Bedpan Banter

Surviving Nursing School Without Losing Your Social Life with Leanys Capote

• SimpleNursing • Season 1 • Episode 9

Share episode

Cardiac chaos, clinical goosebumps, and a calendar that plans even the commute—this conversation pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to thrive in nursing school. We sit down with a fourth-semester student who swapped a marketing major for bedside care and found her stride using short, high-yield study videos, sticky music mnemonics, and AI-powered NCLEX practice to turn overwhelm into understanding.

The heart of the story is mindset and method. She walks us through building a living schedule in Google Calendar to protect focus, workouts, and genuine downtime, then shows how spaced repetition across formats—audio, flashcards, concise videos, and targeted reading—locks in complex topics like cardiac and pharmacology. We also compare test rituals, from fidget pens to calming playlists and mint tricks that settle the nerves.

Clinicals bring everything into focus. A first natural birth delivers awe, empathy, and clarity about OB, while ER and trauma rotations reveal controlled chaos, quick stabilization, and teamwork under pressure. Psych challenges expectations and underscores the need to read the room, respect boundaries, and communicate with compassion. We dig into balancing school with life—yes, you can travel or see friends—if you plan, prioritize, and keep promises to your future self. For those weighing jobs and loans, we lay out options: part-time roles like CNA or tech in target units, strategic debt, or pausing work to protect grades. And for creators, we share how to stay authentic online while guarding privacy and honoring HIPAA.

If you’re exploring nursing, already in the trenches, or returning for a second career, you’ll find grounded tactics you can use today: smarter studying, calmer testing, kinder communication, and a community that keeps you going. Subscribe, share with a classmate, and drop your best study ritual or clinical tip in a review—we’ll feature our favorites in a future episode.


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

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

SPEAKER_00:

We got a code round. Welcome to Bedpan Banter. With me, Nurse Mike. The dead nursing. Can I get a Bedpan over here? Welcome back to Bedpan Banter, the official podcast of Simple Nursing, where we discuss the human side of healthcare. We're here today with a very special guest, Lianis, who is in your fourth of five semesters. You're almost there.

SPEAKER_01:

I'm almost, and I'm glad.

SPEAKER_00:

That's amazing.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

We don't get to interview a lot of nursing students, so it's really special.

SPEAKER_01:

No, yeah. I didn't know you guys had a podcast that you guys would do interviews and stuff.

SPEAKER_00:

We actually did it until uh like two days ago.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

unknown:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

We just released it yesterday. Where did you find simple nursing in your nursing journey?

SPEAKER_01:

Was it I think it was like in like when I was doing my prerequisites. Really? Yeah. So I was like, uh, I don't know how to study. Yeah. So I would just like try to find like little resources where I can get little hints and tri tips and tricks from because the book, straight from the book, I couldn't, I couldn't memorize anything. So it was just like I need little tricks.

SPEAKER_00:

Like a visual representation for sure. What do you say is your most difficult topic that kind of drove you to the videos?

SPEAKER_01:

Cardiac.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, everyone always says cardiac.

SPEAKER_01:

Cardiac is I don't know why it's so confusing. Yeah. And it's like one whole chapter is on cardiac, and you're like, okay, well, how am I supposed to get through this?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, yeah, the stuff at all Andrew. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

No, it's terrible.

SPEAKER_00:

So I I want to let you know we do have music videos on and on Spotify album too.

SPEAKER_01:

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_00:

My favorite one is Hotel Cardiac, which is great.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, I think I've actually yes, I think I have. It's like I think it's like trending on TikTok. That's like the one I always see on TikTok.

SPEAKER_00:

To the left of the sternum. It's a heart, we all know.

SPEAKER_01:

Wait, you actually sing them, sing them. I thought you were like auto-tuned it a little bit.

SPEAKER_00:

I do auto tune some of them. Oh, okay. You know what I'm saying? Like auto-thing them.

SPEAKER_01:

But your voice is pretty good.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, thank you so much. You appreciate it. These guys, tell them, you know? Tell the producers behind the scene. My favorite one was Blurred Lines where we did insulin peak times. The favorite one is the riff that took me so long to create because you have to be medically accurate, you have to rhyme, and you have to give the syllables. So it's like, for example, it's like one thing that I ask you, let me be the one that teaches you sub Q from the belly button.

SPEAKER_01:

Wait, hold on. Hold on. That's like a whole production.

SPEAKER_00:

It is.

SPEAKER_01:

How long does it take you?

SPEAKER_00:

Oh my gosh, some takes years. Because you have to like really piece it together, like segment by segment.

SPEAKER_01:

And it has to be catchy.

SPEAKER_00:

It does, it does. And they they don't understand that. No, I'm just kidding. All right, enough about me. Let's talk about you. What inspired you to go into nursing?

