Nursing Podcast by NURSING.com (NRSNG) (NCLEX® Prep for Nurses and Nursing Students)

Today I'm bringing back one of the most popular episodes from the podcast - how to pass your nursing school exams. Nursing school exams are unlike anything you've ever seen before and learning how to master these tricky tests takes skill.

Today I'm bringing back one of the most downloaded episodes from the podcast - 28 supplies you must have to succeed in nursing school. There is so much to do, and remember, and take care of in nursing school, that spending any time dealing with finding the best this or that can leave you completely exhausted. So here's the replay.

Episode Replay: Why I Quit Nursing School Jon shares his personal story of leaving nursing school - the toxic culture, institutional failures, and the moment he realized the system was broken. If you're struggling in your program and questioning whether it's you or the environment, this episode validates what you already know: sometimes the problem isn't the student. Originally one of our most downloaded episodes, this replay is a reminder that speaking up about what's broken in nursing education is the first step toward change. Resources: NURSING.com/podcast

Get your free personalized NCLEX study plan at: NCLEXgenie.com Your advisor looks at you and says it: "Have you considered that maybe nursing isn't for you?" Or the variation: "Not everyone is cut out for this profession." They say it like they're being kind. Like they're doing you a favor. They're not. In this fired-up episode, Jon Haws exposes the most weaponized phrase in nursing education—and teaches you exactly how to fight back. You'll learn: → What "not cut out for nursing" ACTUALLY means (spoiler: it's not about you) → Who gets told this (hint: students who ask questions, need accommodations, or don't fit the mold) → Why this phrase is designed to make you quit before they have to document failure → How to respond in the moment without burning bridges → The exact questions to ask that expose their bias → Why documenting everything protects you later → How to find allies who will actually help you succeed

Visit NCLEXgenie.com to create a personalized NCLEX study plan in just 30 seconds: NCLEXgenie.com If you're processing your first patient death right now, or if you're scared about when it's going to happen, we've got resources at NURSING.com that can help. We've got articles on grief processing for nurses, videos on coping with loss, and a community of nursing students who've been exactly where you are. Head to NURSING.com/griefandloss and find the support you need. And if this episode helped you, share it with a classmate who might need it. Because nobody should have to process their first patient death alone.

Get a personalized NCLEX study plan in just 30 seconds at: NCLEXgenie.com I can still remember my first shift. . . I arrived to the Neuro ICU about 5 minutes late, sweating, out of breath, and flustered . . . not to mention nervous, scared out of my mind, and excited! What a way to start my career as a nurse, right? My initial plan was to arrive 30 minutes early, look up my patients, and try to feel prepared for the shift . . . things didn't work out that way and I ended up stuck in traffic for nearly two hours.

We can help if you decide to return or need help making the decision. Visit us at https://NURSING.com You were so close. One semester left. And then you failed. Your whole life plan just collapsed. I'm going to tell you what nobody else will: what actually happens next, how to handle student loans, and whether you should go back or walk away. We'll cover: • What happens to your student loans when you fail out • Your transcript and readmission options • The sunk cost fallacy (and why it's okay to quit) • How to decide if you should reapply or pivot to something else • What to do differently if you go back • How to deal with the shame and judgment • Why failing out doesn't make you a failure If you just failed out, are failing right now, or are terrified it might happen - this episode gives you the real talk you need to make your next decision. Resources mentioned: • Readmission strategy guides: NURSING.com/failed-out • Study strategy overhaul templates • Student loan management resources • Community of students who've been exactly where you are

VISIT NURSING.com for help with communication with preceptors: https://nursing.com Being called stupid by your preceptor isn't "tough love" - it's verbal abuse. In this episode, I break down the exact difference between constructive criticism and verbal abuse so you know when to document and report. We'll cover: • The real difference between tough feedback and abuse • What verbal abuse actually looks like in clinical (eye rolls, public humiliation, constant criticism) • How to document every incident (and why this matters) • When and how to report to your clinical instructor • How to request a different preceptor • Why this damages your mental health and what to do about it If your preceptor is making you dread clinical, question your abilities, or avoid asking questions because you're afraid of being humiliated - this episode is for you. Resources mentioned: • Verbal abuse documentation templates: NURSING.com/verbal-abuse • How to report an abusive preceptor guide • Community support for students dealing with toxic preceptors

