70 - Jennifer Evans Pt 1: I've Adopted You; You're My Kids Now

Join nurse educator, bedside nurse, and Spokane, Washington native Honored Guest “Niffer” Evans as she discusses the event that made her know she wanted to be a nurse, how her students made her overcome her lack of desire to go back to school, her words that describe nursing school that all start with the letter C, being in the same place for a long time, having a tight-knit work family, the role of faith in her life, helping students learn how to navigate college, balancing accountability and support, her connection to the next Honored Guest Izzie, and more!

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Transcript

0:01

Welcome to today's episode of the Feeding Our Young podcast. I am super amped about this morning because I have someone in my studio that I routinely proclaim I would like to be when I grow up. That is no commentary on her age in any way, shape or form before she smacks me a new one through the screen. It is just legitimately... The energy, the exuberance, the passion that she has for nursing students and for nursing in general is practically unrivaled. In fact, so much so that I decided that my energy and her energy would just be too much. It would just be too much. So as the sadist that I am, I ran a half marathon yesterday morning, number 148, and I decided this morning to go on 149. It's a whole story. It's only the second time I've ever done it in my life. But man, that significantly beat me down. So, no pressure to today's honored guest, Jennifer Evans, who's gonna have to carry the load. Jennifer, how you doing this morning? I am fabulous, especially after that introduction. Holy cow! Thanks! You're welcome. Hey, before we get started, do you prefer Jennifer Jen Jenny? That's why I asked. good. Okay. Okay. You know the story. So when I was in the fifth grade, you know, I was like trying when I, you're, growing up a little bit at that and you're trying some things out. And I had always been strictly Jennifer. like my mom was like, Nope, that's what I named you. That's what people will call you. And I was like, well, maybe Jenny, I could be a Jenny and this horrible boy. I don't remember who he was. I've blocked that part from my memory. He says to me, well, you know what a Jenny is, don't you? And I said, no, know and he said I'm gonna say a word but it's a it's an animal word he said that's a female ass And I went home and because of the age that I am that we're not talking about, we had a dictionary that is, I don't know, five inches thick, six inches thick, and I went home flipping through the pages. And you know what? Right after Jack is the Jenny. And so I was like, absolutely not. Nobody will call me Jenny. So Jen or Jennifer is totally fine. I actually, my cup, I don't know, it's upside down and backwards probably. Niffer is sometimes what I go by. My little sister couldn't say Jennifer and it came out like in this cute little kid voice, Niffa, you know? And so when I started at my hospital job, there were, I don't know, three or four, three, I think, other Jenns, Jennies, Jennifers, and they were like, you need a different name. And I was like, Okay, well my little sister calls me Niffer and everybody's like, what? That's what? I'm like, you guys, it's just the second half of Jennifer. Like, come on. And it kind of stuck. And so at work, the older crew, I've been there for 19 plus years, but the older crew will still call me Niffer and it's sweet. It's fun. I think that's great and I think that now I have to commit myself to calling you Niffer for the rest of your time in the So, Niffer with that and also intriguing fun fact that you've been on your unit 19 years. How did you, can you let everybody know how you started nursing at the age of 10 or 12? Very advanced, very advanced, right? okay I did start right out of high school like I went to I did a two -year and then transferred over to WSU but I I am Blessed that I knew what I wanted to do I kind of thought, I want to be a pediatrician. No, I don't. I don't want those hours. I want to have a bunch of kids and I want to raise those kids. And so I was toying with the idea of being a nurse. And when I was 16, my sister, my older step -sister had her first baby and it was actually at Sacred Heart where you work, Eric. And I don't know if I'm supposed to say that or not. And good. with that. I don't - they know it's not affiliated with them, and I'm not doing it on work hours, so who cares? Excellent. And so I was in the room when she had her first baby. I had no idea how sick she was. She was really preeclantic. But I just remember being in that moment and thinking, there's no way that this, like I know where babies come from, okay? But like, there's no way. And then my niece was born and I mean, I don't know if the kids say this anymore, but I was shook, right? I was like, no, this moment where like this life just enters into the world, sold. Done. I know what I'm doing. It was, it was, that was quite a while ago. That was almost 30 years ago. Sheesh. yes, yes. I mean, just so advanced. So let's, for the benefit of everybody then, that was an amazing story on how or why you wanted to become a nurse. So then a few