Season 2: Episode 15: Farah Laurent - Empowering Nurses Through High-Quality Education, Coaching & Mentorship!

Thank you for joining me for another episode of the Nursing Strategies for Success podcast with this week's guest, Farrah Laurent.

She is an international nurse coach offering top-notch career guidance to ensure that nurses level up and land their dream specialty position. She offers tailored one-to-one coaching and group coaching that will help all nurses stand out from the crowd and land the career path of their desires. Farrah has held positions in emergency medicine, education, and leadership. Her mission is to empower nurses and to help at least 10,000 nurses land their dream position by 2025. So let's welcome Farrah to the show. Welcome to the Nursing Strategies for Success podcast, brought to you by The Nurse Speak, a show where we rally some of our nation's greatest nurse leaders educators, experts, and advocates to tackle some of our greatest challenges that the nursing profession faces. My name is Damion Jenkins, and I'm your host for this show. So sit back, relax, and get ready to learn that nurses can do anything.

Okay, thank you, Farrah, for joining me on the Nursing Strategies for Success podcast. Why don't you take a moment to introduce yourself for the listeners? Let them know a little bit about yourself, where you started in nursing, and where you are today.

Awesome. Well, thank you so much for having me. It's such a pleasure to be on your show, uh, so I appreciate the opportunity. So I actually started my career in Canada. I got my license out there, and I started nursing in the emergency department. And funny story, I always tell this story to everybody, especially to the new graduate nurses. My clinical instructor actually had told me that I would never be an ER nurse.

That—

yeah, that literally came out of her mouth. And I looked at her and I was like, I was like, all right, just watch me.

Yeah, like, I, I don't understand why a person who's in a position of being a facilitator or educator or role model would even say those things. That really upsets me, like crushing people's dreams.

And I was like, not me. I was like, no. So I was like, okay, so I used that as motivation and it really fueled me, um, to be like, no, no, I'm gonna prove her wrong and I'm gonna do what I want to do because that's just the person I am. So that's why I empower other nurses to do the same. So I strategically made sure that my number one choice was the ER. And my last semester, I luckily got placed there, made great connections with the staff. So if you're a nursing student and you want to say get into a specific area, I highly recommend that you, you know, get that as your last rotation if possible. So I loved it. They loved me. And they even said, oh, you know what, you should apply. And I'm like, well, I didn't even take my licensing exam yet. And they're like, no, no, just apply, we'll put in a good word. So I was like, okay. So I applied, and I basically got the position, um, and started working right after graduation. And they took me before I even took my licensing exam. Nice. Let me tell you, I'm not that old, but the exam back then was a full-day exam. It was an 8-hour exam. We had a 4-hour and a little break and another exam. So I was really nervous because I'm like, I better pass, because, you know, my job was counting on it. So I definitely was so appreciative of that opportunity experience, and I got started in the emergency department as a new grad. So I loved it, and it was my passion, and I'm so happy that I pursued it and I didn't listen to everybody else, right? What does everybody tell new grads to do? Go into med surg.

Med surg, hospital. You know, if you don't work in the hospital, then you're never going to be able to get any other job as a nurse. And we know that um, because we have experience. That's not true. You don't have to go and get med-surg experience. You don't even have to work in a hospital. You don't even have to work in a nursing home. I know plenty of very successful nurses who have done none of that.

Exactly.

Good.

Yeah, so really, you know, that was part of my beginning story. And, um, so I did that for 5 years, then I left Canada and moved to New York City. Yay, New York! Yes, because I love to travel. So I thought, well, you know what, let me take my love of traveling and my nursing skills and let me take my talents to New York City. Went to New York, did some travel nursing in the emergency department. It was absolutely great. Met so many different people. Some great friendships came out of that. And then I pretty much— I worked at Level 1 trauma centers. I worked in Michigan and Detroit. Pretty much every— most health systems I worked for. So I have a good idea of, you know, the differences in different health systems. And then I transitioned into education just because naturally, I always found myself as the educator, right? Right. Early on as a new grad, with only about a year experience, I was precepting people. When nursing students would come in, I would say, hey, I'll take the nursing student. When the other people would be rolling their eyes, I'm like, no, no, give them to me. I'll take them.

I I also never understood why any nurse in their right mind would turn away an eager nursing student who's willing to help you with your patient assignment. I don't get it. But yeah, I guess teaching is not for everyone, I guess. But I never understood that one either.