SPEAKER_01:

Honestly, I my first thought when I was like going to study wasn't nursing. It was marketing.

SPEAKER_03:

Oh, really?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, it was like completely on the opposite side. But I was like, okay, I want to do marketing. I did marketing for like maybe a year, and I was like, yeah, this is not for me. I feel like I need to be hands-on, not behind like a screen, like with marketing. I loved it. I wish I could do like half and half. But once I was like, okay, you know what? Nursing school, like, how bad could it really be?

SPEAKER_00:

Turns out.

SPEAKER_01:

Turns out, I yeah, no. But I started looking, I started looking at TikTok center because like it's so there's so much negative energy on like nursing school. And I was like, oh my god, like, am I doing the right choice right now? But I ended up doing it, and then it's just such a big umbrella. Like you can do everything under nursing. So even you could do you could do pediatrics with kids or with adults or with older people, you can even do sales, like a medical rep.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

And I was like, okay, you know what? Like, I won't get bored. I could keep growing. And if one day I don't like something, I can always switch over and it'll be okay. So I was like, okay, maybe on a nursing school wouldn't be that bad. Which honestly, it's going okay, it's not too bad. But um, yeah, that's pretty much what inspired me. And now that I'm in it, I'm like, okay, yeah, this is exactly what I was meant to do. And that's what I'm saying. Like, when everything you're supposed to do everything as it goes, like life will take you little by little. And even though I was in marketing and I I guess spent a year of my life doing marketing, I didn't waste time because I realized that nursing school, that's exactly what I wanted. So I guess having a big umbrella and switching over to things when I get bored or I when I feel like they aren't meant to be, I can switch over and it's okay.

SPEAKER_00:

So for all of our students or soon-to-be students, they're getting into the nursing program. Can you share some challenges that you face?

SPEAKER_01:

I feel like my biggest challenge was going in. Like in high school, I was not book smart. Like I was never the type to study I could actually say this, and I never studied. I don't know how I did my prerequisites. And and like in high school, I would just kind of balance with the assignments. But now that I'm in nursing school, I walked in and I was like, wow, I already feel like I'm behind and I haven't even started. So I feel like that was my it was more mental um with the whole nursing process going into it. It was very what's the word, very negative thoughts that I was having. Oh, really? Yeah. So then I go in once I as I said I was feeling behind already. And in high school, I kind of had intensive reading and an intensive math. So I was like, yeah, I don't think I could do this. So it was just kind of like a battle among myself with the first semester of like, wow, I'm actually doing this, but no, I can't, because in high school I couldn't. So it was just this back and forth. And then little by little, as I started going now, I realized like I'm in my fourth semester and I actually did it. So I was like, what?

SPEAKER_03:

I love that.

SPEAKER_01:

So I never really thought. So I feel like the biggest struggle that I was going through was my own mind.

SPEAKER_00:

It was like your own limiting beliefs of like, I can't do this, I've never done this, uh-huh. And you push through and do it.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I don't know how I'm studying now. Like, I actually study. My mom was like, I've never seen you study a day in your life. I'm like, okay, it's fine, it's fine. But yeah, I love that.

SPEAKER_00:

And we always tell students, like, that's actually the reason why we came up with simple nursing. It was like to show students how to do study habits. That was a workshop when I was going to nursing school, and then someone's like, put it on YouTube. I'm like, no one's ever gonna watch this on YouTube. I'm looking at you now. Turns out they did. Put it on YouTube. Yeah, put it on YouTube. But I mean, um, we always tell students, if you ever struggle with studying, simply watch one of our videos on YouTube. It's gonna wrap up the topic in about five to eight minutes rather than being lost in the book for an hour.

SPEAKER_01:

No, when I first started, I was doing like I would binge watch everything. That's great. And I was like, wow, I get it in eight to ten minutes when I would be two in the morning, open the book with a 50-page chapter, and I'm like, what are these people saying? Like, I know. So I feel like I'm more of a visional learner too, and I feel like I learned that with watching the videos. So I'm like, okay, wait, now I get it because I guess I'm more visual with it.

SPEAKER_00:

And then you can dial it in with the textbooks, with the PowerPoints, and all the other resources that they bury you in, and like the cute little colors and the stuff. So, do you have any time management tips or tricks or what can help a student stay on task?

SPEAKER_01:

Google Calendar. Google Calendar. Like, yes, I schedule everything. Like the time I eat, the time I breathe, the time I do everything. Like it's like managing everything, and when you're being thrown into this, I guess, accelerated program because it's in five like semesters, you're kind of like, oh my god, how am I supposed to? You don't you realize you're like, do I even have time to sleep? And it's just because also you don't want to put your whole entire life on hold. Right. Um so it yeah, burnout's a real thing. And I feel like the time management would be scheduling. I schedule everything, like I even schedule the times like I drive.