years ago, when did you graduate? What degrees do you hold? When did you graduate with said degrees? So I graduated high school in 1998. went straight into, I got my AA at SFCC, transferred over to, at that time, WSU's nursing program was called ICN, the Intercollegiate College of Nursing, was here in Spokane, and was right by SFCC at the time. Went there, graduated. I was a five semester. They had like a four semester, five semester track. I did it in five, so I graduated in December of 2002. with my BSN and from about that time on I proudly proclaimed that I would never go back to school again. It did not exactly happen like that. And so, you know, I think it was kind of the joke of like, what did you get during the pandemic? An Instapot, a master's degree, a cat, like what did you, you know, I think I got the Instant Pot and the master's degree. I... Ha! Okay, well my husband's allergic, so that wasn't gonna be one of my things. Yeah, I just... I all this time said I wasn't gonna go back. wasn't gonna do it. There's no way. Nobody can make me. But I didn't anticipate. I had started teaching clinical for OB through Gonzaga and I fell in love with my students. Like... They had this just zest for learning. And I joked for a while that it was so nice to be around young people that wanted to hear me talk. Kids don't always want to hear what their moms have to say. It's what it is. I didn't want to hear what my mom had to say when I was that age. But it was so refreshing that they were eager to listen and that they were excited about what I was excited about. love teaching about OB. And so I was like, well crap, I can't teach in the classroom without a master's. I guess I'll have to go back to school. hahahahah So I did and I'm a little, you you had said about you and I have, we're high energy people, right? A little bit. And I was like, okay, I've got like this six month break between practicum students and clinical to where I don't have practicum students sitting like again. And I mean, we're just doing nothing. We're all staying at home anyway. So I was like, and I'm really frugal. I was like, I don't want to pay for more terms. Yeah I did my masters through WGU and I was like I'm gonna do it in six months. gosh that well I did it in four. Ugh. And I have to tell you, I met an angel online. I was part of this Facebook group for the degree I was getting through WGU. And I don't even remember how we met. But she was getting married in August. And basically her mother -in -law told her, like, there's no way you can do this. And she's like, watch me. And so she was about a week ahead of my progress. And we would just message each other, like, hey, don't forget this in your assignment. And you can do this. I know your paper got returned to you. But like, you've got this. the encouragement that we gave each other and she was like in South Carolina or something, I can't quite remember. But it was such a blessing to have this person who I don't know and she doesn't know me, but we're in the thick of this together. And so I did, I got it done in four months. I'm just, first of all, I have to add because it's it's hilarious because I knew where you were going with that and I love that you led off with. So I had six months off and I figured, and you know, most people are gonna like, well, let's see, what can we, you know what mean? I just decided to go and get my master's degree, which for those that are not in the know, casual listener, hopefully you're still with us, is usually a two year process after your baccalaureate, after your bachelor's degree. And so. Two years worth of education and it's painful education in four months. I, however, am a slacker because it took me a robust nine and a half months to get done. So kudos to you, four months. I know how much pain I was under in the nine and a half. I could see how it was done in four because I was like, there was some stretches in there like a month where I didn't do anything because of life and whatever getting in the way. And so I still, I just am in awe. So that's amazing. And that's coming from someone, BT Dubs. You said you graduated from high school in 1998. So Niffer is from the 1900s, everybody. So if she doesn't hear me very well, just bear with us. I speak loudly, I enunciate clearly, we're fine. I'm just kidding, I'm from the 1900s too, so we're fine, we're fine. So then where's home for you? You can answer that however you wish and maybe tell us some more. no, don't tell us about your family yet because. I almost forgot my opening questions, which I do all the time. So, where's home for you? Okay. I've been here since I was five. I... grew up telling my mom I was leaving as soon as I graduated. Mom, I'm outta here. And I did move out right after I graduated, but I never left. It probably has to do with meeting my husband, but it's, I do wanna move to Idaho when I retire, but for now, this is home. Well, for all my life, this is home, basically. Yeah, and if you don't mind saying, so did you like drop down from like another planet or where were you for the first five years of your life? California, gotcha. dad and stepmom still live in Stockton, California. And my mom and dad got divorced when I was, I think I