Life After Nursing School

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What if the things you're avoiding because they're hard are actually the things that could change your life?

Nursing school is hard. The NCLEX is hard. Your first year as a nurse? REALLY hard.

But here's what I've learned: Confidence isn't something you need before doing hard things. Sometimes, confidence is what you earn by doing them.

In this solo episode of Life After Nursing School, we're exploring the science behind doing hard things and how challenging ourselves can build confidence, resilience, and a growth mindset.

I'm also sharing personal stories from running marathons, building LuminaRN, and almost turning down a speaking opportunity I'd literally put on my vision board. 😂

✨ In This Episode:

• Building confidence: How self-efficacy helps us believe in our abilities.
• Developing resilience: Why manageable challenges can help us cope with stress.
• Embracing a growth mindset: How stepping outside your comfort zone expands what's possible.
• Overcoming self-doubt: How to recognize when fear is holding you back.
• Achieving big goals: Why focusing on the next step matters more than the finish line.
• Betting on yourself: Learning to say YES to opportunities that scare you.

Whether you're navigating nursing school, starting your nursing career, or pursuing a dream that feels out of reach, this episode is your reminder that you're capable of more than you think.

🎧 Hit play and remember: You CAN do hard things!

Connect with Nurse Coach Caroline 

Instagram: instagram.com/nursecoachcaroline 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursecoachcaroline 

Website: www.nursecoachcaroline.com

LuminaRN: https://www.joinluminarn.com/

⭐️ Join LuminaRN Waitlist here

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Sometimes your nursing career doesn't go according to plan and sometimes the path you never planned for becomes the one you're meant to explore.

In this episode of Life After Nursing School, Caroline sits down with Nurse Mel VanSistine, registered nurse, content creator, and founder of the award-winning Mel's Crafty Corner, for a candid conversation about nursing, mental health, workplace bullying, physical injury, entrepreneurship, and learning how to move forward when life changes your plans.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Mel's journey from CNA to registered nurse
• Failing the NCLEX and finding the courage to take it again
• Finding her place in pediatric bedside nursing
• Mental health and the realities nurses don't always talk about
• Workplace bullying and the lasting impact it can have
• The physical injury that forced Mel away from the bedside
• Grieving a nursing career you weren't ready to leave
• How creativity became an unexpected outlet
• Turning that outlet into Mel's Crafty Corner
• Building a business and social media community as a nurse
• Finding new ways to use your nursing experience outside of traditional bedside roles
• Asking for help when you need it
• Resilience, reinvention, and trusting that your career can change without your story being over

Whether you're a nursing student, new graduate nurse, bedside nurse, or a nurse currently wondering what's next, this episode is a reminder that your nursing career doesn't have to follow a straight line to be meaningful.

Connect with Nurse Coach Caroline 

Instagram: instagram.com/nursecoachcaroline 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursecoachcaroline 

Website: www.nursecoachcaroline.com

LuminaRN: https://www.joinluminarn.com/

Connect with Today’s Guest: Melanie VanSistine BSN, RN

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mels.crafty.corner/ 

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mels.crafty.corner?lang=en 

Website: https://shopmelscraftycorner.com/pages/links-hub 

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What really happens behind the scenes of travel nursing and what do travel nurses need to know before signing their next contract?

In this episode of Life After Nursing School, Caroline sits down with Lindsey Lawson, RN, longtime travel nurse, former travel nurse recruiter, author, and content creator, for an unfiltered conversation about the travel nursing industry.

Lindsey’s nursing career has been anything but traditional. She started as an LPN, worked in corrections, urgent care, emergency nursing and more before taking her first travel nursing assignment in January 2020, just weeks before COVID changed healthcare forever. 

After working pandemic crisis contracts, including one paying more than $10,000 per week, Lindsey eventually stepped behind the scenes and became a travel nurse recruiter herself. 