SPEAKER_03:

Wow.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I'm like, okay, this will take me about 30 minutes, so let me like schedule it. And then I feel like that's like the most thing. I've at first it was kind of hard to like go by the schedule, but now I live, breathe Google Calendar.

SPEAKER_00:

So speaking of the busy schedules and managing your personal social life, uh, is it possible for you, your experience, to have your personal life or social?

SPEAKER_01:

Most definitely. It's it's not impossible. It's hard, but not impossible. I feel like once again, Google Calendar, I have to plan out when I'm gonna go out to have dinner with my friends because I feel like that's very important, especially like when you're in nursing school. You need to do self-care like if you've never done before. I binge watch shows, and I'm like, okay, this day I'm gonna binge watch shows, and it's okay. I feel like on social media I post a lot about going out and and managing nursing school with going out and partying and traveling and stuff like that. And people think I'm always doing that, but no, I actually have days that like I schedule to stay in bed and watch Netflix and do nothing and like brain rot because I can't just always be thinking about nursing school and also going out is kind of exhausting, so I need to like manage everything, but I feel like it's very important for self-care to schedule, or at least not schedule if you're not a scheduler, but to kind of like make time for your meeting time, yeah. And like, for example, when I go on trips, like everybody's like, How are you going on trips? Like, you're literally in nursing school, and I'm like, It's doable. Am I struggling? No, in nursing school, I'm not struggling, it's just kind of like prioritizing what time you're gonna do what. So, for example, I went to Vegas in my first semester, which is usually the hardest semester. Um, and people were like, How are you doing it? It I would study on the plane. Mind this, it was like a four or five hour like plane ride. I will study on the plane, and I actually had a big exam like that Tuesday I came back, and um, it was kind of like studying on the way that way. Every time I would go out, I would study, and then I was studying 24-7. Did I sleep? No, but like I mean, you can't have all three. Um, and then when I got back, I did my exam. I aced it. I think it's like the best exam I ever did. Wow, yes, and it was kind of shocking because I was like, damn, like when you put time into actually studying, mind this, it was my first semester, so I was still trying to figure it out. Yeah, but I was like, wow, like it worked out. So now I travel like if nothing, because I actually prioritize studying before I go out, before I get ready, like even like when you're doing your makeup and stuff, like you could play a video.

SPEAKER_00:

Yes.

SPEAKER_01:

And even though it's just background noise, it's it's it gets in your head.

SPEAKER_00:

The human brain average needs five to seven times to see the information. Whether you listen to it on a podcast, watch it on a video, read it in a book, PowerPoints, flashcard. Yeah, all these things are touch points to actually put it into your referred memory.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, because when you're in an exam, like memorization will not help you. Yeah, you need to understand the concept and you need to apply it because if now you're not gonna get it. So if you see it once or twice, that's memorizing and you're not probably gonna do too well.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, so speaking of exams, do you have any test tips or test taking strategies? Oh my god. Or are you just like a whiz and no?

SPEAKER_01:

I I think I got it like downpacked. I feel like when I say chat GBT, people look at me like I'm crazy. I'm like, guys, I'm not cheating, I promise. It's just more of like a I do my study guide, I get all the resources or resources that I need, and I put it onto Chat GBT and I'm like, make me an NCLEX nursing school question with select all that applies and stuff like that. And I do practice tests and practice tests and practice tests. And when I get to my exam, it kind of looks like my the way they're like wording it because I feel like Chat GBT is like on the A game right now. Like anything you ask it to do, it'll do it for you. And especially that if you put like NCLEX questions, it asks you things like NCLEX. That's amazing. Yeah, so I feel like that's my biggest study tip, like Chat GBT.

SPEAKER_00:

I love that, guys. Use the tools that are available to you.

SPEAKER_01:

And I feel like a lot of my professors like say it, which I feel like they imply a lot about simple nursing, because they're like, guys, if you're struggling, use the resources that are out there, like you the videos and stuff like that. You guys are like limiting yourselves, use the resources. And then I told my mom that I'm like, yeah, I watch videos and and I use Chat GBT, and she's like, AI, and I'm like, girl, it works. Because like when she used to but back then when there was dinosaurs when she was when she was studying, she was doing like books and stuff, and I'm like, Yeah, that works for you, but that's I have other resources, I'm gonna use them, and so far they've worked.

SPEAKER_00:

And sounds like my grandpa, my grandpa's like, uh, uh, never had a cell phone, and we're asking him, like, you've never had a cell phone? He's like, No, I never needed it. And it's so funny, right?

SPEAKER_01:

It's just like that is crazy.

SPEAKER_00:

Time and place, use the resources that we have. Okay, so switching gears into your clinical rotations. Can you touch on or describe a memorable moment?