A Black student mistaken for housekeeping. A disabled student told to "reconsider her career choice." A trans student deliberately misgendered daily. When students report discrimination in nursing school, they're told they're "too sensitive" or "misinterpreting" the situation. Jon breaks down what discrimination actually looks like in nursing education, why it persists in a profession built on hierarchy and conformity, and exactly what to do if you're experiencing it. Includes specific steps for documenting incidents, understanding your legal rights under Title VI, Title IX, and ADA, and navigating a system that wasn't built to protect you. This episode covers racial discrimination, disability discrimination, LGBTQ discrimination in clinical settings, how to use legal language in reporting, federal protections for nursing students, and why nursing's "eat your young" culture enables discrimination to continue. Resources mentioned: Documentation templates and reporting guides available at NURSING.com Keywords: nursing school discrimination, racial discrimination nursing, disability discrimination nursing students, LGBTQ discrimination healthcare, Title IX nursing school, nursing student rights, reporting discrimination nursing, toxic nursing culture, nursing diversity problem, nursing school retaliation

Get help at: https://nursing.com Episode 3: When Your Instructor Wants You to Fail You're prepared. You know your meds. You practice your skills. You do everything right. And somehow, you're still getting destroyed in evaluations. Your instructor tells you you're "not ready for this." That you're "not cut out for nursing." They find fault with everything you do. And you're starting to believe them. This isn't about having high standards. This is about an instructor who has decided you won't make it—and who is actively working to prove themselves right. In this episode, I'm giving you the exact strategy for surviving (and fighting back against) an instructor who's targeting you. You'll Learn: How to tell the difference between a tough instructor and one who's targeting you The 5 twisted reasons instructors target specific students The 8-step survival strategy that protects your grade and your future How to document bias in a way that actually holds up in appeals When to go to the program director vs. when you need a lawyer What to do if you're actually at risk of failing out Why instructor bias has nothing to do with your ability to be a nurse The reality: Sometimes the instructor has more power. Sometimes the program protects faculty over students. But you can survive this. You can fight back. And you WILL become a nurse. Resources mentioned: Visit NURSING.com for documentation templates, communication scripts for difficult instructors, grade appeal processes, and a community of students who've been through this and came out the other side. We tell you the truth about nursing education—including the ugly parts nobody else wants to talk about. Keywords: nursing instructor problems, nursing school failure, clinical instructor bias, grade appeal, nursing student rights, toxic nursing instructor, nursing education bias, student nurse, nursing school survival, academic discrimination Connect with NURSING.com: 🌐 NURSING.com 📋 Download documentation templates 💬 Join the community of students who survived this #NursingStudent #NursingSchool #StudentNurse #ClinicalInstructor #NursingEducation #GradeAppeal #StudentRights #ToxicInstructor #NurseLife #FutureNurse #YouBelongInNursing

The Nursing Brain Sheet That Actually Works (PLUS FREE DOWNLOAD) GET YOUR FREE DOWNLOAD AT: https://nursing.com/cheat-sheet It's 10am on your first clinical day. You've got four pages of notes you can't make sense of, vital signs written on your hand, and you just forgot to chart that your patient went to the bathroom. Meanwhile, that beautiful color-coded brain sheet your instructor gave you? Completely useless. The problem isn't you. It's that academic brain sheets are designed for perfect theoretical patients who don't exist. You need a brain sheet for chaos. For the real world. For keeping your patients alive and yourself sane. You'll Learn: The 3 reasons most brain sheets fail (and why instructors keep giving them to you anyway) The only 6 sections your brain sheet actually needs Why time-based organization is the difference between success and medication errors The "pro move" for end-of-shift documentation that protects you legally The 3 biggest mistakes students make with brain sheets (and how to avoid them) Why your instructor will hate your brain sheet—and why that's totally fine The truth: Your brain sheet isn't about making your instructor happy. It's about keeping your patients safe when you're managing four people who all need pain meds at the same time. Resources mentioned: Head to NURSING.com for downloadable brain sheet templates, videos showing exactly how to fill them out, and examples from real clinical shifts. We built an entire section on clinical organization skills because nobody teaches you this in nursing school—they just expect you to figure it out. Keywords: nursing brain sheet, clinical organization, nursing student tips, clinical nursing, shift report, patient care organization, nursing documentation, med-surg clinical, student nurse, nursing school tips, clinical survival Connect with NURSING.com: 🌐 NURSING.com 📥 Download free brain sheet templates 📹 Watch step-by-step fill-out tutorials #NursingStudent #BrainSheet #ClinicalNursing #NursingSchool #StudentNurse #NursingTips #MedSurgNursing #NurseOrganization #ClinicalRotation #NursingDocumentation #FutureRN