Now, she’s using what she learned on both sides of the industry to help travel nurses make smarter, more informed career decisions.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Lindsey’s unconventional journey from LPN → RN → travel nurse → recruiter
• What travel nursing was really like during COVID
• The reality behind pandemic travel nurse pay
• What travel nurse recruiters and agencies are like behind the scenes
• How to communicate and negotiate with your recruiter
• Travel nurse contracts/work orders and red flags to watch for
• Why nurses shouldn’t be afraid to advocate for better pay or terms 
• Lindsey’s experience writing about nursing during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Why finding the right recruiter can matter just as much as choosing an agency.
• Building a nursing career that gives you room to evolve
• And the reminder every new nurse needs to hear: being a nurse is what you do—it doesn’t have to be who you are. 

Whether you’re considering your first travel nursing assignment, already working as a travel nurse, or simply curious about what happens on the recruiter side of the industry, this episode gives you a candid look at travel nursing from someone who has lived it from both sides.

Connect with Nurse Coach Caroline 

Instagram: instagram.com/nursecoachcaroline 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursecoachcaroline 

Website: www.nursecoachcaroline.com

LuminaRN: https://www.joinluminarn.com/

Connect with Today’s Guest: Lindsey Lawson, RN

Instagram: @lindsey_leisures

Tiktok: @lindsey_leisures

Email: [email protected]

Website: lindseysleisures.net

⭐️ Join LuminaRN Waitlist here

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What if the biggest changes in your nursing career don't come from working harder... but from making a few really intentional decisions?

After 14 years in nursing, I've worked at the bedside, in leadership, recruiting, education, career coaching, and entrepreneurship. Looking back, there are certain lessons that completely changed the trajectory of my career.

I'm calling them my 10 cardinal rules for quantum leaping your professional life.

And no, I'm not telling you to write your dream job on a piece of paper and put it under your pillow. 😂

A “quantum leap” can look sudden from the outside, but most of the time, there are years of learning, networking, failing, experimenting, and planting seeds behind it. 

In this episode, we're talking about how to become more intentional about those seeds.

In this episode:

• Why you should talk about money with your coworkers and advocate for your pay
• The surprising power of maintaining old professional relationships
• Why you should never burn a bridge in healthcare
• How confidence and the way you show up professionally can create opportunities
• Why getting to know all of your coworkers matters—not just your work besties
• How boundaries can actually help you grow your career without burning out
• Why being the newbie is something you should take advantage of
• How to recognize when you've outgrown a nursing job
• Why you should pay attention when someone specifically chooses you for an opportunity
• The most important rule of all: don't lose yourself while chasing success

I also share one of the most pivotal moments of my own career: being offered a hospital nurse recruiter position I didn't want, and why saying yes ultimately changed the entire trajectory of my professional life.

Because your dream nursing career doesn't have to look traditional.

Maybe your quantum leap is becoming a CRNA. Maybe it's leaving bedside nursing. Starting a business. Becoming an educator. Making more money while working less. Or simply finding a nursing job that allows you to have a life you actually enjoy outside of work.

You don't have to build your career around what you think you're supposed to do. You can build it around the life you actually want.

Connect with Nurse Coach Caroline 

Instagram: instagram.com/nursecoachcaroline 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursecoachcaroline 

Website: www.nursecoachcaroline.com

LuminaRN: https://www.joinluminarn.com/

⭐️ Join LuminaRN Waitlist here

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What does it actually take to protect your nursing license and could the way you document put you at risk?

In this episode of Life After Nursing School, Caroline sits down with Legal Nurse Allen (Bianca Allen), RN, a legal nurse consultant, expert witness, nursing educator, and registered nurse with 16 years of experience.

Bianca takes us behind the scenes of the legal side of nursing and shares what she has learned from reviewing medical records, working alongside attorneys, serving as an expert witness, and even being deposed about her own nursing documentation.

We’re breaking down practical ways nurses can protect themselves, their practice, and their nursing license, without becoming afraid to do their jobs.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What a legal nurse consultant actually does and how it differs from being an expert witness
• How Bianca transitioned from bedside nursing into legal nurse consulting
• The biggest nursing documentation mistakes she sees when reviewing medical records
• Why vague or absent charting can become a major problem
• What nurses should document when notifying a provider
• When direct patient quotes belong in the medical record
• Why “will continue to monitor” may not be as helpful as you think
• Whether nurses should consider carrying their own malpractice insurance
• Protecting yourself from malpractice claims and Board of Nursing complaints
• Career opportunities for nurses beyond traditional bedside roles

Whether you’re a nursing student, new grad nurse, or experienced RN, this episode is packed with practical insight to help you document more intentionally, protect your nursing license, and practice with greater confidence.