Exactly. So I loved it. So naturally, I was like, well, I'm going to become an educator. So it took me quite a bit of time, though. It took me 2 years after getting my master's in education to actually land a position. And I think the reason that was is because I felt like I wasn't being given the opportunities in the particular area that I was in. I'm not going to get into too much detail of that, but I had all my— a bunch of certifications, certified emergency nurse, certified pediatric emergency nurse, trauma certified, had my master's, met all the qualifications, but I still couldn't get it. So I said, well, you know what, I'm going to switch and go to another facility. And then I ended up getting actually an educator job and also a clinical adjunct position, um, at NYU. So, so I, you know, in my head I thought, well, I don't want to lose the opportunity to be adjunct faculty, right? I literally got it at the same time, you know, when it rains it pours, right?

Of course, right?

So then I said, I talked to the, um, other facility HR. I said, listen, I need to work 4 days a week and it needs to be 10 hours because I want to take this other position. So, you know, negotiating, uh, I started learning that I negotiate, and it worked out in my favor. So I was the educator for that small ICU unit and an ortho med-surg kind of unit. So that was great. And then I held other, you know, I'm not going to bore you, other education positions from working at the VA in central education to corporate education. And then I went from assistant director of education to director of nursing education. Along the way, I also entered a doctoral program. I know I'm crazy.

Congratulations. You're not crazy. It seems like you're on a mission. To empower yourself with the knowledge that you need to help elicit the change, right? So it sounds like you've been doing what a lot of us have been doing, and we're continuously shifting and pivoting into, you know, more knowledge, more experience. That way we can have better tools so that we, we can do the work that we are set out to do. So you're not crazy. Um, ambitious, yes. Nurses are just a little crazy to begin with. So I think all of us would agree that we, we have a sixth sense of humor, and sometimes we're gluttons for punishment because of how much we give and sacrifice, where other people are like, there's no way I would be able to do that work. So we are a special breed of people.

Exactly. And that's why we connect so well. You know, when nurses get together, we connect so well. So that's why I love it. I love nursing. And really, my message is, you know, there's been a lot of, you know, ups and downs in nursing and healthcare. But I always want to bring the positive aspect of healthcare and what we can do to make a change, like you said, and really make a positive impact on the new generation of nurses coming up, because I truly found my passion to be teaching and especially empowering the new graduate nurses, because like the story that I said earlier, right? I always promised myself, I said, one day I'm going to be a clinical instructor. I will be an educator. And instead of crushing people's dreams, I'm going to empower them and tell them you can do whatever you want, right?

Yes.

And I came from Canada. Ask me where I went to school. I went to the University of Windsor. Does anybody— has anybody ever heard of that? Probably not. But guess what? I ended up teaching for NYU, which is like a big Ivy League school. Yep. So I always tell people, do not limit yourself and always, you know, aim bigger, dream bigger. And you could pretty much land any specialty area right from the get-go out of school, um, as long as you position yourself and strategically plan. And that's what I do now as a nurse career coach. Um, so it's been about a year. So I opened up this business June 21st, 2021. Okay, number 21.

Yeah, 21.

I actually played basketball in high school. I don't know if you ever played, um, but that was my number, 21. So I feel like—

wow, 21 must be lucky for you.

Yeah, so it just happened that way.

Nice.

Um, and I'm learning, right? I'm still learning as I go through entrepreneurship from, you know, from being a nurse and like very focused on healthcare to kind of shifting to like a business mindset and really how to help and make an impact. Um, so that's why I'm so appreciative that, you know, I've met people like you and I could learn from you and we could collaborate on things. And really, that's truly my story. And I'm all about education and professional development and advancement. So I know I talk a lot too, but that's—

No, no, perfect. I think it's excellent that you shared all of that because a lot of people who listen to this show are looking for similarities to other people. They're trying to make sure that it's not a singular voice. Um, and it's— your story sounds a lot like mine. Um, and we'll get into the why in just a moment, like why did you go this track, because clearly there was something, a catalyst that, you know, got you there. And one thing that you mentioned, you know, a few seconds ago or a minute ago is that you wanted to be able to not crush people's dreams and give them the good education and empower them and inspire them and motivate them to be the best nurse that they can be. Because it's something that you wanted, right, when you were going through your original training. And so you saw that as a major barrier to the success of the profession. I know I did. This is exactly why I went into education. And anyone who follows this podcast would have— has heard the story several times that I was told no, and this is the way it always is, and you're just a new nurse, you don't know anything. And all of these things because in everyone's eyes, because I was a new graduate, I knew nothing. I had nothing to bring to the table. And I really considered leaving the profession altogether. In that first 6-month timeframe, I was like, this is not what I signed up for. A lot of the problems that I saw weren't even nursing specific. They were just like systems or operations or communication or teamwork type stuff. These are all skills that I had already brought to the table. Here I am, you know, 30 years old, basically, with, you know, decade-plus of experience in another industry with transferable skills, and I was being told that I didn't know anything and that my recommendations didn't matter because I was a new nurse. And so that lit a fire under my butt to say, okay, Well, if you think I don't know anything, then let me position myself to get as much experience and as much education as fast as I can so that we can change the narrative. Because I don't accept being told, 'This is the way it always is,' or, 'You're just a new nurse, you don't know anything.' I think that is so dangerous to say those words, and people are still saying it here in 2022. So that's why I decided to become an educator, because I knew I could do better as well. I knew that I could train better, I could be more personable and inspiring and facilitate learning in a much more meaningful way, not use intimidation tactics, not try to have any kind of power struggle with my students. For what, right? None of that even made sense to me in the first place. I was like, I could do better. And so, and so I did, and I did really well. And everyone that I've ever taught has been nothing but appreciative and thank you, you're the best teacher, you're the best instructor, you're the best nurse. I get it all the time because I set out to do better, right? And it sounds like that's what you've done.

