The Rejections That Redirected Her Career

After multiple PA school rejections, a friend's suggestion led Chloe Carter to nursing and eventually a PACU career she hadn't originally planned for.

Welcome to Nurse Ascent, a twice-weekly newsletter created by nurses for nurses. This week, PACU nurse Chloe Carter shares how PA school rejections unexpectedly redirected her toward nursing. We also cover a $150 increase to the NCLEX registration fee, the challenges hospitals are encountering as they bring ambient AI into nursing workflows, and increased federal scrutiny of Medicare Advantage coding practices. Plus, explore nursing jobs tailored to your location.

But first....

AI Training Jobs

A few weeks ago, we asked whether you’d be interested in paid opportunities using your healthcare expertise to help train AI models. Many of you said yes, so we’re experimenting with sharing more opportunities like this alongside our curated nursing jobs.

A company is currently looking for healthcare and clinical experts to evaluate AI-generated work. The below roles can be completed on your own schedule and pays $55 to $110 per hour.

Let us know if you apply, and reply to this email if you’d like to see more opportunities like this in Nurse Ascent.

Featured Jobs

🩺

RN - PACU, University of Rochester Medical Center

Rochester, NY

Apply Now →

☤

Registered Nurse - PACU, Luke Staffing

Agana Heights, GU

Apply Now →

♡

Registered Nurse - Perianesthesia - PACU, University of Vermont Health - UVM Medical Center

Burlington, VT

Apply Now →

Explore more jobs

Search hundreds of nursing roles on CollabWORK.

Browse all nursing opportunities →

Nurse Spotlight: Chloe Carter RN, BSN, CPAN

From our spotlight archives: After multiple PA school rejections, a friend's suggestion sent Chloe Carter down a career path she hadn't considered, eventually leading her to the PACU. Read the full spotlight →

Headlines in Healthcare

NCLEX registration fee rising to $350

Future nurses will face a significant financial hurdle as the National Council of State Boards of Nursing increases the NCLEX registration fee from $200 to $350, effective February 1. The organization states this adjustment accounts for 25 years of inflation, rising exam operational costs, and enhanced cybersecurity measures. This change marks the first price increase for the licensure examination since 2000.

Ambient AI adoption poses workflow challenges

FMOL Health reports that implementing ambient listening technology for nurses requires significant adjustments due to differences between nursing flowsheets and physician note-based workflows. According to Becker's Hospital Review, CIO Will Landry emphasized the need for careful deployment to ensure the tools effectively support complex nursing tasks. This transition highlights the technical hurdles institutions face when adapting AI solutions specifically for inpatient nursing units.

DOJ intensifies Medicare Advantage upcoding enforcement

The Department of Justice is increasing scrutiny of Medicare Advantage coding practices, recently securing $1.1 billion in settlements across two cases, according to Becker's Hospital Review. These enforcement actions target improper diagnosis codes that inflate payments, potentially impacting how healthcare systems manage billing and compliance. Increased federal oversight highlights the critical importance of accurate documentation to ensure institutional integrity.

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.

CollabWORK is a community-powered hiring platform

CollabWORK connects job-seekers to roles shared in trusted spaces—like nurse-led Facebook groups, Slack channels, and industry newsletters. Create your account or log in to discover other roles in nursing, healthcare, and beyond.