Trew Coaching LLC

A nod doesn’t always mean, “I understand.”

As nurses, we know what it feels like to hear an explanation and still need another minute—or another question. Our patients deserve that room, too. 💚

October brings Health Literacy Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month together. Alongside raising awareness, we can help people understand what happens next, who to contact, and how they’ll receive results.

Use everyday words. Make questions welcome. Check how clearly you explained the plan.

What helps you make patient education feel like a conversation?

Happy World Heart Day! ❤️ Awareness can help people recognize heart concerns, take steps toward prevention, and get the care they need.

My time in cardiac nursing taught me that clear education and compassion go together. Understanding the plan matters. So does being able to afford it, get to appointments, and find support at home.

Listening without judgment and connecting people with help are part of our care. Healthcare systems need to make that help reachable, too.

Nurses, what’s one question you ask to understand what your patient needs beyond the care plan? Keep responses general—no patient details. 💚

Think of the nurse who let you ask again. Who explained why. Who corrected you without making you feel small.

That kind of support can stay with you long after orientation. As we head into a new week, ask yourself: What helped me find my footing? What support do I need now? How can I make a little more room for someone else to learn?

Confidence grows when we give each other that room. 💚

What did a nurse do that helped you feel safe enough to learn?

A new nurse asks for help. The experienced nurse wants to help—but they’re juggling their own assignment and trying to keep up.

That pressure is real. So is the effect on a new nurse who starts to feel like every question is an inconvenience.

We need to stop calling support “coddling.” Teaching someone well takes patience, but it also takes protected time, consistent orientation and leaders who back up their preceptors.

Burnout can help explain why someone is running out of patience. It doesn’t mean we should accept humiliation or leave new nurses to fend for themselves.

What’s one thing that would make orientation better for both the new nurse and the person teaching them? 💚

“I had to figure it out, so they should too.”

I understand where that comes from. Some nurses were given too little support when they started. But repeating that experience doesn’t make the next nurse stronger.

New nurses need clear expectations, constructive feedback and room to ask questions while they develop their judgment. That isn’t coddling. It’s part of teaching.

This week, as I reflect on Uncompete by Ruchika T. Malhotra, I keep coming back to what we choose to pass on. We can be proud of the nurses we help grow. 💚

I’m growing the Mind. Set. Nurse. New Nurse Community for nursing students and early-career nurses who want honest conversation, practical guidance and support without judgment. Join us—link in bio • link in comments.

What helped you find your footing when you were new?

“I had it hard when I was new” doesn’t have to become the lesson we pass on.

New nurses grow with clear expectations, room to ask questions and feedback that helps them do something differently next time. They deserve to become capable clinicians while still having space for themselves outside nursing.

That takes support from peers, preceptors and leaders—not just more effort from the person who is learning.

If you’re a new or early-career nurse looking for personal support as you build confidence, I’d love to talk about whether 1:1 M.I.N.E. Shift mentorship fits what you need. Click the link in my bio to book a discovery call. On Facebook, you’ll also find the link in the comments. 💚

The “Sunday scaries” officially made the dictionary—but nurses know the shift scaries don’t always wait until Sunday.

Before dismissing the feeling as overthinking, ask yourself:

• Am I nervous because I’m new and still learning?
• Am I unsure where to turn for help?
• Or has my unit made questions feel unsafe?

Those are different problems.

You may need more preparation. You may need someone you can safely turn to. Or your dread may be connected to a unit where asking questions or requesting help doesn’t feel safe.

Feeling nervous before a shift doesn’t mean you’re failing. But persistent dread isn’t always something you should blame yourself for or try to mindset away.

You also shouldn’t have to navigate nursing alone.

Join the Mind. Set. Nurse. New Nurse Community for practical guidance, honest conversations and no-BS mentorship. Click the link in the comments—it’s also available through the link in my bio. 💚

What fuels your shift scaries most: not knowing enough or not feeling supported?