Bedpan Banter

Climbing the Nursing Ladder: CNA → LPN → RN with Kesheen Curtis

• SimpleNursing • Season 1 • Episode 8

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Scrubs, scope, and second chances—this conversation with Kesheen is a candid look at how a nursing career really takes shape. We start with a hard detour: walking away from a BSN program that drained his momentum, then rebuilding confidence through an LPN at a community college. From there, pediatrics clicked.

We get practical about the move from CNA to LPN and the shift into leadership. Delegation stops being a buzzword when you’ve been the tech who always stepped in. Kesheen breaks down how he learned to prioritize, ask for help, and protect his bandwidth while honoring the team. We dig into the gray zone of LPN vs RN scope—initial assessments, education, IVs, and blood administration—and why the only answer that counts is your state board and your unit policy. Internet debates don’t cover hospital nuance; printed policies do.

Study tactics are straight to the point. Active recall on a whiteboard, teach-back in plain English, and question banks that mirror NCLEX logic build confidence. For SATA, flipping each option into true or false slows panic and speeds clarity. We also talk money and timeline: why an LPN-first route can be more affordable, how to weigh debt against regional salaries, and ways to work without burning out. And on social media, authenticity wins—share what you actually use, let your policy guide your practice, and tune out the noise.

If you’re navigating nursing school, returning after a pause, or trying to find your place on the floor, this story offers both compass and map. 


Use Code 'SIMPLENURSING' for 15% off your Uniform Advantage Order!

To submit your stories & comments, visit: https://simplenursing.com/podcast/

SPEAKER_00:

We gotta code round. Welcome to Bedpan Banter with me, Nurse Mike. Can I get a Bedpan over here? Welcome back to Bedpan Banter, the official podcast of Civil Nursing, where we talk all about the human side of healthcare. I'm your host, Nurse Mike, and with me today is a very special guest, Key Shin. I messed it up five times. So remember, Key and Shin. Yeah. This guy looks like a Hollister model. So sweet. That's so sweet. I'm just being honest. Okay. Okay, so let's get this straight. You're in nursing school right now. You have nine months till you graduate. You just did your LPN program. Correct. Now you're in your RN program. And I think the most interesting part is that you're born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. I know everyone's shocked by that.

SPEAKER_00:

So let's get into it. First on the list, let's get this straight. You never meant to be a social media person, content. No. I just happened to.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. I honestly like it started off with fitness, which was weird. And then it like converted to nursing school. And I think everyone, I guess like everyone saw that I was like positive about being a CNA because everyone drags CNAs in the mud all the time. So and then it just went from there. And then I started nursing school and my LPN. So and now we're here.

SPEAKER_00:

That's beautiful. I mean, what how long were you in CNA?

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, since I was 16. No way. Uh in high school.

SPEAKER_00:

I always tell aspiring nursing students, even nursing students, just to be like, hey, become a CNA, become a tech, and work on the floor that you want to work on. Uh if you can't do that, be a volunteer. As long as you're somewhere in the vicinity of seeing nurses do what you want to do. Do you think being a CNA has drastically impacted your decisions?

SPEAKER_01:

Honestly, yeah. I think it helped me not only like mentally, like see healthcare in general, because I was working at like a brain and spinal injury place and then I went to pediatrics. So I think people just thought I jumped into pediatrics on social media. But honestly, I don't think if I didn't work as a pediatric tech, I wouldn't have been a pediatric LPN right now. So that's why I always tell people to like go be a CNA where you want to work as a nurse.

SPEAKER_00:

So within the last year, you got your LPN. What initially inspired you to go to nursing school in the first place?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, so my mom always was in healthcare. Um she actually wanted to go to nursing school, and she's actually in nursing school right now with me. So it's actually a more special treat.