You're doing everything right in clinical, but your preceptor is setting you up to fail. They humiliate you in front of patients, refuse to let you practice skills, then write that you "lack initiative." When you report it, you're told to "build a better relationship" or "be more confident." This isn't about being tough. This is abuse. And it's happening in nursing programs everywhere. In this episode, I'm giving you the exact survival strategy for getting through a toxic preceptorship without tanking your grade—or your mental health. You'll Learn: How to tell the difference between a tough preceptor and an abusive one Why some preceptors specifically take students to bully them The 6-step documentation strategy that protects your grade When to fight for reassignment vs. when to just survive How to build evidence that actually holds up in grade appeals What to do when your instructor gaslights you about the abuse The hard truth: Sometimes the system protects the preceptor over you. But you can survive this. And you will become a nurse. Resources mentioned: Visit NURSING.com and search "clinical survival" for documentation templates, communication scripts for difficult preceptors, and a community of students going through the exact same thing. We're the resource that tells you the truth about nursing education—including the parts nobody else wants to talk about. Keywords: nursing student, clinical preceptor, toxic preceptor, abusive preceptor, nursing school survival, clinical instructor, nursing education, preceptorship problems, student nurse, nursing clinical Connect with NURSING.com: 🌐 NURSING.com 📧 Search "clinical survival" for free resources #NursingStudent #NursingSchool #StudentNurse #ClinicalRotation #NursingEducation #PreceptorProblems #ToxicWorkplace #NurseLife #FutureNurse #RNtoBe

View the full lesson here: https://academy.nursing.com/lesson/nursing-care-plan-ncp-for-pressure-ulcer-decubitus-ulcer-pressure-injury/?quiz-view=open All right. Let's work through an example Nursing Care Plan for a patient with a pressure ulcer or pressure ulcers, right? Let's look at the hypothetical patient. Let's think just about what we might see on this specific patient regarding the pressure ulcers. So subjective data, if I have a patient with a big wound, whether it's on their sacrum or their shoulder or their leg, they're probably going to be pretty uncomfortable, right? They might actually have some pain, right? Or they could potentially have some tenderness over the area, especially over those bony prominences. So that's something to think about for sure. Then you might actually see it, right? We're actually gonna see the pressure ulcer. So depending on the stage, stage one to stage four, make sure you check out the lesson on pressure ulcers inside of the med surg integumentary course to know how to stage these pressure ulcers.

Find the full lesson here: https://academy.nursing.com/lesson/nursing-care-plan-ncp-for-encephalopathy/ This here is the nursing care plan for encephalopathy. So, the pathophysiology. Encephalopathy is a general term for disease of the brain tissue. It's a syndrome of brain dysfunction caused by damage to brain tissue and failure. This damage can be done by atrophy, lack of oxygen, edema, or toxins. So some nursing considerations, there are a few things that we want to consider when taking care of these patients, we want to consider putting them on seizure precautions. So we want these patients to be protected. The best way to do that is with seizure precautions. We want to do vital signs. We want to monitor their vitals. We want to do frequent neuro checks and if available and if necessary, we would need to monitor their ICP. And we want to draw labs; more importantly, ammonia and finding levels to see if that is the root cause. The desired outcome for these patients is to treat or reverse the cause in order to restore proper brain function, it returns the patient to their usual baseline mental status. So when this patient comes in to you, this encephalopathic patient comes in to see you. There's going to be a few things that we see, but there's going to be some things that either them or their family tells us. Some of the subjective data that we see is that they are going to complain about mood or personality changes.

I was so wrong . . . let me explain. I first created this shirt back in 2019 - at the time I was focused on the word "BEST". As in, "Be Your BEST Self". However, going through 2021 and all the way through 2023 my depression began to grow - immensely. At a few points it absolutely has been debilitating. This is nothing new - I've battled depression, bipolar, and anxiety for many years - but this time - the cloud was much darker. Nursing can be tough. Find hope at NURSING.com ❤️ Happy Nursing! Jon Haws, RN

Find the full lesson here: https://academy.nursing.com/lesson/nursing-care-plan-ncp-for-abdominal-pain/ First, we're going to collect our data. Remember, our data is just our assessment, so subjective from the patient and objective from the nurse. A patient with abdominal pain, that's having symptoms, the subjective data for this patient is likely going to be the pain, maybe they have a decreased appetite, and how about some nausea? Those kinds of things are going to be all their subjective data. For objective data, maybe they feel really restless. This is what the nurse is observing. Let's say we see on this patient, that the patient is having some guarding of the abdomen. Maybe some rebound tenderness when they're pushed down. Maybe we see, or assess the patient and realize they're constipated or have constant vomiting or diarrhea. These kinds of things will be our objective data. My hypothetical patient for our care plan will say that they're having abdominal pain and it's from excessive vomiting. We have to analyze the information. This is going to help us to diagnose and prioritize. So what is the problem? Well, the problem is the pain and the problem is that they are having some excessive vomiting. So, what needs to be improved? What can we do to improve or what needs to be improved to help the patient, is going to be the pain, right, but more than that, we need to, for this patient, we need to fix the vomiting, so that can help fix the pain. What is our priority? So, our priority is going to be to stop the vomiting and to help that abdomen just not be so tender right, so stop that vomiting, which is going to help with the pain for this patient and relieve that pain.

