Education is not something that ends after school. It is an ongoing practice, and those who are enthusiastic about continual learning always strive to be the best version of themselves. One of those voracious, lifelong learners is today's guest, Kimberly Bagley, a critical nurse practitioner who holds a Ph.D. in Nursing from the Duke University School of Nursing. She is passionate about critical care medicine, oncology, and end-of-life and palliative care and works at Duke Raleigh Hospital. In this episode, Kimberly shares her fascinating journey to becoming a nurse practitioner. Nursing was not her top career choice, and we hear how working as a massage therapist inspired her to leap into becoming a nurse. We then talk about her role as a critical care nurse practitioner, where she offers advice for those looking to go down the same path. It is a position that requires attention to detail and critical thinking skills. Kimberly touches on the importance of moving forward by pursuing opportunities to further your education and why you should not shy away from your weaknesses but rather lean into them. Our illuminating conversation also covers the benefits of challenging situations, Kimberly's time in the military, and the role nurses should play in shaping health policy. 2020 and 2021 have been designated The Year of the Nurse, and with the passion and drive of practitioners like Kimberly, it is easy to see why!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Why Kimberly would choose the superpower of healing.
• Kimberly’s life story and her winding path to getting into nursing.
• How Kimberly’s different careers and skill sets complement her nursing work.
• What Kimberly’s role as a critical nurse practitioner entails and what her days look like.
• The importance of communication in interdisciplinary teams.
• Kimberly's interest in palliative care and why she believes everyone should think about advanced care planning.
• What those who are considering critical care nursing should consider.
• Nurses are professionals and deserve respect because they are always there for patients.
• The biggest challenges Kimberly faces in her role and how she deals with them.
• Kimberly’s approach to continual education and why she advocates for seeking opportunities.
• How nurses whose workplaces don’t have further education opportunities can learn more.
• The factors, other than education, that contributed to Kimberly getting to where she is.
• Advice on how to communicate with management; try to make their jobs easier.
• What the Foundations of Nursing Practice Award means to Kimberly.
• Kimberly’s experience of enlisting and why her time in the reserves was life-changing.
• Recent experiences with patients that have been very meaningful to Kimberly.
• Even though nursing is tough, it is incredibly rewarding in so many ways.
• The two best pieces of advice that Kimberly has been given.
• Hear the best compliment that Kimberly received during her career.
• Why Kimberly believes that nurses need to play a greater role in shaping health policy.
• Some of Kimberly’s self-care practices and how they help her.
• What an ideal future of nursing looks like for Kimberly.
• Final words of advice from Kimberly: find out what you are passionate about and explore it.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

LinkedIn

Duke Raleigh Hospital

Duke University School of Nursing

American Nurses Association

P.E.O. International