Yeah, and actually it's funny you say that, and it's not like, you know, um, like we're bragging, but hey, sometimes you gotta brag, right? Same thing with my students. Um, they saw that I was very engaged and invested in their success, and they saw that from the jump, from the get-go. And they're like, oh wow, you have so much experience, I like the way you teach, and you know, you're showing us things that we never learned before, like things like you're saying, and really applying real-life type situations and giving them the tools and resources that they need. Because a lot of times it's not just teaching them you know, psychomotor skills. Like, here, this is how you put a, an I am in, right? Like, it's all the other stuff. Like, how do you communicate? How do you escalate? Like, all the coping with nursing.

It's all of the essential skills that they don't teach us in school.

Exactly. And like you said, in your first 6 months that you debated whether you should quit, you know, that's another thing that bothers me a lot because, you know, statistics show 1 in 5 nurses will typically, uh, quit their first job, right? And that's— to me, it's just sad, right? It's like you've done all this work. So that's why I saw the gap that I did, and I said new nurses need to be supported.

Yes.

Organizations also always want to cut in education. They're like, oh, how long is the orientation? Oh, let's cut it down to this. And I'm like, well, wonder, uh, you're— the nurses are not prepared, you're not giving them the right education. And if you do have an educator, a lot of them don't even have the, like you mentioned, the passion for it. Or, you know, it's like they're lecturing and it's like the people are falling asleep. It's like, hello, you gotta like be a little bit more engaging, right? To make sure that these nurses, you know, are successful. And we owe it to our nurses to help them and support them so they could be successful, because then who's going to be taking care of the rest of the community and population, right?

Correct. Absolutely correct. So, so let me ask you, so it sounds like you found your why, right? You found the catalyst of why you're positioning yourself to do this work because you see the inconsistencies, you see the suboptimal education, you see, you know, the cuts that people in the C-suite are making because they want to save a few dollars, but yet the damage that's being done with those cuts is, you know, it's major, right? And we're not winning. Um, the hospitals are not winning for, for sure. Healthcare organizations are bleeding money because nurses are fleeing, because those of us who know what our worth is and what we bring to the table, those of us who have a few years of experience under our belt, we know how to say no. And we know that there's only so much garbage that we're going to tolerate before we position ourselves to align with a career path that is more suited for us to be able to do the work we're doing. And it sounds like that's exactly what you've done. Yeah.

And, you know, like you said, I like to point out also the positive aspects, but I'm also realistic in the sense that there are deep-rooted issues that are multifactorial in healthcare. And until they start addressing those things, you know, it's not— it's, it's not going to get better. And even like places in Canada, it's a whole different system there. Um, you know, they're actually closing ERs because, you know, they've done things like capped salaries and things like that for physicians and nurses to the point where they're closing ERs. That is, that is scary. Like, if you have an emergency What are you going to do? You drive like an hour away to the nearest emergency. So it's, you know, it's become very complex. And it's globally, you know, there's a lot of issues. But this is why people like us, you know, we could try to, like you said, change the narrative, really support nurses, or even not just new nurses, anybody that's interested in transitioning in their career, right? Because listen up, right? It's not like back in the day where most nurses will stay in a position for like 20, 30 years, right?

Right.