SPEAKER_01:

This was actually recent. I just saw my first natural birth.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_01:

I feel like that's like a big thing because I mean, we all had to go through that. We were all once babies, and yeah, I feel like it's such a positive. Obviously, there's negatives, but I feel like that's my most memorable thing. Um I kind of got like teary-eyed, I got goosebumps, and I was like, I put myself like in her position. I was like, okay, be professional. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Was it what were you feeling at this at the moment?

SPEAKER_01:

I was, I don't know. I feel like I was becoming the mother. Like, yeah. I was really into it, and I was like, wow, like this is crazy how the woman body like works. It's true. And like everything we study, I'm like seeing it play out.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, it's not just words anymore. Yeah, it's actual human life.

SPEAKER_01:

So I was like, wow, this is this is miracle. This is miracle.

SPEAKER_00:

I know I was on the opposite side of the spectrum where I was like, I only want to do emergency room nursing.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay.

SPEAKER_00:

And I've seen life, I've I've heard of live births. I've seen crowning, people come into the ER and just like the baby's coming out. And in a wheelchair, like, oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_01:

I heard that's like the worst nightmare of an ER nurse.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh my gosh, my brother's a firefighter and he's delivered a baby in the in the elevator. It was crazy. What? It's wild stuff. Anywho, like my first like real setup, the labor and delivery floor, you know, legit. That horrified me.

SPEAKER_01:

Really? I feel like there's people that they're like turning pale, and I'm like, oh, figure it out.

SPEAKER_00:

But yeah, it's still my worst class I've ever done in um nursing school, OBGON. I don't know. I think traumatizing? I don't know. For me, maybe it was my age. I don't know. Maybe it was my interest. But at the same time, though, on the other side, I was just like so fascinated about the body. I'm like, wow. Yeah, a human can have like a little baby alien, baby. That's a baby alien.

SPEAKER_01:

They're like, it literally looks like a baby alien.

SPEAKER_00:

They'd come out all just like, yeah, it's wild. Hey, the holidays are here, and between shifts, classes, and life, it's really hard to even think. That's why I love our friends at Uniform Advantage. It's the marketplace for healthcare professionals. We're talking scrubs from top brands, comfy shoes that handle those 12-hour shifts on your feet, stethoscopes that always go missing, cozy warm jackets for those really cold hospitals, and even little stocking stuffer gifts like badge reels as well as socks. So whether you're treating yourself to new scrubs or grabbing something thoughtful for a classmate or a helpful coworker, or even your preceptor, Uniform Advantage has everything you need all in one place. And it won't blow your entire holiday budget. So you get the best of both worlds. You can treat yourself and still grab gifts for your classmates, or even your favorite professor. So head over to uniformadvantage.com and use discount code SIMPLENERSING to take 15% off your next purchase. So holiday shopping, consider it handled. So obviously, your clinical rotations you see all over the hospital. You're in fourth semester out of five. What other areas interest you that yeah?

SPEAKER_01:

So my first one that I ever did was the ER. I was kind of thrown into there and I was like, oh my god, this is chaotic, um, adrenaline-based. I mean, time does fly by, but by the time you're done, you're exhausted. I've also done psych.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

I did not like that.

SPEAKER_00:

I worked in a psych ER and that was crazy.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh my god. I think that's like a lot of people.

SPEAKER_00:

No, but yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

That's crazy.

SPEAKER_00:

Did okay. So did any rotation, like let's say pediatric ICU, NICU, did anyone surprise you that I'm like, hey, that's really interesting. I didn't think I was gonna be into that.

SPEAKER_01:

I think the ER. I feel like my number one for right now is OB. Okay because I feel like that's always what I leaned towards. But my second's definitely ER. I loved like the trauma because I did do clinicals and a trauma like hospital. So they had like a trauma unit and a burn unit, and I was there for I think like 16 weeks, and I loved it. Like I really did, but it's a lot.

SPEAKER_00:

Did you always think that you wanted to be a labor and delivery nurse?

SPEAKER_01:

No, I actually thought I was gonna do ER. Really? Yeah, because um I love adrenaline. I feel like I can't sit behind a computer and just document and document and document, which I feel like that's a big part of like nursing, obviously. But in the ER, you're go, go, go, go. Like you get the patient, you stabilize them, and you send them to the floor, you send them home. Like I love that. And I feel like that's kind of the same thing with labor and delivery. I feel like you get them, you they give birth and you send them off their way to postpartum. But I feel like ER was originally what I wanted to do when I first started, and then I did, and I was like, Well, like I wouldn't mind this, but then I did labor and delivery, and I was like, Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, I love that. I love hearing those stories because as a new nurse or soon-to-be nursing student, you like you think that one way, and it's like, whoa, the whole world's opened up.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, my friends, I I have a friend that she was going into nursing school and she was like, I want to do psych, I want to do psych, I want to do psych. She did psych, she hated it.