SPEAKER_00:

We have Keyshin's mom right here in student. No. Yeah. No, but oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_01:

I know, it's crazy. So she was like, and she had us young, all of like my siblings and I, so she never got to go. And so I told her, I said, if I get into nursing school, you're gonna do nursing school. And she did it. So I've always been surrounded by. Was she an LPN or was she? She was like a phlebotomist or something like that. Okay, so she had to start from scratch. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

She was a phylobotomy and like OBGYN. So wow. And you guys are in the same nursing program?

SPEAKER_01:

She's at a different school because I told her not to come to my butt'd have yeah, she's in a different program.

SPEAKER_00:

But that'd be really cool. Yeah, so speaking on your mom being in nursing school, a lot of nursing students, uh half of my class was a second year, or I'm sorry, second career.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay.

SPEAKER_00:

Uh transitioning either from respiratory therapy, phlebotomy, or something else completely not related. So was there anything that you did to encourage your mom to go back? Or what would you say to anyone that is older trying to go to nursing school?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, so like my mom, I think she always like had the mind of like I'm gonna go back no matter what, like at some point. My mom's like 43, I think. Oh, she's young. Yeah. Yeah, she's like young, yeah. Yeah, but no, I I think she saw that like I actually wanted to do it because I'm a first gen as well. Like, I'm the first kid to go to college and all this. So yeah, it's a big stand my ground for my family right now. But no, my mom, I think she just wants like she wanted it and she wants it for not just like us, but for herself.

SPEAKER_00:

So were you guys in the same uh semester? She's graduated.

SPEAKER_01:

She's just started LPN. So she just started LPN.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01:

So are you mentoring your mom now? Kind of. I'm like That's amazing. I'm like, I have studying to do too, girl. Okay.

SPEAKER_00:

Do you show her like study management tips? Yeah. Do you show her simple nursing videos?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I know. I told her that, and she I think she actually does use simple nursing, so okay, very cool.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, just watch the video before you start studying, it should help out a lot. So we've seen some of your content that you posted about you considering dropping out of nursing school or dropping out of your program uh initially. And you mentioned that you were initially going for your BSN and then had to take a step back, drop out, and go for your LPN. Tell us about that.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, so I actually started, it's like a college called University of Nebraska Medical Center, like straight out of high school. I did two years of prereqs, then went to nursing school there for my BSN. And I think like November, the first semester. First semester. Yeah, I like dropped out of school.

SPEAKER_00:

Did you have like huge doubts? Like, oh my gosh, I can't get it.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I was like mentally like done. I was like, this is not like for me. I actually changed ended up changing my major to like healthcare administration because I was like, I'm never doing nursing. Like I think the school ruined it for me and all everything, like it was just not a good environment. Um, so then I took, I think I took a two-year gap year. Really? I'm pretty sure. Okay. And then I went back at my LPN program and I was like, I think this is just like the way to go. I've heard amazing things about this program. Um was it a totally different school? Yeah, totally different school. It's a community college, actually. So yeah. So I'm there, um, did my LPN and everything, and I just went from there.

SPEAKER_00:

So any student watching this or someone who's done a yap year or has had to take a step back, what really helped you overcome your doubts and like, hey, maybe I can do this?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, so I think it started more so when I kind of switched my CNA job. I was like went into pediatrics and I was like, I think this is like my like I want to do nursing. Yeah, I was like, this just feels like home. I like want to do more than just like be a CNA, even though CNAs do do a lot. Yeah, um, I wanted to be more like direct care and everything. So I was like, I'm gonna go back and go do nursing. And I did. So that's amazing what what about pediatrics inspired you? Honestly, I just think like everyone says like all over TikTok, they're like, I can never do that. I like I hate parents and this and that. And I'm like, honestly, it's not bad. I just think a lot of people misconscrew it like with that they don't communicate with the parents. Like if your child is going to the hospital, you want to know what's happening and what's going on. So I think it's more of that, and just like honestly, I don't know, it just fit feels right for me.

