Becoming an RN in the height of a pandemic

The contrast of an accelerated new RN orientation versus a self-paced FNP program

Welcome to Nurse Ascent, a twice-weekly newsletter created by nurses for nurses. This week, one nurse shares how her new grad RN journey was rushed and chaotic as it began with the short staffing of the pandemic. But she made sure her masters program to FNP was at her own pace on her own terms. We also talk about a woman in labor who was taken to Zoom court, temporary blocks to abortion drugs, and a suspected Hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship on the Atlantic Ocean.

But first....

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Nurse Spotlight: Kalani Perez MSN, RN, FNP-S

What I do for work

I’m a night shift nurse on a urologic and orthopedic specialized surgical acute floor. I rotate through roles as a bedside nurse, preceptor, and charge nurse. I’m also currently finishing my FNP program from which I will graduate this July. When I started nursing, I always knew I wanted to be an NP and have slowly been completing the 3.5 year program over the past 5 years to make sure I don’t burn out while continuing to work full-time, be a mom, and go to school.

How I got here

I worked as a student nurse extern in 2020 as the pandemic was beginning and soon after transferred to a RN new grad program that was accelerated due to short staffing from the pandemic. My orientation was cut short and a little chaotic, but I’m still at the same hospital floor today. I love the staff and leadership here and over time have slowly grown with the floor, becoming a charge nurse and a preceptor. I started my masters in 2021 and have been able to stay at work full-time while gradually making my way through the FNP program. I let go of attachments to a certain graduation take and instead took many breaks as needed to avoid burning out. It has worked out well because I wanted to be more of an expert RN before becoming a novice NP.

Headlines in Healthcare

Nursing Licenses at Increasing Risk

Nurses nationwide face increasing risks to their professional licenses due to factors that extend beyond traditional clinical performance, nurse.org reports. Incidents such as social media posts on platforms like TikTok, documentation practices, and even the use of certain legal substances are drawing heightened scrutiny from licensing boards. These developments underscore the expanding scope of regulatory oversight affecting nursing licensure, potentially influencing workforce stability and individual career trajectories. Nurses are advised to remain vigilant about their online presence and adherence to documentation standards, as well as to stay informed about evolving licensure requirements to mitigate risks that could impact their ability to practice.

US Court Blocks Mail-Order Abortion Drugs

On Friday, a US appeals court temporarily blocked a federal rule allowing the abortion drug mifepristone to be dispensed through the mail. This method of abortion drug prescription has provided access to those in states where abortion has been banned entirely. Reuters reports that while this decision is temporary and not the final final word on the issue, it is currently the most sweeping threat to abortion access since the Supreme Court rolled back abortion rights in 2022.

3 Dead of Suspected Hantavirus on Cruise Ship

Six people have been infected, three have died and one person was in intensive care in South Africa, after a outbreak of suspected Hantavirus on a cruise ship sailing the Atlantic Ocean this week. The WHO has released a statement that one case of the infection was confirmed in a laboratory to be Hantavirus, a rare family of viruses carried by rodents. The New York Times reports that early symptoms are often mistaken for the flu, but as the illness progresses, it can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which has no cure and kills more than one-third of victims.

More on Kalani

A day in my life

Working full-time, going to school full-time and being a mom is a busy life with my hands full. But thankfully my husband works from home and has taken a huge step back from what he’s doing so he can help at home to support what I want to do with my career in becoming an FNP. This helps me prioritize my home time with him and my daughter while he takes care of our home while I’m gone so I don’t have to on my days off. On Sundays, Mondays, Tuesday, I work night shift at the hospital. Wednesdays I have class for my FNP. Friday I work at an out-patient family practice clinic where I see a percentage of the patients and work on their care plans as a provider. Thursdays and Saturdays are my days off.

What I do for fun and to relax

Both my husband and I have big families with lots of kids, so days off are often filled with lots of family events like birthday parties, baby showers, and weddings. Something I hold sacred to myself is reading in my free time. My Kindle goes everywhere with me and I refuse to go to bed without reading for at least 30 minutes. Despite my full and busy schedule, I’ve already read 11 books this year for fun.

Share your story & be entered to win

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An image of author Katie Scoggins is pictured.

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

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