SPEAKER_03:

Wow.

SPEAKER_01:

So I feel like that's why clinicals, it's such a big thing. Like you go in, you have to be with you have to be very open-minded. You can't just be closed off to one thing because you need to figure out what you like. And sometimes what you think you like is not what you like.

SPEAKER_00:

So, how did you prepare for different clinical rotations?

SPEAKER_01:

Telling myself that I it's okay that I don't know everything. I feel like that's a big struggle that us nursing school students go through. I feel like you're like, oh my god, like you have to people okay, how do I say this? I feel like nursing school students like they feel like they need to know everything. Like, it's just a clinical, like, it's okay if you don't know everything, and also ask questions. Like, I would go in, yeah, I would do my readings and stuff like that that I had to do in class. But once you go into clinicals, like have an open mind, be positive, and be open to doing anything and everything that you can do to learn. Because I feel like if you're kind of closed off and you're like, I don't like this specialty, yeah, you don't like the specialty, but you're not learning other things. So I feel like preparing myself for clinicals is being open to ask questions. And even if it's a dumb question, it's not. Because if you're wondering it, it's not a dumb question.

SPEAKER_00:

And then you're there to learn, right?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

And so even if you don't know, that's the best place to be in. Because he's like, you know, I don't know, but I'm gonna find out.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, and even when I know something, I'm like, let me double check. And I asked a question.

SPEAKER_00:

All right, so let's talk about social media. Um, what inspired you to start you know, sharing your life?

SPEAKER_01:

So social media in general, I started in high school. I started with like the dancing TikToks, you know, like TikTok started dancing. Um, it started off with dancing, and then I was actually doing it with my best friend on her platform, and then I was like, you know what, I'll get TikTok. And then I got it. COVID hit, and I was just like, okay, let's just start dancing on TikTok because I have nothing else to do. And I started growing a following, and then after it was kind of like cringe, I guess, to do like TikTok dances. So then I moved on to like makeup and kind of sharing my life. I'm not really like, I don't have a specific topic, but I'm kind of like lifestyle, so I share about everything. Like, I just started golfing and I'm terrible at it.

SPEAKER_02:

You started golfing, yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

I'm so bad at it, but I'm sharing it, and everybody's like, you make me want to start golf. So it's just like posting everything and my journeys. I also got a nose job, so I did post a lot about them.

SPEAKER_00:

I didn't even notice.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, it's very natural. Yeah, it is looks great.

SPEAKER_00:

It actually does look great, actually.

SPEAKER_01:

And I everybody was, yes, I did get some hate for it, but I feel like I made more of an impact. So then growing my platform, I feel like my community started growing when I started being authentic. They started seeing, like, wow, she just went through surgery and she's posting about this, like if she doesn't care. So then I started nursing school, I started posting about that. And when nursing school, it kind of took off a little bit more because everybody was like, oh my god, like you're such a positive person. Like you're showing me the good and the bad of nursing school, which is originally what I wanted to do. I feel like there's so many negative TikToks and YouTube videos and everything relating to nursing school that I was like, absolutely not. Like, let me bring some light into this like career. Um, it's a beautiful career. You're helping people on a daily basis. So, how are you gonna come on the internet and just be negative about it? So I started posting about my clinicals, my me studying with my friends, which is always comedy, I guess, because you're always having a good time and you're kind of romanticizing everything you do, I feel like is the biggest thing. And I kind of do that on social media, and I feel like I've gotten a cute little community.

SPEAKER_00:

I love that though. You're keeping it real, yes, very real. It's not just about the good, it's also about the bad and enjoying that journey. Yeah. So being having a presence on social media, HIPAA is a huge thing, patient privacy. Did you ever have any run-ins with anybody?

SPEAKER_01:

No, I make sure that like when I'm recording, there's not even random people in the back. Like, absolutely nobody. I don't take out my phone in the hospital. Um, I feel like that's all of a sudden things could go crazy when that happens. So I feel like I record more at home, nursing school tips, or when I'm in the hospital, I'm in my car. Yeah, I don't really record in the hospital. I feel like things could take a turn there. And I feel like it's not worth it.

SPEAKER_00:

Do you record in your scrubs or do you have to cover obviously in mid-call?