SPEAKER_00:

So that's really amazing. Yeah, that's that's a huge point. I think the number one trait that every nurse should have, or um, soon to be a nurse is empathy. And if you can put yourself in the parents' shoes and treat them as the patient, right? Because they're the ultimate responsible for the kid. Yeah. It's like then you can get buy-in and then you build rapport, and then you can finally do your care. Yeah. Okay, so being a CNA or techs out there that help out with patient care. Um, what is it like being on the other side of the tracks, being the nurse now? Uh LPN or RN having to delegate to a CNA, which you used to be.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, so I think the whole nursing transition was hard for me as a CNA because I was always so like as a CNA, I had very like high standards for myself. Even like everyone, I feel like everyone known me to like go step in and do all this stuff as a CNA. And so I transitioned over to LPN, and it was like, okay, now I can't do everything really myself because I have a lot more cares to do and meds to pass and just like communicating with the families and things like that. So it was very hard like trying to be like telling my prior coworkers that I was on the same level with that, oh, can you do this? Can you do my vital science? You know, yeah, can you do that? Can you change this bed? Yeah, but everyone is like amazing about it. Like all the CNAs are great at my hospital, and I think like we all everyone helps each other there.

SPEAKER_00:

So, as new grads, the top two skills that we see are the most difficult to get, especially in your first six months, is prioritization, you know, who to see first because you know who dies first. And then number two is delegation, because you feel like it's all your responsibility, and it's kind of the opposite in real life, because you just you're supposed to delegate, but a lot of people are confused with what CNAs do versus what techs do. So being a CNA yourself and now being an LPN, what is your personal experience in in delegating and how do you navigate that?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. So like as a CNA, I guess like I which is a certified nursing assistant. I mean, I guess a lot of people call it different things like PCTs and whatever, yeah. So I feel like everyone gets it kind of confused, but they're all doing the same thing. Um but more so, like what I do, like what I did as a CNA or tech, um in pediatrics, I feel like it's a little bit more limited than like adult world in those terms. So I just did vital signs and made the beds and did admission questions and um like some interesting things, like just helping with like LPs and things like that.

SPEAKER_00:

So the beauty of doing that before you're a nurse or while you're in nursing school, you literally can see everything up close and personally because you help with the fullies, you help with the IVs, you help with all the things that they do.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, it did make me like a little bit more prepared for nursing school, but also you kind of have to block it out too because it can mess you up with exams and stuff too.

SPEAKER_00:

So yeah, because like you know, uh nursing world on exams and NClix world we call it is totally different than actual hands-on in the hospital stuff. So speaking of the differences between RN and LPN, what really made you decide to go back to school for an RN? Because you could have stayed LPN Yeah, totally.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I honestly just think I was like when I finished my LPN in 2025, like of May, um, I kind of like was just like I'm gonna do it no matter what. Um our school kind of did direct entry into the ADN program for like your RN. So I was like, I'm just gonna do it and just go for it. Um I want to eventually probably advance my career after that. So I want to keep going up the scale. Yeah, what's what's your ultimate goal? I don't know. I'm like in between C RNA and NP right now. So so yeah, I don't honestly, I just I want to be an RN to like advance later on.

SPEAKER_00:

So yeah, yeah. I mean, having your RN, you know, you can get your master's degree, you can teach. And the big differences between LPN to clear the air, LPN and LVN are kind of the same thing, they just have different names. Yeah, but it's basically the first year of a two-year RN program. It doesn't mean you're anything less than a nurse. Yeah, we're all nurses, all right. Let's not catch shade together. We get a lot of shade. I mean, oh my gosh, the videos, because LPN, we were talking about this, has such a gray area, right?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, it does. Like very gray. And it's yeah. I think like the biggest things a lot of people kind of debate about is like administering blood. Is that a big one right now? Um IVs, IVs, like doing IV or like education or doing an initial assessment or doing like initial education. Like technically, I can't do like NG world to home because it's initial.

SPEAKER_00:

What is it? Ng road to home?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, that's what I guess that's what we call it. So it's like if a kid goes on like an NG like home, like that you have to like know how to insert it and everything like that. So I can't do that teaching because it's initial teaching, right? If that makes sense. No, of course.

