B E H A V E Wellness

Bully Elimination, Health, Advocacy, Violence Education

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Book Release!

Posted by behavewellness on January 19, 2018
Posted in: Bullying, Corporate Wellness, Employee Health, Finance, Healthy Work Strategies, Self Care, Student, toxic work environment. Tagged: academia, charm school, CRNA, crypto, graduate school, howto, intimacy, med school, nurse anesthesia student, nursing school, SRNAschool, toxic, vulnerability. Leave a comment

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Since all three of us are nurse anesthetists, we expected clients from healthcare once we launched our business, especially since we’ve written research articles, textbook chapters, and now books about various aspects of healthcare and wellness. We thought questions would come from our guest posts about bullying among nurses, or the nuances of work culture as we’ve discussed on FreshNP. To our surprise, the same two themes orbit work issues in the hospital OR, at McDonald’s, and in the cubicles with a pointy-haired boss: relationships and finances.

As much as we stress leaving work at work and home at home, the two overlap substantially. If they desperately need the money, employees will accept far more abuse at work than someone already ambivalent about their job. Perceived lack of support from a spouse or loved one amplifies unintentional slights at work to full-blown rejection. Self-care and wellness techniques help realign our perceptions closer to reality, limiting miscommunication and awkward misunderstandings. Work is inherently awkward, like any other activity where at least one party is only present because they are being paid to do so (think Uber, Airbnb, or that boy you bought pizza at lunch every Friday for a month so he’d go to the Sadie Hawkins dance with you).

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For a good time every time, observe other people’s awkwardness for a minute. That’s what much of How to Succeed in Anesthesia School is about–prospective students and seasoned clinicians quickly mastering social dynamics so they can concentrate on the next step on their career path. The quirky humor and irreverent satire may seem at odds with what BEHAVE Wellness stands for, but learning should be hilarious whenever possible. We’ve learned that a stiff, walk-on-eggshells work environment always has more problems than a cheerful place with blundering, authentic goofballs.  Besides:

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We should really eat before writing these posts. Subscribe on the right with your email address, and you’ll get these witty compliments every time we write a new post. So, besides new information on debt and investing wisely (but not necessarily conservatively–see our Bitcoin post) and balancing a successful career as a caregiver with satisfying, deep relationships, what else does the book teach? Topics include selecting a healthcare specialty, interviewing well, and the best ways to transform theoretical knowledge into something practical for patients. Lest it get too annoying and upbeat, one of the chapters is titled “Picking up the Charred Remains after you Crash and Burn”, not too dissimilar from the section “Cutting your Losses” in the relationships chapter. Best of all, this project comes with a free audiobook version narrated by the author.  For the three Americans who don’t have Amazon to buy a paperback or Kindle version, purchase a similar Nook/iBook/PDF here:

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Bitcoin Cash Bullying Bitcoin

Posted by behavewellness on December 20, 2017
Posted in: Finance, Student. Tagged: alternative investments, BCC, bitcoin 101, BTC, crypto, Ether, Finance, Litecoin, Ripple, school. 2 Comments

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We’re not really going to talk about the title–it’s too much of a stretch from workplace bullying to competing cryptocurrencies. After all, you know a money maker has peaked when a blog like ours talks about it. We think the attraction to digital currencies on a blockchain is that the technology allows observable math algorithms to fairly solve problems and logistics that currently require subjective (or corrupt), expensive bureaucracy. A lot of the messages we’ve received lately ask questions like, “Can I invest in Bitcoin and make enough money to leave this lousy job,” and, “Is it possible to avoid all this student loan debt by buying cryptocurrencies?” One of our founders made a video today specifically addressing the second question:

Perhaps Bitcoin isn’t much of a segue from our usual topics–financial freedom allows you to walk away from a bad company, or at least make a job’s hourly rate only one factor out of many. Let’s say you’re comfortable in bed, watching a new show on Netflix, and it’s boring. No big deal, right? You reach for the remote–and realize it’s across the room. Trapped. Now this is serious. It’s the same with your career. A tolerable work culture becomes much less so if no other options exist.

There is no better way to make other people rich (like the state lotto) than to lurch desperately into a investment. Although we briefly considered a wellness blockchain, BEHAVE Wellness has no official or unofficial affiliation with any crypto currency or company. This sort of disclaimer is standard for discussions about stocks but virtually non-existent in the haphazard world of the blockchain, with new coins to tackle real and imagined problems appearing quicker than a child can spend tokens at Chuck E Cheese.

