Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: This is the All1Nerds podcast, where we are bridging the gap between the stethoscope and the soul and getting back to the human side of healthcare.
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Welcome back to the All One Nurse Podcast, where I'm your host, Chanel Tompkins, and I'm so excited to have you here with me. Our mission here is to simply bridge the gap between the stethoscope and the soul and get back to that human side of healthcare through mentorship and personal and professional growth.
And a question that I have for you as I start off this episode is have you ever walked into clinicals or into a space where you feel like you're an imposter, questioning your calling, your competence, or whether you even belong in the profession or in that role? If that's you, welcome home. This space was built for the nurses who are still becoming who's learning to lead with faith, who resilience and purpose even when the path feels blurry. And the scripture I want to lead with today because I don't usually do this comes from the book of Isaiah, chapter 41, verse 10, and it says so do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteousness right hand.
And let that scripture take you on not just in the nursing profession, in your studies or at work.
Let it take you on in every area of your life. Let it carry you in your home, over your family, in your community as you pray, over your neighbors, in your relationships, your relationship with God, God and your relationship with yourself, your health. Let that scripture carry you on with your finances. I speak blessings over you as we start off this introduction of the R1 nurse podcast. But jumping right into our awesome guest speaker today, we have Rebecca Leon, who is an rn. She has her Master's in Nursing education and she is also board certified. I just take my hat off to her. She truly supports and deeply committed to supporting the Latino community in addition to the nursing profession. And it's just a blessing to sit down and speak with her. Her story is one that you truly want to hear because you will learn Rebecca has some challenges too. We're going to dive right in and talk about her nursing journey, her educational perspective, her patient perspective, and her personal insights. And not even in that order. And before we div with Ms. Rebecca, whether you're listening to this or watching it on YouTube, please go ahead and like or subscribe or download this episode or go back and listen to some of the other nursing interviews, and if. If you look at the titles and you're interested, download it.
And most of all, subscribe so that you don't miss out on what's to come with All One Nurse. Be sure to stay tuned to the end of this episode to figure out how to connect with me, Chanel Tompkins, and with Rebecca Leon. And I also forgot, we both hosted Nurse Converse together in separate episodes, of course. Nurse Converse is a podcast presented by Nurse.org and that was the opportunity that brought me to this moment for myself.
So it's such a pleasure knowing that we've been on a platform together and on Nurse Converse, she's actually posted multiple episodes regarding oncology nursing, her times on Capitol Hill, which you'll hear a little bit about today on this episode. So I pray that you open your hearts to receive the information that she has to give and that it blesses you in some way. So let's dive right in. Hey, Rebecca, thank you for being with us today on the All One Nurse podcast.
[00:04:35] Speaker B: Thanks so much for having me. I'm so excited.
[00:04:37] Speaker A: Yes, ma'.
[00:04:38] Speaker B: Am.
[00:04:38] Speaker A: So just getting right into it, into your professional journey. Tell us, who are you? What's your origin story, and how did you end up in nursing?
[00:04:46] Speaker B: I always say that nursing chose me, not the other way around. But I did always want to be in health care. So as we mentioned, my name is Rebecca Leon. I'm actually originally from Venezuela, So shout out my little country and my flag right there. I always love to have it in my background just because it is such a big part of who I am. I am an immigrant and I came to the United States with my family wanting a better opportunity. I always wanted to be in health. I thought it was going to be by being a doctor and a neonatologist, because that's what I always wanted to do. But then life happened multiple times, specifically when I was in undergrad.
[00:05:24] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:05:25] Speaker B: It just wasn't in the cards for me. I didn't have the gpa. I didn't have the knowledge, forethought, background, the whole nine yards. It just wasn't. It wasn't going to happen for me. And it was actually one of my line sisters, so I'm in a sorority. And she said, why don't you look into the nursing school? You should have all of the requirements, see if that's going to be it for you. So I said, okay, let's see what we can do here. And I applied, I got wait listed, and then by the grace of God, got Accepted.
[00:05:56] Speaker A: Come on.
Yes.
[00:05:58] Speaker B: So that brought me into nursing, and my journey through nursing school was tough.
I did not know that I was going to make it to the other side, not even until the day that I graduated. Oh, God.
[00:06:09] Speaker A: I think all of us trust.
[00:06:13] Speaker B: So. But now being on the other side of it and having my master's in nursing education, it makes it so full circle. And it's honestly really crazy that we started all the way over there and then somehow made it all the way over here.
[00:06:26] Speaker A: Yes, ma'. Am.
Yes. Now, tell us, when you went into the nursing program, was that your first introduction into healthcare, or did you start working in healthcare before going into nursing school?
[00:06:38] Speaker B: So I actually, right before I applied to nursing school, just to kind of help my application process, I did a CNA program. So a certified nurse assistant program here in the state. And that really helped propel me. But my work in healthcare actually started when I was in high school because I volunteered with my local hospital to actually, like, get experience and just be there. And it was a program that was specifically for students that were interested in going into health care and wanted exposure into healthcare professions, which was really, really cool, just because in my experience, I didn't have that much exposure. Well, I did to an extent, but not with the nitty gritty of what the health care system in the United States looks like. So that really helped me. And being a CNA and actually working as a cna, I think gave me the best, like, platform to be able to go into nursing and succeed as a nurse. Once I pass that nclex.
[00:07:39] Speaker A: Yes. Do you. Do you feel like being a CNA or certified nursing assistant made you appreciate their role just as much?
[00:07:47] Speaker B: Yes.
Yeah, absolutely. You, as a nurse, are as good as your best cna.
[00:07:55] Speaker A: Like that part. That part.
