Real Nurses. Real Stories.
#appreciateyournurse
Slava C. RN, BSN @_murse_muscle_
Mental Health in Whittier, CA
That first experience saving someone's life was life-changing for me.
Q: What made you want to become a nurse?
A: Up until about 10th grade, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. My mom was a psychiatric technician in mental health. She used to come home with plenty of interesting stories and I was intrigued. Since then I was like 'This is what I want to do'. My mom definitely had a huge influence on me becoming a nurse and I'm truly passionate about it now.
Q: What experience in your career has had the biggest impact on you?
A: It was in about the first two years of being a nurse and we were taking patients to the dining room which was separate from the unit, but a few stayed back. One patient locked himself in the restroom stall and cut into his artery, so he started to bleed out- very scary. I was the first responder. I had to climb over the stall and get him ready to be sent out for emergency care. He came back later and was thankfully ok. That first experience saving someone's life was definitely life-changing for me.
Q: What is the best piece of nursing advice you've ever received?
A: Enjoy the process. Learn every step of the way. You're going to have good times and bad times. Tomorrow is a new day so it's ok to make mistakes- we're all human. Learn from them and keep moving.
Q: What is the most important goal you hope to accomplish as a nurse?
A: My ultimate goal would be to get my nurse practitioner specializing in mental health and continue working alongside psychiatrists and other nurse practitioners. School, here I come!
Q: What's one item you can't live without at work every day?
A: Aside from my pen of course, I'd have to say my Cherokee scrubs. They're comfortable, durable and have a space to hold all of my accessories at work.
Q: What scrubs are you wearing right now and how do they feel?
A: Right now I'm wearing Infinity by Cherokee scrubs and they're the most comfortable scrubs ever. This is what my wardrobe pretty much consists of- I wear them on a daily basis.