Alt coins, most of the worthless.

Especially for students, the key is not diversification beyond the four coins offered on Coinbase in exchange for American dollars, but simplification despite limited investment dollars. The technology is evolving so quickly that last month’s recommendations are already dated and obsolete. To store value and increase exponentially once hype fades, a coin needs real purpose and scarcity–Stellar and Ripple are compelling platforms with clear uses, but the presence of billions of coins can impact potential returns in the short term.  We’ll do our best to answer specific questions in the comments (the comment link is next to the tags below the post title), but remember that we can have a rational conversation about finance, or we can discuss Bitcoin.

 

 

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Self-Care Isn’t Bath Bombs and Bonbons

Posted by behavewellness on November 20, 2017
Posted in: Corporate Wellness, Employee Health, Healthy Work Strategies, Self Care, toxic work environment. Tagged: massage, nursing school, Self Care, stress, therapy, wellness. 4 Comments

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If we had to describe BEHAVE Wellness in a word, it might not be “self-care”, but that would be high on the list, right after “attractive,” “effervescent,” and perhaps “intellect-searing genius.” An emotionally whole person who takes care of themselves doesn’t need us as often: it takes a truly toxic work culture or bullying relationship to require outside help. As our snowflake post revealed, living a life of offense makes compromise, teamwork, and tolerating weird people (including ourselves) a daily struggle. For further reading on self care, here‘s the article that inspired us, and check out our resources.

For both of our male readers, we should explain that a bath bomb is not a lethal explosive, but simply the evolution of the bubble bath.  They come in different scents (not flavors: BEHAVE Wellness strongly discourages the practice of drinking bath water).  Although they may feature the rich chocolate essence of bonbons, none of these scents are bacon, pine sap, or race car, so this concludes our explanation.

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I stand corrected.

We believe self-care is an extension of the idea, “Pray not for lighter burdens, but stronger shoulders.”  Simply put, some conflicts don’t have solutions or a trusted adult to hold your hand. Waiting around for everything to line up right or a joyful ambush from happiness is an exercise in stagnation, not patience. Among our other titles and roles, we’re all nurse anesthetists at BEHAVE Wellness, and do you know the medical term for stagnation? Gangrene. Self-care absolutely involves exquisite moments of bliss, inspiration, and pleasure. It is also enforcing boundaries that displease others and sometimes saying difficult words like, “I was wrong and I’m going to make this right.” Hmm, that’s not quite as singable as, “Let it go!”.

Before you cancel that massage and mud bath appointment, or throw away the decadent ice cream, this is not a post about austerity versus indulgence. We want to expand the definition of self-care, not limit it. It’s just that doing what’s best for yourself doesn’t always feel good. On occasion, it meets the needs of others at your expense. Fulfillment is a journey, not a destination. You may grasp fleeting moments of happiness if you pursue it with wild abandon, but in the meantime you’ll cause heartache for anyone in your path.

What self-care techniques work best for you? Is it yoga? Eating right and exercise? Serving others? A scheduled time of Netflix & Chill as sacred to you as a weekly Sabbath? Let us know in the comments.

 

 

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Timeless Lessons from Rick and Morty

Posted by behavewellness on October 15, 2017
Posted in: Corporate Wellness, Employee Health, Healthy Work Strategies, toxic work environment. Tagged: adult swim, human resources, rick and morty, team unity, toxic workplace, TPS, workplace culture, zero tolerance. 3 Comments

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“Everything is meaningless,” Solomon grumbled thousands of years before Rick and Morty became a hit show where characters scamper off to alternate universes to escape the devastation of their choices. The paradox of “everything matters” while “nothing matters” is uniquely compelling in the brittle social construct of today’s society (see Are you a Bullying Target or a Snowflake). We struggle to remember who we’re supposed to be mad at currently–McDonald’s, Dove, flag kneelers, or maybe the media for wasting our time with stories eventually revealed as fictional parables of our preferred narrative.

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Enough abstract ramblings. On the show, Rick destroyed everything in his way to get a discontinued condiment from McDonald’s, just because he could. McDonald’s sensed a chance for cross promotion and quickly whipped up a batch, but ran out and had to turn away angry crowds of customers without Szechuan sauce at multiple locations. The gulf between a delightful idea and actually seeing it through usually takes care of these problems. We can all attest to that from fabulous events we promised we would attend on Facebook, but never left the house for when the moment came.

