From ICU RN to Author of Nurse Novel

How one nurse took a sabbatical from the ICU and it turned into her first novel

Welcome to Nurse Ascent, a twice-weekly newsletter created by nurses for nurses. This week, one nurse shares her journey from working in the ICU, to volunteering abroad, and coming back to school nursing just as the pandemic was beginning. All of this lead to the creation of her first novel with a nurse as the main character. We also discuss a new Ebola outbreak in central Africa, an update on the Hantavirus outbreak from a cruise ship that left Argentina, as well as NYC newest free grocery store.

But first...

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Nurse Spotlight: Mariah Friend RN, BSN

What I do for work

I’m currently building a full-time author career, but previously I started out as a critical care float pool nurse before moving to the ICU full-time for about three years. I’ll be honest, I really struggled with burnout and the intensity of that environment. I took a year-long sabbatical to travel that ended up inspiring my debut novel, The Pattern Shop about a young nurse navigating loss and searching for home. I later went back to nursing during the pandemic to be a school nurse before our son was born and I decided to stay home with him and take my writing more seriously.

How I got here

It’s been a winding path, for sure! The best advice I have is to trust your gut, even if it goes against “conventional” advice. It was scary for me to leave nursing, not knowing if or when I’d ever return. Ultimately I needed time to figure out how to integrate my training and experiences in healthcare in a way that made sense for me, and it’s an ongoing journey! Writing a novel with a nurse as the main character and reconnecting with other nurses still in the field who are struggling with burnout has been healing and made me realize how much we’re all carrying. It’s a lot to navigate on our own, but together I really believe we can create change.

Headlines in Healthcare

WHO declares Ebola outbreak in central Africa an emergency

The WHO has declared the Ebola outbreak in central Africa a public health emergency of international concern after more than 300 suspected cases and 88 suspected deaths were reported across Congo and Uganda. Officials say the risk of a global pandemic remains very low, but warn the outbreak poses a serious regional threat.

Nursing student loan fight escalates in Congress and courts

A bipartisan bill and a 24-state lawsuit are pushing back against a new federal rule that would limit graduate nursing students to lower federal loan caps than medical, dental, and pharmacy students. The rule, set to take effect July 1, could significantly impact nurses pursuing advanced degrees, as lawmakers and nursing organizations argue it may worsen the nursing shortage nationwide.

No confirmed U.S. cases tied to hantavirus cruise outbreak

More than 40 Americans are being monitored after traveling on a cruise ship linked to a hantavirus outbreak, though no U.S. cases have been confirmed. The outbreak has resulted in nine confirmed infections and multiple deaths after the ship departed in early April.

More on Mariah

A day in my life

I’m very grateful to now have the autonomy over my schedule to have a lot of flexibility. We usually wake up as a family around 7am, get out little one off to preschool by 8am, and then I have time to journal, get ready for my day, and start writing by 9:30 or so. Sometimes I’ll go on a morning walk, or have coffee with a friend. I’m mainly focusing on writing my second novel, Odessa, a historical fiction about two women a century apart facing unimaginable upheaval and the same choice: stay, or leave? I also write a weekly newsletter, Heartbeats where I share what it looks like to carve out a creative life in the thick of motherhood and a life full of constant interruptions.

One of my latest letters actually highlighted the gap in women’s healthcare that I personally experienced while working in the ICU. 80% of healthcare workers are women, and 80% of women will have a fibroid in their adult life (including me), but the cause is still unknown. 80% of autoimmune diseases also affect women. Seeing those statistics side-by-side made me realize we need to do more to care for the very people providing care to so many others.

What I do for fun & to relax

I spend a lot of time puttering around outside in my garden! It’s honestly so therapeutic and I love going outside every day to see what’s growing. This year I planted a lot of wildflowers, as well as a perennial pollinator garden I started last year. I can’t wait for the hummingbirds and butterflies to start visiting!

Share your story & be entered to win

As part of our effort to spotlight nurses, we’d love to feature you in an upcoming issue of Nurse Ascent! Share your story by filling out our quick interview form, and you’ll be entered into a raffle to win a $50 gift card.

An image of author Katie Scoggins is pictured.

Meet the author:
Katie Scoggins
(RN, BSN & Health Writer)

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