People are figuring out that organizations are sometimes not that loyal. You know, there's not a lot of pensions going on or job security. And people just want change sometimes, right? And want better, want better salaries, better working conditions. So it's really It's a great time for nursing because there's just so many opportunities. And now, like you said, entrepreneurship, um, even remote work— people are figuring things out, right? There's so many opportunities. So that's what I do with the nurses and my clients that I work with. I show them that, you know, there is a wide, you know, range of opportunities and really how to get to, um, to those and really being strategic about the decisions that they make and really helping them find out what their priorities are, right? Because your priorities change, obviously, right? Um, but what I'm looking really to do is, like you said, make an impact, and also, as a nurse, have some type of freedom as well, you know, some financial freedom.

Yeah, absolutely. Because we know, even the best of us, when we work in an organization, we are capped out at a certain, a certain price. And once we start getting, you know, capped then we're the first on the list for them to chop when there's a budget cut. They're waiting to get eager people straight outta school into our positions because they just need a license to cover the shift. There are a lot of deep-rooted systemic issues, as you mentioned, but there are lots of movements happening, lots of nurses banding together. We have a lot of political strong-arming happening. We have a lot of financial happenings. Entrepreneurship for nurses is blowing up. Nurses are actually starting their own healthcare organizations outside of having a C-suite, outside of having physician oversight, because we have nurse practitioners in many states that are primary providers. So we are saying no to the status quo, right? We're saying, saying no to the status quo and doing what we can to make it better. So yes, there's a lot of gaps. There's a lot of systemic issues. There's a lot of substandard education, and you've pivoted yourself to help others. So talk about how can people find you if, one, they're looking for help with your products or services, and two, if they just want to pick your brain and maybe collaborate like we are and just have a conversation. Where can people find you?

So really the best place to find me is LinkedIn. That's really the platform that I'm I'm most consistently showing up on and most active. I have a LinkedIn Live show called The Nursing Dose with Farrah, and I have different guests. They don't even have— you don't even have to be a nurse, but if, if it's someone that brings value, um, you know, sharing strategies and tips, kind of like your show, yeah, on how to be, uh, a better nurse, you know, how to do better in your life, that type of stuff, um, I bring them on the show. LinkedIn, I would say, would be the best, or just directly emailing me. Okay, it's just my first name, Farrah Laurent, L-A-U-R-E-N-T, and then inc for International Nurse Coach, um, at Gmail.

Okay.

And I don't know if I mentioned that yet, but my, uh, the— I'm the founder of Farrah Laurent International Nurse Coach. So that's the easiest way, is LinkedIn.

Perfect. Awesome. And so you mentioned that you have, you know, coaching service and that you help empower nurses, especially our new nurses, so that way they can get a good grip on the reality of what our nursing profession is at the moment. I'm sure you, you talk about challenges, but you also offer strategies for those challenges so that they can get through. And I do have, you know, a decent amount of new grads, as you know, because I do NCLEX preparation. So a lot of new grads listen to this podcast as well, because it gives them an inside scoop to how diverse our nursing profession is and all the amazing nurses that are creating these changes. So if you were to give like one tip for that new grad nurse, something that they can take away from this episode, what would that be?

So I have so many— sure, I have videos on LinkedIn. You could follow me on LinkedIn and see all the videos. But I also have YouTube as well that I've been streaming to. But really It's a tough one to say, but I will say, again, I'll bring it back to education. You can, you can never go wrong with professional development and continuously learning. I know we drill that in, in nursing school and that, but it's so true. Right. It doesn't even have to be just nursing-related type education, right? Like you mentioned, there's other skills that are transferable. So you can learn from other, other industries, right? Even if you go to conferences, it may not be a nursing conference, but you may take away some skills from there. Um, getting a mentor that you can learn from, right? I didn't know that early on. I didn't know, right, about all these opportunities. But mentorship is huge, and joining organizations where you can learn from, right? So like the ANA or specific specialty organizations like the ENA for emergency nurses. There's so many resources and opportunities for education that, um, It's, it's just, it's just going to make you a better person, a better nurse.

Yeah.

Don't think it— don't think about it in a sense that like, you know, this is maybe just for the new nurses to think that, okay, I'm gonna go and the educator is going to teach me, right? There's only so much an educator is going to teach you, right? You need to take accountability for your own learning as well, right? So you need— after every shift, you need to go start looking up things that you feel that you need to improve on, and that's how you're going to be the, like, the best nurse ever. Like, absolutely continue to learn.

Absolutely. I agree with that 1,000%. I know from my, my own journey into nursing and the major learning curve that we all have when we get into nursing because it's just like culture shock. We're like, whoa, we have to know all this stuff. Um, but yeah, going home after each shift, whether it's clinical with school or I'm starting my new job, you know, you do— you have to reflect on your day. You have to take notes. You have to kind of see how can you improve the process, what could have gone better, what would you like to improve on, and you should create a plan. And bringing it back to mentorship, um, I want to maybe ask you this about mentorship because we know just with all the other problems that we're having in healthcare organizations and the fact that they're cutting resources left and right, there are no, there are no mentors available for these new grad nurses. So what do you recommend to the new grad nurses and what they can do to try to get that mentorship? Because it doesn't seem that organizations are pairing them with mentors at this time.