The relevance here is the haunting thirst for community in our culture. To the executives who’ve questioned the need for businesses like ours, this serves as an example for how badly people want to be on a team and share an experience with others. A fleeting moment of spontaneous joy is priceless, or at least the going price on eBay for one of those sauce packets.

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On a side note, looks like eBay’s targeted ads want me to buy shampoo.  Since no one’s actually offering $20,000, let’s get a more accurate picture and see current bids.

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Wow, look how lucrative it can be to give someone a sense of belonging! That’s the message here, that whether out of sheer goodness or basic economics, fostering a sense of unity pays well.

Can you create that kind of culture at work? After all, when I was a traveling nurse, I noticed employees complained the same amount whether they were at a place with good teamwork or bad (I preferred the latter as the job security was unbeatable no matter how overpaid I was).  Whether an employee or employer, tackle this problem in bite-sized chunks, inserting sauce packet sized pockets of joy and comradery where possible. High turnover? Plan fabulous parties for everyone who leaves. Loneliness and superficial relationships causing misunderstanding? No one will show up for events outside of work, so start by breaking the ice in the office, even if you have to buy Nerf guns from the dollar store.

I realize that many of the rubber band wars I started at various workplaces were unprofessional, but sometimes a polite, frigid work space is the enemy of teamwork. Yes, zero-tolerance policies against bullying may be necessary, but in an environment where people can relax and occasionally enjoy themselves, careless comments sting less. What do you think? Do you agree that, just like Rick, we can just live for a moment without scrutinizing how much it matters? Not all that time, I mean, and as long as we don’t destroy the universe.

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Dropping Bombs on Bullying

Posted by behavewellness on May 26, 2017
Posted in: Bullying, Employee Health, Healthy Work Strategies, toxic work environment, Uncategorized. Tagged: anti-bullying, HR, litigation, Namie, postal, Sood, WBI, workplace bullying, workplace violence, zero tolerance. Leave a comment

Today we are featuring Shannon’s story. She spoke about workplace bullying on the Dropping Bombs on Bullying podcast.

From her first job as a staff nurse until now, Shannon shared about the types of bullies she encountered–from the “Screaming Meanie” to the “Constant Critic”–and how they affected her. Her own struggle led her to travel to Bellingham, WA and become certified by Gary Namie’s Workplace Bullying Institute. Shannon learned how to cope and not accept the self blame.

One nugget from her journey to self-love and wholeness:

“Use professionals who specialize in workplace bullying: corporations are very good at combating this, so the first lawyer or therapist with a Groupon might not be the best choice.”

That doesn’t come natural in today’s data or app driven world of quick fixes–many of our competitors simply use algorithms to solve problems. Both the target and the bully often need an individual approach rather than a blanket one. Remember, “Work shouldn’t hurt.” Workplace shootings trend for a day, but the news never follows up with the back story. This is the reality of workplace psychological violence that can turn physical.

So the solution is more rules, right? Bullying policies often don’t work because fear of retaliation causes under-reporting. Take a step back to avoid tunnel vision and really understand what is going on in your workplace. We are here to help, whether in the comments section or our resources and services. As you process how to respond in your own situation, remember Dr. Sood’s quote,

“Dominance may impress, but it is humility that inspires.”

You can also listen to Shannon’s story and insight into workplace bullying on iTunes.

 

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Are you a Bullying Target or a Snowflake?

Posted by behavewellness on May 22, 2017
Posted in: Bullying, Student, toxic work environment. Tagged: academia, CRNA, graduate school, intern, med school, NP, nurse eat their young, nursing, nursing school, nursing student, PA, professor bullying. 2 Comments

We were invited to talk about bullying in healthcare by our good friend and author, Kati Kleber. Increasingly, we’ve all been asked to address this by nursing students feeling powerless in the classroom and in clinical settings. Similar to interns and graduate students, the common thread is continual evaluation by others higher on the totem pole–who themselves may be bullied by their superiors. We incorporated much of the current literature in our discussion on FreshRN, and some of it is surprising (and vicious).

So are we saying that not every nurse is as virtuous as the saintly one above? Bullying is surprisingly common in helping professions, even in churches. The top five bullying behaviors nursing students experience are nonverbal innuendos, verbal affront, undermining actions, withholding information, and sabotage. As opposed to being shoved on the playground, this sometimes requires perception and awareness of the social environment to even realize it’s happening. That’s why bullying is so common and devastating in learning environments. From a personal standpoint, several of us can remember times where we had to choose between learning 100% of the knowledge we needed for the day or being charming and socially adroit, because both required total concentration.

