It’s certainly a tough question. When a family member looks at you, and asks how long you’ve been nursing, it’s quite easy to take it personally. In this episode I share some insight to how I’ve responded to this question, and provide some tools that I’ve used.

In my final semester of uni, a significant emphasis was on reflection. One example, was of a positive mentor/role model from placement, and what they did to make you feel that way/take away. In this episode, I share my own personal experience from one of my favourite mentors; and link it back to my experiences so far in ICU.

*I’ve recently remade this episode* Over the last 8 months, I’ve rarely ventured outside the ICU. In this episode, I share an experience of transporting my patient from ICU to the Operating Theatre.

Very rarely do I get to venture outside of the ICU. In today’s episode, I share an experience I had, whereby I was responsible for a portable ventilator to and from OT. It’s can experience I’ll remember for quite a while. If you ver get to experience another setting, I’d highly recommend it!

It’s been 8 months since I started my graduate program in ICU. In this short episode, I share an analogy of what it’s been like, relaying it back to something we may all understand, regardless of background or experience. I have a tonne of content coming your way in the near future. Hope you enjoy 😊

There are a lot of pieces of equipment we use in the ICU to collect, what is often, second-by-second information/data. In this episode, I provide an insight to each of these; as well as share a story I has the other day, of a sick patient, who did not have all of the machinery/data I have been reliant on over the past 8 months. It is a true example of why it is important to hone your assessment skills and use your clinical judgement.

I personally believe the ability to thrive during your graduate year is all about perspective. In this episode, I unpack why I believe resubmitting my transition assignment was one of the best learning opportunities; and how I believe it will help going into the future.

I can’t remember a day, over the entirety of the past 7-months, where I haven’t learned, or performed something new during a shift. With the variety of patients I see, mixed with the different points I’ve cared for them during their stay, there are constant learning opportunities. In this episode, I specifically detail what I’ve leaned, and experienced, over the past week of shifts.

The acuity of patients I’ve been caring for in the ICU is very high, and as a result, unfortunately, despite the highest quality of care provided, some patients die. In this episode, I talk about my experiences of death in the ICU, and explain how I feel, and how I handle the situation.

The transition from uni, to now starting as an ICU nurse, consists of a lot more than simply that of student to nurse. I’ve had to develop routines for my exercise, diet, and sleep, in the context of shift work. In this episode, I share what has worked for me, and provide some insight of how I came to develop these practices.