SPEAKER_00:

And and we always split hairs on the NCLEX because the NCLEX world is like no initial or primary or first. Those are keywords that we have in our videos about the differences. Um, but yeah, you can't do the initial first, it can be like, you know, discharge paperwork. You're educating, re-educating, yeah, which is really dumb, I think. But also at the same time, it's like it is what it is.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. But like at my job, I like we can do the initial assessment, we just have to get it co like co-checked by RN, I guess.

SPEAKER_00:

So and that's the craziest part about LPNs and LPNs. It's like uh it depends on the state, it depends on the region, depends on the hospital facilities.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, it's like, oh my gosh. Yeah, I feel like I have a really big scope at my hospital, which is probably like why everyone it's like you can't do that, you can't do it.

SPEAKER_00:

So it can because I mean if you're posting on social media and someone in New York's either, it's like totally different.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, so I've I've had my fair share of sharing what I do on there. And everyone's like, you can't do this.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, actually, we can't. So speaking of shade and backlash, how do you deal with all the negativity on social when you get it?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I that's actually a really good question because a lot of like healthcare right now, nursing, everything is so negative on social media, I feel like, all the time. So with me, like videos being LPN and like people like, oh, you have no scope of practice, like you can't do anything, or all that jazz. Um, I feel like I kind of like tune it out sometimes. I'm like, oh well, it is what it is. I even went as far as showing my policy thing on at work, they print it off the sheet. Wow. And it's like what RNs can do, what LPNs can do. That's pretty cool. People still didn't believe me, but it's fine. It's fine. It's fine. But I honestly kind of just like tune it out, and when I'm at work, I'm at work.

SPEAKER_00:

So yeah, it is what it is, yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I can't change your mind. I honestly feel just like being like a nursing influencer creator or whatever, you already have a target on your back, no matter what. Of course.

SPEAKER_00:

Like we talked about this with other content creators, influencers, if you will. Uh, and it's like, hey, it's like a rose, right? Yeah, you gotta accept the beauty, you gotta accept the thorns, yeah. You gotta accept the yin with the yin. Yeah. So yeah. The big key point is stop the hating, start the appreciating, the collaborating, you know. And I think uh when I first got to nursing school, the biggest thing that I realized is that there's a lot of like, you know, uh uh competing in nursing school. There's a lot of envious nursing students. Yeah. There's a lot of like mean girl energy. Yeah, I feel. Absolutely. And I'm like, this is like not needed. Do you experience the same thing?

SPEAKER_01:

Honestly, like nursing school-wise, like my class, there's like 66 of us, everyone's like so like nice. Like everyone, we have our own groups, but everyone comes together at the end of the day. So it's still nice to have like them and like everyone that's they know that I do social media and everyone's like I don't know, I don't think they like even see that side of things. Um, which I'm I I think I'm pretty much my authentic self online, honestly. So um, but nursing-wise on social media, I feel like a lot of people just drag each other for no reason. I don't know. I just think it's like everyone's so like in competition with each other, like, oh, you're pediatrics, why am I C you? And I'm like, it doesn't. What you want to do is what you want to do, and what I want to do is what I'm gonna do.

SPEAKER_00:

So yeah, it's like when those Twitter fingers change the trigger fingers, you know.

SPEAKER_01:

And I think the biggest thing of like why like a lot of people come for me sometimes is that I'm so happy and like positive about nursing. And like everyone's like, you're just like you're not that happy. I'm like, okay, it is what it is, but yeah, you kind of have to pick your poison there. So which I love nursing and I love nursing school. Like, yes, it's hard, but I like love the process of it and like my friends and everything. So that's beautiful.