was five. That's what I tell myself. I don't have great memory from back then, or now actually. But yeah, my mom's family was here, so then we moved up here. don't know if I knew about that, but I definitely forgot about that, because I also, my parents got divorced when I was five. And so, but, and with apologies to anyone in California, so it is true, Niffer, you did beam down from another planet at five years old. Got it, okay. So. is correct. So correct, yes. well, I just shut out, I think, probably 1 .50th of any potential guests I could have on this podcast. like, no, I heard Jennifer, I heard Niffer's episode. You're trash talking, Kathleen. That is true, that is true. It'll be the people that are moving in that are like, well, wait, what? And then, yeah, it'll be fun. So, the two, and I forgot to warn you about this. So, for everybody out there, There might be a little bit of a pause here for this first question, but I have two standard opening questions now, not just one, and I'm springing this first one on Niffer without or even knowing. So, the new question which came to me less than a week ago, I think a few days back, what are your three favorite songs? right now in life. Okay, In life. So, I have a few playlists, right? They meet my moods, whatever. I have one called Office Vibes, when I'm here in my office and I need to kind of tone my thoughts down so I can focus. But there's one that I love, it's by... Brian? Called Pink Skies. It's so sad. It's, but it's like, it's, singing to his like wife about her funeral or something, but the music is beautiful. And I just, I love it. It's so good. And then I just, my husband met me this morning to drop off my car for an oil change. And I don't remember it now, but there was a song that was on and I was like, I gotta add this to my office playlist. We were, we were young. I don't know. But I'm going through this sort of like folk country vibe. We found a playlist called, what is it called? Not back, Bonfire Radio. And it's just chill music that anything in that genre right now, I'm loving. I do, it's a bit my personality. I get a bit obsessive and if there's a song that I love, I will just listen to it on repeat until I like know all the words. Do you do this too, Eric? You're nodding like you've heard of this before. and I also, I do it to a point where, to be perfectly honest, I can't stand listening to the song anymore for a while. That's how compulsive I get with it. And so I listen, listen, listen, and I'm like, this is the best song ever. And then you just, and it's not a gradual thing. You just go to play it whatever next time it is, and you're going, no, I'm over you. We're done for a while. It'll come back around for sure, but yeah. I love it. My other favorite is, and this was on that obsessive. Play. Repeat play. Okay, I'm gonna come back to that because I have to find it, but I will say, okay, this is not just one song. Okay, my daughter has got me, pretty much our whole family, obsessed with this concept musical. It's in the Tales of Odysseus. It's called Epic. Ow. If you love musicals, I hope they actually make it into a musical. It is the most amazing music. This was another like COVID pandemic fruit. And it's, there's multiple albums out and it is epic. It's a beautiful story. My 10 year old knows all the words cause they listen to it every time they get in my daughter's car. So fun. It's good. It's clean. It's like, it's, It's really, really good. Everybody should listen to that. Yes, do. we're doing this. That's why we're doing this. Because then everybody gets to hear everybody's like, what drives you? Like what, and it just exposes you to new ideas, new music, new opportunities for inspiration, really. So outstanding. Thank you. And that was on the fly, everybody. That was on the fly. There was no dead time cut out of that one there. So because that happens sometimes. I've warned my honored guests. I'll throw a curve ball. And if you got to sit there for 20, 30 seconds and think about it, Go for it. We'll cut that silence out. No, that was all real time, everybody. Okay, now the one you definitely know, which is what are the three words that you would use to describe nursing school? Okay, I have to look back at my notes because I know they all start with C's, which I kind of stole from you, not intentionally. Well, and then I found out we at Gonzaga they're gonna teach this whole Four C's thing, not mine, like, it's not, and I can't make, take claim to anything, but Dr. Sloan told me, and I said, I was like, I gotta come up with new material? Unbelievable, unbelievable. Let me be stale. is the greatest form of flattery, right? That's what they say. Okay, my three words. Okay, so this is from the perspective of a nursing educator. Connections, calling, and creativity. my goodness, we're gonna jump into those three Cs at the end of what's likely gonna be episode two. I'm already looking at the time going, no, I know Niffer and I know that we're gonna be a two -parter here. So before we get into the deep stuff, tell us about your family. Do you have any healthcare workers in your family? You kinda already touched on your inspiration as to why you became a nurse, but tell us more about your