Loading
/post

Actionable Steps for Nurse Dreamers

This article is a follow up to an article titled, Trends in Nursing: What’s Next posted on June 30, 2023. I shared the trends in nursing I’ve observed over the last few years. In part II, I provide a list of resources to answer the question, what’s next? I also provide a timeline for nurses to follow to take actionable steps towards changing their life.

Called to Mentor

Anyone can be called to mentor. I feel a special calling to mentor and lead, and I would argue it’s a responsibility for those of us who have obtained advanced practice degrees. We all can agree that nursing school does not prepare us for everything we will see in clinical practice, but it does give us the tools to be resourceful. I feel fortunate to have had the free time to explore valuable resources and connect with people in leading industries who are willing to share their expertise and provide help. We’re all dreamers and we want you on our team.

Below is a list of resources I think you’ll find helpful as you explore furthering your education, changing your clinical setting, transitioning into a different specialty, and becoming an entrepreneur and business owner (not to be confused with one another). The resources are listed in the order in which I recommend consuming them, especially if you are unfamiliar with Mindshift or financial independence. If you’ve already embarked on that journey, then you’ll recognize the resources you need and when you need them.

Let me know if you have questions or want to add additional resources to the list. Consider this a living document. I’ll change the date and update it accordingly.

Mindshift

The Cashflow Quadrant https://amzn.to/449w9tS

The Cashflow Quadrant is a book (available as an audiobook, my most preferred medium for busy clinicians) written by Robert Kiyosaki, most known for writing Rich Dad, Poor Dad. I love this book as the first place to start embarking on a new journey in your career because it teaches you the difference between only making money when you work versus having your money work for you. In short, he presents a framework comparing the difference between business owners and investors to employees and self-employed. Whether you are a nurse leaving the bedside or an executive position, this is a concept you understand all too well. You will always have to work if you’re working to build someone else’s dream, and truth be told, you can never work enough, especially in healthcare.

There may come a time, when you’re not the best thing for your business and it makes financial sense to sell than to hold on. Many successful business owners have had to scale, sale, or step away at some point, including Kiyosaki. It’s something you may want to consider including in your strategy. Otherwise, you’re just self-employed and working more for yourself than you ever did for anyone else. If you’re reading this, then you’re probably dreaming of working less and living more one day. If that’s true, this book is for you.

Key features

-Financial freedom

-How to use other people’s money to make money

-The key components of Mindshift and limited thinking

-The essential difference between being an employee and self-employed, versus being financially independent and free

Discover The Possibilities

After you have learned the difference between working for money and having your money work for you, it’s time to discover what other nurses, nurse practitioners, and entrepreneurs have experienced and what they learned from it. Learn virtually. Learn in real life. Then make connections and start taking action to get exposure to the areas that interests you most. Set a deadline to maximize your learning over the next 3 months. Decide how much you want to learn, then work backwards to determine how much you need to absorb on a daily basis. Don't let this process drag on.

Inspiring Stories: Learn how other nurses, NPs, entrepreneurs, business owners and investors found their niche

When it comes to developing a strategy, consider borrowing someone else’s. Make adjustments as your business grows.

Earn Your Leisure

Two guys from New York, took a private conversation they routinely had in their home, to public access television and schools because they recognized a gap in our community when it came to financial literacy and developing wealth. Rashid Bilal (financial advisor) and Troy Millings (educator) started with a podcast and now run an international multimillion dollar financial literacy media platform simply by talking to people who were previously ignored.

If you’re trying to change the trajectory of your family, then it’s critical to understand financial literacy, why and how to use real estate to build wealth for your family, and how to find 7 streams of income to fund your dreams. Learn how to earn more by doing less; and how to not trade your time for money. Join the community and movement!

-Basic Economics https://amzn.to/44nneoi

-Hear from some of the wealthiest entrepreneurs, business owners, and investors https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXa8HXFcKT95pK3W_4Ttezeo4j5hqiYs8

-Learn week by week how to develop a successful investing strategy https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXa8HXFcKT961IieWfhylPvBNeH2cO8dY

-All the wealthiest people have built their wealth through real estate. Learn why and how to make your first property an asset and not a liability https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXa8HXFcKT95DVabxBHlEt5L55mKlKMUZ

-Invest Fest https://investfest.com/

-EYL University https://www.eyluniversity.com/community

Elite NP

-NP Business inspiration and trouble-shooting podcast https://podcast.elitenp.com/

Doctor Nurse Podcast https://doctornursepodcast.com/

-Hosted by Dr. Sandra Pagenta, DNP, APRN (Florida). It was her abrupt job loss that prompted her to figure out her true calling-which is empowering nurses to view their careers with a business mindset. She wants to help nurses see that they have all they need to have the careers they want at their fingertips!! They just have to be brave enough to find it, and bold enough to ask for what they want.