I thought I wanted to do it while I was in nursing school, but I had a cousin who was already a nurse, and she was like, no, you got time and all that. But when I actually became a nurse, the CNA that was on my unit was the one that taught me some of my best skills, like basic hygiene care, some of the things that you need to know how to do with or without a cna.
[00:08:21] Speaker B: Right.
[00:08:21] Speaker A: Because it's ultimately the licensed nurse role. And so when I say, I love me some good CNAs, I love me a good CNA, because I know, like, hey, we're going to get it done. And so thank you for sharing that. Yes.
[00:08:34] Speaker B: Yeah. Listen, being a CNA is what got me my first job in nursing. There's no if Ands or buts about that? Truly, because being in the job as a CNA is how I got my first nursing job. That unit director heard from the charge nurse because he wanted me to hire. He wanted to hire me. Sorry, words are hard. He wanted to hire me as a CNA for that unit because I worked as a float CNA or nurse tech in the hospital, and he wanted to hire me for that position. And I said, sir, I'm graduating in three months from nursing school. I'm not trying to be a CNA for that much longer. And he said, you want to come do your nurse residency program here? And I said, come on, that's an option.
[00:09:14] Speaker A: Yes, yes, yes.
[00:09:16] Speaker B: Got a quick little email and then got that phone call.
[00:09:18] Speaker A: Yes. And that just shows how your work ethic goes before you. Your character, your work ethic. It's just more than just having a job. Like, honestly, the nursing, the healthcare community is small. Yeah, it's small. And I always tell new grads or just anyone coming into the hospital because we're both staff development specialists. So I help oversee orientation at my organization. But I'm like, what do you want people to think when they hear your name? That's how you should carry yourself, Right?
[00:09:46] Speaker B: Every time and in.
[00:09:47] Speaker A: Every time. Every time and in every role. I love that. Okay, so coming in into nursing school or through nursing school, what would you say some of your biggest challenges were?
[00:09:58] Speaker B: Trying to pass classes, these classes, that was truly the hardest thing. And it's not because I didn't understand the material, and it's not because I wasn't putting in the work. It is because I didn't feel like I had the tools to be able to make it through that type of program. And nursing school is hard. It's tough no matter where you go, no matter what program you are a part of, because they're looking for such specific things from you.
And I think that's great. I think that's wonderful. But for a student like me, it did not set me up for success, unfortunately. So even just trying to get through pathopharmacology, acute care, pediatrics, all of them, all of those big classes, it was really, really tough. And I did not know whether or not I was going to make it. And when I say that, I truly mean that, because even on the day of my final exam, which was also the day that I walked across the stage saying that I got my degree hours beforehand, I didn't know if I was about to walk across that stage.
[00:11:09] Speaker A: Oh, that's so scary.
That is so scary.
[00:11:14] Speaker B: Truly, by the grace of God and God alone was I able to make it through that stage. And because that was just what was in the plans for me to do. Had I not, I don't know what would have happened.
But we're here and we made it through.
[00:11:29] Speaker A: Hey, Amen. Just stay focused.
That's why I tell new nurses when they get ready to take NCLEX or nursing graduates, stay focused.
[00:11:37] Speaker B: Now, still say that the NCLEX was easier than my last final exam in nursing school.
[00:11:42] Speaker A: Really?
[00:11:43] Speaker B: Yes, by far.
[00:11:45] Speaker A: Wow. Wow. Now, did y' all do HESI at that time as well?
[00:11:49] Speaker B: We did ati, which was really helpful, I think, at that time. And I did a whole bunch of UWorld questions, all of the questions. Because going through the material was not going to help me trying to study for the nclex. It was making sure that I understood those types of questions and knew how to answer them correctly.
[00:12:06] Speaker A: Well, thank you for sharing that. That is very insightful. Because someone needs to hear it as they're going through nursing school right now, right?
[00:12:14] Speaker B: Yes. Listen, the biggest thing that I say is that if I can do it, trust me, you can too.
[00:12:18] Speaker A: Yeah.
Look, right now, with the challenges, of course, you had to find ways to stay motivated. What would you say were some things that kept you motivated?
[00:12:30] Speaker B: Keeping my eye on that goal and knowing that if I achieved it and made it there, that everything was going to be okay.
And I say that being an immigrant, being first generation in the United States, of course, just trying to make it through, through what I felt like I was supposed to do, which was go to college, get my degree, figure out that job, make it to that next step, whatever it was going to be, keeping that goal in mind and almost having tunnel vision to it because there was no way that I wasn't gonna get that degree. We were gonna figure out how we were gonna get it. In some moments, it didn't feel like it was possible, but I knew that nothing was going to stop me from getting to that goal, whether or not I took a whole bunch of turnabout ways to do it, which is exactly what happened. That's okay.
[00:13:19] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:13:20] Speaker B: Now, looking back and reflecting on that, it's made me realize that all of those challenges and all of those things that I went through to become a nurse really made me the nurse that I am today and made me passionate about education. It made me passionate about supporting other people. It made me passionate about being that person that I never had.
So it brought me here. And with that, I can't complain Amen to that.
[00:13:50] Speaker A: That's so inspiring. Oh, that's so inspiring. And a lot of times our pain brings us to our purpose.
[00:13:57] Speaker B: That's a fact.
[00:13:58] Speaker A: I think that is just so inspiring. Thank you so much for sharing that. Such wisdom and just getting right into personal insights. What were some of your. Some of the obstacles that you faced early in your nursing career or. You know what, before we even go there, let's go back because you made it through the program, BSN program, because you went into your Master's. So tell us a little bit about your master's degree and where you're at now in your role, or just tell us about the Master's prepared program. How different was it from Bachelor's prepared for you?
[00:14:28] Speaker B: It was a totally different experience. And I don't say that in a bad way by any means, but I think my master's program, and I actually just finished it in December, so I am seven months post grad.
