Dr. Kristine Haney, DNP, MSN-Ed, RN, NPD-BC, CNE, CCRN

I would say my family's been very supportive of my journey, so I definitely have to attribute it to them. I think part of it is me, I'm very goal-driven, so if I set a goal for myself, I am going to reach it, no matter what and I knew that, you know once I kind of finished my bachelor's degree, that I really wanted to keep going forward with my education, because I wanted to do more, I wanted to be able to, you know, impact healthcare and nursing and other ways, and I knew that I could do that. So, I had those goals set for myself, and I knew I'd reach them eventually. I didn't really set a timeframe for myself because I, you know, life gets in the way, and I didn't want to put that much pressure on me, but I knew that I would get there, and I did so I'm just excited that that, you know, that I've reached that peak in my... that part of my journey, and I'm excited to see where the rest of my career takes me.

The best advice would probably be to never give up and go for what I want. Early on, I doubted myself a lot in my ability and my knowledge in what I could accomplish when I was younger and a newer nurse. I had some really good people that I worked with, and I had goals and things I wanted to do, and I wasn't sure I was ever going to get there. I think everybody kind of has doubts, because I wasn't sure if I was smart enough, or if it was maybe not the right thing for me at the time. There was a couple people in my life that said, you know, just go for it, you've got this. You're smart enough. You're not giving yourself enough credit, and I think that's what helped me kind of get over that self-doubt and really drive me to try new things, and do things that are scary, and if I wouldn't have done that, I wouldn't be here today, for sure.

I would say that it is healthcare and nursing is a great place to be. I love being a nurse. I can't imagine doing anything else. You know, we're one of the best professions, I think, out there, most ethical professions. It's a challenge, it's hard work, but it is very impactful and meaningful, and you can do a lot of good in this role. I think that anybody who is considering becoming a nurse, make sure you do your research, understand what being a nurse is all about, because some I think some people come into it with the wrong idea about what we do, and then they get through school, they start working and they realize this isn't what they thought it was going to be, and they leave. I don't, you know, it's a lot of work for them to be able to get to the bedside, be able to become a license... a registered nurse, and so I think it's important that they understand what that looks like, or at least have some kind of idea of what being a nurse is before they ever come into it, but if they do enjoy it, and this is really what they want to do, it is one of the best, if not the best, jobs and professions and careers, and I just love it, and I couldn't imagine doing anything else.

I would say the biggest challenges are probably the continuous changes within healthcare. You know, between the governmental changes with reimbursements and the higher level of care that's required and the reporting it does make our jobs a little bit more challenging. I wouldn't say difficult, but more challenging just because we have to make sure that the nurses understand why those things that we do are so important; technology is a huge part of everything we do. Luckily, the newer nurses coming in are very technology savvy, and so they jump right in and catch right on. It can be challenging sometimes with our older nurses who aren't as technology savvy and so sometimes they struggle a little bit and it takes us a little time to kind of get them where they need to be, but you know, it's always evolving and changing, and it seems like you get them to a good place, and then something happens, or something new comes along, and then we're starting all over again. So, you know, it's healthcare is a very challenging place to be right now, it has been since Covid.

I would say that honesty and loyalty and integrity are really important. You know In both my personal and professional life, for sure.