SPEAKER_00:

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SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I would say like my top three right now probably would be I feel like a lot of people just read notes and read like the screens and they expect it to stick and it's just not gonna work. So like my number one is like active recall and like doing that on the whiteboard. I it like helps me, um, or like act like you're teaching it to a class. That's and that's the biggest one I feel like for me is like I'm acting like I'm teaching someone that isn't in nursing school. So how are they gonna like how am I dumbing it down in a way to like for them to like interpret it and understand it? So that's like my biggest one. The second one I would say is like doing practice questions and like applying the information after like after you have the foundation of that one, like having the active recall aspect of everything. How many questions do you usually do? Or where do you get these questions from? So we do, I don't know if you're familiar with like Walter's cluers, like prep you. Yeah, so we use like prep you like questions, and I feel like those help me a lot with like select auto apply and things like that. And like another tip going off of select auto-apply is like like I think you actually said this is like do true or false.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, like so and like yeah, yeah. There's a lot of test taking tips. I think that was one of the best because I used to hate select bullet plot. They call them SATA S-A-T-A. Yeah, it's horrible. One letter away from Satan. Yeah, yeah, because they're the worst, they're horrible.

SPEAKER_01:

They are, and a lot of schools actually don't give you credit if you get like them wrong, like one of them wrong, but you get like two right. But my school they do like the NCLEX where you get like partial credit now, so it's kind of nice.

SPEAKER_00:

Um if you guys didn't know and you're taking your ankle soon, NCLEX will give you partial credit for select all the applies sometime. Yeah, uh actually not sometimes, all the time. Which is nice, though they'll figure it out. It makes you a little less discouraged of going into it, honestly. So yeah, because when I was taking my AnCLEX back when the dinosaurs were now when I was taking my AnClix, it was all it was all or nothing. Yeah. And it's like, whoa.

SPEAKER_01:

So it's kind of nice that they're changing that. And I think like not to be biased, I do use the simple nursing study guides. I think that I honestly think your memory tricks stick more with me than like anybody else. So it's just honestly nice.

SPEAKER_00:

You post a lot about our city guides, yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I do. And I think like in my friend group, everyone like remembers like where sodium goes, water flows. Yes, yeah, simple nursing right there. It's simple things, right? Like magnesium mellows the body, right?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, uh potassium pumps the heart. It's like those simple things that can make all the difference. Especially when you get stumped. Yeah. And anxiety fills your brain on tests, you know.

SPEAKER_01:

You kind of just have to go down to the basics of like what does this do?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, and we always say that with our NCLEX uh webinars that we do every week. It's just like, you don't have to know everything, but remember, you know something. Yeah. And it's there. Yeah. So back to your top three. Number one is uh act of recall, you know, get on the whiteboard. Yeah. Act like you're teaching a class. In nursing school, we had study groups, right? And the best thing, and that's it, because a lot of study groups they waste time. The best one was the magic market would go around. It'd be like, okay, you're teaching the next topic. You're teaching. Number two is practice questions. Okay.

SPEAKER_01:

And then number number three, honestly, I feel like it's just more of like you kind of have to have a life outside of nursing school, no matter what. Like, you can't just do nursing school and expect to like be kind of okay, like mentally. Like it is training and it does like tear you down sometimes of like, oh, and I feel like a lot of people forget that like you're not gonna do great on every like exam topic, like their specialties for a reason. I feel like sometimes because like I could be really good in like GI, but I could be doing really horrible in cardiac, and it's doesn't define you as a nursing student no matter what. So just like taking time for yourself and doing things that you still love and incorporating them, but still having that time management as well with school.

SPEAKER_00:

So how how demanding is your nursing program? You have to show up how many days a week?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, so we only have like normally we have one clinical a week and then one lecture day a week. So I only have two days a week, but a lot of schools are a lot different, a lot heavier.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. Um mine was two, but four days a week. Yeah. Two clinicals and two lecture days. Okay. But I mean, like, how do you time manage uh your me time or your self-care days?

