Why Every Nurse Should Blog

seanpdent, ADN, BSN, MSN, APRN, NP

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"This CANNOT be normal."

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"Does this happen to everyone?"

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"NO one warned me about this"

These were some recurrent thoughts I had during those first several months. I had successfully re-entered the collegiate world for the second time. I applied and entered Nursing school, (barely)survived an 18 month fast-track diploma program before taking and passing my NCLEX-RN exam.

I was a green-behind-the-ears Graduate Nurse (GN) working in a small-town busy ICU. To say I was overwhelmed was an understatement. It's as if everything shifted into warp-speed after I stepped off that darn graduation stage.

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"I seriously do not remember things being THIS busy?"

...more crazy-scared thoughts..

Back then, in my state of residence, we could work as GN's with a state-issued temporary license upon graduation. The license would expire in 90 days (if memory serves me correctly). So you had to take your state board exam quick. Those first several months were a blur.

I remember surfing the internet one day looking up a new diagnosis I encountered when I heard/red the term 'Blog'. Yep, I had to 'Google' the term.

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Blog = weB LOG; An online journal or diary

Yes, this was before the days of Twitter and Facebook. Yes, this was pre-MySpace.

After some digging over several more months I realized these blog-thingy's were a great way to share and vent your day. Also a great way to communicate with other people. And even better, you could read other blogs, other stories.

..(I WASN'T ALONE?!!)

I shyly dipped my toe in the blog waters ever so slightly.

I could share my stories! Ask crazy questions. Truly find out if all this crazy stuff was only happening to me. Give some helpful tips on what NOT to do when this certain situation cropped up on the unit. I also could give my opinion on some really great ways to save time, save money and save yourself a lot of undue stress!

I remember how quickly it caught my attention, and how addicting it became.

After a while, not only was I sharing my stories and reading others stories, but complete strangers (from all over the world) were communicating with me about what I wrote!

It's been 10 years and I'm still telling stories. Each generation of Nurses benefits from my words and I benefit from theirs.

Over those 10 years I've not only told my stories and met countless other nurses, but I've developed relationships. I've created professional networking connections, landed paying jobs (yes blogging), traveled and experienced opportunities that would have never existed had I not taken the leap and started that crazy weB LOG thing.

How do you blog?

Just tell your story.

Why Every Nurse Should Blog

About seanpdent, ADN, BSN, MSN, APRN, NP

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