ELEVATE!

EDITOR'S NOTE

It’s About Setting Goals, Growing, And Improving

HATS OFF TO ALL OF US for making it through another year of caring, advocacy, achievements, AMA forms, cooter canoes, and bullshit Nurses’ Week!

As we enter 2024, think ELEVATE! Let it remind us to continue to keep our heads high, strengthen our skills, and improve our profession.

When we’re out there having each other’s backs and giving a voice to those who need it, it’s not just another day in scrubs. We’re changing lives in amazing ways. And that goes for you, too, ED nurses! Even when you’re on a never-ending hold waiting to give report to ICU.

Think about how every action you take shows your commitment to being the best version of yourself. And when shit hits the fan, make it a DSP (day shift problem)!

In this issue, give it up for our incredible CNAs and patient care techs — aka healthcare rockstars. They’re the backbone of patient care, and it’s time we recognize and celebrate the awesome contributions of these unsung heroes.

Ever thought about being a nurse in the clouds? Our Unique Nursing Roles section joins a flight nurse for an adrenaline-filled look at keeping patients safe in the skies.

Get ready to meet our Nurse of the Quarter — a NICU nurse with a huge heart. When a teen mom with triplets needed support, she opened her home and heart without hesitation. Her selfless love is a testament to the lengths nurses go to for their patients.

Can we agree that pharmacology is a f*cking beast? Nursing students, this one’s for you! Get tips and tricks (and two super cool visual aids) to help you ace pharmacology. Ok, maybe not ace, but you’ll definitely “C” your way through.

In our Off the Clock escape, meet a nurse with a creative side hustle. By day, she’s saving lives; by night, she’s crafting the cutest badge holders using medication vial caps.

Speaking of adventures, hear from NurseCon at Sea educators. Find out what they have to say about the Ultimate Nursing Conference that takes place every year. It’s an amazing journey of learning, networking, and, of course, lots of fun! BTW, start planning for the next epic cruise to Mexico in April 2024.

And for all the curious minds, Ask Nurse Blake is back, serving up wisdom, laughter, and everything in between.

You’ll also get the inside scoop on how my 14th Hour Wine came to be, with a tale of passion and nurse-powered inspiration. Cheers to that!

On a serious note, we talk about the other elephant in the room. Nurse abuse and assaults are issues we can’t ignore. Read about the challenges nurses face, the support we need, and how we can collectively work towards a safer work environment.

You better believe Nurse Becky cleared her schedule for this one. And this time, she’s not gossiping — she’s flipping pages! Get the scoop on her fave books and the ones that got the side eye.

Set goals, grow, and improve! As you read this issue, think about how every action you take shows your commitment to being the best version of yourself. And when shit hits the fan, make it a DSP (day shift problem)!

With love and laughter,

Blake Lynch, Editor + Founder