[00:14:42] Speaker A: Come on. Congrats.
[00:14:44] Speaker B: Thank you. It honestly is the biggest achievement of my life outside of obviously passing my nursing program and finishing. But the way that this program was structured was completely different than my BSN program, and that is honestly why I chose it.
So this program, it's a Master's of science in nursing education specifically, because that is what I'm passionate about. The way that the program is structured is competency based. So instead of trying to focus on getting that grade to make sure that I passed like I had to in my undergraduate program, this was really about do I understand the material enough and can I demonstrate that I genuinely understand the work that I'm doing?
[00:15:32] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:15:33] Speaker B: And for me, that was game changing. I am so grateful that that was the type of program that I was one, able to find and two, able to get accepted into and actually flourish in. Because in my Master's program, I was able to get into Sigma, I was able to get into other nursing societies and other things that I never got to do in undergrad. Not because, you know, it just wasn't my time then, but it was able to be my time now. And this is where I was able to really shine in my education. And it really gave me that hope of, no, I can do this, like, I can get that degree. I. I can do these certifications. I can. Like, I am very academically inclined. I just wasn't in an environment where I could thrive. But now that I have found it, we gonna take off running.
[00:16:22] Speaker A: Yes. And you have taken off running. I mean, you've been on Nurse Converse, the podcast by Nurse.org along with myself. And so in that even in your episodes on Nurse Converse, you have went to basically the front lines, like gotten into politics in a way. Right. And just really seeing things from that, that higher level of education, that higher level of having a nursing degree. And that's one thing that I'm learning with doctorates, prepared nurses. It's like they're. The calling is so great. The calling is so great. And I just take my hat off to you for even just giving back and wanting to pour back into not just nursing in general, but the Latina community or Latino community. Like, it's so awesome that you're going into this calling. Like you said, it's like you're just going up from here. You're going up from here, and I love it. Now, just getting into your personal insights, what obstacles did you face early in your nursing career and how did you overcome them? Yeah, just tell us, what did you do in your nursing career? At the bedside? Right.
[00:17:27] Speaker B: Yes. So my nursing career has been all much different ways, and I am so grateful for it, but it was one of the biggest challenges that I've had to face. And so when I started my nursing career, as I mentioned, I got my first nursing job through from being a nurse tech and actually being able to work on that floor, which was really great experience. And it was general surgery. So that is what my background is in. It was a lot of really complex abdominal reconstructions, a lot of oncology patients and post surgical patients. That unit was a little bit of everything and all of the things in between. And I knew that it was going to be a really great place for me to start my nursing journey because I always said if I could work there, I could work anywhere. Now, that was very quickly put to the test because one year into my nursing career, I graduated in December of 2018. I started nursing in February of 2019.
[00:18:30] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:18:31] Speaker B: And then we all know what happened.
[00:18:33] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:18:34] Speaker B: In March of 2020.
[00:18:36] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:18:38] Speaker B: So just one year into my nursing career, Covid happened and turned my entire nursing career upside down. And I say that because my unit closed down. Surgeries at that time were elective.
So even though these surgeries, I wouldn't personally call them elective, they were considered. So. So our unit actually closed down and I had to be a float nurse. So I was so grateful that I had the experience as a nurse tech, being a float nurse tech within that same hospital. So that way, when I was a nurse, I knew that I could handle that. I knew that I could go work on all of these other units. And I knew that the experiences that I had had working in general surgery had me very well equipped to do all of those things. But again, I was a baby nurse. I had just graduated from my nurse residency program. I didn't know what to do, where to go, but I just did what I could. And I took care of COVID patients, I took care of general surgery patients. I was pretty much in every single unit that you could think of within a hospital. I did it within my first year and a half of being a nurse.
Yeah, I was charge at one point. I was a preceptor at one point, opened up my unit because apparently I was the most senior nurse from that area. However that happened, I don't know.
[00:20:07] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:20:08] Speaker B: But all of these things gave me perspective and it let me know that as I mentioned, if I could work on that unit, I could work anywhere. So that was a self fulfilling prophecy. And I'm okay with that. But it really gave me that core foundation of, okay, if my skills can work in one place, I know that they can work in another. I just have to be able to be confident in myself and knowing what I do know, but also knowing what I don't know.
[00:20:38] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:20:39] Speaker B: Because in some of those places, there were some really complex patients that I had no idea anything about their disease process. And that's not because I couldn't figure it out. It was just because I didn't work with that patient population a lot of the time. So I really had to lean on those nurses that were part of that core from those units to support me. And I could support them just as much however they let me. And building those relationships was huge because those were the people that were going to help guide me into my next era of nursing. Now, I only did that for about six months because after about six months I was like, okay, I need something a little bit more stable now. Yeah, I need to figure out what my next steps are going to be. And the best piece of advice that I received during that time period was don't get stuck. Especially because I was a baby nurse. I didn't have two years under my belt at that time. And there were nurses that worked in that unit for their entire careers. And now they didn't necessarily have a place to go because that unit wasn't opening back up as general surgery anymore.
[00:21:53] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:21:54] Speaker B: So they felt like they were stuck in some ways. So they told me, don't get stuck. Go do whatever it is that you want to go do in nursing and go be great. At it, because if you can make it through this, you're going to be fine.
[00:22:08] Speaker A: That's awesome.
[00:22:09] Speaker B: And that perspective that they gave me, I think really catapulted me into my next steps, because, as I mentioned earlier, I wanted to be a neonatologist. Obviously, I was a nurse, so I couldn't be a neonatologist necessarily unless I went to medical school, which just wasn't going to happen. But I could work in the NICU if they gave me the chance. So in that time frame, I applied to the NICU so many times, to women's services so many times. Every time that I would see a position come up, you better believe I hit apply to the point where the hiring person called me and she said, girl, I've seen your name come across my screen so many times. Talk to me. What's going on? Like, what is happening right now? So I told her what I just told you. I'm trying to. I'm trying to find my next step into nursing.