family. So we do have... We'll start with my family. So yes, my husband and I met in high school right before we graduated. So we've been together forever. He's amazing and was a really like just he puts up with me, which I do not understand, but I appreciate nonetheless. And he was a really amazing, huge support when I got my master's. He took over everything that I, he picked up everything I dropped and did it so well. I'm eternally grateful for him. We've got four kiddos. My oldest daughter, Jamie, just turned 21. Which is weird because I got married when I was 21 so that's a whole thing to look at your kid like you could have no no I was a baby And then my oldest son Joshua just is 19 and He is about to launch from home so that's weird and exciting and nerve -racking and all the things I Have another son named Jacob. He's a he'll be he's starting his junior year in high school and that's awesome. He says he wants to be a pilot and I'm like but they don't have that degree option at Gonzaga. But okay, we have to, yeah, okay, fun. And then our baby is, she'll be 11, and her name is Jillian. And so she's sweet. I have said from the beginning that my first three are very different, and Jillian somehow is a culmination of all three. And I'm like, I'm gonna have to figure out how to parent these guys, my bigs is what I call them, because they're kind of a little bit older than she is. to figure out how to parent her and that is true so far. So yeah, those are my kids. I love them. I love my family. I do have a lot of nurses in my family. My mom is a retired nurse. My stepmom is soon to be a retired nurse. My mother -in -law passed away 10 or 11 years ago. I actually got to work with her on my unit for a short time. She was an LPN and that was pretty amazing getting to work with her. and have aunts coming out of the woodwork that are nurses and my grandma should have been a nurse but she cared for everyone always. She wasn't a nurse but she should have been. She was a nurse without a degree. exactly what I was gonna say. She's a nurse without a degree. She didn't have the letters behind her name, but she was a nurse. That's awesome. So it was definitely in the blood. That's for sure. That's awesome. My youngest, Jillian, she tells me that she also wants to be a labor and delivery nurse, which is really sweet. She's like, mom, I'm gonna be a nurse and I'm gonna help deliver babies like you. And I said, you are? Okay, awesome. And this year, I actually homeschool her. We're doing anatomy, right? Like that's our science this year is going through anatomy and we're learning about, I don't remember what we were learning about. And she's like, is this stuff I have to know to be a nurse? And I'm like, you have no idea. Nope, that's it. That's all you need to know. You're good to go. there are nursing students right now going, please, if that was it, if that was all. no, thank you for sharing that. That's amazing. And who knows if she does hold true to that, you know, she's 11, of course, but I and I don't want to discount that. Some people definitely know. But, you know, who knows? Maybe that moment where she works alongside you is in the future. Who knows? That's awesome. That's awesome. So we're just going to continue on with the getting to know Niffer in this first episode. think that's kind of, this kind of tends to be the natural division of two episodes. The first episode ends up being more about you, what makes you tick, what makes you who you are. And then we kind of dive into the nursing education stuff. And that's kind of where we're going to head with Niffer today. is especially as a nurse instructor, as a professor. Let's talk about that for a second. Are you a professor? Are you an instructor? Are you an educator? You're an educator, but I mean there's, you know, the whole Venn diagram and what overlaps and then like, what is your official title and what makes that distinction? So I've learned that it's different at different colleges. At Gonzaga, it is a lecturer. I'm a lecturer. So yes, I have a couple students that will, at least initially, not be sure how to address me in an email and say Professor Evans. I'm just Jen. I'm just Jen. But I'm technically, that is my title, lecturer. Lecturer Evans, I just want to make sure that I get it right today. So lecture Niffer lecture Niffer. I love it. I love it So you already touched on the fact that you do not only do you lecture but you also You also work. So where is it that you work and how you've kind of touched on how long you've done that but any insights as to You know what? I mean, have you always been in the same location? And if so, what is that like being in the same location for so long? So I've always been at Holy Family since I have been working as a nurse. I did a year on MedSurg, not my jam, but I did learn an incredible amount. And then I was lucky enough to apply and be hired on our labor and delivery, or it's an LDRP. So our patients, we do all the things. They come in, they have their babies, they recover, they stay for while postpartum and then they go home and it's all in one essentially room. Which is I love that model of care. It's a smaller hospital but I had actually had all my babies there and I love it. We have something really amazing on our unit. The Family Maternity Center is what it's called. And it is, I've only ever worked on our med search floor and then on FMC. And so I know that it's special, but we have people come in and, you know, that have worked other places and we have this amazing family dynamic. We are close with each other. We do life together outside of work and we, you know, celebrate baby showers and weddings and go to funerals and you know, carry each other through hard times and it is, it's really hard to work two jobs, I'm not gonna lie. And, but there's no way I can give it up because they are my family. 