This guest post was written by John Russell, DNP APRN FNP-BC CCRN RNFA
How I Became An NP: Cardiothoracic Surgery
You know it’s a bad sign when the surgeon interviewing you rolls his eyes when you say you’re a leftie. I guess at the end of the day, it is what breathed life into my business, but I’m getting ahead of myself here, so let me break it down.
My name is John Russell, and I am left-handed (insert obligatory “hello, John” from the support group for lefties here). I never intended to be a cardiothoracic surgery nurse practitioner. In fact, I, like many aspiring 6 year olds, was certain my fate would rest on my astronaut skills from my vast experience sticking my arms out the car window and demonstrating the effects of lift on my hand (don’t judge, you know you did it too).
I even went as far as to get a pilot’s license to fly small planes like in Top Gun; however, that pattern was decidedly full, Ghost Rider. I enlisted in the Air Force and took on the most hardcore job I could find to entertain my military service while going to undergrad at the University of Illinois in Urbana/Champaign by playing the trumpet in the Air National Guard Band of the Midwest.
Not exactly fighter pilot school, but it gave me a great opportunity to see the country, learn discipline, and above all else, experience teamwork.
As a leftie, you are earmarked as some right-brained individual with zero analytical skills and nothing but Twenty One Pilots (that’s like Phish for you old farts), psychedelics and procrastination on your to-do list. Despite my preordained calling, I found myself lacking an interest in making a lifelong career out of music and instead, chose to pursue a degree in pre-med.
Why?
Because Mercedes Benz, that’s why. Who doesn’t want to become a physician and live the “good life” right? Or so I thought. In fact, I barely thought. I was on academic probation for one semester and then received notice from the school that I was not likely to graduate.
Back to the drawing board, so I thought…
It’s amazing what happens when you find your niche. For me, it started when a good friend told me I should become an EMT-basic. She was a very influential person in my story’s transition and I owe her more than I probably have ever told her. She knew something. As EMTs, we found out why this pre-med stuff was cooler than organic chemistry by actually applying for some real-life medicine.
I worked through literally every step in the chain: EMT-intermediate, paramedic, critical care paramedic.
I earned an Associates in Nursing, started working in the ICU of a Level 1 trauma center, then an RN to BSN program led me to my Masters and Doctorate of Nursing degrees.
When I finished school as a Family Nurse Practitioner, I did what we all do (or you will soon do). We apply for jobs. I then found out that my left-handedness was in fact undesirable. Apparently, when you work in heart surgery, lefties like to bump hands with surgeons. Again, not a great thing to highlight on your resume. #getyourarmoutofmyface.
Somehow, I got the job. I then learned to suture from a very well-known first assisting program and started suturing from the beginning as a rightie, and let me tell you, it is WAY easier (imagine cutting with right-handed scissors with your left hand) when you are not fighting the instruments. A wise surgeon told me “It’s only hard until it’s not hard. The transition between the two is personal.”
As time has passed, I have been fortunate enough to precept many students, guiding them with the guardrails of my mistakes, and in coordination with many peer experts in their respective fields, asked ourselves “What would I make sure to teach new grad nurse practitioners so they are successful and avoid the painful bite of the ‘old-school’ providers waiting to eat the new grads alive for their amusement?”
Of that thought, Skills On Point, LLC was born.
Skills On Point, LLC is a Chicago-based company offering scheduled and concierge (we travel to your group) expert-led, cost-effective, no-judgment, initial and continuing education in the skills new grad NP’s need to succeed in their roles. This includes procedures for privileging, difficult concepts, pharmacology continuing education, and all the things paramount to making sure you are ready for clinicals, day one on the job, and ongoing support thereafter. My hope is that we change our thinking as a profession. If you can get armed with the tools of success before hitting the workforce, you not only succeed for yourself, you succeed for the entire profession of nursing.
Here’s a free webinar I created for new NPs, Interviewing, Networking, and Professional Value for New Graduate Nurse Practitioners
Don’t listen to the haters. If I can do it as a leftie in surgery, I guarantee you can too.
You are awesome.
Now own it.