SPEAKER_01:

So like my program is community college, so I feel like they prioritize like parents and things like that a lot. So I think that's why the schedule is so flexible. So I'm still working like two 12-hour shifts. So I'm doing like four days a week of like school and work, and then the like other three days I'm just kind of like going to the gym and still go study outside, like change the scenery so you're just not like cooped up all the time. So things like that, and still like hanging out with friends. I think the biggest thing a lot of people kind of mess up is when they hang out with their nursing school friends, like outside of school, they only talk about school. Right. So like you kind of have to like have that healthy balance in between there.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, switch gears, turn it off. Yeah, because I mean your brain can only take so much. The biggest thing that we always hear, uh if doing too much, you get burnout and you don't even want to be a nurse. Yeah. And it's like, and then nursing nurses that are new grads, they get overwhelmed with signing up for a bunch of shifts and working five, six days a week and then burning out after the first year. I'm like, guys, like pace yourself. It's all good. You're good. Yeah. All right, let's take some questions from your followers. We have a few of them up here. But the first big question here is do you regret getting your LPN first or do you recommend it?

SPEAKER_01:

Uh that's like a tricky question because, like, yes, I could have been like done with school by now if I went BSN route. Like, I would have just been like two years and done like after. Right. But like with my LPN, it was like a year, and then I take like a summer off and then go back and it'll be like two years still. But I will say, like, being at LPN, I like my scope is so big at my hospital right now, so I don't feel like I'm like missing out too much of like what RN can do besides like ICU care. I can't like float to the ICU or things like that. But I wouldn't say like I regret it, honestly. Like, I still like I love it. I feel like no one makes me feel just like an LPN at work or anything, so it's kind of nice.

SPEAKER_00:

So speaking of LPN, you're working as an LPN, going to your RN bridge. We're still working two days a week. Right. Do you believe have you taken out loans?

SPEAKER_01:

I have not, which I'm like very fortunate to not have taken out loans. Even for like my BSN program, I had a full ride scholarship, but I kind of let it go when I left. And then like at my LPN, like our school is very affordable. I think each quarter, there's three quarters, it's like$1,700 a quarter. It's fantastic. So it's like very affordable. Um, and like speaking on loans, like my friends and some of them are like moms or have a kid or something like that, and they do take out like loans because they can't work as often in school, and it like helps them like financially behind the scenes rather than just with school. And I honestly don't think it's like a terrible idea because like you have to do what you have to do to get that degree and then come back. I would say, like, depending on income to debt ratio, though, you kind of want to like weigh out pros and cons there because I know some like California nurses like school-wise will take out like eighty-ninety thousand dollars in debt, and like obviously you don't like make that maybe you do in California actually, but like in Nebraska, like I would say average is like a nurse making is like sixty grand. So like having like eighty thousand debt to sixty grand a year is kind of so like it just depends on your life.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, it's true. I'm and a lot of friends in California that have taken over a hundred thousand dollars in debt just for their RN. It's like crazy. Um, but at the same time, it's like you know, yeah, you have to do what you gotta do. You gotta do what you gotta do. You gotta take a few steps back, take a massive step forward. Next question here if you could pick another specialty, uh, or you're forced to, I know your passion's pediatrics. What is your next specialty you pick?

SPEAKER_01:

I've like been stuck on this question forever. OB, no, yeah, right. I actually like did an LD clinical last or on Monday. Whoa. And I saw a C section, and it was really cool. And I honestly, and I hate OB class, but L and D, I was like, I could probably do this. But I wouldn't want to like I worked in postpartum as a tech before too, and it was just a lot of conflict with like being a male. It's true. So I was like, I just it just like I feel like harder on everybody else, honestly.

SPEAKER_00:

The weirdest part is that all the physicians are males, are males, yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

And I'm like, okay, you won't have a male nurse, but you have a male physician. Like they're seeing like your whole like baby coming up. Yeah. Okay, it is what it is, I guess. But um, specialty-wise, though, if I could choose something else, I think I would go probably like adult ICU. Adult ICU. Moorish, yeah. Because I my goal was to go pick you after my RN. So wow. Man, you're gonna go an intense.

SPEAKER_00:

I know. So, next question. We talked a little bit about this, uh, about picking your friends or having friends during nursing school. Right. But how did you pick your friend group? Uh they always say your vibe attractive.

