After navigating disability and identity shifts, I’ve learned what still feels true: I know how to teach. This honest reflection explores what it means to lead, adapt, and show up for others — even when everything changes.

In nursing, unpredictability is the norm. Code blues, short staffing, combative patients, and sudden patient declines are all part of the job. The reality is that we’re facing a nursing shortage, and hospitals are working to address the reasons why so many nurses are leaving the field. While we can’t always control our work environment, we can control how we prepare and adapt.