Working as a nurse in the ICU, I cared for many patients who are burned into my mind and heart forever. One of those patients was a young mom, in her early 40s with children in their early teens, who had suffered from cancer that had metastasized to her brain. She was incredibly sick, and this cancer was extremely advanced. One night as I cared for her, she was feeling exceptionally sick. Just a couple hours into the shift, I was preparing her for bed. Her family stepped out and went home for the night. I could see that this night she was very upset - more so than other nights. She was low on energy, she was sad, she looked weaker than normal. Within moments of her family leaving for the night, she passed away quietly. Nursing is hard, find hope at NURSING.com ❤️ Happy Nursing! Jon Haws, RN

Them: "How can we help?" Me: "I don't know . . ." The hardest part is I honestly don't know what will help. [many of you know I struggle with depression, anxiety, bipolar, and OCD] This is a conversation I've had countless times over the last year. If only I had some sort of ailment that could be SEEN and FIXED . . . why can't it be a broken arm? A simple cast would "fix" the problem in just a matter of weeks. With mental health, you read the books, you do the checklists, you take the meds, you attend counseling . . . but at any moment . . . around any corner . . . there it is - ready to crush your hope and happiness. Each time you start a new medication you feel hopeful . . . "this time it will work" And each time a new medication doesn't help, you feel a bit more hopeless . . . "maybe I am beyond repair. Visit us at NURSING.com to rekindle your hope. ❤️ Happy Nursing! Jon Haws, RN

I've been where you are. During my first semester of nursing school, I walked into a room of 25 students who would be my cohort. As I scanned the faces, a chill ran down my spine. "I'm the only lucky one here," I thought. "Everyone else is so much more prepared. I hope no one discovers how dumb I am." This feeling didn't go away after graduation. On my first day as a new grad nurse in the Neuro ICU of a large Trauma I hospital in Dallas, I was sweating, out of breath, and utterly convinced I'd slipped through the cracks in the hiring process. I was certain all the other new nurses had gone to better schools, done better internships, and would survive orientation when I wouldn't. Visit NURSING.com to find the hope you need right now. ❤️ Happy Nursing! Jon Haws, RN

The power of four simple words - "You CAN do this" - transformed one nursing student's life from the depths of despair to professional success. This remarkable story of resilience and hope centers on Heather, whose journey illustrates the devastating impact of self-doubt and the life-changing effect of support in healthcare education. Her experience resonates deeply with countless nursing students who face similar struggles, making it a powerful testament to the importance of community and perseverance. Heather's journey began with her return from Iraq in 2008, where she developed PTSD, setting the stage for future challenges. As she pursued her nursing education, the weight of multiple pressures began to mount. She failed her medical-surgical nursing course by an agonizing 0.2%, while simultaneously grappling with a deteriorating marriage and overwhelming feelings of inadequacy as a parent. The combination of academic struggles and personal turmoil created a perfect storm that pushed her to contemplate suicide. Find hope at NURSING.com

I still remember the night before my first pharmacology exam. 3 AM. Energy drinks scattered across my desk. Hundreds of flashcards in disorganized piles. My eyes burning from staring at tiny drug names for hours. And the worst part? I knew nothing was sticking. Beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, ARBs—the names swirled together in my mind like alphabet soup. The side effects lists seemed endless. The contraindications felt arbitrary. How was I supposed to memorize this much information? Maybe you've had that same moment. Maybe you're having it right now. Ready to master nursing pharm? Find all of our resources here: https://nursing.com/sock/

Struggling to stay on track in nursing school or NCLEX prep? This is the plan 300,000+ students have used to pass — with daily structure, Flash Notes™, SIMCLEX®, and a 200% guarantee. 👉 https://nursing.com/ You show up ready to learn. But your preceptor barely looks at you—or worse, tears you down. What do you do when the one person meant to guide you just… won't? In this episode, we talk about what it really feels like to be stuck with a toxic preceptor—and how to protect your confidence, your learning, and your future as a nurse. We'll cover: 5 red flags your preceptor is hurting more than helping How to still grow clinical judgment (without their help) What to say if you need to speak up—but don't want to be labeled a "problem" A tool that gives you the feedback they're not giving: Clinical Prep Cases 🎯 Start practicing today—no judgment, just growth: nursing.com/awful

