Graduation Gifts

April 24, 2016


My graduation is in two weeks and I have been getting some questions about what I asked for, so I thought I would share. I am really excited for it, but it honestly took me awhile to come with ideas of what I would want. I kept things pretty simple. (I am trying to minimalize the amount of stuff I have acquired at college.)

Make sure to share with your family or friends if you are about to graduate. 

One// Lamp of Knowledge
The Lamp of Knowledge is the symbol for the nursing profession and of higher education. The lamp of knowledge dates back to ancient Egypt when it was a tau cross with a loop at the top. I think this is just a clever piece to add to my dresser display.

TWO// Spa Package
What better way to end school then to relax and forget about all the stress that four years has caused. I have never gotten a massage before, but I hear they are nice. Personally, I am more of a pedicure/manicure girl. Just be careful of infections. 

Three// NCLEX Prep
You just earned your degree, but the real stress comes from studying for the NCLEX. What better way for your family to show that they believe in you than by getting you a comprehensive review book. A few of my favorites are by Saunders or Kaplan. 

Four// Stethoscope
You are just a few months away before joining in your life long profession. Ask your family to invest in a GREAT stethoscope for you with new engravings. I've been really into the new Rose Gold Stethoscope from MDF. 

Five// Books
I am a total book nerd at heart, but nursing school has not allowed for me to indulge in that side. For graduation, I asked for a few "fun" books to get back into the habit. My list includes Brain on Fire, The Nest, && When Breath Becomes Air. If you are looking for more nursing related books, then check out Becoming Nursey or Your 1st Year As A Nurse. 

SIX// Giftcard to Allheart 
Scrubs are a great gift to receive! Unless you know which brands you like, I suggest asking for a giftcard so that you can pick them out. It is also a good idea to wait to make sure your unit does not have any uniform restrictions. 

And when all else fails, just ask for money. You can apply it to those school loans you racked up. 

Happy Graduation Season!

I'm graduating...so now what?!?!

April 22, 2016




The concept that graduation is in two weeks is just mind boggling. I have so many fears (especially passing the NCLEX) and excitement. I'm not quite sure where the time has gone, but it went by fast. Here is all that I have left in my remaining school year:

April 25: ATI Mental Health + Community Nursing
April 26: Presentation of Rare Event in Mental Health
April 28: Final Clinical Evaluation
April 29: Mental Health Final
April 30: ATI RN Predictor 
May 4: Community Nursing Final
May 5: Pinning Rehearsal
May 6: Pinning Ceremony!

I thought I would share a little bit about what my future is looking like right now. 

Currently, I attend school in San Diego, California and there is a multitude of new graduate residencies for new nurses. The plus of these programs is that they give you extra focused orientation. The negative side of this is it super competitive. However, I did not apply to any of these programs.

At this point, you are probably asking yourself why I would pass up a great opportunity. Well, my mother's health has taken a turn for the worst and I would really love to be closer to her. You just never know what could go wrong. So I will be going back to Orange County in California and applying to jobs there. But, new graduate residencies are hard to come by. So instead, I will be waiting till I pass the NCLEX and have my license in hand before I start applying to RN jobs. I would really like to get hired on a postpartum floor or a medical-surgical floor. However, I have no connections there and so my work is going to be cut out for me. 


I sent my application to the BRN back in March. It was an online application that was pretty straight forward, but also daunting. The BRN does not share with you if your application is flagged or if something is wrong. Just make sure you are perfect! I graduate May 6th and by the end of the following week, my transcripts will be mailed off to the BRN. Upon approval, I will be sent an email with my ATT (authorization to test) and can sign up with Pearson Vue to take the exam! It is a giant waiting game and I hear that the California BRN is overwhelmed. Fingers cross my process is smooth. Last year, the seniors had to wait till late July.

While I am waiting for my application to be processed, I will be taking both an ATI comprehensive review and a Kaplan course. Both are in May, but one is in the very beginning and the other is the last week of May. I will be sure to share how it is going and which program I liked. I looked into the Hurst review but did not like the available dates in my area. 

So that is what my life is looking like. Crazy. Hectic. Busy. 

&& I cannot wait for every minute of it.




Graduation Season

April 16, 2016

20 days.

a simple 480 hours.

28,800 minutes.

1,728,000 seconds.

that is all the time I have left in nursing school. As excited as I am, I am just as much nervous. I go to school in San Diego, but I am from the  Orange County region. Due to my mother's recent health changes I will be returning back there; however, there is only a few new grad residencies. None of which are interesting to me. So I will be a sitting duck until I pass the NCLEX. I applied for my boards in March, so assuming the BRN gets my transcript on time and approve me, I will (fingers crossed) take my boards in middle June. Please send all your positive thoughts my way. 

I recently took my graduation photos, and my sister did an AMAZING job. So I thought I would share with you a few of my favorite poses I found on Pinterest. 


ONE//I love how simple this one is! Plus, I am a big fan of black and white.


two// This photo is all kinds of perfect! Great way to highlight not only your profession but also the hard work you put in during school. I just wish I had a black dress like that.


three// I think this photo just says you have finally reached the top and are graduating!


four// And this photo just screams you did it! 

What are your favorite graduation photos? Stay tuned as I share my own. I am not given my cap, gown, stole, and pin until the day of so I have plenty of more shots to grab.


