Hey, everyone! Sorry for the lack of posts in the past 2 weeks! I just started my second year of grad school! I’m working towards a masters, and I can’t wait to be done. I will be applying to med school in June (2019)! But in the meantime, I will be studying for my MCAT and getting my MS in physiology.
Anyways, I have an awesome interview from an all-around amazing person, Katy! I had the opportunity to participate in her #exploringmywhy campaign, which you should check out! Katy has brought people together through her campaign who share one thing in common: a passion for medicine. She will discuss her nursing journey and how she started out!
Tell me a bit about yourself. What is your professional background? Where did you go to school? What year are you? Where are you from?
My name is Katy! I am originally from Southern California and am 25 years old. I graduated in 2015 from Stanford University with a Bachelor’s in Human Biology and am now in school in Northern California to become a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. I did a Master’s Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) so I did a 12-month accelerated RN program (passed NCLEX August 2017-yay!) and then went directly into the MSN (Master’s in Science of Nursing) portion of the program. I will graduate with my MSN in June of 2019. I currently work as a pediatric psychiatric/mental health nurse in a pediatric crisis stabilization unit, a per diem job I started in March so that I can gain nursing experience while in school and I love being a nurse! Prior to starting MEPN, I worked as a Medical Assistant for a spine surgeon while applying to grad school. While in college, I had various jobs including working as an assistant teacher, research assistant, administrative assistant, and resident assistant.
Favorite movie or TV show?
My current favorite movie is “To all the boys I’ve loved before” on Netflix! (Isn’t it the cutest thing ever?! I love that movie!) I just watched it after my college besties HIGHLY recommended it and I will definitely be re-watching it soon.
Do you have a pet?
I have two cats – Ellen and Obi! I love their personalities and snuggling them is a huge stress reliever for me. I am for sure a cat lady but I love dogs too!
Ellen and Obi
Why medicine?
Medicine and healthcare in general have always fascinated me! I love discovering how our bodies work and how environmental and social factors can affect them. For wanting to become a PNP in particular, my motivation stems from my experiences as a child exposed to trauma and physical illness and wanting to become a healthcare provider that was able to holistically care for under-resourced pediatric populations. I actually started an #exploringmywhy campaign back in July on my Instagram where I talked about what a PNP is and why I wanted to become one and then began featuring a bunch of wonderful folks (including the beautiful Taylor!) and their “WHY” for pursuing healthcare.
What is a typical day like for you as a pediatric psych RN?
As a RN, a typical day consists of checking in with the office upstairs (confidential organization) and completing clearances and consults with them, getting report from the previous shift’s nurse and then doing med counts, meeting the kiddos on the unit, reviewing any paperwork, and then it depends on the kiddos we have on unit! Tasks include vitals, medication administration and teaching, participating in therapeutic activities with the kiddos, phone screens, medical clearances for kids being admitted, and helping with collecting collateral (calling psychiatrists, therapists, counselors, other adults who work with the kiddo in order to gather more information to assist with our assessment and treatment plan).
What part of this job do you personally find most satisfying/exciting? Most challenging?
The most satisfying part of my job is connecting with my patients during a very stressful and vulnerable time in their life and appreciating how dang resilient they are. The most challenging is ensuring that I am communicating in a therapeutic manner with our kiddos in crisis.
What is the most memorable moments you have seen as a peds psych RN? What was the worst moment? What was the best?
A memorable moment that I’ve had was completing a safety plan with a little guy who was experiencing some debilitating anxiety; his ability to think about the things that triggered him and his potential coping mechanisms at such a young age fascinated me and I felt grateful that he trusted me enough to share in that process. One of the worst moments I had was sitting with a client after he had been told by our team he was going to be transferred to an inpatient psychiatric unit because of his suicidality; he was really upset about this decision and it was hard for me to find the words to comfort him and reinforce that this decision was best for his health.
How did you choose your specialty?
I chose 1) pediatrics because I love kiddos and have always known I wanted to work with them. I feel awkward with adults lol. I chose 2) psych because it is a field that has always fascinated me; I took so many psych classes in college, I’m particularly interested in trauma-informed care and how adverse childhood experiences influence the lifespan, and it was a flexible job for while I’m still in school!
What is a PNP and why did you choose to go back to school for this career over your current position as a RN?
A PNP is a pediatric nurse practitioner-an advanced practice nurse that is able to diagnose, treat, and prescribe for pediatric patients. I actually went into my direct-entry program and got my RN job after I had finished the RN portion of my program and was in the MSN portion. I knew starting in the middle of college that I wanted to be a PNP and for a number of reasons, determined that this type of program would work best for me and what I wanted out of my career.
What steps (extracurriculars, experience, etc.) do you recommend taking to attend nursing school? What should students do to get your position/speciality?
I recommend pursuing your passions and exploring different healthcare fields! I did a lot of shadowing and both worked and volunteered in ways that allowed me to give back while determining where I fit best in the world of healthcare. While grades and prerequisites are definitely important, I think it is equally important to allow your passion for the profession to shine through!
What are your tips for the NCLEX?
Make a study plan, use UWorld and NCLEX Mastery App, and don’t psych yourself out!
Any studying tips for nursing students?
Use a planner, determine how you learn best (and where! Home/café/library/etc.?) and stick with it, use study groups only if they’re helpful, take breaks and get enough sleep!
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I see myself working as a PNP! Still working on the specifics though 😉
What is your favorite quote or proverb?
“If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.” — Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Finally, do you have any special words of warning or encouragement for prospective and current nursing students?
YOU GOT THIS! It will feel like a lot sometimes (okay most of the time), but please continue to take care of yourself, spend time with loves ones, and reach out for help when you need it.
Thanks for the interview, Katy! Wishing you the best of luck on your journey to becoming nurse practitioner! Your patients will be lucky to have you! If you want to read more motivational posts like this, check out my other interviews! And remember, as Katy said,
Thanks for visiting my blog! Be sure to check out my other posts. More to come soon! Until then be kind and remember tomorrow depends on what you do today. Hope you enjoyed reading! — Taylor ❤