[00:23:07] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:23:08] Speaker B: I need somewhere to go, and this is what I've always wanted to do, so how can you help me get there? And she said, okay, heard, please know that it wasn't you. It was the fact that we were filling these positions just as quickly as we were posting them. So we gonna give you a shot. She said, I'm gonna set you up and do a little interview with the nicu. Because that manager was trying to grow people. And even if I didn't have experience, which, you know, typically to go into those places and spaces, you need to have the experience. She said, they'll teach you. They'll teach you what you need to know. You'll be just fine. Go ahead and get that interview. And if she likes you, will get you hired on. And I said, thank you.
[00:23:52] Speaker A: Come on.
[00:23:54] Speaker B: Thank you so much for even just giving me the opportunity to give me the call in the first place. Because she could have just been like, right again.
[00:24:03] Speaker A: I love it. Because one thing that you did, you were persistent, for one. And in your. In. In that, you got yourself out of the people, pal. So out of all those. In all those interviews or those submissions, you know, eventually you're like, hey, Rebecca. Rebecca. Every time. Rebecca. So you got yourself out of the people, pal. And you were to the point where she knew your name, like, I gotta give this girl a call.
[00:24:28] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:24:29] Speaker A: Awesome.
[00:24:29] Speaker B: And you go, the worst thing that could happen is that she said no.
[00:24:33] Speaker A: Right, Right.
[00:24:35] Speaker B: That didn't mean I wasn't gonna stop applying, like, just because it's a no. Right? Now doesn't mean that it's a no for her.
[00:24:41] Speaker A: Mom, come on.
[00:24:42] Speaker B: So listen. Delay, not denied.
[00:24:43] Speaker A: Awesome. Amen. Look, I was just thinking that. Delayed, not denied.
[00:24:49] Speaker B: My whole entire journey.
[00:24:50] Speaker A: Yes. Faith. What? They say, faith without works is dead. You put in the work.
[00:24:55] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:24:56] Speaker A: And because of that, you got the phone call.
[00:24:58] Speaker B: And unfortunately, this is not where the story ends.
[00:25:01] Speaker A: Okay, tell us about it.
[00:25:02] Speaker B: So I got into the neonatal icu. I loved working with the babies. That is my favorite patient population. And there is have my heart, no matter what, that will always be my favorite patient population to take care of. Because honestly, there is something just so fulfilling for me to be in that space and to make that difference. What I didn't love, however, was working in that unit. And it wasn't because I didn't have support for. It wasn't because I didn't have opportunities to learn. It was just because when I did some digging and really thinking about what I wanted my nursing career to look like, it didn't look like that. And what I mean by that is I went into the neonatal ICU thinking that I could be a NICU nurse practitioner, and that that was going to be the next step in my career. But working in that space, it gave me a real understanding as to what that job is. And all power to them. They are amazing. They are wonderful. But that was not the life for me.
[00:26:13] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:26:14] Speaker B: So I had to really think about and figure out what was that life going to look like for me? What were those next steps going to look like for me?
[00:26:26] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:26:26] Speaker B: And at that point, I honestly, I had no idea. I. I really didn't know. And that's where I started looking at those master's programs. That's where I started to try and figure out, okay, what can that next step be? What could that next thing be? And education was always what it was going to be for me because no matter where I went, I always wanted to make it easier to work there for myself and for others.
And that's. It takes a special kind of person to do that. And really, everybody that's in these type of roles, that's who they are at their core in nursing. Which is why I love me some educators.
[00:27:06] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:27:06] Speaker B: Because they do. We really do the work. And it starts with us trying to make it easier for us, which then makes it easier for other people. So I really had to think about, okay, how can I make this happen for myself? And I couldn't make it happen. Continuing to work in the nicu, again, not because of anything from that specific space, but just because of what I knew that I needed to be able to take those next steps. So that's how I found my way into outpatient oncology, which has been my home for the last four years.
And it really was because someone in that space believed in me and said, we're going to give you a chance. And this is where that next piece of advice came in that I have never forgotten. And it was, I can teach a nurse any skill, but I can't teach them how to care.
[00:27:59] Speaker A: That's true.
[00:28:00] Speaker B: And that's wisdom.
[00:28:02] Speaker A: Yes. Ooh, yeah, that's wisdom.
[00:28:06] Speaker B: That's how I knew that in that next move that I was gonna make that I was gonna be okay. Because I had a leader that saw the work that I had put in and saw how I am as a person and said, I can teach her what she needs to know. It's going to be all right. So that's how I made my way into outpatient oncology. And that's where the next challenge began. Because even though I went back to GI oncology, which was, of course, my roots with general surgery, all of my doctors left after a year. So I had to figure out what that next step was going to be.
Wow.
And that's how I fell into education, because there was a position open on another campus with a team that I had worked adjacently with. And I went over there and I said, hey, can I Like, I know I don't have that much oncology experience.
[00:28:56] Speaker A: Come on.
[00:28:57] Speaker B: But I do have experience educating people, and not just in nursing, because I had started my program at that time, but I had experience from being a part of my sorority, because the roles that I did in my organization were generally education based. It was me putting on programs for college students. It was me hosting events. It was me creating educational flyers to share.
So I brought my little iPad and I said, this is what I've done.
[00:29:32] Speaker A: Ready?
[00:29:33] Speaker B: And they said. They said, girl, we didn't even know you could do that. And I said, because you didn't have to at that time, but now, now it's relevant. Now we're gonna pull it out. And that's also when I had started doing social media, so I had started making educational things for nurses so I could also show them that. And they were like, her, you got it.
