How A Miami CVICU Nurse Builds Confidence & Preps For CRNA School with Sam Del Toro

Ever wonder what it feels like to hold a patient’s life in your hands while learning a new device, managing six drips, and calming a terrified family—in two languages? We invited Sam Del Toro, a Miami CVICU nurse heading to CRNA school, to take us inside the reality of high‑acuity cardiac care and the leadership it demands at the bedside.Sam opens up about choosing nursing over medical school, leveraging a tough science background to become a competitive CRNA applicant, and landing an ICU role during the COVID hiring crunch. She shows how Spanish as a first language isn’t just cultural identity—it’s clinical force multiplier. From explaining extubation to translating consent for open‑heart surgery, language and empathy reduce fear, prevent errors, and build trust in a city where many patients meet the hospital for the first time on the worst day of their lives.We dig into Miami’s cardiovascular trends—STEMIs, heart failure, and the dangers of delayed care in middle‑aged Hispanic men—and explore how chest pain often hides as back or stomach pain. Sam's rule is simple and lifesaving: check distal pulses early and often. We also talk about confidence as a new nurse, why humility accelerates growth, and practical ways to learn fast—volunteer for codes, open the crash cart, handle documentation, and ask smart questions that make doctors’ decisions easier.Toughest moment? Caring for her grandmother through septic shock, then using hair care and skincare to restore dignity and control. It’s a reminder that the strongest medicine sometimes looks like small, human choices. We wrap with honest talk on burnout, why many ICU nurses pivot to advanced practice, and how great managers build cultures that keep teams together.If this conversation helped you think differently about critical care, subscribe, share with a nursing friend, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway!Use Code SIMPLENURSING to save 15% on your next Uniform Advantage order.To submit your stories & comments, visit: https://simplenursing.com/podcast/