100%. Mm -hmm. And that's, I mean, can you touch on the obvious, which I mean, is not going to be the first time we've talked about this on this podcast, but how does that make the difference for you when you're going into work? Like you said, it's hard doing two, but just the same, two jobs, but it just the same. it's, you're very passionate for your job. That's obvious. But how does having that tight knit group that to me sounds pretty dang rare. How does that help you? Well, you know, something that you don't always think about when you think about labor and delivery is that, you know, we don't just hold babies. That's, I know, can you believe it? Nope, nope, nope, yeah, yeah. There can be a lot of, this is why I love labor and deliveries, because it's a little bit ER, right? Like we have things, call it a stop and drop, where sometimes a mom is in labor and it's really intense and she shows up and has a baby. I delivered a baby in a wheelchair once because the baby was just, that's what there was to do. But there are emergencies that can happen and we have to get a baby out really, really quickly. and to know that I can depend on my co -workers without question. We have this, when there is an emergency and it's all hands on deck, it is this amazing thing to see this pit crew kind of idea where you've got this race car coming in and they gotta, I don't know what they do, change the oil, add gas, put tires on. It's not my thing. But everybody has a job and everybody knows the next thing that needs to be done. the last shift that I worked, I was actually getting ready to clock out and there was an emergency happening. And I'm in the, and I'm doing this and I'm doing that and I'm it was just We excel in our unit of really coming together in those moments. sometimes those things, most of the time, those things, those emergencies end really well. Sometimes they don't. And especially because the loss of life at such a, at the beginning of life, right, is exceptionally tragic. To be able to lean on my coworkers and to support my fellow coworkers that maybe this is the first time they've experience this and I can draw on my experience with losing a patient and help them through that. There's nothing like that. You know, there's, I feel, it's not with every single coworker, right? But the majority of them, there's, you can go to anyone for, hey, I had this really rough shift or hey, how do I process this? Or I'm struggling with communicating with this person. How can, you know, there's this absolute camaraderie and It's, it's, I can't imagine working on a unit where it's every man for themselves type mentality. Where it's just show up, get the job done and that's it, I'm all business. That's, I don't know, it's not how I live, how I work, egg on zagga, or you know, in the hospital. So, it's, it's pretty, it's pretty amazing. Keeps, keeps me going, for sure. And it really like, I I often refer to things as like the gold standard, know, gold standard is having, you know, working on a unit or working in a facility or working at a location where you can rely on your team like that. That is the gold standard. But that even sounds like where you guys are at is even, I mean, it's, it's platinum. It's, it's, it is that 0 .5 % or, know, maybe one, 1 % of all places you can end up. I, you know, I mean, Piedzonk. You've gotta be tight there, you've gotta be, but it still wasn't quite to the level you're describing. You know what I mean? And I do my best to foster that where I'm at. Everybody does their best to foster, but just sometimes you got different personalities and it just doesn't. work, or certain groups work really well together and others work really well with each other. But rarely is it this level of camaraderie, I feel like, to which you describe. so nursing students, look for that. Look for, not necessarily the 1%, but if you landed somewhere where that does not exist, that teamwork does not exist, someone's calling you saying, hey, Susie, Joe, your pump's beeping, go take care of it. You know, period, and hangs up. That's not the place you want to be. And then you have a question to ask yourself. Do you want to be one of those that if you've got you and maybe one or two others who want to try and change that culture, man, go for it. There's nothing more invigorating than trying to do that. But don't do that at the expense of your own mental health, your own sanity and your own ability. This is maybe this is taking place while you're just learning how to be a nurse. And that's not the time to do that. So, you know, by all means, look