In this solo episode of My Nurse Specialty, I talk about one of the biggest questions nurses face: how do you know which specialty is right for you? I share why so many nurses end up in roles by circumstance instead of true fit, and why that uncertainty is not a personal failure, but a predictable part of how nursing careers often begin.

I also walk through four practical questions to help you better understand how you are wired, what kind of work energizes you, and what direction may be worth exploring next. This episode is about moving from confusion to clarity so you can make more intentional career decisions.

In this episode, I talk about:

• Why many nurses end up in specialties by default instead of alignment
• Four questions to help you identify what kind of nursing work fits you best
• How reflection, networking, and strategy can help you explore your next move

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In this episode of My Nurse Specialty, I talk with Jessica Nelson, an ICU nurse and educator with 24 years of experience in critical care. She shares what ICU nursing is really like, what nurses should know before pursuing this path, and why strong support and education matter so much in this specialty.

Jessica also talks about the best ways to prepare for ICU, including building experience in step-down or med-surg, learning from mentors, and continuing to study outside of orientation. We also discuss certifications, the emotional side of critical care, and the many ways ICU experience can open doors later in a nursing career.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What ICU nursing is really like day to day
• How nurses can prepare for a future in critical care
• Why support, mentorship, and knowing your why matter in ICU nursing

About Jessica Nelson:
Jessica Nelson has 24 years of nursing experience, with most of her career spent in neuro critical care. Her background also includes eight years in interventional radiology, leadership as manager of a Neuro ICU and Neuro Step-Down Unit, and her current role as Clinical Nurse Educator for three high-acuity critical care units. She continues to work bedside twice a month and is passionate about supporting nurses, strengthening clinical judgment, and creating learning environments where nurses feel confident and capable.

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Get the FREE guide here on how to choose your specialty!

In this solo episode of My Nurse Specialty, I talk about one of the most overlooked parts of building a nursing career: networking.

Many nurses work hard, gain experience, and still feel stuck when it comes to moving into a new specialty. Often, the difference is not talent or effort. It is relationships. In this episode, I share why networking is not about using people or self-promotion, but about building genuine connections that can open doors, offer insight, and help you move forward with more clarity.

I also walk through a simple, realistic way to start building your network as a nurse, even if it feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar.

In this episode, I talk about:

• Why networking often makes the difference in who gets access to new nursing opportunities
• How nurses can build genuine professional relationships without feeling fake or self-promotional
• A simple, practical way to start reaching out and growing your network over time

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In this episode of My Nurse Specialty, I talk with Nurse Daisy about how she moved from bedside nursing into a full-time remote role as a prior authorization nurse. She shares her path from skilled nursing and emergency nursing into the insurance side of healthcare and how this work-from-home specialty became the right fit for her.

We also talk about what this role looks like day to day, what skills transfer well, what nurses should look for when applying, and the benefits and challenges of remote nursing. Daisy gives a realistic look at this specialty for nurses who want more routine, flexibility, and a non-bedside path.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• What a prior authorization nurse does in a remote role.
• How bedside and ER experience can help nurses move into this specialty.
• What to look for when searching for work-from-home nursing jobs.

About My Guest

Nurse Daisy is a prior authorization nurse who works full-time from home in the insurance side of healthcare. Over the course of her nursing career, she has worked in skilled nursing, emergency nursing, outpatient surgery, home health, school nursing, and private duty nursing. She has now spent more than a decade in her current role and is passionate about helping nurses explore flexible, non-bedside career options.

Connect with Nurse Daisy

Instagram: @thatnursedaisy

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In this episode of My Nurse Specialty, I talk with Lori Schellenberg about patient advocacy and why this role can be such a natural fit for nurses. Lori shares how her background in bedside nursing, case management, and years of advocating for patients and families led her to build her own advocacy business and mentor nurses who want to move into this work.