Yeah, so there are some organizations that may have some formal mentorship programs, but again All mentorship programs, just like new graduate residency programs, they're not all the same, right? And, you know, I think places like the ANA, they do have a mentorship program if you do join them, where they can team you up with a mentor, and you can also be a mentor to someone. Absolutely. Don't think just because you're a new nurse that you can't be a mentor to someone else. You can. You can be— you could do peer mentorship. Yes, where you're, you know, you're mentoring each other. And don't just have one mentor, you can have multiple mentors, right? So I myself have multiple mentors, um, and I have multiple coaches as well.

So I'm a coach, but exactly, exactly, we all need mentors and we all need coaches. We all need someone to help us.

Exactly.

None of us are experts at everything, right? So, so I think that is such You know, really great, valuable advice. And thank you for mentioning the ANA mentorship program because I have been involved in that for many years now as a mentor. It is really helpful for those individuals looking for some inside tips and advice. You know, we can, we can work together for months or years depending on what your needs are. And it's volunteer time. You know, those of us with experience volunteer that time because we want to offer our services. But of course, there's also more intimate, more personal personalized coaching and mentoring, which you offer for your clients, I offer for my clients. And, um, before we started recording, I mentioned Keith Carlson, which you said you recently connected with online. He's another career coach, specifically career coach, which, you know, is really another great person. And there's enough, you know, clients and people to help in the world. We can all have our fair share, and we can also refer. So you could work with me, you can work with Farrah, you can work with Keith and get a really well-rounded, you know, mentorship out of that or coaching and for whatever your specific goals are. So whenever you feel like you need help, whenever you feel like you don't know where to start, whenever you just need to hear it from someone who's been through it, you should seek out a mentor and a coach because it's so essential.

Exactly. And sometimes it could be just as simple as if you are on LinkedIn, for example, because I think there's like something like maybe 3 million Nurses, if I'm not mistaken, on LinkedIn. Literally start messaging, you know, make connections and say, hey, listen, I see that you're in whatever field, I'm interested in that, you know, can we hop on a call someday or whatever, right? And most people are open to, you know, to helping or at least directing you in the right direction to where you want to go. So don't be afraid to reach out, like you said, and to ask for help and guidance.

Yeah, we all have a ton of resources and we keep collecting resources as we gain more experience and make new connections, right? So definitely networking is important as well. So LinkedIn, they can find you. Um, I recommend all of you go and connect with Farrah on LinkedIn. I'm going to put her profile in the show notes of this episode. Um, and Farrah, I want to thank you so much for being on the Nursing Strategies for Success podcast. I think you're doing amazing work. Thank you. And I hope that we can collaborate and and get this New York City, New Jersey, you know, marketplace blooming because there's a lot of people out there that need our help.

Exactly. And remember, I'm international as well, right? So I—

Yes, international everywhere.

So reach out, you know, wherever you're watching, reach out. Definitely don't be afraid and reach out to Damion Jenkins as well. You know, such a wealth of resource and experience. So I, I appreciate it and I'm so thankful to be on the show and Before I forget, I don't think I mentioned it, but what I do is I help with resumes, cover letters, and interview skills. And that's just one part of it. But I also do a lot of one-on-one coaching, helping with confidence, how to communicate, articulate your value, how to negotiate, a whole bunch of stuff.

So then all of the essential skills that they don't teach us in nursing school. So, you know, kudos to you for identifying that every nurse needs those skills. And, um, yeah, I think, hey guys, you should go over, um, and, and hook up with Farrah and see how she can help you. So thank you so much, Farrah, for being on the show, and I can't wait to talk and hang out soon.

All right, take care.

Thank you so much, I appreciate it. Take care, bye.

My pleasure, take care.

Bye.

And that concludes episode 15 of season 2 of the Nursing Strategies for Success podcast with this week's guest, Farrah Laurent. We hope that everything that we shared for you in today's episode will inspire you to continue on with your professional development, seek a mentor and a coach, and develop those essential skills that will help you navigate your career as a nurse. All of the ways to connect with Farrah will be in the show notes of this episode. And as always, If you have any questions about anything that we shared in today's episode, please visit thenursespeak.com/contact and get in touch with me. I would love to have a conversation with you. So until next episode, take care, be well, and remember that nurses can do anything.