for that. And man, if you find it just it is it's amazing. It's amazing. So. You touch on a serious topic there, and not that I want to get too deep, but we'll see where I'm kind of turning this around. But you you talk about the loss of life and young lives at that on occasion. And I feel like this is a natural segue into the question, who or what inspires you most in life? So, I, you know, okay, Eric sent me questions, not the song question, but Eric sent me questions beforehand. No, it's okay. I love it, I love it, it was so good. And I... sat with this question for, I mean not like days or anything, but I sat with it for a while and I was like, how do I really want to answer this? And I'm looking at what I wrote right now and it's just the absolute truth that my faith in Jesus is everything. It's... It helps me make sense of this crazy world. And there are, don't, I do not know all the things. I do not have all of the answers. I do not understand all of, you know, like what is in the Bible, but that's the faith part. Is that, yes. of life? Everyone wants to know. Do you have that answer now? I'm just kidding. Go ahead, continue. Forty -two! There, you've heard it here first. Forty -two, meaning of life. Write it down. Get it tattooed. Okay, sorry, continue. No, it's okay, that's not original. That's from like, what is that? It's from a movie, a silly, goofy movie. You would love this movie, not Guardians of the Galaxy, something about galaxy. yes, yes, yes. this is, now we're both gonna look so stu Okay, continue with your - I I derailed this whole important conversation. You keep talking, I'm looking at the - Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy! I didn't have to look it up! Okay, there it is. my gosh. Okay, now that we got that out of the way. gosh. Sorry for that. that's okay. My faith, so I'm a Christian, is paramount to how I do, what I do, why I do, all of the things. It was really amazing coming to work for Gonzaga, which is a Jesuit university. I saw exactly what I thought it would be. But it's great. I love that I can say in class, you know, that this is my, we talk about worldview in one of my classes, that this is my worldview, you know, and this is the lens that I look at everything through. That's my, I mean, it was cliche and I don't know, when was it? The bracelets, what would Jesus do, right? Everybody was wearing the bracelets. I don't remember when that was. But that's my lens is, you know, I get frustrated in this situation. Well, how would Jesus approach this? I do not do it perfectly. Let me be very clear. I keep failing and fall. I know I keep trying but you know that idea of grace and mercy and that Grace is is getting something good that you don't deserve and mercy is is not getting something bad that you do deserve and I sometimes respond first before I remember that, but my goal is to lead and live with grace and mercy as much as possible and quite imperfectly, but that's the goal. Well, it's been great talking with you, Niffer. We only accept perfections here. So perfect people. Yeah, no. So we're just going to wrap this up. Yeah, I'm going to move on to the next perfect person. Just fine. No, and I thank you for, you you say that so eloquently. The whole concept of grace and mercy is something I feel like is. horribly lacking in society today. And I mean, it has been for, you know, eons, there's a whole reason for that, but it just seems so magnified. And I don't know if it's just because we're adults and have to pay attention closer to it. Sometimes I miss childhood for that reason. Like I long for the days where, you you always wish you could be an adult and then you're an adult and you're like, I kind of wish I was a kid again. Because I feel like there's a lot that our parents shield us from. If that makes sense, you know what I mean? Like there's just... A lot of concerns you don't have to worry about. maybe you can speak toward this too, but do you find that, and I don't want to go ageist here because all students, that's the whole point of this. We've talked about before the original logo, Feeding Our Young, they originally, the people that developed it for me, young was the one, the word that was in script. And I counted with them and I said, actually, I need the feeding in script. That's where the emphasis should lie. Because it's not about young. We've already established on this podcast, you can be 40, 50 going back to school, and you're a brand new nursing student. You know what mean? You're going through a lot of the same things in a different way. But that being said, as I digress, you and I work with very young coming straight out of high school, and you have to commit, and all the things. So do you find that there's also that component of watching them try to navigate this crazy world that maybe they didn't have to deal with, you know, thanks to their parents or whatever the case may be prior to. Absolutely. so much. And that's something that I have to remember. And I had kids around my students' ages, and it really helps me reflect both ways. I've got to remember this about my kids. I've got to remember this about my students. And I tell them, you guys are my kids now. I tell my students that. Like, I've