We also talk about what a nurse advocate actually does, how this role differs from bedside advocacy, and why it can be such a meaningful way to walk with patients and families through the full healthcare journey. Lori also shares the challenges of building this kind of work, the different niches available in advocacy, and why nurses already have many of the skills needed to thrive in this specialty.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

What nurse advocacy looks like beyond the bedside.

Why nurses are well positioned to pivot into patient advocacy.

What challenges and opportunities come with building an advocacy career.

About My Guest

Lori Schellenberg is a nurse with 45 years of experience and a certified case manager with more than 20 years in case management. She is the owner of Stepping Stone Advocacy Services, where she advocates for patients and families and also mentors nurses who want to become nurse advocates. Lori is passionate about helping nurses use the skills they already have in a way that brings them joy while making a real difference for patients navigating the healthcare system.

Connect with Lori

Stepping Stone Advocacy Services: https://www.steppingstoneadvocacy.com

Alliance of Professional Health Advocates: https://aphadvocates.org/

Umbra Health Advocacy: https://umbrahealthadvocacy.com/about-umbra/

GNA Now: https://gnanow.org/

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In this episode of My Nurse Specialty, I talk with Heather Bohman about her path from NICU nursing to becoming a nurse educator. She shares how her love of patient education, precepting, and teaching led her back to school for her master’s degree and into faculty teaching in a nursing program.

We also talk about what nurse educators actually do, from classroom teaching to clinical instruction, the educational path to becoming one, the challenges of the role, and the many ways nurses can grow within education. Heather also shares why she is passionate about supporting nurse educators and helping prevent burnout in those who spend so much time pouring into others.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• How Heather transitioned from NICU nursing into nurse education.
• What it looks like to teach both in the classroom and in clinicals.
• Why nurse education can be meaningful, challenging, and full of growth opportunities.

About My Guest

Heather Bohman is a nurse educator in San Antonio, Texas, a former NICU nurse, and a board-certified nurse coach. She teaches in a nursing program, works closely with students in both clinical and classroom settings, and is passionate about helping future nurses succeed. She is also focused on supporting nurse educators through wellness, resilience, and burnout prevention.

Connect with Heather

Website: heatherbohman.com

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In this solo episode of My Nurse Specialty, I speak directly to nurses who have been told to “just get experience” but still feel unsure, overwhelmed, or stuck. Because experience matters, but experience alone is not enough when you do not have direction, support, or a strategy for what comes next.

I talk about how to look at your experience more intentionally, recognize the skills you have already built, and stop seeing every pivot as starting over. This episode is a reminder that changing direction in nursing is not failure. It can be a smart, strategic move.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• Why experience alone is not a full career plan.
• How to reframe your transferable nursing skills.
• Why pivoting can be a wise next step.

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Get the FREE guide here on how to choose your specialty!

In this episode of My Nurse Specialty, I talk with Jaclyn McPheeters about her path into critical care nursing and what it really means to care for patients in the ICU. She shares how a powerful early experience as a CNA led her into this specialty and why critical care requires both technical skill and emotional resilience.

We also talk about what ICU nursing looks like day to day, the level of critical thinking it demands, the importance of teamwork, and why this specialty can be both deeply rewarding and incredibly intense. Jaclyn also shares advice for nurses considering this path, including shadowing, onboarding, certifications, and the many ways critical care experience can open doors later in your career.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• What critical care nursing really looks like beyond the patient ratio.
• Why emotional resilience and teamwork matter so much in the ICU.
• How ICU experience can lead to growth in leadership, advanced practice, and beyond.

About My Guest: Jaclyn McPheeters, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with experience in critical care, internal medicine, urgent care, skilled nursing, and nursing education. She brings more than a decade of high-acuity critical care experience to her work and is known for her patient-centered, compassionate approach. Jaclyn is also a former Assistant Professor of Nursing and the founder of Nurse Education & Empowerment LLC, where she supports nurses and nurse practitioners through education, coaching, and professional development. She is active in nursing leadership, healthcare quality improvement, and community engagement.

Connect with Jaclyn:

LinkedIn

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Get the FREE guide here on how to choose your specialty!