SPEAKER_01:

I have to c I do I like some schools, you do have to like um cover your uniform or you can't show the program you're in. But I mean that's simple. You just put a jacket on over and you just keep recording. And in school, like obviously, I don't be recording random people because obviously not everyone wants to be on social media. So you have to be respectful of other people as well, even if it doesn't relate to HIPAA. Um, you can't just be recording people off the street and they're not okay with it. So it's tricky, but it's doable.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. All right. So we talked about social media and keeping uh, you know, your patients private, best practices. We also talked about study tips as a nursing student. But let's talk about um maybe the viewer that doesn't know if they if they want to go into nursing. If you were to talk to your younger self, still in high school, oh god, what what tips would you have for yourself at that point?

SPEAKER_01:

I feel like just do it. Like, even if you're scared, even if you feel like you won't be able to do it, it's okay. Like your life doesn't end if you fail an exam. You just get up and you study harder and you figure it out. I feel like when you're starting nursing school or you don't even know if you want to go into nursing school, you're like, no, I'm I don't want to do it because it's hard. Or is this really what I want to do? I feel like maybe shadow a nurse before you start. Yeah, because why are you gonna pour your whore your whole heart into this and that's not what you want to do? So maybe shadow someone and kind of be not totally sure, but like kind of sure that you want to do this because I feel like it's a career that you have to love and it has to be a passion. And you can't just do it because of the money or because of the PTO and stuff like that. I feel like that's not working. Yeah, it's definitely not like Greece Anatomy.

SPEAKER_00:

All right. So being an advanced nursing student, four out of five semesters, a lot of people have expectations going into the nursing program where it's like, hey, nursing school's gonna be this way, and it turns out to be a totally different thing.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Uh is that was that your experience?

SPEAKER_01:

It was. Um, I went in thinking everyone's gonna be rude and kind of like pushing away, maybe at least in my program. Um, I feel like friends is one of the biggest topics. I thought I wasn't gonna make friends. I feel like when I was in college and doing my prerequisites, I feel like nobody was really like concerned about making friends. Everybody had kind of their own friends. You're going to you're going into nursing school all by yourself. So is everyone else. Everyone is there to make friends, everyone's there to make a friend group. And I did not expect that at all. I feel like obviously people have different experiences, but for me, it was kind of more of like an accepting like, hey, everyone, we're here to become nurses. Like, who wants to form a group and have friends? Because you really can't do nursing school all by yourself. I feel like friends is a big topic. And in the clinical settings, like you're kind of trauma bonding with all these people. You did not, I did not expect that at all in clinical settings when you're in the hospital and you see traumatic things for the first time that you've only read on paper, only you've heard on movies and TV shows. Yeah, you're like, oh yeah, like I'd be okay with hearing that or seeing that, and you experience that and you're like, wow, like you have to take a deep breath. You have to kind of talk with your peers. And if you don't really have anyone to talk to, it's kind of like you're drowning in your own thoughts. So I feel like going into it, nursing school friends is the biggest thing. And don't expect everyone to be rude. Um, people are there alone, and people are there to also make friends. Everybody's by themselves.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, be a be the friend that you wish you had for sure. And I think that's the most magical part about nursing school is that once you're done with it, it's almost like going to war, you know, being in the trenches with your with your homies, like there are soldiers next to you. And it's like you really do trauma bounds. Yeah. Some of the best friends I still have, and I still think about the good old days of us like huddling together, like I didn't know you last semester or whatever. And now we're in it, dude, and we're on the same page. Like, we need a score in the 80s to pass this exam. If we don't, we're gonna be held back, or maybe we never get our career. Yeah, and that's so stressful. No, it's so crazy.

SPEAKER_01:

I actually took an exam yesterday, so I was like, oh my god, finally I could breathe. But yeah, trauma bund trauma bunding is a big thing in nursing school, especially before exams.

SPEAKER_00:

Yes, everyone has their own exam ritual. If you guys already know about this, if you don't know about this, you're gonna find out in nursing school.

SPEAKER_01:

I feel that's another thing that you don't expect.

SPEAKER_00:

People walk around with like we had the headphone girl that just paste. Uh I I was always the guy that had the my cell phone out and played like um uh Bob Marley, don't worry, be happy.

SPEAKER_01:

Really? So you always had that one song that you had to play before.

SPEAKER_00:

But I was going around and sprinkling everyone, hey guys, don't worry, it's all good, just let it go. Breathe. Yeah, because it's especially the ones that are like better than nails, like you know those ones. There's like a whole like color palette of yeah. All right, so speaking of the nursing school journey and how hard it is, uh, a lot of people go through this transformation. Yes, they go through one side of the tunnel and going through a traumatic event or whatever it is, like nursing school, you build a lot of character, you have a lot of grits, like to last and to be determined, you come out sometimes a totally different person.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Um, I went into nursing school as like a cocky, like young 20-year-old that knew it all, and I was humbled very quickly.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes.

SPEAKER_00:

I my biggest takeaway was being humbled and being like, you know what, it's not about me, it's about the patient. Um, anything like that for you?