[00:29:53] Speaker A: Bring her on. We need her.
[00:29:57] Speaker B: And in that work, and continuing to build on the things that I knew were my strengths and working on the things that I knew were my weaknesses is how I was able to eventually get another Promotion in a short amount of time before I even finished my master's program into nursing professional development.
[00:30:14] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:30:15] Speaker B: So that's why I always say that nursing really chose me, because I never in a million years. If you would have told 2019 Rebecca that she was going to have her master's in nursing, that she was going to be a nursing professional development specialist, that she was going to be doing things on social media, podcasting, like.
[00:30:33] Speaker A: Come on.
[00:30:33] Speaker B: Doing this type of work, doing civic health, like, doing the things that I do in my sorority, in my organization.
I wouldn't have believed it, not even by a little bit.
[00:30:44] Speaker A: Come on.
[00:30:45] Speaker B: But to know that it has come this far and to know that I have been able to do as much as I can and build up my community in the midst of it all is something I can never give back. It's. It's something that I'm so grateful for every single day. And what I strive to continue to do every single day is to make the people around me proud and to support them however I can, because I have been poured into so much that it's only right for me to turn around and do the same.
[00:31:12] Speaker A: You're so inspiring. Oh, you have just blessed me. I'm in love. Rebecca, you are so awesome. You are so awesome. And I love how everything has just come around full circle for you, like your whole journey and just being just who you are. It just went before you. Your character went before you in all spaces. Like you said, even before you even got your masters, you got promoted. That is just so awesome.
[00:31:39] Speaker B: That's why it's so important for all of us to really try and help out that future version of ourselves in everything that we do. Because you never know what opportunity can open up because of one little thing that you said or that you did, however many years ago or however many moments ago. You don't know what life you're impacting by having a conversation. Because like I said, the worst that they can do is say no if you're asking them for something.
[00:32:05] Speaker A: Like, yeah, yeah. So just imagine if you would have gave up because of what you were facing coming through undergraduate. And I promise, anyone listening know that we've all faced that moment or multiple moments to where it's like the ceiling just falls in, and it's like, God, I can't take one more thing, and I'm so close to graduation. Why now? Why did this have to happen now? So you have to learn how to kind of move and mourn at the same time, because you're going to be losing some things, you may be losing some friends, some significant others. Yeah. Come on. And so you have to learn how to move and mourn at the same time. Same time. But you got to keep moving. You got to keep moving because that loss is. Is only temporary. That's in a. You can't give up something that's going to have a long term. Don't give up long term goals off of temporary events. So like you said, you got to keep building for the future. You.
[00:33:02] Speaker B: I love it. Moving and mourning. I'mma keep that one.
[00:33:05] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:33:05] Speaker B: I'mma keep that one.
[00:33:06] Speaker A: Moving and mourn at the same time. That's a good one. Yes, yes. And I look, of course, you know me with my. I'll take every. I try to take everybody to church. I got that from actually from Pastor T.D. jake, if I have to give credit, because he was learning how he was going through a time where he was building a church and losing his mom at the same time.
So can you imagine being between working towards something big and losing someone very significant? So I was like, oh, that. But that's life.
Yeah, that's life. You can't tell life when you're going to have a flat tie, when you're going to lose your only means of transportation facing, do I pay for school or do I pay for rent? But I'm so close. So, you know, just the stories I've heard, it's just so inspiring. So inspiring. Okay.
[00:33:58] Speaker B: It's really always about how you pivot.
[00:34:00] Speaker A: Yep. And being willing to.
[00:34:03] Speaker B: That's the.
[00:34:03] Speaker A: Being willing to. Yep. And knowing when to.
Knowing when to pivot. So if you had to give your younger self one piece of advice as a new nurse, what would it be?
[00:34:17] Speaker B: Don't stop. Don't get stuck. And. And when I say don't get stuck, it's really about that stagnation that we can find ourselves sometimes in nursing of you start the work, you pass the nclex, you finish school, you start that job. Right. And then that's what you feel like nursing is. Because a lot of times when you come out of nursing school, you feel like working those three tools and doing that night shift and then maybe switching over to day shift. I was always a night shift. Earlier I was switching the day shift was tough for me.
[00:34:48] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:34:48] Speaker B: But you think that that's it, Right. And for some people it is. And I love that for them. If that's what you want to do is work those three little twelves, clock out, not have to worry about anything else, and you have A very fulfilling life outside of that. I absolutely love that for you, that was simply not the case. For me, I knew that there had to be more to nursing. I knew that there had to be more to what I wanted my life to look like. And I knew that I wanted to have more of an impact.
So the advice that I would give to my younger self is don't get stuck. Don't stop. Keep fostering all of those skills that you're fostering. Keep doing. Doing the things that you're doing, even if they feel like they are going nowhere in that moment. Because sometimes they do. Sometimes.
[00:35:35] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:35:35] Speaker B: You have that vision of what that future is going to look like, but the vision that you have doesn't match your reality yet.
[00:35:43] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:35:43] Speaker B: But the hope one is that it's yet. Yeah, it will. Because if you continue to do the things and do that work every single day, that reality is eventually going to shift.
[00:35:54] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:35:54] Speaker B: And even if you notice it or not, you gonna look back and be like, I'm in a whole different place than I thought I was gonna be.
[00:36:01] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:36:01] Speaker B: And I love that. For me.
