Discover why 'tough love' in nursing often creates survivors, not leaders—and how mentorship can safely build confidence and competence.

The hardest part of your first year often isn’t the work.
It’s how you’re treated while you’re doing it.

Some new nurses call it “paying your dues.”
Others call it “sink or swim.”
I call it what it is—a quiet hazing that leaves too many good nurses questioning if they belong.

In this week’s post, I’m sharing:

• What hazing in nursing actually looks like today (it’s not always obvious)
  

• Real stories from nurses who’ve been through it
  

• How to recognize the signs early—and protect yourself without burning bridges

You’re wondering if this is what nursing is supposed to feel like.

Nursing school didn’t prepare you for this part.
The part where it’s not just about clinicals or care plans.
It’s about you — your body, your mind, your identity — being stretched in ways no textbook ever warned you about.

No one talks about how disorienting the first two years can be.
So that’s what we’re going to do here.

Not to scare you.
But to show you: if you’re struggling, you’re not failing. You’re not broken. You’re not alone.
You’re just walking through the part that no one talks about — until now.

Weather emergeny or man-made disaster? We talk a lot about how to prioritize care in theory—but in a disaster, theory goes out the window. Resources are limited. Emotions run high. And decisions get very real, very fast. This isn’t a test. This is disaster nursing.

Leadership in nursing isn’t about rank—it’s about how you show up. Learn practical ways to lead from the bedside and improve your team culture.

Learn how to handle conflict in nursing with confidence. Real-life scripts and strategies to navigate team tension, protect patient safety, and lead with professionalism.

Learn how mentorship can help new nurses thrive and end the harmful cycle of "eating our young" in healthcare.

Feeling alone as a new nurse? Learn how to build your nursing crew, find mentorship, and survive the stress of nursing life—without going it alone.

Master antibiotics the fun way! This NCLEX-friendly guide breaks down drug classes, actions, uses, and side effects—with memory-boosting stories for new nurses and students.

Working July 4th? These essential tips for nurses will help you handle your shift with confidence, compassion, and team spirit.

New nurses often carry emotional weight no one warned them about. Learn how to process difficult shifts, prevent burnout, and protect your heart in nursing.

Learn wound care basics for new nurses — types, staging, dressing selection, and mistakes to avoid. What nursing school didn’t teach, we’re covering here.

Discover how nursing pioneers like Szold, Wald, and Mahoney shaped healthcare—and how their stories inspire today’s nurses to advocate for respect, equity, and excellence.

Learn how to prevent medication errors in nursing — from the 6 rights to real-world strategies for new nurses and NCLEX prep.

Learn how to prevent medication errors in nursing — from the 6 rights to real-world strategies for new nurses and NCLEX prep.

Test anxiety during the NCLEX is more than nerves — it can seriously affect how you think, recall, and perform. As a nurse coach who’s worked with dozens of anxious test-takers, I’ve seen firsthand how smart students can blank out, freeze, or fall apart under pressure. But I’ve also seen them succeed — using the exact NCLEX test anxiety tips I’m sharing with you today.

There’s that moment — when something starts going wrong, alarms go off, or a patient looks “off” — and suddenly, your brain blanks.

You know what to do… but your body won’t move.

Freezing in clinicals or on the floor happens to more new nurses than you think.

Nursing school teaches you the science. The NCLEX tests your memory. But nothing quite prepares you for the emotional rollercoaster that is your first shift as a nurse.

I used to think I was the only one feeling overwhelmed, second-guessing myself, and praying no one noticed how terrified I was.

Spoiler: I wasn’t alone — and neither are you.

You’ve memorized the pharmacology charts. You’ve passed the simulations. You’ve done the study groups, the flashcards, and maybe even cried over a dosage calc or two. But out on the floor? It’s a whole different game.

That’s where the real nursing hacks come in — the clever, unexpected tricks that make your shift smoother, faster, and way less stressful. These are the little things that nobody teaches you in school, but every nurse ends up picking up somewhere along the way.

Here are 15 of the best ones I’ve gathered (and wish I’d known sooner)

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.