One reason that toxic learning environments are so consuming is the concept of a “snowflake”–an overly sensitive, dogmatic person, as opposed to six sided crystalline ice precipitation. It’s important to consider how other students are being treated, and how distant reality may be from our perceptions of being bullied. This is where others come in, although Behave Wellness would be better suited for that than a college ombudsperson (what do they do anyway?) or hospital HR department. Not that anyone’s life has been changed through a blog comment, but tell us your story below and we will do our best to help. Any professionals you use should be familiar with bullying so they can give you wise and relevant advice.

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Bullying in Healthcare–Gina’s Thoughts

Posted by behavewellness on March 23, 2017
Posted in: Bullying, Corporate Wellness, Employee Health. Leave a comment
Today we’re profiling the views of one of our founders about the profession the three of us work in every day.
My name is Gina Chiplonia-Swircek DNP, CRNA, PhD(c). I am Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) and also a founding member of the company BEHAVE Wellness (Bullying, Elimination, Health Advocacy, and Violence Education). The topic of bullying in healthcare is a passion of mine and I am currently finishing my dissertation on the experiences of Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists (SRNAs) with Bullying while in their education and training program to become a CRNA. I am a United States Air Force veteran CRNA and currently employed by a fairly large anesthesia group in the Philadelphia area and also provide independent anesthesia services to many surgical and gastroenterology centers throughout Pennsylvania.

Bullying Affects Performance and Finances

Bullying in healthcare is an increasingly complex issue and is repeated, health harming mistreatment ranging from verbal abuse and humiliation to threats, sabotage, and worse. The well-being of nurses is directly correlated to bullying behaviors. Attention needs to return to the nurse’s health; as a “Health Care” industry we seem to have forgotten kindness and concern for our own.
Ignoring this behavior is unethical, expensive, and affects teamwork and collaboration between nurses, physicians and other departments necessary for multidisciplinary care of our customers–patients. They may become indirect victims of nurse bullying. This destructive activity can compromise patient’s safety when they are already in a vulnerable state. Distractions have serious potential to harm patients.
Targets are often individuals who are well liked, highly educated, morally and ethically correct, non-aggressive, and do their job well. Many Targets “self-blame,” when in reality, they did nothing to provoke the bullying behavior and abuse. This can prevent Targets from taking steps to end the bully’s psychological violence and can spiral into self-destruction.
Above all, when confronted with workplace bullying, your health and well-being need to come first. Maintaining wellness is of paramount importance. As each of us are individuals, so are the paths to recovery and wellness. Each target must define “happiness” for themselves. Some wellness activities that may help with healing can include journaling, meditation, yoga, exercise, doing volunteer activities, eating healthy and taking part in other personal hobbies.
If you know a Target at your institution, you can act as a source of support by being an empathetic and nonjudgmental listener to the Target’s reality. Confirming and validating their story is significant. Educating and encouraging Targets to document what is happening to them, obtaining other co-workers’ experiences, and referring them to outside sources of advice such as a therapist and/or attorney will assist in the healing process.
Workplace employee wellness and human resources departments may not always be beneficial places of support for bullied nurses. Ultimately they work for the corporation and have their best interest in mind, not yours. An oppressive work culture can often extend past the barriers of a nursing unit.

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Deflecting Personal Questions at Work

Posted by behavewellness on March 4, 2017
Posted in: Bullying, Corporate Wellness, Healthy Work Strategies. Tagged: authentic self, boss, cheat sheet, curious, HR, nosy coworkers, nosy manager, office, passive aggressive, true to you, uncomfortable work situation, vulnerable. 1 Comment
The Office--NBC

The Office–NBC

We recently assisted Cheat Sheet with the topic, “How to Answer These 6 Questions from your Nosy Coworkers“. If you read the article, make sure to click on “View All” for a better reading experience. The problem is that we previously noticed a similar question posed on a Facebook group for healthcare professionals, and most of the answers consisted of bullying and shaming the curious coworker into pensive submission. That’s kinda the opposite of what we’re all about here at BEHAVE Wellness.

That doesn’t mean it’s wrong to use the situation to get your jollies, as evidenced by Nick’s most cherished comeback when confronted with a bullying intruding coworker attempting unsettling questions: “I look really serious and say things like, ‘Cheetahs can only charge at 65 mph for about a quarter mile, but the key is in the flexibility of their spine.’ They get unsettled trying to find the passive or aggressive meaning behind my nonsensical statement and leave me alone. Forever.”