[00:36:02] Speaker A: Yes. I love that as well. And that's so good that you said that. And when you talking about just looking at the vision and making it to whatever your goal is, for one, I always tell people, enjoy the journey, but it's those small steps that makes the impact. Like, there's no big leap and you're just there. No, it's the small, consistent steps in the right direction that creates that impact. And so just stay focused on the small things being consistent in the small things that. That are not easy. So start embracing those challenges as what they are steps. They're just lines to cross until you get to the next line or the next hurdle, if you want to use a better analogy. Just keep crossing. Keep jumping those hurdles. As you can tell, I didn't do track, but keep jumping those hurdles. Okay. And eventually you'll get to where you'll look back and you'll see how far you have come in spite of just trying to see, am I there yet? Am I there yet? Just see how far you have come. That's awesome. Now getting into patient perspective, because I can talk to you all day, Rebecca. All day. What barriers have you faced in promoting diversity and inclusion within the healthcare system? And how have you overcome it? I feel like you can get along in any space. You're kind of like me. Like, I. I'm just. I'm here, I'm. I'm positive. Flowers flowing from me. Right. If you could actually see them. But how do you move about in the healthcare space?
[00:37:37] Speaker B: A lot of times in all of these places and spaces that I've worked, I have been the only Latina nurse. I've been the only nurse that speaks Spanish. And I grew up speaking Spanish. That is my first language. I grew up speaking very academic Spanish because that's something that I'm very grateful for and blessed is that my family, despite the situation in Venezuela, is very highly educated. And they made sure that education was the one thing that nobody can take away from me. And they wanted to make sure that that was in every aspect in both languages.
So for me, treating patients in their native language, in my native language is honestly such a blessing, because being able to explain to them how the health care system works in the United States, but also understanding that our perception of what health care looks like in our countries is very different than the space that we work in now. Especially thinking of, like, outpatient, like health care in general. In our countries, you're used to seeing the doctor. Like, that's who I'm here to see. I'm here to see the physician.
[00:38:49] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:38:49] Speaker B: Or the specialist. But in the United States, a lot of the times, if you're doing well, you're seeing a nurse practitioner, you're seeing a physician assistant. But in the Latino community, especially if you are an immigrant or have experience in other country's healthcare systems, that to them looks like a, well, why am I seeing this person? And that's not to, like, degrade the work that they do. It's just that's not what we're used to. Right, right. So me being able to explain to them, like, no, actually, like, if you're seeing this person, it's because you are doing well enough that the provider trusts them to manage your care. They are working in collaboration as a team for your career. If something is wrong, you're going to see the physician, I promise. But if you're not seeing them, consider it a blessing. And telling that to my patients and seeing that perspective shift for them has been huge. And it is so encouraging for me because navigating health care is so difficult in the United States, and navigating it as your second language adds a whole nother layer. Right. And a lot of the times these folks are not well versed. They are not fully understanding insurance because that's a whole separate conversation.
[00:40:10] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:40:11] Speaker B: Not understanding how healthcare really works in the United States or even how their disease process works in English, but being able to bring that back and provide them that perspective. As someone that actually understands it is life changing. And a lot of times with those patients, especially because I am on the younger side, I only just turned 30 this year too.
So like, dirty, dirty. Yeah, I'm a baby nurse and I'm a baby in general. But the perception that people see of me looking the way that I look, I'm very clearly Latina. And a lot of perspectives for people, they don't expect me to be able to speak Spanish because a lot of folks my age didn't grow up with Spanish being in the forefront in the same way because of having to assimilate to the American system. So being able to surprise my patients too and be like, hey, how are you doing? How you feeling? And they look at me like, oh my God, she's young, she knows the language, she can speak well, she can explain it to me. I'm going to keep her in my pocket. Yeah, that's really how it goes. And then also being able to surprise the providers and the other health care workers because of course, you know, we do want to use the translation services and all of those things as best we can. But while that is best practice, sometimes that's not the best practice for that particular patient. So being able to support both sides in that way has honestly been huge. And it's something that I tell people, if you know another language, keep it like, do what you need to do to be able to not just, just conversationally be in that language, but also be proficient and professional in that language. Because it will open up doors for you that you didn't even know that you had. And it also allowed me to be able to be a part of Hispanic and Latino based nursing organizations that have had such a huge impact. Because seeing that representation, yes, huge. So being able to go to Washington D.C. this past February and be around Hispanic Latinx nurses from across the nation, going on Capitol Hill and advocating for our community and advocating for nursing as a whole, I was like inspired.
I had never, I never imagined being able to do something like that. And there I was doing it and making that impact and it was so filling for me because a lot of those folks are professionals. They have masters, they have PhDs. I met my first Latina MPD specialist because of that organization. And I was like, girl, I'm gonna be like just like you. I'm gonna be just like you. I'm gonna get that degree, I'm gonna get that certification. I'm gonna get these other certifications too, because I know that somebody that looks like me can do It. So, yes, I'm gonna be that for other people, which is why you did it. MPD specialist.
[00:43:10] Speaker A: Come on. And you board certified. Come on. We gotta talk about that. We gotta talk about that. I'm so proud of you. I'm just so proud of you. You're like a little sister. You just rocking it, Rebecca. You are rocking it. And with going to Capitol Hill, you did a podcast episode with Nurse Converse that they can go check out, hosted by you, Rebecca Leon, how nurses are shaping healthcare policy from Capitol Hill. And so I definitely invite my listeners to go check that out. Yes. Because I think that's awesome. That's awesome. I tell you know, if you. If people follow me on TikTok, they know I have these kids. And so my husband probably like, where you think you going, let alone going to Washington, D.C. he's gonna be like, who you gonna take with you, Luke or Lyric? I'm just being honest.
[00:43:57] Speaker B: Thing though, while you can make that impact in a place like Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. you can also take it back to our communities.
And that's where a lot of that work has to happen is in our community.
[00:44:09] Speaker A: Back in the community.
