Life After Nursing School
Life After Nursing School is a podcast for new nurses navigating their first year in healthcare. Hosted by Nurse Coach Caroline, each episode offers practical advice, expert interviews, and real stories to help you build confidence, manage stress, and overcome imposter syndrome. From landing your first new graduate nurse job to battling imposter syndrome on the unit, this podcast will provide the support and guidance you need to succeed beyond nursing school. Tune in to every episode to thrive in your nursing career!
Episodes
61 episodes
60: Why I’m Pitching Myself to Nursing Schools (And Why It Scares Me)
My business is evolving again… and this next step feels exciting, aligned, and honestly a little scary. In this episode of Life After Nursing School, I talk about why I’m starting to pitch my workshops to nursing schools and how my nur...
59: Success in Nursing Isn’t What Nursing School Told You
What does success really look like as a nurse?Is it working in the ICU, ER, or going back to school to become a nurse practitioner… or is that just what we’ve been told success should look like?In this episode of Life A...
58: How to Start a Side Hustle as a Nurse
Thinking about starting a side hustle as a nurse? In this episode, I talk about what it really looks like to build something outside of bedside while still working in nursing.We cover: • Why nurses are uniquely positi...
57: How One ER Nurse Turned a Bedside Problem Into a Business
Every nurse knows the smells that come with patient care. One ER nurse decided to do something about it... and ended up building a business.In this episode of Life After Nursing School, Caroline sits down with Jennifer, an ER nu...
56: How to Quit Your Nursing Job Without Regret
Thinking about quitting your nursing job?Before you hand in your notice, this episode walks you through how to leave strategically and professionally. In Part 2 of this series, we break down how to plan a nursing career pivot with clarit...
55: Burned Out or Just Outgrown? How to Know If It’s Time to Leave
Are you experiencing nurse burnout or have you simply outgrown your nursing job?In this episode of Life After Nursing School, Caroline breaks down the difference between burnout and career growth. Learn the true signs of nurse b...
54: Behind the Scenes of My Nurse Coaching Business: Year 2 Recap and Year 3 Plans
In this episode of Life After Nursing School, I’m sharing a real and honest look at Year 2 of building my nurse coaching business and my vision for Year 3 as a nurse entrepreneur.I talk about what it actually looks like to ru...
53: A Simple Money System for Nurses with April Waddell
Caroline talks with April Waddell, former ICU nurse and founder of NurseMoneyDate, about financial literacy for nurses and how to build wealth without burnout.If budgeting, debt, investing, or retirement planning feels overwhelming, this...
52: Career Seasons, Resumes, and Job Hopping with Indeed’s Matt Berndt
In this episode of Life After Nursing School, Caroline chats with Matt Berndt, Head of the Job Search Academy at Indeed, about what nurses need to know to navigate today’s job market with confidence.Matt shares practical insight...
51: 10 Nursing Career Hacks That Actually Make Bedside Life Better
In this episode of the Life After Nursing School Podcast, Nurse Coach Caroline shares 10 bedside nursing hacks that make shifts easier, reduce burnout, and help nurses protect their time and energy.These practical nursing career tips cov...
50: Resume & Cover Letter Mistakes That Are Costing Nurses Interviews
Not getting interviews despite applying to nursing jobs? Your resume and cover letter may be the problem.In this episode of the Life After Nursing School podcast, we break down the most common resume and cover letter mistakes nu...
49: New Grad Nurse Interviews: Why First Impressions Matter More Than You Think
First impressions in nursing interviews matter more than most candidates realize and they form fast. In this episode of Life After Nursing School, we break down what hiring teams are actually noticing in the first few seconds of an int...
48: New Nurse Survival Guide: Navigating Your First 90 Days On The Job
In Episode 48 of Life After Nursing School, I’m sharing a new nurse survival guide to help you navigate your first 90 days on the job—especially if you’re in orientation, starting your first nursing role, or wondering, “Why does th...
47: How to Bring Main Character Energy into Your Nursing Career in 2026
In this episode of Life After Nursing School, we’re kicking off 2026 by talking about Main Character Energy for nurses—what it really means and how to bring it into every shift.If you’ve ever felt like a background character in ...
46: How I Landed on My Word for 2026 As a Nurse Entrepreneur & Career Coach
In this episode of the Life After Nursing School Podcast, we’re talking about one of my favorite end-of-year rituals: choosing a Word of the Year to guide your mindset, career decisions, and personal growth. Instead of relying on rigid...
45: Everything I’d Do Differently Before Starting My Nursing Career
Learn what I wish I had done before starting my first nursing job. From preparing early for the new grad nurse job search to building a standout resume, setting boundaries, preventing burnout, and staying open to opportunities—this epi...
44: Your 2026 New Nurse Reset: The Science + Courage Behind Doing Hard Things
As we close out 2025 and step into a brand new year, this episode is your invitation to pause, reflect, and reset. Whether you’re a new nurse, a nursing student, or somewhere in the early stages of your nursing career, today’s conversation will...
43: What a Healthcare Networking Event Taught Me About Connection, Confidence, and Saying Yes
In this episode of The Life After Nursing School Podcast, host Caroline Danna, MSN, RN, shares her biggest takeaways from attending the Indeed Careers in Care networking event in New York City. What started as a few days in Ti...
42: Debrief: The Book Every New Nurse Needs with Author Stephanee Beggs MSN, RN
In this episode of the Life After Nursing School podcast, host Caroline Danna sits down with Stephanee Beggs, the nurse, educator, and entrepreneur behind RNExplained and author of the bestselling book Debrief.After rea...
41: Healing Nurse Burnout: How to Reconnect With Yourself and Find Joy Again with Holistic Nurse Coach Kelly Dubowski
What if nurse burnout wasn’t the end of your story—but the beginning of your healing?In this episode of Life After Nursing School, host Caroline Danna sits down with Kelly Dubowski, Holistic Nurse Coach and founder of Hope W...
40: The Only Way Forward Is Through — Lessons on Discipline, Fitness & Faith with Nurse Gaige Matthews
When life as a nurse feels heavy and burnout starts to blur your sense of purpose, sometimes the only way forward… is through.In this inspiring conversation, host Caroline Danna, MSN, RN sits down with Gaige Matthews, former ER nurse and...
39: How to Romanticize Self-Care as a Nurse (and Actually Enjoy Your Rest Days)
Feeling like your days off vanish before you can actually rest? In this episode of Life After Nursing School, host Caroline Danna, MSN, RN shares how to romanticize self-care and find calm, beauty, and joy in your everyday nur...
38: The Real Reason 33% of New Nurses Quit Within Their First Year
Did you know that 33% of new graduate nurses leave their first job within a year, and nearly one in five leave nursing altogether? In this episode of Life After Nursing School, host Caroline Danna, MSN, RN (a clinical instructor and ne...
37: 10 Tough Love Lessons Every Nurse Needs to Hear to Stop Playing Small
Level up your nursing career with some necessary tough love. In this episode, I share 10 tough-love lessons every nurse needs—perfect for nursing students, new grad nurses, and working nurses navigating today’s high-stress healthcare environmen...
36: How New Nurses Can Use ChatGPT to Build Critical Thinking Skills
Critical thinking is one of the most important skills you’ll ever develop as a new nurse but it doesn’t come overnight. In this episode of Life After Nursing School, Nurse Career Coach Caroline shares how you can use ChatGPT as a...