Struggling to stay on track in nursing school or NCLEX prep? This is the plan 300,000+ students have used to pass — with daily structure, Flash Notes™, SIMCLEX®, and a 200% guarantee. 👉 https://nursing.com/ I almost walked away from nursing school. Not because I wasn't cut out for it. Not because I couldn't handle the material. But because I believed the soul-crushing lies that nearly broke me – the same lies that might be breaking you right now. In this raw, unfiltered episode, I share my personal journey through the darkest moments of nursing school – including the crippling anxiety that forced me to withdraw before my final semester. I reveal how the system is designed to make you feel inadequate, how the "unsafe" label is weaponized against passionate students, and why your struggles aren't signs of weakness but potential sources of strength. Through tears, brutal honesty, and hard-earned wisdom from helping over 500,000 nursing students, I expose the toxic traditions masquerading as "education" and offer the validation you've been desperately seeking: It's not just you. Everyone's crying in their car. Your C isn't making you dangerous. Your resilience is making you exceptional. The qualities making school hard might make you revolutionary at the bedside. This isn't just another pep talk. It's permission to reject the lies and embrace your truth – because nursing doesn't just need more nurses. It needs YOUR unique perspective. Ready to transform your nursing school experience? Visit nursing.com/lies for our FREE guide on overcoming these toxic myths, plus exclusive resources designed specifically for the way YOUR brain learns best. You aren't just capable of becoming a nurse. You're capable of transforming what nursing can be.

Struggling to stay on track in nursing school or NCLEX prep? This is the plan 300,000+ students have used to pass — with daily structure, Flash Notes™, SIMCLEX®, and a 200% guarantee. 👉 https://nursing.com/ Visit NURSING.com/different for exclusive resources designed specifically for nurses with learning differences. In this deeply personal episode, Jon Haws, RN and founder of NURSING.com, shares his never-before-told story of withdrawing from nursing school due to crippling anxiety—and how that same anxiety later became his clinical superpower. Jon reveals shocking statistics showing that over 50% of nursing students have learning differences like ADHD, dyslexia, or anxiety, and how traditional nursing education fails these students. Discover how these "different brains" aren't limitations, but unique advantages that healthcare desperately needs. Jon breaks down the specific strengths that come with ADHD, dyslexia, and anxiety in nursing practice, sharing real stories of nurses who've transformed their cognitive differences into clinical excellence. This isn't just a survival guide—it's a revolutionary manifesto for transforming nursing education and practice by embracing cognitive diversity. Whether you're struggling through nursing school or thriving in your career, Jon's vulnerable journey will inspire you to see your "different" brain as exactly what nursing needs. Ready to join the revolution? Visit NURSING.com/different for exclusive resources designed specifically for nurses with learning differences.

Struggling to stay on track in nursing school or NCLEX prep? This is the plan 300,000+ students have used to pass — with daily structure, Flash Notes™, SIMCLEX®, and a 200% guarantee. 👉 https://nursing.com/ SOCK method quiz/cheatsheets/resources at: https://nursing.com/sock In this raw and revealing episode, Jon Haws, RN, shares his personal journey from pharmacology nightmare to nursing confidence. With vulnerability and humor, Jon recounts his 3 AM study sessions surrounded by scattered flashcards and energy drinks, feeling like a failure as he struggled to memorize endless drug facts that wouldn't stick. When a simple clinical question about Zofran administration left him frozen, Jon discovered a breakthrough approach that transformed his nursing education. Through heartfelt storytelling and evidence-based insights, Jon introduces the SOCK Method (Side Effects, Organs, Classes/Considerations/Cards, Know) - a framework that replaces overwhelming memorization with meaningful connections and clinical reasoning. This episode features Jon's signature blend of nursing wisdom, personal struggle, and practical solutions, including a weekly study plan and Nurse Blake-inspired humor that will have you laughing through your pharmacology tears. Whether you're currently drowning in drug cards or looking to strengthen your medication knowledge, Jon's compassionate guidance offers a lifeline for every nursing student who's ever wondered: "Is there something wrong with me?" Join the nursing family that's putting on their SOCKs and walking confidently toward pharmacology mastery.

Struggling to stay on track in nursing school or NCLEX prep? This is the plan 300,000+ students have used to pass — with daily structure, Flash Notes™, SIMCLEX®, and a 200% guarantee. 👉 https://nursing.com/ See if you might have imposter syndrome: https://nursing.com/imposter In this deeply personal episode, Jon Haws, RN and founder of NURSING.com, opens up about the universal yet rarely discussed feeling of inadequacy that plagues nursing students everywhere. Drawing from his own journey from self-doubting student to ICU charge nurse, Jon reveals the startling truth: 92% of nursing students feel like "the dumbest person in class" at some point, with 42% experiencing these feelings daily. This isn't just commiseration—it's a thoughtful exploration of imposter syndrome in nursing education, backed by recent research showing how this psychological phenomenon specifically impacts healthcare students. Jon breaks down why nursing school creates the perfect storm for self-doubt and offers seven evidence-based strategies that helped him move from feeling like a fraud to embracing authentic practice. Whether you're questioning your place in nursing school, struggling with clinical anxiety, or simply wondering if you're the only one who feels lost in pathophysiology, this episode offers both validation and a practical pathway forward. Jon's vulnerable confessions and compassionate insights remind us that sometimes what feels like incompetence is actually the beginning of wisdom—and that your fears about harming patients might just be evidence that you're exactly the kind of nurse patients need. #NursingStudent #ImposterSyndrome #NursingEducation #NCLEX #NursingSchool #SelfDoubt #ProfessionalGrowth #MentalHealth