-I recommend starting with the Elite NPs interview https://doctornursepodcast.com/dnp-ep-48-the-journey-of-the-elite-nurse-practitioner/

SONSIEL: Society of Nurse Scientists Innovators Entrepreneurs and Leaders

As the first and only Nursing organization committed to educating and empowering nurses to discover, invent, and pioneer products, processes, services, and platforms, SONSIEL is uniquely positioning the Nursing profession.

-NurseHack4Health https://nursehack4health.org/

-Bring your idea or join a team to create an innovative idea over the course of weekend. Then pitch your idea in front of venture capitalists for the potential to take your vision from ideation to creation!

-Drexel Certificate Program https://www.sonsiel.org/drexel-certificate-program

-Outcomes Rocket Podcast https://outcomesrocket.health/category/sonsiel/

American Association of Nurse Practitioners: NP Pulse Podcast

-The American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) brings you discussions around the most important topics and issues related to nurse practitioner (NP) practice, education, advocacy, research and leadership. Tune in each month for stories and in-depth conversations with NPs and health care leaders who you can’t hear anywhere else.  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/np-pulse-the-voice-of-the-nurse-practitioner-aanp/id1532301119

-NP student resources https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/88-np-student-resources/id1532301119?i=1000618676806

NPR: How I Built This

Host, Guy Raz interviews the world’s best-known entrepreneurs to learn how they built their iconic brands (including Starbucks, Chipotle, Sun Bum, and The Lip Bar to name a few). In each episode, founders share intimate moments of doubt and failure, and insights on their eventual success. How I Built This is a master-class on innovation, creativity, leadership and how to navigate challenges of all kinds.

Find Your Niche

Elite NP

The Elite NP was started by Justin Allan, FNP. He promotes a niche practice model that is centered on building a business that offers a specialized service for a specific audience and yields a high monthly and annual income.

Key features

-Step by step guide to build a business https://elitenp.com/step-by-step-guide-on-how-to-create-a-business/

-The Elite NP Model https://elitenp.com/the-elite-np-model/

-The Niche Model https://elitenp.com/the-niche-side-practice/

-Marketing https://elitenp.com/marketing-tip-monday-47-absolute-marketing-musts-for-the-nurse-practitioner-business/

-Working ON your business vs IN your business https://elitenp.com/working-on-your-business-vs-in-your-business/

-ANCC Accredited Courses https://elitenp.com/products/

-Preferred Vendor Purchasing https://elitenp.com/preferred-vendors/

Write a Business Plan: Market Research

The Small Business Administration has a plethora of free resources for the business owner. Here’s is the link to how to create a business plan, including templates to get you started. https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/plan-your-business/write-your-business-plan

Key features

-Calculate costs

-Fund your business

-Establish business credit

-Launch, manage and grow your business

-Operating agreement https://www.sba.gov/blog/basic-information-about-operating-agreements

-State and local district offices https://www.sba.gov/about-sba/sba-locations/sba-district-offices

-Local events https://www.sba.gov/events

Reserve Your Business Name and Buy Your Domain

Visit the Secretary of State for the state you want to establish your business to see if your business name is available

-Should You Trademark https://elitenp.com/should-you-trademark-your-practice-name-logo/

-Google domains (reserve and/or buy your website name) https://domains.google/

Attorneys and Certified Accountants

-Find a lawyer courtesy of The National Black Layers https://nbltop100.org/find-a-lawyer/

-Find a Black CPA courtesy of the National Society of Black Certified Public Accountants, Inc. (includes virtual options) https://www.nsbcpa.org/blackcpas

Taxes and Legal Entity

Learn about tax information for your business, how to get an employer ID number (EIN), registered agent, and how to pick the correct legal entity (PLLC, S corporation, etc.)

Key features

-Tax information for businesses https://www.irs.gov/businesses

-Why you may need to establish a professional limited liability company (PLLC) instead of LLC

https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/small-business/professional-limited-liability-company

https://elitenp.com/llc-vs-pllc-in-the-nurse-practitioner-business/  

-Registered agent

o https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/expert-insights/what-is-a-registered-agent

o https://elitenp.com/registered-agents/

Buppert, C. (2020)

Build & Manage Your Business

Nurse Practitioner’s Business Practice and Legal Guide 7th edition https://amzn.to/46tM8o9

Key features

-Written by Carolyn Buppert, JD, MSN is an attorney with 30 years of legal experience and 16 years of nursing experience who focuses on legal issues affecting medical practices and nurse practitioners. Clientele includes hospitals, physicians, nurse practitioners, health insurance companies, schools of nursing and a certification organization.