[00:44:11] Speaker B: Yeah, in the little Capitol Hill area of your specific city. Because we do that here. My sorority, my alumni chapter does mujeres at the Capitol here in Atlanta, which is where I live.
Huge shout out to them because they partner with local organizations to do it, or even just educating people on boating. And being an active participant in our democracy is huge.
Which is why I love the fact that I've been able to become a civic health fellow for VOER this year, too. So hopefully I'll have a podcast episode coming soon about that experience and platforming that organization, because I feel like I've learned so much about how our democracy works and the impact that nurses can really make. Because at the end of the day, at least in my opinion, nursing is inherently political. We're affected every single day by these things. Our patients are affected every single day by the decisions that are being made by folks that are not healthcare professionals at all. So we have to be that voice. We have to tell those stories. Because if we don't, then somebody else is going to tell that story for us and it's not going to be an accurate one.
[00:45:23] Speaker A: Exactly. Now you're preaching over there on your end. Yes.
[00:45:28] Speaker B: It's like you gave me the opportunity to. Girl, say it.
[00:45:33] Speaker A: Say it. Thank you so much for sharing your insights, your perspective, and just jumping into educational insights. But before we even get there, one thing I want to say, because I always tell people this in the hospital setting. It does not matter how loud you get when you're speaking to someone who does not speak English, they do not know what you're saying. Stop yelling at patients.
[00:45:56] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:45:57] Speaker A: And getting frustrated.
Use the language line. Communicate with them as if they were your loved one, your family member, and go from there. And so two things that I want, I always say that I want to learn is Spanish, which I did take medical Spanish and I took some Spanish courses and I have this Spanish podcast that gives me. It says slow Spanish and slow Spanish news. And so it's just a matter of utilizing it. But I really need a Hispanic friend or somebody to have conversations with because I feel like that's what's going to make it stick. But I do want to learn. I do want to become more fluent in Spanish and learn sign language. I think those are the two things that I would love to do because that would just be awesome when I'm talking to someone who signs because of their hearing loss. And of course, Spanish is just one of the next most common languages that we have here in the US So thank you for sharing your insights on that.
[00:46:56] Speaker B: And quick plug really quick to IV Spanish on Instagram because they are able to post a lot of really good information and tips on verbiage in Spanish for medical professionals. So big shout out to them. That's Ivy Spanish.
[00:47:12] Speaker A: Ivy Spanish. Okay, awesome. Thank you. I'm gonna look at it. I'm gonna go follow them and I'll also put them in our our description below in the podcast. So before we wrap up, educational insights. As a nurse staff development specialist, how do you approach training and mentoring for new nurses?
[00:47:31] Speaker B: For me, it's reminding them that they know more than they think they know and to not forget what they already know. Right. There is a lot to learn in nursing. I learn something new in nursing quite literally every single day. So especially in oncology, that changes every five minutes. In my opinion, it is so important to not, as an older, quote unquote nurse, put yourself on a higher level than someone that's coming in as a new grad. And the reason why I say that is because there are so many transferable skills that nurses bring to the table that they don't even realize that they bring. Yes, communication is a huge one. Education in nursing is like, in my opinion, 90% of what we do. Right? Yeah, we educate patients, we educate each other, we do some skills and some things all in between that.
But even when you're doing those skills, you have to explain what you're doing to your patient, to your preceptor. So you have to be able to have that confidence. And if I, as the educator, as that development specialist, don't empower my new nurses to believe in their own voice, to believe in the skills that they're already coming in with, to know that this is just their starting point and that their journey in nursing really started in nursing school on their very first day when they first started to learn all of those things. And while they're still a new grad, they're not new to this. Entirely new. Giving them that perspective is so important because it's not even just new grads. It's every time you transition into a new specialty, that transition to practice is hard for people, especially because right now we are living in a health care space that does not have the expertise that it did prior to.
[00:49:26] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:49:26] Speaker B: You lost a lot of those really wise nurses during COVID because they left the profession or they retired. You lost those mid level nurses that are millennials who got so burnt out that said, I can't do this anymore. So we've lost that experience everywhere. So if we don't build up our younger generation, if we don't build up everybody that comes into a new specialty and give them the tools that they need to succeed, and if we don't have the tools that they need, we can tell them that we can make it up with them.
[00:50:00] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:50:01] Speaker B: Because sometimes that's what we gotta do.
[00:50:04] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:50:05] Speaker B: Then.
[00:50:05] Speaker A: Correct.
[00:50:06] Speaker B: That's just what we gotta do.
[00:50:07] Speaker A: Yep. How do we help them? How do we help them be successful? Because the whole goal is that patient that's coming to our door, coming through our doors for care. Honestly, like at the end of the day, the patient is going to suffer because of our lack of intentionality, our lack of providing the tools that our nurses need. Regardless, like you said, if you are. If you took me and put me in labor and delivery. I'm a novice nurse. I am. I no longer know anything.
Well, I'm telling you, it's not that.
[00:50:42] Speaker B: You don't know anything because you do know where to put an IV in.
[00:50:46] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:50:46] Speaker B: You do know how to administer medications. You might not know those medications necessarily, but you know how to do it. You know what signs to look out for. True. When something is going south and you know that you have that nurse gut that will tell you something's happening, something's wrong. I might not know exactly what it is. Yeah. But something is not right here.
[00:51:07] Speaker A: That's true.
[00:51:08] Speaker B: That's the whole point is that we do know those things.
[00:51:11] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:51:12] Speaker B: And we don't just lose everything every single time we transition. Because trust me, I've transitioned into a lot of different types of roles, and that is the one thing that I know I can hold on to.
So everybody else needs to know that as well and be confident in that. And again, knowing that you don't know everything, because you're never gonna know everything in nursing, Even someone that's been a nurse for 30 plus years. Nursing 30 years ago is very different than nursing today.