Connect with Nurse Coach Caroline 

Instagram: instagram.com/nursecoachcaroline 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursecoachcaroline 

Website: www.nursecoachcaroline.com

LuminaRN: https://www.joinluminarn.com/ 

Connect w Today’s Guest: Bianca Allen MS, BSN, NEA-BC, CV-BC, MEDSURG-BC

Instagram: @Legalnurseallen

Tiktok: @legalnurseallen

Linkedin: Legal Nurse Bianca Allen

Website: https://linktr.ee/legalnurseallen.com 

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What if your nursing career could fit your life instead of your entire life revolving around work?

In this episode of Life After Nursing School, Caroline sits down with Reva Lewis, a NICU nurse with over 15 years of experience, longtime travel nurse, content creator, and self-proclaimed PRN Princess.

Reva shares how an unexpected path into nursing eventually led her to the NICU, travel nursing, and a career built around flexibility, freedom, and experiencing life outside of work.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Getting started in travel nursing
• The pros and cons of PRN nursing
• Creating more flexibility in your nursing career
• The realities of travel nurse contracts, recruiters, housing, and financial preparation
• Building additional income through content creation
• Dating, travel, and choosing a life outside the traditional timeline
• Why your nursing career doesn't have to look like everyone else's

Whether you're considering travel nursing, per diem nursing, or simply looking for more freedom in your nursing career, Reva's story is a refreshing reminder that there is no one "right" path after nursing school.

Sometimes the best career is the one that allows you to build a life you actually love.

Connect with Nurse Coach Caroline 

Instagram: instagram.com/nursecoachcaroline 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursecoachcaroline 

Website: www.nursecoachcaroline.com

Connect with Today’s Guest: Reva Lewis

Instagram: @revamoments

Tiktok: @revamoments

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What happens when a simple idea becomes a nationally recognized nursing brand—and then somehow finds its way back to you after you sell it?

In this episode of Life After Nursing School, Caroline sits down with Cat Golden, nurse turned entrepreneur and founder of Nurses Inspire Nurses and 6th Ave Group.

Cat shares how Nurses Inspire Nurses started with a few T-shirts and a desire to create genuine community for nurses, then grew into a successful business she eventually sold in 2024. She also opens up about burnout, reinvention, building 6th Ave Group, and the unexpected opportunity to reclaim Nurses Inspire Nurses and lead its next chapter.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Going from nurse to entrepreneur
• Building and selling a nurse-owned business
• Burnout, career pivots, and starting over
• Authentic marketing and relationship-building
• Why Cat believes in “Human First. Nurse Second.”

If you've ever wondered what's possible beyond a traditional nursing career, Cat's story is proof that your nursing degree can be the starting point for something much bigger.

Connect with Nurse Coach Caroline 

Instagram: instagram.com/nursecoachcaroline 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursecoachcaroline 

Website: www.nursecoachcaroline.com

Connect with Today’s Guest: Cat Golden

Instagram: @catlgolden @nursesinspirenurses @6thavegroup

Nurses Inspire Nurses: www.nursesinspirenurses.com 

*20% off at NursesInspireNurses.com with code CAROLINEPOD*

6th Ave Group:  www.6thavegroup.com

⭐️ Join LuminaRN Waitlist here

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Are nursing unions really just about higher pay… or is there much more to the story?

In this episode of Life After Nursing School, Caroline sits down with Nurse Erica - registered nurse, advocate, activist, independent reporter, and host of the Nurses Uncorked Podcast - to separate fact from fiction when it comes to nursing unions, safe staffing, and nurse advocacy.