-Discusses the relationship between the DNP and NP

-Covers primary care and acute care practice

-Legal requirements for business owners and NPs

-Interviewing, productivity, and measures of success

Nurse Practitioner Business Owner

The Nurse Practitioner Business Owner (NPBO) was started by Barbara C. Phillips, a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, to help nurse practitioners in private, independent practice to network, share resources, offer guidance, and share stories.

Key features

-Coaching & Strategy https://npbusiness.org/work-barbara/

-Manage and operate your business https://www.clinicianbusinessinstitute.com/recommendations

-A Letter to NPs https://www.clinicianbusinessinstitute.com/npbo-membership?

Network

LinkedIn

We remain the largest segment of the healthcare industry and yet still find ourselves working in silos while in the room with more than 4 million nurses. One aspect of our education and training that is largely absent, is career development, not to be confused with professional development. We get plenty of exposure to professional development. But, not how to shape your career into something that supports your lifestyle and dreams. Let’s talk about actionable steps.

-Join Linkedlin, a professional social media platform that connects you with likeminded professionals, job opportunities, and valuable resources.

-Don’t just follow people, say hello! Find something you have in common to start the conversation.

-Every time you attend an in-person or virtual meeting, connect with people! Find out what they thought of the meeting and then broaden the conversation to either collaborate professionally or cultivate a personal relationship.

More on Mentorship

LinkedIn is a great way to find a mentor and to be a mentor. If you have a mentee or need a mentor, find a way to add value to that relationship. Mentees: Help your mentor conduct research or write articles, manage their social media, attend meetings and conferences, etc. Mentors, ask your mentee how they can be of service!

Create a Digital Business Card

-Blinq app https://blinq.me/

Create an Email Signature (optional)

-WiseStamp https://www.wisestamp.com/signature-examples/

Social Media

Link in bio https://beacons.ai/

-Automate emails, email marketing

-Sell products

-Optimize analytics and track sells to grow your brand and business

-Google Trends in Dermatology https://jddonline.com/articles/rising-interest-in-sunscreen-for-skin-of-color-an-analysis-of-google-trends-S1545961623P0712X/

-YouTube Trends in Dermatology https://jddonline.com/articles/exploration-of-skin-of-color-dermatology-content-on-youtube-S1545961623P0678X/

-TikTok Trends in Dermatology https://jddonline.com/articles/tiktok-and-black-skin-is-this-a-missed-opportunity-for-dermatologists-S1545961623P0698X/

Make Content and Monetize

-Content creation https://www.youtube.com/@TeamRonDi

-Drop shipping https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpNAdGlrEUc&list=PLg7Xk-re2rFLndbBPy-D5bTPE5ahuzEUh

-Book publishing in 7 days https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yprtU9HweS4

-How to start a podcast and build a business with it https://www.youtube.com/@patflynn

-Amazon Associate Program https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/

-Amazon Influencer Program https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/influencers

-Tutorial to set up a free website using Google Site https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lbalF5vKoQ

Podcast Tools

-Buzzsprout for uploading content to all the podcast apps https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=2163492

-StreamYard to record episodes https://streamyard.com/pal/c/6496086204219392

-Microphone starter kit https://amzn.to/448dqPc

My Favorite AI Tool to Streamline Meetings

Fireflies.ai https://fireflies.ai/

-Fireflies.ai can attend every meeting (based on your settings)

-Will take notes verbatim and allows you to read the narrative and listen to the audio on demand

-Allows all members to be fully present, never miss important details

-Everyone automatically receives a copy of the notes after the meeting has ended, less work for you (based on your settings)

-The transcript includes a summary of key themes, calculates the percentage of how much each person spoke, and notes any positive or negative impressions

-The Fireflies extension can be added to your browser to search and summarize anything on any webpage, including video content

Kimberly Madison, DNP, AGPCNP-BC

Kimberly Madison is a doctorly prepared, dermatology nurse practitioner with a passion for writing, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and mentorship. I created this blog to share my journey as I become a dermatology nurse practitioner and entrepreneur. Most importantly, I’m looking forward to helping nurse practitioners and aspiring students to better understand the business of dermatology and their role in improving access to care, providing culturally competent care, and advancing education.

*I am an Amazon Associate. I earn a small commission when you click on my product links.

/Let's talk/

Ready to build experiences your audience will love?

Stay connected with  us
Sign up for our newsletter and follow our journey
Sign  up