Cleaning Bedpans, Setting Boundaries & Melanie Gomez's Nursing Journey to FNP

PICU nurse and social media personality Melanie shares her journey from med-surg to pediatric critical care, exploring the challenges of transition and her pursuit of becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner.• Started as a med-surg nurse during COVID before transitioning to PICU after two years• Experienced significant learning curve moving to pediatrics, especially managing family dynamics and developing critical thinking skills• Currently pursuing Family Nurse Practitioner degree while working part-time in PICU• Chose FNP over other specialties to broaden opportunities outside hospital settings• Believes family-centered care with better parent education would transform pediatric healthcare• Shares emotional story of a long-term patient whose birthday wish was simply to eat at a restaurant• Emphasizes importance of connecting with coworkers to process emotional cases• Recommends perspective-taking: "Even on your worst day as a nurse, your patients still probably have it worse"Follow along with Melanie on IG & TikTok @cafeconscrubs! Don't forget to follow and subscribe, and remember, don't let the bedpans bite.To submit your stories & comments, visit: https://simplenursing.com/podcast/