With more than 20 years of nursing experience and a platform reaching over 1.3 million nurses, Nurse Erica explains how unions work, why nurses choose to unionize, and the biggest myths surrounding union hospitals. She also shares why advocating for nurses ultimately means advocating for safer patient care.

Together, they discuss the current Brigham and Women's Hospital nursing strike, what happens before nurses vote to strike, and how strikes are planned with patient safety in mind. They also explore workplace culture, nurse leadership, burnout, and why every nurse (union or non-union) has a voice.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What nursing unions actually do
• Common myths about unions
• Why safe staffing matters for nurses and patients
• What nursing strikes are really about
• How nurses can advocate for themselves and their profession
• Career advice for nursing students and new graduates

Whether you're a nursing student, new graduate, or experienced nurse, this episode will help you better understand one of the most important conversations happening in healthcare today.

Connect with Nurse Coach Caroline 

Instagram: instagram.com/nursecoachcaroline 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursecoachcaroline 

Website: www.nursecoachcaroline.com

Connect with Today's Guest: Nurse Erica

Instagram: @The.Nurse.Erica

Tiktok: @The.Nurse.Erica

Facebook: @TheNurseErica

Youtube: @TheNurseErica

Website: www.nurseerica.com

⭐️ Join LuminaRN Waitlist here

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Have you ever had a patient who just didn't seem right, even though their vital signs looked normal? That feeling is often called nursing intuition, and in this episode of Life After Nursing School, Caroline sits down with emergency nurse, educator, speaker, and author Jennifer Johnson to explore what it really is.

Drawing from more than 18 years of emergency nursing experience and insights from her book Nursing Intuition, Jennifer explains how intuition develops, how it differs from clinical judgment, and why it's an essential part of safe, evidence-based nursing practice.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What nursing intuition really is
• How to build confidence and trust your clinical instincts
• The difference between intuition and critical thinking
• Why experienced nurses recognize subtle patient changes
• How new graduate nurses can strengthen intuition over time
• The role of intuition in improving patient safety and outcomes

Whether you're a nursing student, new graduate, or experienced nurse, this conversation will help you better understand the powerful connection between clinical knowledge, experience, and the intuition that helps nurses provide exceptional patient care.

Connect with Nurse Coach Caroline 

Instagram: instagram.com/nursecoachcaroline 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursecoachcaroline 

Website: www.nursecoachcaroline.com

Connect with todays guest, Jennifer Johnson

Instagram: @ernurse.jenn

Tiktok: @ernurse.jenn

LinkedIn: Jennifer Johnson BScN RN

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Have you ever wondered what it's really like to work as a NICU nurse or whether new graduate nurses can start their careers in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit?

In this episode of Life After Nursing School, Caroline sits down with Lisa Houston, MSN, RNC-NIC, C-ELBW, a neonatal nurse, nurse educator, and Business Development Manager at the Vermont Oxford Network (VON). With more than 20 years of NICU experience, Lisa shares how one unexpected opportunity changed the course of her nursing career and why she still loves caring for the tiniest patients.

Together, they discuss what it's really like to work in the NICU, the skills and qualities that help nurses succeed in neonatal nursing, and practical advice for nursing students and new graduates interested in this highly specialized field.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Can new graduate nurses work in the NICU?
• What it's really like to be a NICU nurse
• How to stand out when applying for neonatal nursing positions
• The importance of mentorship and lifelong learning
• Common misconceptions about NICU nursing
• Why one conversation can completely change your nursing career

Whether you're exploring nursing specialties, preparing for your first nursing job, or dreaming of becoming a neonatal nurse, this episode is full of practical advice, encouragement, and career insights you won't want to miss.

🎧 Be sure to subscribe for weekly conversations designed to help you confidently navigate life after nursing school.

Connect with Nurse Coach Caroline 

Instagram: instagram.com/nursecoachcaroline 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursecoachcaroline 

Website: www.nursecoachcaroline.com

Connect with Our Guest: Lisa Houston 

Instagram: @nicueducator.lisa

Tiktok: @nicueducator.lisa

Website: www.niculearningnest.com 

⭐️ Join LuminaRN Waitlist here