Hidden amongst some of my other body art lies this little tattoo…. One that I often forget I even have! But today it caught my attention in the mirror. The heart image was the international symbol of nursing at the time, and the date was the day of my graduation from Nursing School.

I joke that I came out of the womb wanting to be a nurse. There has never been another career for me; I’m a fixer, a helper, and an empath, sometimes even to a flaw.

In what other job can you experience all of life’s emotions of happiness, grief, joy, sadness, anger, love, and frustration….. all within a 12 (let’s be real, 13) hour shift? My experiences during my years as a bedside nurse brought out the best and the worst in me, and I wouldn’t trade that time for anything!

This year has been different. It’s been a year and a half since my sudden departure from the Hospital, and 6 months since I started this business. In many ways, I haven’t felt like a Nurse, mostly because I’ve had to learn how to be a CEO, a marketing manager, tax and legal expert, and social media influencer, all while stepping into a new role as a Nurse Practitioner.

But today it feels different. It’s Nurse’s week, and I want to take a minute to celebrate my nursing friends and family who are still out there everyday, fighting the good fight against a system that repeatedly sets them up for failure. I see you, I was you, and I am proud of you!!!

And you know what, I proud of myself. I made a terrifying and hard decision, and I’m finally starting to see the good that I’m putting out into the world again…… and it feels amazing!!!

HAPPY NURSES WEEK to all the beautiful souls I’ve met over the last 15 years! What a ride!!

#spiritednp #integrativemedicine #nurse #nursepractitioner #nursesweek2023