [01:05:28] Speaker A: Working really hard, man. I'll get back on TikTok by then. I'm just work because I am. Another thing I'm thinking about too is like, the students kind of need to see the product. So I'm working on like a free sample that I'm going to post out there and then, you know, just so that they can see what, what the products look like. So I've been burning them in oil. So when we get done here today, I'm actually going to. To get back to it. And I have two students that I'm working with right now. So it's like I'm doing a lot of. And then I teach three nights a week, and then I still do infusion. Like, what? What? Who do I think I am? Who do I think I am? I am one person. Like, but then I'm still blessed every day. I'm like, my body hasn't fallen apart yet I'm still here. Like, it's really a mind over matter thing. Like, and then I just pouring into myself and I'm pouring into people. I did take two naps today and I do pour and I do take my naps. Okay. One of those. My three. My three before that was for this for sure. Yes. [01:06:33] Speaker B: Thank you so much. [01:06:34] Speaker A: Thank you so much for inviting me. I feel so special. [01:06:38] Speaker B: Yes. Oh, I am just honored. I am so grateful that you blessed us with your presence, with your wisdom, with your experience. You just all the things, Bria, you have truly blessed me more than you'll know. We don't even have enough time to unpack it on this episode, so I am just excited for what's to come. [01:07:00] Speaker C: What? [01:07:01] Speaker B: Well, one, thank you for all that you're already doing and I'm excited for what is coming because you have just been consistent. You've been. You've been doing all the things and nothing has been wasted. I think that is just awesome. So tell. Tell our lovely listener how they can find you. [01:07:21] Speaker A: Okay, you can find me on TikTok RNPrep bestie. You can also search my website, rmprepbestie.com. those are the main places that you can find me right now. That's where I post. That's pretty much it. It's just my website and my TikTok and I will be working harder on posting more regularly. Social media is just. And there anyone that knows me is like, oh, she's not a big social media person. But I am working on it because as you can tell, I have a lot to say. I have a lot to say. I need to sew. I'm working on getting a little bit more out there, too. [01:08:00] Speaker B: Yes. And look, but thank you so much for joining us on this week's episode of the All One Nurse podcast. Yeah. [01:08:08] Speaker A: Thank you for having me. [01:08:09] Speaker B: Yes, ma'. Am. And I will list all of your links and how to connect with you in the podcast description below. [01:08:16] Speaker C: Well, that's a wrap and I just. [01:08:18] Speaker B: Want to give you some quick updates. [01:08:20] Speaker C: First, the All One Nurse mentorship program official officially launches on January 31st. Early bird registration is open right now, so be sure to go ahead and head on over to. For a chance, head on over to Alma Nurse Link tree or the landing page on all onenurse.com to go ahead and secure your spot because we're only accepting so many spots. You'll find all the details listed in the form on linktree. If you fill out the landing page, then of course you'll find out all the information in a follow up email. Second, I'm still updating the website. [01:08:59] Speaker B: Okay. [01:08:59] Speaker C: And it's coming soon. It will be a fresh space where you can access resources, mentorship opportunities and connect more deeply with the mission of all one nurse, which is to support you as a nursing student or first year nursing grad. This space is for you. Because a lot of times, a lot of new nurses. What I am witnessing is that you experience transition shock and there's still this stress and this anxiety. So not only were you jumping hurdles through the program, the nursing program, but. [01:09:35] Speaker B: Now that you're, you're coming in and. [01:09:38] Speaker C: Facing a whole nother beast after nclex. And so this space is built for you. And as we step into this holiday season, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy holidays. My prayer for you is that 2026 will be filled with joy, growth and new opportunities. May your faith in God grow bigger. And even if you're not a believer. Because this space is for everyone, hands down. And I always say lean on my faith if you're not a believer, right? But this space is for everyone. And even if you're not a believer, may your personal development flourish and may your professional development flourish as well. And may you walk boldly into the new things that has been prepared for you now. Thank you for spending this time with us today and being a part of the journey. Keep choosing faith over fear. Keep moving forward in spite of challenges, in spite of obstacles that may be meant to force you to quit or enough to make you want to quit it. You've come too far to give up now. You are never alone on this nursing path. Until next time. Let your light shine. And I look forward to seeing you in season four of the All One Nurse Podcast. [01:11:17] Speaker B: Sa.