Mikel Allen

I became a nurse because I have always enjoyed helping people, and was encouraged by my family to try nursing.

What was one of your most memorable nursing experiences?

I spent the summer of 2012 teaching nursing at HAU (Hope Africa University) in Burundi Africa. Being able to use my love for nursing and nursing education in another country was a once in a lifetime experience. I loved my time there, not only teaching the students, but learning about their culture and life. I hope I had an influence on the students I was able to teach over that summer, and that it has had a ripple effect through many other people across the country. I hope that I inspired the students while also giving them the knowledge that they needed to go out and make an impact on their country. It was an incredibly rewarding experience, and one that I will never forget.

What skills are most important for nurses?

I think some of the most important skills for a nurse to have are; compassion, critical thinking, patience, empathy and flexibility/adaptability. If you have those things, we can teach you how to do the hands on skills.

What is the best advice you can give?

Never stop learning, and be open to feedback. The nursing field is constantly changing, and it is important to keep up on new information and grow with the industry. Seek out feedback so that you can grow and learn in your role. Also, remember that the nursing field has so many opportunities, so if what you are doing doesn’t bring you joy anymore, try a different role or a different area. A nursing degree opens up so many opportunities, that there is always something new you can try.

What does it take to be a nurse in challenging times?

Being a nurse during challenging times takes the same skills that are important for nurses to have. Compassion, critical thinking, patience, empathy and flexibility/adaptability. I think in addition to that, keeping in mind that while things may be really stressful at your organization or in your department, the patients and families that you are working with are having their own experience and the way you interact with them can create a positive or negative experience that can last a lifetime.

Any final thoughts?

I think the only other thing I would add is to find joy in the things you do and the people you work with. The work we do is hard, but finding joy in what you do makes a huge difference. Also, find things to do for self care; we are better at what we do if we are taking care of ourselves too.