Is nursing still worth it, or is burnout making it impossible to stay in the profession? In this episode, Jon Haws, RN, gets real about the struggles nurses face, sharing his own story of quitting nursing school just 10 weeks before graduation. He breaks down the shocking statistics behind nursing burnout, why it might actually be PTSD, and the hard lessons he learned from hitting rock bottom. But here's the truth—nursing can still be one of the most rewarding careers IF you take care of yourself. Jon shares six game-changing strategies to prevent burnout, the mindset shifts that saved his career, and why stepping away helped him come back stronger. If you're questioning whether nursing is right for you—or if you're barely holding on—this episode is for you. Tune in for raw, honest insight into the challenges of nursing, why self-care is non-negotiable, and how to find your path without losing yourself. How burnout is wrecking nurses—and patients Why quitting nursing school was the best decision Jon ever made 6 anti-burnout strategies that actually work If you're struggling, you're not alone. Listen now and take control of your nursing journey. Read the blog post here: https://nursing.com/burnout

In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of my unexpected path—from stepping up as a charge nurse to creating a community of thousands of nursing students and professionals. I share how I started by posting my own notes and podcast episodes, only to realize how deeply my story resonated with others struggling through nursing school. You'll hear how NRSNG rapidly grew, why I left my job in the NEURO ICU, and how I hired a passionate team to meet the skyrocketing demand for our resources. I also recount the exciting leap we made when we rebranded to Nursing.com in early 2020, unveiling an all-in-one platform dedicated to nurses at every stage of their journey. Plus, I'll give you an inside look at the powerful sense of family and support that blossomed along the way—proving that together, we can change the culture of nursing for the better. Finally, I hint at what was just around the corner: the onset of COVID-19 and how it would impact our evolving mission. Don't miss this heartfelt reflection on building a community that's changing nursing education forever. Happy Nursing! -Jon, RN

In today's episode, I'm taking you through a pivotal part of my nursing journey—from my early days in the Neuro ICU to precepting students, becoming a charge nurse, and the moment I realized nursing education was broken. This realization is what fueled me to start NURSING.com (formerly NRSNG). I wanted to fill the gaps I saw in nursing education and give you the tools I never had. I share my struggles with imposter syndrome, the pressure of caring for patients, and why never feeling fully ready actually makes you a better nurse. If you've ever doubted yourself, this one's for you. 💙 Happy Nursing! -Jon Haws, RN

Welcome to The Nursing Podcast, where we dive deep into the real-life experiences of being a nurse. I'm Jon Haws, RN, founder of Nursing.com, and today, we continue my journey—picking up from landing my first ICU job. In this episode, I share the raw realities of my 13-week neuro ICU internship at a Level 1 trauma hospital, from my first nerve-wracking shift to the heartbreaking cases that shaped my career. I reflect on the profound impact nurses have, including a moment I'll never forget—when a grieving mother hugged me and said, "I will always remember you." I also discuss the challenges and rewards of precepting new nurses, the chaos of ICU life, and the lessons that stuck with me over the years. Join me as I break down what it truly means to provide comfort and care in a patient's most vulnerable moments. Let's get started! Happy Nursing!

Oh man . . . it's hard to believe that about 14 years ago I was sleeping on a mattress I'd found in the dumpster - not even sure if nursing school would ever end. It did. I survived. I passed the NCLEX. And I got a job in the Neuro ICU right out of nursing school. Today I want to share part IV of my journey. Happy Nursing Jon Haws, RN

Caveat: some people (nurses) might not agree AT ALL with what I say here . . . oh well! I want to share how it is to give confidence to those struggling. We get hundreds of emails a day from nursing students. Sadly, a good portion of them are from students who feel like they should quit nursing school altogether. I started nursing school with high hopes, but after my fourth semester, I dropped out. I quit nursing school. I knew nursing school was going to be hard . . . I mean the whole point is to learn how to competently take care of a human being suffering from complex health issues. I expected school to be hard. Visit https://nursing.com for more

For some FREE resources to help you through nursing school visit www.nursing.com My name's Jon Haws, RN, founder of Nursing.com. Today we're gonna continue the story of my journey in hopes that it will give you some motivation, give you that some of it will resonate with you and give you kind of some background on me, but also some motivation to continue in your journey wherever you are in your nursing journey. Yesterday we left off with me just getting into nursing school, my journey of applying and how this all happened. So today we're gonna continue that story and if you haven't heard the first part, go ahead and listen to the previous episode. But today we're gonna continue that journey.