[00:51:41] Speaker A: Very different. Very. The assistive devices, the advancements in technology.
I can remember coming through nursing school and there was the central line and peripheral IVs. When I got out of nursing school, there was a pig line. And I said, what's this? What's this? And even now, if you look at patients that have to transition with home with, like, home antibiotic therapy, I'm telling you, some of the things I'm like, I've never seen this before.
And the patient know. Knows more than me because I've never seen this. And the patient was obviously a family member. Right. But I'm like, I've actually never seen this, but I know that it's important to clean that lumen on that PICC line before you connect it. It's just amazing how healthcare changes. Yes. But like you said, we know something, and we have to be confident in what we do know in the foundation that we started building from the day we started nursing school. So thank you for sharing that. Now, as we wrap up this episode, what are ways that nurses can get involved in personal development and networking? Because like you said, don't get stuck. Don't get stuck.
[00:52:52] Speaker B: Really, it starts with figuring out what you're interested in and what you're passionate about.
So really, it's about what. What really sparks that joy for you in nursing and figuring out how that thing that sparks joy for you will take you into that next space of your career. Do you love the fact that you can talk to different patients every single day? Do you love the fact that you can get to know people, join that organization? That is in part of professionalism, because that way you'll get to know people across the nation and get to know things that are happening in the ways that they're taking care of their patients? Do you love the value improvement of it all? Do you love making it easier for yourself to work and your coworkers to work in the places and spaces that you do?
Girl, write about it. Write that abstract submit It. Submit it to the professional organization.
Get your work out there. Because if it worked for you in the place that you work, it will more than likely work somewhere else. They might have to tweak it. They might have to modify it. Like I credit for it. Because you did it. That innovation.
You put it forth. Do you love educating other people? Do you love supporting the work that nurses do every single day? Or that new grads are doing? Or even nursing students because they're aspiring nurses, in my opinion. I don't like calling people nursing students because they're just aspiring nurses.
[00:54:27] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:54:28] Speaker B: But go volunteer. Go be a preceptor at a nursing school. Develop yourself in nursing in the ways that make you want to come back to work every single day. And maybe where you work isn't the place that you're going to flourish. That's okay. You will find that place and that space. But unless you put yourself out there to do that, you're not going to find it. Right. How do we get these people that are the leaders of these professional organizations if it weren't because they started being a part of the chapter?
[00:55:02] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:55:02] Speaker B: Right. Like you work your way up to that place, into that space. And again, maybe you're a nurse that just doesn't want to do that. Maybe you just want to work your three shifts every single day, and that's okay. You can still develop yourself professionally in these other organizations in the community that support the things that you're passionate about.
[00:55:20] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:55:21] Speaker B: But as long as you're doing something, that's what matters.
[00:55:24] Speaker A: That's powerful. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for sharing, Rebecca.
I feel so enlightened and I hope that this is blessing my listeners because I'm feeling blessed from just hearing you. And I spit. I even feel inspired. Yes. I love it. Rebecca, tell me, how can my listeners connect with you?
[00:55:45] Speaker B: So I am at Infermera Mami RN on all major platforms. So that's Enfermera, which is nurse in Spanish, Mommy. Just because that's been a theme in my life, even though I am not a mommy yet. And rn, because of course, I am a registered nurse, and that is across all platforms. I also have pretty much every single major platform that you could think of. TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, all of the things. And I am also transitioning into my own podcast space. Essentially. We're not there quite just yet, but we are working towards that. So I also have a not just surviving mommy RN hat that you all can follow me at. And in part it's because I want to be able to share that message of as a nurse, you don't just have to survive, right? You can thrive. But if you've never seen that, then you're not going to know about it and you're not going to know how to apply that for yourself. So that's how y' all can follow me. And of course, take a look at all the things that I do with nurse converse and nurse.org because I keep them in my pocket and I love working with them. I have a lot of really amazing things coming in the next few months, in the next few years. So if this is your first time hearing me or seeing me, watch out. We got some more coming.
[00:57:02] Speaker A: This won't be the last time. That's what I'm hearing you say. Go ahead and connect because it's only up from here and you're doing such an amazing job in your space, pouring into others. And I'm just here for for it. I'm loving it. Thank you so much for getting on the AH1 nurse. Yes. Wow, what a powerful conversation with Rebecca Leon, also known as Informetta Mommy. I had to practice that. But from her journey as a bilingual nurse educator to her passion to empower new nurses through mentorship and storytelling, Rebecca reminds us that growth is possible even in uncertain seasons. And her insights on professional development, networking, and staying focused and rooted in purpose were nothing short of inspiring. If this episode resonated with you or spoke to you, there's so much more coming your way. The All One Nurse Podcast is expanding with other new voices, deeper mentorship and resources designed to meet you where you are.
Whether you're navigating clinicals, questioning your calling, or simply trying to find your rhythm, this space is for you. So go ahead and click subscribe from wherever you're tuning in from. Leave a positive five star review because again, as the podcast grows, this allows me to reach more listeners just like yourself. And for all things All One Nurse, be sure to go to our link tree, which is down in the descriptions below, and there you'll find everything from podcast episodes to mentorship signups, devotionals and giveaways. Which I must say that my giveaways are usually on social media, but I'm going to start forwarding those links the link tree for my podcast community. We're also upgrading the website to better serve you and make room for a growing team that shares this vision of faith, advocacy and empowerment. And before I end this episode, I want to give a huge shout out to Ms. Victory and her team at Ignite VA for helping me bring this vision to life. And I just want to say thank you for your grace, your patience, and your unwavering support through every revision and pivot that's about to take place. Now, may the Lord bless you, keep you, shine his face upon every listener that tunes into this episode. And until next time, bye.
SA.