adopted you. It's a thing. You're my kids now. Yes. But I, you sometimes, okay, for example, I put so much work into preparing my courses, right? Like way too much time and energy and then somebody will like way too much but somebody will you know ask a question and I'm like I know that I have put this answer out there right and I I sometimes think I just wanna reply, read the syllabus. You know, like it's there, it's there. But I have to take that step back and remember that not only are my students learning to navigate college, right? And taking on this career, and this is a hard degree to get, like this is intense. But they're also growing up as a human being and learning to navigate some of these things that maybe they didn't have to do on their own in a high school setting, right? and maybe their parents were really, really involved and helped navigate these things and now they're out on their own for the first time and like, I didn't follow the directions, you know? And I very, very, it's really important to me that I come across with grace in those emails. And I joke, I have a sign on my wall that says, per my last email, I gotta zoom in so I can see it, which the translation is, Can you read? know, like as a total joke, as a total joke. But I will like rephrase that back to them like, that's a great question. Here is, you know, a link to our syllabus. Check that out in there. And it's a little bit of that nurturing where we actually, okay, so Eric, you and I went to like an all day meeting yesterday and one of my mentors here at Gonzaga, she said, know, that you, as an educator you want to have this high level of accountability but a high level of support. And so I'm not going to give them the answer, right, if it's something that they can do for themselves, but I'm going to say, hey remember here's a little little trail of breadcrumbs, right? Like here, you you can find it here or, but let me know if you have any questions and if, you know, something doesn't make sense, just let me know. But there's a lot of growing up that happens outside of the classroom in this age of students that I have here. Yeah. Did that answer your question? I feel like I totally just went off on a tangent. Okay. add was the very profound. Give a student a fish and they will be fed for a day. But the student how to fish and they will eat for a lifetime. I mean, that's the thing. And so nursing students, and especially those that are younger coming straight out of high school, listen to this. Listen with your heart, not just with your ears. We're here for you. We're trying to help you not only navigate nursing school, but life. And that in and of itself is no small task because we're all trying to figure it out ourselves. I don't know if that inspires or if that actually demoralizes you. I'm not sure. But granted, there are things we have figured out as we've gotten older. You know, now that both Niffer and I are in our early 30s, you know, we're really we're we're learning. I can't even say it with a straight face. Anyway, point is, we're here for you. Take that for what it is. So we have reached near the end of your first episode and I have a very rarely does this opportunity present itself. So far, the only overlap I've ever had has happened once with one of my honored guests. And as everybody knows, you know, we're sitting in studio, this virtual studio, and I can have up to, you know, three, four, the most sessions I've had in a day is four. But it doesn't happen often and when it does, blah, blah, blah. So today was gonna be Jennifer at 10, and then I have another amazing guest coming in tonight at six, and nothing in between. And I was like, this is great. can pencil this, pencil that. I'll go get a master's degree in the six hours I have in between. sorry, that takes six months. That's right. Anyway, and so last night, somebody who had to cancel and reschedule a while back, I didn't know when I'd see her again, but she booked the twelve to two right after you. And so we've been texting back and forth because I try and get everybody in a row and I'm like, okay, hey, just so you know, can I call you this early? Blah, blah, blah. So meanwhile, you and I are talking and I get a text that iMessage pops up here on the old MacBook and Izzie Wilkes says, tell Jennifer, tell Jennifer, hi. And I said, and I'm not writing her back because you've got my attention. I hate, anyone who knows me knows I hate cell phones and I hate that they distract in that regard. So I've been sitting here like Okay, I got it. And then she texted again, because I didn't write her back. She says, want tell Jennifer I said hi? And then she says, ask Jennifer about our first delivery together. gosh. That's how we're gonna close this episode, if you can remember in your early 30s brain. Okay, so Izzie, Izzie is a, I love her so much. I have not known her for that long. But there are just every once in a in life, you bump into somebody who absolutely, you're like, click. She's one of those people. So this was the first time that I'd ever worked with her. She was new on our unit and I was finishing up a day shift. She was coming in for a night shift. I don't know. She wasn't a charge nurse. think she was like