SPEAKER_01:

But how honestly, like when I like our first day, like it's actually a funny story because I didn't know where the class was, and I saw these two girls and they were like, oh my god, and she was like frantic, and I was like, Oh god, this girl is like crazy. But ended up being my best friend. I like her, she's crazy enough. But so we all went to find the class together, and then we all sat down by each other, and ever since then, all four of us have been friends. I love that. Yeah, like I don't know, it just happened. But honestly, like if I like if that didn't happen, I wouldn't go into nursing school like trying to choose friends. Right. I would just kind of like let it like who you flow with is what happens. But honestly, sometimes like you'll figure out who your friends are because some people like you can be friends with them, but you can't study with them, right? Like you just have different approaches to studying, or they may confuse you more, but it works for them. So you just kind of have to like know where you stand with everything like that.

SPEAKER_00:

So that's so true. And if you're going into nursing school, just know that uh groups of students like we I went to school with 60 in my cohort. Okay, and it's a pretty decent size, but it's so funny because like it's kind of like blood, they coagulate. Yeah, and little groups coagulate together. And it is, and my friend group, I love them to death, but I couldn't stay with them. Yeah, and I'm like, I love you guys, I'll hang out with lunch and we'll do like whatever things together. We'll stress out right before the test together. Yeah, but I'm like, for groups, I already knew there was another group, the Filipino crowd. I'm like, dude, these guys have it locked in. I want to be just like them. And it was great. Yeah. Okay, next question. We had a lot of questions about working with PR and how to get brand deals from companies. Can you tell us your experience?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I honestly like social media. I feel like a lot of people go into social media as their goal. That's their goal is to go in for PR.

SPEAKER_00:

End goal, yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

And like usually it like like you don't I feel like you don't go in for that like when you start, because like I feel like you aren't authentic, like you're not being who you are. For me, like I honestly probably I honestly don't get as much PR I think people think I get. Like I'm very kind of like strict with who some people who I work with and like where like how I go with other brands. Um but like getting PR I feel like it's so random. Like I feel like you just kind of like have to include them in your videos. Like no one's gonna just send you something just because yeah, like exactly they're gonna they want to see like that you're actually like incorporating in your like lifestyle and not just showing it for social media too. So you can get a bunch of like free stuff that's mailed to you, or yeah, I get like a few things, but I wouldn't say like I get like I feel like a lot of people on social media think I get so much, and I truly don't. Like there's some people on social media that get like tons, and I honestly I'm like I don't go for the PR honestly, if that makes sense.

SPEAKER_00:

But that that's what you're supposed to do, right? Yeah, you're supposed to like you know, play your music if you will, and then you get the deals, I guess. Yeah, you know you don't go in for the you know the deal.

SPEAKER_01:

And I work with like a few like things with social media and stuff, and it's been nice, but it's I like honestly just like sharing like my life in general. It's kind of cool to see like other like the community built and upon that.

SPEAKER_00:

So I guess what we're saying here is that when you are your true authentic self, brands will see you as a good fit for their company culture uh based on you know you being your authentic self. Right. But all to say it's just like finding your friend group, you know, your vibe attracts your tribe. So it is your brands will find you if you're just you know being your authentic self and just being who you are. All right, that wraps it up here with Keishin. Thank you so much for all listeners and viewers here. Where can they find you on social media?

SPEAKER_01:

Uh it's Keishin Curtis. It's very simple. How do you spell it? K-E-S-H-E-E-N. E-E-N. Yeah. Okay.

SPEAKER_00:

So it's kind of opposite. That's okay. Yeah. I love it. Yeah. Thanks so much again for you. Yeah, I appreciate you for having me. So yeah, not not every day we get to uh interview LPN. Yeah, that's amazing. And again, thank you so much for watching and listening to Bedpanbanter, the official podcast of Simple Nursing. And as always, we'll catch you next time. And don't forget, don't let the Bedpanyman.