Cheetah Run

While we don’t typically advocate messing with people’s minds by discussing feline hunting attributes, this situation is usually one you’ll have to creatively handle yourself. Unless the perpetrator starts asking, “Why don’t you look as pretty as you used to,” most intentionally Nosy Nancy’s are crafty enough to avoid questions that could send them to HR or the boss’s office. Trying to be passive-aggressive won’t help, and “putting them in their place” only contributes to a toxic work environment. Another pitfall is trying too hard–remember that your coworker may be innocently curious. Is it really worth it to take focus away from work to craft perfect answers that won’t reveal personal information but serve to move them right along? Feel free to answer that question in the comments.

Oh, here are some other ideas if sounding like a Discovery Channel narrator somehow doesn’t get the job done. Excuse yourself. Give boring or vague answers. Ask, “Why do you want to know?” Respond with your own personal question–this serves to gauge the questioners intent. Respond with humor or be straight-forward about the fact that you don’t like being asked personal questions. As that last sentence highlights, we really believe in staying true to ourselves. Our most authentic self is the only sustainable one, so try to lead in a manner consistent with who you are, rather than striving to be plain spoken or assertive or funny and spontaneous.

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Barry and Joe’s Friendly Workplace

Posted by behavewellness on January 15, 2017
Posted in: Employee Health, Healthy Work Strategies. Tagged: bullying strategies, burnout, dressing your truth, fun at work, intimacy, medal of freedom, vulnerability, work balance, work friends, workplace violence. 1 Comment

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A reporter recently asked us about relationships in the workplace. It has always been our firm belief that isolation is a formidable weapon for bullies except in the face of trusting, authentic work friendships. We recently reviewed cupping and other wellness therapies, but why bother with all that if you can  just goof off with your work buddies?

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We tend to over complicate in our culture. All the wellness initiatives and brilliant relationship help from people like us tends to be irrelevant if you can just be part of a healthy team–hopefully one more qualified than the tug of war team above who lost in five seconds flat.  And that brings us to Obama and Biden.

Unlike his two most recent predecessors, President Obama’s personality seems to draw strength from solitude instead of the presence of others. It would make sense for him to withdraw from the sincere but admittedly bumbling nature of his vice president. Whether or not we agree with their policies, we can clearly see that Obama and Biden decided to compliment each other’s traits rather than push for conformity–a looser President or more scripted VP. Realize that in the workplace, those who seem to share the least in common with you may become your greatest allies. We refuse to start spouting off “synergy” and other buzzwords,  but success comes easier when employees are enjoying themselves.

Measured Vulnerability

What if the enjoyment stops when we start competing for a position or the boss’s favor? The wise action when pursuing friendships with coworkers is to match vulnerability. If you are talking about how the last meeting made you feel deep inside but your coworker’s conversation is as intimate as the last company newsletter, someone must adjust. Always leave the door open to go deeper, because if toxicity or bullying enters the workplace, employees feel trapped unless they already have coworkers with whom they can share their situation openly and freely. Have you had an experience like that? Start today by not automatically answering, “Fine” when asked about your weekend, but take it slow: no need to start with,

“Michelle made me sleep on the couch in the Oval Office for smoking behind her back and I think Malia’s hurt and angry that I blamed that weird smell from Sunny the dog on her.”

Lastly, the effects from a warm office friendship ripple past the two of you. For proof, look no farther than the “Barry and Joe” memes that are still the best thing online.

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Saving your Lunch Money from Bullies

Posted by behavewellness on April 14, 2016
Posted in: Finance, Healthy Work Strategies, toxic work environment. Tagged: acuff, bond ladder, Finance, high yield, lendingclub, P2P, prosper, ramsey, REIT, rental, seedinvest, startengine, student debt, student loan, tax shelter, toxic workplace, treasury, wellness, whole life insurance, work balance. Leave a comment

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Security does not bring joy. A full bank account does not equal peace in your soul. Much of what we advocate is holistic change on the inside to better cope with life struggles and work stress. However, setting your financial house in order lessens the risk of getting stuck in a toxic work environment with no way out. You can read the full post from Nick about preparing financially for the next step in your career at nurseeyeroll.com and follow our friend Kati (and us too, while you’re at it) on Facebook, Twitter, etc. More info is available in the book How to Succeed in Anesthesia School (And RN, PA, or Med School).

