In the PACU, my day started early with a 7:00am report time. By the time my shift ended at 7:00pm, I'd spent most of the day clamoring to be heard above the high ambient noise levels of the cavernous unit. Air exchangers, telemetry units, 50 or 60 people talking all at once -- the sheer cacophony became too much for me to take. My ears would ring for hours after going home. I'd wake up hoorifice the next morning from literally shouting discharge instructions at my patients the previous day. And then I'd go right back and do it all over again the next day.
Contrast that scenario with my life now, as a freelance writer.
I wake up around 7:30am and often drink my first cup of coffee on the patio, where I can enjoy the scenery of my backyard. I'm an avid birdwatcher, so it always brings me joy to start my day by sighting a crimson cardinal on the fence or watching the neighborhood hawk wheel through the sky.
After my first coffee, I amble upstairs to my home office to check email and browse a handful of sites. Then I get to work on my assignments for the day. On any given day, I might be crafting a short informational article on a specific disease or I may be writing newsletter copy for family caregivers. My work always offers variety.
I break for a leisurely lunch with my elderly mother (who lives with me), and then I head back to my office and turn my attention to the "me" work. That's stuff I do to feed my creative soul -- things like writing this blog post or outlining my book.
By mid-afternoon, my brain's tired so I head to the gym for an hour of cardio and weights. One of the great things about freelancing is the ability to set and control (to a degree!) my own schedule. I admire nurses who manage to squeeze in a workout on their hectic work days. I sure never could do that! But as a freelance writer I now work out at least three days a week, and often five.
After the gym, I head home and take a nap. Don't tell anyone! I find a 30-minute recharge after my post-workout shower gives me extra energy into the early evening, which is a work period for me.
Dinnertime comes, I cook for Mom and my husband, and then I head back to my office for a couple more hours. Evening isn't a particularly creative time for me, so I usually devote those hours to administrative tasks -- making sure my self-employment taxes are filed, cleaning up my contact list, tinkering with my business plan.
Finally, I retire to the TV room and snuggle with my hubs on the sofa. We love watching home improvement shows, so that's frequently on the menu. When I worked as a nurse, I generally returned home after a shift and collapsed into bed. I didn't even have enough energy to watch TV!
My life is so serene now, compared to the days I worked in the noise and chaos of PACU. Other perks of freelancing? I never get vomited on, and no one ever codes in my office. LOL
Yet I'm still helping patients. Just the other day, a man took the time to find my email address and write me a nice note: "Thank you for your easy-to-understand explanation of insulin pens on XX website! I spent 40 minutes searching for an answer to my question, and yours was the only one that made sense. I really appreciate it!" THAT makes my day.
Yes, I loved clinical nursing. But I've never regretted leaving the bedside for the desk. It's great to continue helping people from the comfort of my (quiet) office!
@trauma. I have written three articles for allnurses. Waitning for inspiration for the next step! I want to be paid and have something regular. I also like literary magazines. I want to write about living as an expatriate and working as a locum tenens. How I took the plunge to do something different like this. The rewards and the obstacles. The shape of this I get bogged down. Thanks for your interest.
Thank you Psychcns I am just now seeing this message. I am sorry for the late reply. I am soooo eager to learn. From the words of Steve Jobs "Stay hungry Stay foolish" :)
Stella397, ADN Search the team : content is king...SO many people need Health Content Writers. You should do it, let me know if you have questions on how to start.
Wow Elizabeth! Your day sounds great! Good for you! And I totally get what you mean about the high level of noise being upsetting! :) It is so nice to get home after a 9 hour day to a nice quiet home! :)
I work full time as an NP. I have recently started a health and wellness blog and hope to do some freelance writing too soon on nursing, health, diabetes, nutrition and fitness. How did you find places to hire you? Do you write articles in print or online? How much do you get paid per article on average? Also, do you get "writer's block"?
@christvs, BSN, MSN, RN, NP Right now I am working on a proposal for a company. They noticed me on LinkedIn and took note of my articles. I would start on LinkedIn with building up your Profile.
traumaRUs, MSN, APRN
87 Articles; 21,288 Posts
AN is always looking for articles and writers - consider us. You already have a well-established audience and you have instant credibility.