When I think back 14ish years, it is hard to believe just how far this nursing journey has taken me. Sometimes it's helpful to think back to the beginning and consider how it began. Over the next couple of days I want to share with you parts of my journey that you may not know and hopefully some of it will resonate with you. #nclex #nursingschool

Nursing school is hard enough without the fear tactics. And the truth is, there are so many ways that people learn. Instead of saying "One of you won't be here" - what if we said "I will HELP you be here". You CAN Do This! -Jon Haws, RN

The past is prologue - there comes a time when we have to stop wishing for a better past. It took me 5 years to accept the past as a way to move forward.

I literally wrote the book on surviving your first year as a nurse (The New Nurse Survival Guide) and today I wanted to share 3 tips from that book that you can start applying TODAY whether you are in nursing school or already working as a nurse.

If I could encourage you to start doing ONE thing today while you're in nursing school - it would be this. To join the NURSING.com Insider Circle - just visit https://NURSING.com/insider

What I Wish I Knew: Potassium-K Lab Value Levels For resources to help you master Potassium and ALL the lab values, we have a FREE Cheatsheet Download at NURSING.com/labvalues. What do bananas, avocados, and kale all have in common? Potassium! For more resources to help you understand Potassium, Hyperkalemia and Hypokalemia, click here: What role does it play in the body? What's a normal range level for potassium? And what happens when potassium levels are too low or too high? On a shift early in my career, while I was still being oriented to the unit, I held tight to that rule of NEVER pushing IV potassium even when my preceptor was providing instructions that conflicted with that big rule. Here is that story...

For resources to help you master ABGs and ALL the LabVales, we have a FREE Cheatsheet Download at NURSING.com/LabValues. At NURSING.com you can learn everything you need to know as a nurse about ABGs including gas exchange, acidosis, alkalosis (metabolic and respiratory), normal lab value ranges, and more. We also cover key concepts for NCLEX for arterial blood gases. Our gas exchange nursing care plan covers impaired gas exchange nursing management, impaired gas exchange interventions, impaired gas exchange diagnosis, etc. Excerpt: This patient's lungs were so bad, gas exchange had to take place outside of his body... Learning to read ABGs, and understanding what to do with that information is a very important skill for any nurse, but particularly a cardiovascular ICU nurse. Hi I am Nurse Abby, and I loved working in the cardiovascular ICU - that was truly one of my favorite nursing jobs. Today I want to share with you the story of one of my MORE complicated patients.

For resources to help you master Cardiac topics, we have a FREE Cheatsheet Download at NURSING.com/heart. At NURSING.com you can learn everything you need to know as a nurse about distributive shock including distributive shock pathophysiology, distributive shock definition, types of distributive shock, and more. We also cover key concepts for NCLEX on distributive shock nursing. Our distributive shock nursing care plan covers distributive shock nursing management, distributive shock interventions, distributive shock diagnosis, etc. Excerpt: This week I opened up some old nursing school notes, and I started remembering how hard nursing school really was! I remember, in particular, getting a little confused between the different types of shock. When I was studying distributive shock I found one key 🔑 point that actually cleared up a lot of the misunderstandings and confusion. That started to really turn things around for me in nursing school!

For resources to help you master Cardiac topics, we have a FREE Cheatsheet Download at NURSING.com/heart. At NURSING.com you can learn everything you need to know as a nurse about coronary artery disease including coronary artery disease pathophysiology, coronary artery disease symptoms, coronary artery disease treatment, and more. We also cover key concepts for NCLEX on coronary artery disease nursing. Our coronary artery disease nursing care plan covers coronary artery disease nursing management, coronary artery disease interventions, coronary artery disease diagnosis, etc. Excerpt: "One afternoon I got a phone call from Todd - our content director here at NURSING.com. Hey man, so uh, just letting you know that I'm at the hospital being admitted. I'm having a heart attack, so I probably won't be in tomorrow."

For resources to help you master Cardiac topics we have a FREE Cheatsheet Download at NURSING.com/heart. At NURSING.com you can learn everything you need to know as a nurse about heart failure (CHF) including: heart failure pathophysiology, heart failure pharmacology (heart failure medications), heart failure symptoms heart failure treatment, and more. We also cover key concepts for NCLEX for heart failure nursing. Excerpt: "So let me tell you about this patient of mine. They had just come out of heart surgery for what is referred to as the ROSS Procedure. Part of this procedure requires the surgeon to reattach the coronary arteries to the aorta. While reattaching them, they were accidentally sutured closed. "