a labor nurse that night. And... my Lord, I had a delivery and I don't even remember. There was something hard about this delivery, like pain or bleeding or something was going on. And then I come out and I think she was like, so we've got an ambulance is bringing someone in. And I was like, okay, we can pivot, we can adjust, we always make it work, right? And then I think we also had a new doctor on that night if I'm remembering correctly. Adding to the fun. yeah, make it fun, right? And then I think I go into a room and I come out and she's like, so there's another ambulance bringing another patient in. And I was like, are you flipping kidding me? Like, my gosh, this is okay. It's fine. Everything's fine. We can do this. It's okay. And it was just like, and I was so impressed with Izzie in that moment. She was on it, but she was not panicked. She was like, okay, well, we're gonna do this and all right. we'll do this and I was like I do like her I knew I did I love it so okay so that was my first night with Izzie but I have to say okay so here's some here's some food for thought for Izzie for when you when she's on your podcast did you already okay so Izzie in my contact we have very special contacts for each other in our phones so when she started working I was like okay, I really try not to be a judgmental person. but there are a few things that I'm gonna judge you about. One is if you, one is, and this is all in jest, but one is if you don't have an iPhone. Eric, you and I have been through this. You're fine now, we're good. Two is I don't know why I do this, but I look at people's socks. It's a thing. Like I used to work with a nurse who would wear her husband's tube socks. And I'm like, friends, friends. Like you could do better than black shoes and dark scrubs. in white tube socks, okay? Like, MJ, that was a whole look for him, but like, come on. And I love fun socks. And so Izzie didn't wear socks. She had her dance -goes on, and I was like, do you not have socks on? And she goes, no, like when you get new dance -goes, that's something about, that's what you're supposed to do is you're like, initially, don't wear them with socks, like out of the box, and then you can just not wear socks. It's a... so glad right now this is not a video podcast because my face is saying so many things. Alright, anyway. Yeah. So her contact is Izzie. No last name. For a while I couldn't remember her last name. Who doesn't wear socks? That is her contact. And then my contact in her phone is, no, no, no, I'm. those who don't wear socks. I misspoke, I misspoke. Mine is Jen, who wishes she didn't wear socks. And in hers, hers is Izzie who wishes she had her masters like Jen. I love this. this is amazing. Yeah. So, like I said, we clicked from the moment we met and it was, it was, it's really fun. We have fun with each other. I'm not a matchmaker, you guys. We're obviously great friends and all the things, but I feel like I'm playing matchmaker. I was already, again, I told you I was already excited to get into your episodes, and then I saw what you sent me, and I'm like, I'm even more excited. And now I'm like, was already excited to get into Izzie's episodes. I've seen what she sent me. And now I'm like, that's just ratcheted up a whole new, this is gonna be so much fun. Well, and I have to tell you, Eric, there is... In the OB world, in Spokane, everyone eventually knows each other, right? But there's little smatterings of this conversation. did you do Eric's podcast? Are you gonna do Eric's podcast? Eric, I'm on the date for this day. It's so funny. You are infiltrating all of these circles that I was like, how do you know Eric? Like, I know Eric, how do you know Eric? It's so fun, it's so fun. So this is just gonna explode and I love it. because I think Izzie and I just, I mean, the only time I met her, because I don't, you know, I don't do Holy Family very often. I mean, I don't in my role, so you know, again, this is separate hospital, etc, etc, for those that don't know, but it was in an AWHONN meeting put together by Allie, who will also be another honored guest, and that's where I first met Izzie. And so, you know, I... This is just amazing. I'm so excited. Well, good. Thank you for inflating my ego. The headphones don't fit anymore. So we're going to have to take a break and jump into the second episode. So you've heard it here first. Of course, we're going to do part two with Niffer. I missed the obvious, I should have called you Jen this whole episode and then called you Niffer for the second one. I'm a moron. Unbelievable. All right, you're Jen on the second one. Golly. Those are those like. just not Jenny. No, not Jenny. I would never do that because I respect you too much and I respect my life. And so two things that I want to keep going there. All right. So we'll see you on the flip side, everybody. Jump in that second episode. You don't want to miss it. We're going to get into picking at the brain of an amazing nurse educator. Excuse me, Lecturer Evans. And we're going to find out how that works and maybe even delve into her nursing school story as she learned. before she could then pass on that learning to others. So we'll see ya, Jen -nifer, not Jenny. Not Jenny.