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1.  Live Poor

At what point should you start denying yourself the simple pleasures of four dollar coffee or blowing a hundred bucks every weekend?  When do you really need to start saving?  The truth is, it could take decades to dig yourself out of debt if you don’t take the necessary steps now.  There is absolutely no point in putting yourself and your loved ones through years of essentially monastic living if you’ll still be living paycheck to paycheck with a higher salary once you graduate. Currently, student loans are at such low rates that financing your life with them (and skipping the next few rambling paragraphs) is a viable option.  I previously recommended that students pay off their undergraduate loans before starting anesthesia or nurse practitioner school, but it’s an individual decision.  As much as it depends on you, keep your other debts to a minimum.  For example, don’t make illegitimate children—child support really adds up.  Chronic illnesses tend to be expensive too, although avoiding carcinogens may be more difficult than wearing seat belts, selling your motorcycle, or resisting the urge to sled down an icy hill on a skateboard.  The last time I had such an urge, I at least had the presence of mind to increase my life and disability insurance first–which is a must if you have a family, once you get that MSN or whichever degree you’re striving for.

2. Get Grants

If you have a high GPA or an interesting characteristic (e.g. Navajo and Guatemalan heritage), the first step is to look for scholarships and grants.  Regardless of the angle I tried, no one accepted my Greekness as any race or ethnicity other than Dark White.  My GPA and essay skills were good enough to justify the time I spent submitting scholarship applications instead of working at “Niko’s House of Gyro and Lamb”.  There really is no such place in my hometown, but if there were, I’d eat there twice a week.  To be honest, I never did find a single grant or scholarship to fund anesthesia school, and all my undergraduate scholarships combined were laughable had I gone anywhere but the local public university.  That brings up my third point.

3. Consider Cheaper Schools

The prestige of your alma mater is at best a tiny variable for your success in healthcare.  A more affordable education is not like buying generic, one ply toilet paper.  This isn’t business school, where networking is more important than what you learn. You’ll take the same boards after you graduate as someone at a more prestigious school, so the cost difference between graduate nursing programs is a major factor.  The luxury of choice is admittedly rare unless you have a high GPA and the ability to skillfully articulate your clinical skills during interviews.  Look at the value of a school, taking into consideration your personal support system, and the school’s cost and reputation.  Talking to previous graduates will also illuminate whether you’re getting a great deal or if the school resembles that fabulous Groupon to a restaurant that gave me food poisoning.  Just like warmed milk of magnesia mixed with prune juice matters more than a handful of raisins, a nursing school’s reputation from previous students matters a great deal more than US News and World Report rankings or any other comparable data.  A small school can’t offer you the cutting edge research, tools, and surgeries found at a large academic institution.  A large school is less likely to expose you to the autonomous experience of a practitioner in rural America without any backup.  So, if you’ve always dreamed of practicing in the heart of New York City, the University of Iowa’s program might not be the best fit.

4. Invest Wisely

So what should you do with your money?  Transferring loans from one 0% interest credit card to another can work for a while, unless you make a single. life-altering mistake at 30% interest.  Once you run out of public and private low interest loans, websites such as lendingclub.com have much better terms than credit cards and also work well as high interest (and high risk) investments if you are fortunate enough to save money.  Obviously, risking money you need for next semester’s tuition or next week’s canned soup is a bad idea once you’re in school, on par with investing all your money in foreign stocks the day before you retire.  Some research on your part is necessary to avoid investing in the “Anesthesia Student Wire Transfer Fund of Northwest Potiskum”.  I lived on 20% of my income as a nurse and saved the rest for anesthesia school, but my quality of life was only slightly above a vegetative state.  For 2016, a high yield bond ladder is my latest advice, as it can replace what certificates of deposit did for me ten years ago.  You’ll need some advice to avoid companies with bankruptcy risks, however.

5. Explore Side Gigs

A friend of mine still works part time as a fireman because of the health insurance and pension plan, while another nurse I know works at an upscale restaurant on the weekends because his large tips exceed the money he’d earn working those hours as a nurse.  I developed ways to make passive income, since time is so precious during graduate school.  Despite the multiple books and articles I’ve written, I’m typically more likely to donate blood than buy a book or subscription off the Internet. Stay focused on your goals because few people in American culture have a concrete idea of exactly how much money is enough.  The love of learning may dim when it contributes to your debt but not your paycheck!
masklaryngoscopesbutnotasprettyastheothertwo
P.S. With help from fellow nurse anesthetist Peter Strube, our long-awaited continuing education article about reducing bullying has just been published by Advance!

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