A personal story of identity loss through chronic illness and burnout—and how to begin again when the job (or life) reshapes you in ways you didn’t choose.

Sometimes survival looks like silence. Sometimes it looks like cutting yourself down until there’s nothing left for others to target.
For one nurse, it looked like a haircut. Read her story here.

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.