Stethoscope Case

April 10, 2016

Hey friends, 

So if you follow me on social media, then you know I asked my followers how they store their stethoscopes. I feel as though my stethoscope is one of my most prized possessions. A stethoscope costs a lot of money and I want to be able to keep it for as long as possible. The first rule to keeping your stethoscope is having some sort of engraving or ID tag on it. Doctors and other nurses will borrow your stethoscope and you might never see it again. It happens. Stop it from happening.

Currently, I keep my scope in my Code Happy Tote Bag during the school year when I am in and out of hospitals. When I am home on breaks, I typically do not use my stethoscope when I am providing in-home care, so I store it in the original box it came in. I think storing it in the box is fine, although, the box will wear away after some time. But what concerns me is that it lays at the bottom of my bag. Thus, I began my search for a better solution.

One of my Instagram followers, studentnurseroshani, shared a photo of a case that her friend got her from MediSave. Lucky enough for me, MediSave agreed to let me try out one of their cases!


Hard Wearing Nylon protects
the outer shell. 


Rubber tags on zippers
for easier opening and closing.

Specially formed interior to hold
your scope in place.

Highlights for me:
-Medisave had fast FAST shipping
-Reasonable pricing
-The case comes in different colors; easy to be customized
-No obvious logos/brands
-Inside storage for additional ear pieces
-Inside mesh pocket 
-Material feels sturdy and long lasting
-fully lined and can be cleaned easily
-Zipper closure for secure sealing
-Carry handle for easy transport



The only dislike to the product was that it was much larger than I expected. Because of its size, my stethoscope does not need to make an extra coil, which I actually like. However, I do not think it is practical for me to throw in my bag. I think the size of this case is more suited for when I store it on my bedroom closet shelf, which I will be using. The case is much better to store your beloved stethoscope in rather than its original box. 

I did notice on their website that they had a few other sizes of stethoscope cases. Because I have a Littmann Cardiology, I got the one that was labeled for that. Maybe if I had gotten a smaller one, I could use it more on a day to day basis than storage. But for now, I will use it instead of my 4-year old box. 

Be sure to check out Medisave here and a huge thank you for sponsoring this post. Medisave is an online medical supplier of stethoscopes, diagnostic sets, uniforms, and medical accessories. 





My Montly Top Scrub Brands

April 3, 2016

Hey y'all,

As I was packing to go home for almost a week for Easter break, I was overwhelmed at the amount of scrubs overtaking my closet! 50% of my closet has become scrubs and I am thinking that I need to purge some scrubs to hold on to my sanity of normal clothing. Sometimes I like to pretend that I do not live at the hospital and could be a trendy twenty-something, but sadly, I can not part with any of my beloved scrubs. Everything is so unique and not one brand is the same as the other. 

So what is my solution? To do absolutely nothing with them! I am going to put my "seasonal" wear in Ziploc space saving bags. I take really good care of scrubs (follow the detailed care instructions to the T) and the majority of them are new this year. Side note: Thank you to Allheart scrubs for creating such an obsession for having the best scrubs that are available! Thus, to give my scrubs some fame I thought I would feature my top favorite brands. I will be mentioning a new brand every month that I am either really loving or really wanting to try. 

SO here we go!


This month I am going to feature the Heart Soul brand. I really love this brand because it truly does make me feel like a trendy twenty-something. Their slogan is "for the healthcare professional that is young at heart"! How fitting is that?!?!



The cut of the tops are just so flattering and they feature adorable details such as a cute gold dangle heart near the side pocket of their head over heels line. Heart Soul scrubs offer both solids and designs constructed in junior sizes XS through 3XL. 

Their bottoms are also stylish and functional. The pants I have feature a good amount of pockets. I can also get them in a petite size which I love since I am only 5 foot 1 inches. 

The material they use is very soft and comfortable. I do not find myself working up a sweat in them on a busy clinical day. Likewise, the color has barely faded, maybe that is related to the polyester component, but who knows. 

According to their website they have 3 types of collections:

  • Break on Through: This collection has more of an athletic style feel to the scrubs.
  • Shine on!: Each fabric has sort of a polish shine to it through their innovative embossing technique.
  • Picture Perfect: This collection has more of a feminine appearance with sophistication and style. 
You can shop all these collections here. Or check out other brands in their family which include Cherokee uniforms, Dickies Medical, Code Happy, and Sapphire Scrubs here

Let me know if you have ever tried their scrubs and what you think about them.




Last MONTH of Nursing School

April 1, 2016


Ummm? Hello, did you just read that title? Like the full title? This is no April Fools joke. How is it that I am in my last MONTH of nursing school. My last 30 days before I am able to graduate with my BSN. Which of course does not mean anything till you have the RN behind it, but still. I do not feel prepared for this at all and am freaking out a little bit.

It's crazy to look back at pictures of me from a Freshman, Sophomore, or even a Junior! I was such a tiny baby. And then I think about when I first learned my nursing skills. Putting on sterile gloves without breaking sterile field was such a challenge or finding pedal pulses. But now I can confidently find those pulses and put on gloves like no other. I guess the only reassuring thing I get from those memories is looking at where I stand now. Although the idea of being a REAL nurse working in a REAL hospital with REAL patients is frightening and scary, but one day just like today I will look back and laugh at how silly it all was. 

So as April is finally here and this is my last 30 days of REAL undergraduate work, I say Bring It On, world! I am ready to tackle those 4 EBP papers, 1 ATI RN-Predictor exam, 2 mental health exams, 1 community nursing exam, and 2 presentations. 

Let's make this month fabulous, together!

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