From Writer to RN to Coach for Nurse Writers
How this nurse leveled up her writing career with her nursing credentials
Welcome to Nurse Ascent, a twice-weekly newsletter created by nurses for nurses. This week, one nurse shares her story of burning out from patient care before becoming a health writer and coach to other freelance writers. We also talk about the killing of an ICU nurse at Minneapolis protests, restoring $2 billion in funding for mental health, and a new study on the decrease in cancer deaths but a rise of colon cancer.
But first, who else references their nursing thesaurus?
Featured Jobs
|
|
☤
LPN- SF Center- FT Days, Good Samaritan
Sioux Falls SD
Apply Now →
|
|
♡
CNA - Sunset - FT Straight Weekends, Good Samaritan
Baldwin,ND
Apply Now →
|
💉
RN – Shift Flexibility, Good Samaritan
Baldwin,ND
Apply Now →
|
|
|
|
🩸
Nursing Assistant, Certified, Long Term Care (LTC) (Straight Nights), Good Samaritan
Adams, ND
Apply Now →
|
Looking for a new nursing job?
Hit reply and tell us what you’re looking for, and we’ll send you personalized opportunities just for you.
​​You can also browse additional jobs on CollabWORK.​​
Nurse Spotlight: Elizabeth Hanes, RN
What I do for work
I am a freelance health writer who also coaches other nurses how to become freelance writers through my company RN2Writer. My goal is to build health writing as a bonafide nursing specialty.
How I got here
I am a second career nurse. Before nursing, I worked a lot in administration, usually with some sort of marketing component involved. After I became a nurse, I burned out fairly quickly due to bullying, the general demands of the role, and lack of respect from management for me and my fellow nurses. Earlier in life, I had pursued freelance writing but never was able to figure it out. When I decided I needed to transition away from bedside nursing, I began to pursue freelance writing again, this time with my RN credential, hoping it would mean something in the world of health writing - and it did! I jokingly say that getting a nursing degree was the best thing I ever did for my writing career because even to this day, editors and content marketers are unaware there are clinicians who are professional writers. Our clinical experience brings many benefits to the table of health writing.
Headlines in Healthcare
Federal Agents Kill Minneapolis ICU Nurse, Prompting Calls for State Accountability
Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, was shot and killed by federal agents during protests in Minneapolis this weekend. Video reviewed after the shooting shows Pretti was unarmed, holding his phone, and attempting to shield a woman from pepper spray when he was tackled and killed. His death has sparked nationwide vigils and renewed calls from Democratic governors and state officials to hold federal officers accountable.
$2 billion in funding for mental health programs restored
Last week, t​he Trump administration restored $2 billion in grant money for mental health and addiction programs​ nationwide after previously cutting off the funding without warning. A day prior to the restoration, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration had sent notification that it would terminating these grants for roughly 2,000 organizations. According to NPR News, lawmakers decided to pushback these cuts after providers warned of the dangers to cuts like these.
Overall cancer deaths down, except for colon cancer
A new study shared by JAMA noted that the top cause of cancer death for men and women combined is colon cancer. Between 1990 and 2023, ​rates of colon cancers increased a little over 1% each year while rates of other cancer deaths for Americans under 50-years-old, has decreased by 6% per year​. ABC News shared insights from oncologists of the American Cancer Society that stated this overall decrease in deaths might be due to better therapies, increased screening, vaccinations, and decrease in tobacco use.
More on Beth
A day in my life
On my work days, I might be writing or revising a piece, prospecting for a new client, checking in with the RN2Writer community and answering people’s questions. I also handle the customer service emails, helping members get into their account and properly access their resources. I write fiction on the side and work on it nearly every day. It’s been such a lovely balance of creative work for clients, my own creative work, plus also administrative work for my own business. I love that I have control over which parts of my company I get to work on each day. It feels pretty remarkable to me that I’m still not working more than 30 hours per week although I technically run 3 businesses.
What I do for fun
I am all about the fun! To enjoy my off-work life, I exercise regularly and go outside to walk as much as I can because it’s great for the creative process. I love to cook, do my own healthy food prep, and occasionally make cosmopolitans, my favorite cocktail. I love watching professional sports, listening to music (especially standard jazz and pre-1960 jazz), as well as thrifting and frugal living.
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.
Meet the author:
​Katie Scoggins
(RN, BSN & Health Writer)
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.
Find us online, on social + listen to our media appearances
CollabWORK
300 E 57th St 33rd Floor
New York, NY 10022
​
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​
​