SPEAKER_01:

I feel like I kind of had a similar experience. I feel like I came in and I was like, oh, I'm gonna be the best nurse in the world, like everyone's gonna love me. And I kind of was a little bit cocky too. Humbled, boom, straight first day, humbled. And then I started clinicals and I was kind of like pulled back from the patient. I didn't know how to develop. I thought I was good at communicating. I realized I'm not. Like, people are injured, they're hurt. It's hard to communicate. So I was kind of like, oh my god, I have to figure out how to talk to people, which is something you think everyone knows how to do. Um, so at first I feel like I went in being cocky, thought I was gonna know everything, and I absolutely did not. I was also taken back by the fact that I was kind of shy to talk to the patients after I realized that not everyone was accepting. And I was like, wow, I've never been like not liked. I feel like I'm a very talkable person with like we can talk, we can laugh and we can chat, but when someone's like hurt, it's not like that. They're kind of rude. And you kind of have to like, whoa, and you have to be remembered that they are there for a reason and that you are there to help them like conquer whatever they're going through. So going now that I feel like I've reflected, I feel like now I'm more of a I feel like I could communicate with patients more, I could empathize with them, which I feel like I didn't know how to do. Empathy is a lot, it's a big thing as a nurse. Um, and yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I mean, that's to speak about empathy, it's all about assessing your patient and reading the room.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes.

SPEAKER_00:

Because it's not even about you, because I mean, I don't totally understand what you mean. It's like you enter the room thinking like you're a bright, bubbly, clean cloud. Yes, um, but you're we're considering, guys, in the ER or other units, sometimes you'll be seeing the patient on their worst day of their life. Yeah, someone lost a leg, someone, I don't know, stabbed themselves, someone has a heart attack, and you have to manage all these emotions without taking it on personally. That I think that's one of the biggest skills. Yeah, especially the bookworms I call them, that are really good at taking tests, really good at studying, but have you know sometimes the worst patient skills.

SPEAKER_01:

And also like not taking it home. Yeah. I feel like that's another thing I learned because I feel like the first mind this, the year was my first rotation. So I was like, whoa, and I would take everything home. I'd be like, I saw this today, and I would feel like if it was my own family member, and I was like, I can't live my life like this. So little by little you realize that it's life, things happen, and you can't take it home. So whatever you do at work or at school, you need to leave it at school and not bring it home to you because it'll destroy you.

SPEAKER_00:

How did you learn how to do that? Do you just sit in your mind? Or do you breathe and like write it out?

SPEAKER_01:

Does your journal or what do you I actually just try to like do things that I like? Like working out is a big thing for me. I feel like when I'm working out, I'm not thinking about nursing school. I'm kind of like mind-to-muscle connection. And at first, when I we started nursing school, I didn't work out. Like I was like nursing school 100%, and I would go home to study, and I'd be like, wow, what I saw today was insane.

SPEAKER_00:

You need you need an outlet for sure.

SPEAKER_01:

You do need an outlet to the beach, going out with your friends, even if it's lunch for 30 minutes with your friends.

SPEAKER_00:

Like some open air, yeah, do something.

SPEAKER_01:

Do something to get your mind off of that.

SPEAKER_00:

That's right. Okay, so let's answer some questions from your followers. Question number one Is it worth it to have a job during nursing school?

SPEAKER_01:

I feel like it's different. For everyone, um, I feel like you can't really say a yes or no. It also depends on the type of person you are. If you can handle a lot of stress, if you can handle a lot of pressure, and you kind of enjoy that because some people do enjoy the hecticness. I would feel like maybe get a part-time at first, and if it's not working out, it's okay to quit. Like, it's not the end of your like life, it's just temporarily. That's what I'm always telling everyone. Like, if you have a job and you feel like you need to quit and it's like going bad with your school, quit. It's okay. It's temporarily. Nursing school is only for a little bit of time. You will struggle, maybe financially, because I know there's some people that need to like have rent and this and that, but maybe um if it's not the right thing for you, it's okay to not have a job. Um, personally, me, I feel like my job is content creating, which I really don't have to like clock in, clock out. Um, it is uh overwhelming, but I truly enjoy it. I feel like also another thing if you hit your job before nursing school, why why keep going? Yeah, um, but I truly enjoy what I do. I feel like I do my job as a hobby more than like an actual job, but I do think it it is worth it. Um, you can learn how to balance more things than you actually can. But if you're overwhelmed, then it's okay to quit.

SPEAKER_00:

Did you ever have like a um a job you had to show up to during nursing school?