For resources to help you master Cardiac topics we have a FREE Cheatsheet Download at NURSING.com/heart. At NURSING.com you can learn everything you need to know as a nurse about agina including: angina symptoms, anginal pharmacology, the difference between stable and unstable angina, and more. We also cover key concepts for NCLEX for angina nursing. Excerpt: ". . . it wasn't my patient that I should have been worried about When my patient's son said he wasn't feeling right, it would have been easy to assume it was because of the stress he was under. He was visiting his sick mom . . . in the ICU nonetheless. But something just didn't feel right"

ICU Nurses- Voices for the Voiceless For more on cardiac care to help you in nursing school visit NURSING.com/heart Roughly 1 out of every 3 patients in the Intensive Care Unit, on average, are unable to communicate. Because of this, the role of an ICU nurse stretches far beyond providing medical care alone, but also acting as an advocate, or a voice for the voiceless to ensure that these patient's needs, rights, and wishes are heard, recognized and respected. In doing so, these warriors in scrubs essentially embody the very essence of healthcare: compassion, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to patient welfare. Welcome to the NURSING Family, we call it the most supportive nursing cohort on the planet. At NURSING.com, we want to help you save time in nursing school as we take you from discouraged and stressed to motivated and passionate with clear and concise, must-know information to help you pass your tests and improve your grades, so that you can focus on becoming an amazing nurse. YOU CAN DO THIS! Check out our freebies and learn more at: (www.nursing.com)

For more Carditis and the heart just visit NURSING.com/heart. Did you know that the average human heart beats 100,000 times a day, pumping 2,000 gallons of blood? Now, imagine if this vital pump was under threat from, pericarditis, myocarditis, or endocarditis and couldn't pump effectively. In this episode we will look at the importance of understanding carditis and an easy way that I used in nursing school to remember the area affected by each type; then, run through a quick scenario at the end to apply what we have learned.

Ever notice why some students embrace challenges, while others shy away? Mindsets. Your mindset might just change how you approach your goals in nursing school… A fixed mindset: abilities are set. A growth mindset: abilities develop. When challenges appear, your mindsets matter. In nursing school, challenges are constant. A student with a fixed mindset avoids challenges. One with a growth mindset thrives when challenges arise. Having a growth mindset is the secret sauce for success. Putting effort into a fixed mindset is useless. It's time to shift your thinking. When considering success and failure, success in a fixed mindset is about validation, but in a growth mindset, it's about learning. Failure isn't a setback; it's an opportunity for growth. As a nursing student, adopt a growth mindset: see challenges as learning opportunities, embrace mistakes, and persist. Grow your knowledge and expand your growth mindset with NURSING.com.

Does insulin save lives, or does it take lives? Bodies that don't produce enough insulin shut down, but if too much insulin is in the system it can be just as disastrous. As nurses, we are often tasked with administering insulin to our patients. When done incorrectly it can be life-threatening. For years I was a member of the code team, and count WHEN I was a new nurse I remember trying to keep track of the patients and insulin action times and the dosage times and everything else . . . I felt like I was drowning trying to keep it all straight in my head - I was both stressed and scared at the same time THAT'S WHEN I copied all the insulin peak and onset times down in my notebook. THIS HELPED me feel more relaxed and avoid my patient coding! If you want to see my notes they are at NURSING.com/cheatsheets. Honestly, I still use the cheatsheet today! What we cover in this episode: what is insulin understanding how insulin works what does insulin do types of insulin onset, peak, duration of insulin

I almost killed my patient. In the days after my scary event I spent hours and hours thinking through what I had done. I knew my ABCs, I had prioritized everything I was supposed to, how could things have gone so horribly wrong… See our full lesson on Prioritization at NURSING.com. And I realized that I had overlooked a very important part of my ABCs. It wasn't the A - airway, the B - breathing, or the C - circulation What was left, what did I miss? What I violated was Safety. That small little "s" at the end of my ABCs - Safety And I learned 3 Crucial Take-Aways ABCs are Priorities not Checklists! Don't be complacent about the s for Safety Ask for help as soon as possible See our full lesson on Prioritization at NURSING.com.

Them: "How can we help?" Me: "I don't know . . ." This is a conversation I've had countless times over the last year. If only I had some sort of ailment that could be SEEN and FIXED . . . why can't it be a broken arm? A simple cast would "fix" the problem in just a matter of weeks. With mental health, you read the books, you do the checklists, you take the meds, you attend counseling . . . but at any moment . . . around any corner . . . there it is - ready to crush your hope and happiness. Each time you start a new medication you feel hopeful . . . "this time it will work" And each time a new medication doesn't help, you feel a bit more hopeless . . . "maybe I am beyond repair" They say mental health is a battle. It is. And for many of us it is a lifelong battle. And worse still, it is a silent battle - no one can SEE what you are going through. And the worst part is that you begin to convince yourself that it has to be silent - that you shouldn't share your struggle - that perhaps you are "beyond repair" - that others will judge.