SPEAKER_01:

During nursing school, no. I actually had quit like before because as I said, like I was not book smart at all. I was like, if I cannot handle studying with like without a job, imagine with a job. So I was like, let me not, and I quit where I was working at. But my friends do have like jobs and they're okay with it. They did part-time at first, and it also depends on your semester and your schedule. Um, right now we have like only a couple days, and the other days you have a full day to do everything you want. So they rather to work and make money than just be selling at home.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, and to answer all the people, they're gonna jump in the comment section. Yeah, it's like, well, lucky for you, you get to stay at home. I get that all the time because I was when I went to nursing school.

SPEAKER_01:

That's why I keep going like this. I know, right?

SPEAKER_00:

But I guess like a lot of our uh, you know, a lot of students do nursing as a second career.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Um, so you know, take the loans out, uh, go all in in nursing. Yeah, I always recommend, especially if it's your second career, try to get a uh job like a CNA or a tech in the hospital.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes.

SPEAKER_00:

On the unit that you want to work. Um, so whether it's telemetry, ER, ICU, try to be a tech on that floor.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, you're already in the space.

SPEAKER_00:

And you already have a shoe in in the facility. Yes. And so once you get your NCLEX and your license, you can easily transition.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Um, but that's I think that's the hardest part is balancing because I was full-time for the first two semesters. My last two, I went down to part-time.

SPEAKER_03:

Okay.

SPEAKER_00:

And I was really struggling. I had to move back in my parents. Um, and I know not everyone can do that, but the backup line to that was just take loans, you know?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I feel like a lot of people are scared of loans. My thing is, and I feel like it's very controversial, take them out. Either way, you have loans. You have to pay what's what, a thousand dollars more for stability? Like, it's okay, take them out. You're gonna be a nurse, you're gonna figure it out, and you're gonna pay it out in the future. You already have them. What is a little bit more?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I think yeah, the only risk is you know, taking the semester off to work and then never going back. I've seen that a lot. But I've also seen the flip side of like people taking out loans and then, you know, uh deciding they never want to be a nurse. I'm like, come on, guys.

SPEAKER_01:

No, that's crazy.

SPEAKER_00:

That's the so that shadow someone first. Don't get to nursing thinking it's one thing. Uh, you know, be a tech, shadow someone, get your hands dirty a little bit. Uh, maybe volunteer as a hospital at a hospital.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh my god, yeah, that's a really good idea.

SPEAKER_00:

Fold sheets just so you can be in the middle of the cyclone. All right, so next question, big one here. Test taking anxiety. Everyone has it. Dude, I've I had it during throughout all of nursing school. Everyone has a different ritual. What is your thing?

SPEAKER_01:

When I first started, um, I have these little pens that have the balls on like the clip. Oh, and I just roll it the whole entire exam. The whole entire exam. My friends look at me and they're like, bro, like when are you gonna stop? And I'm there like rocking back and forth with the pen.

SPEAKER_00:

It's like a fidget spin.

SPEAKER_01:

The whole yes, it's like a fidget. And I that's my testing anxiety, like it goes away. There was one time I didn't have my pen. Whoa, I had a whole like cough attack and everything.

SPEAKER_00:

Wait, what do you mean? You didn't have your pen.

SPEAKER_01:

I didn't have my pen. I had another pen, and like I guess like the the motion of it kind of like freaked me out, and I was like, oh my god, and I just kept swallowing and swallowing because I would get so nervous for exams. And I'm a terrible test taker, terrible, and that's so intimidating. Like going into a test, your friends are finishing first and you're still there taking the test.

SPEAKER_00:

I hate that feeling, like your stomach drops. Yes, everyone's leaving the room, you're like, feel like a dummy. Yes, and I'm like, what's wrong with me? And then you get in your own head and it's like, guys, like just quiet the noise.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

You are on your own journey. I think one of the things that we learned in nursing, uh, they would have a huge thing of mints.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay.

SPEAKER_00:

Because one of the nurses is like, oh, yeah, there was a big study at an Ivy League that said if you suck mints, it the reflex makes you feel like the rooting reflex when you're a baby. Yeah. It soothes you.

SPEAKER_01:

Interesting.

SPEAKER_00:

There's another one that if you cross your legs during an exam, you feel more like um swaddled.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay.

SPEAKER_00:

It's like really weird.

SPEAKER_01:

Everyone has like different little tips and tricks. Yeah, spin mine is my fidget pen. Like, I need my.

SPEAKER_00:

Whatever works for you. All right, guys, that wraps up another episode of Bedpan Banter. Leonis, thank you so much for joining. Where can our viewers or listeners find you?

SPEAKER_01:

Um, Leonis.c on Instagram and Leonis.capote on TikTok.

SPEAKER_00:

Capote, all right. Yes. How do you spell Lianis?

SPEAKER_01:

L-E-A-N-Y-S.

SPEAKER_00:

Beautiful. Thanks again for watching and listening to Bedpan Banter. And as always, don't let the Bedpan Switch.