We recently connected with Kellye’ McRae and have shared our conversation below.
Kellye’ , so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
In developing my confidence I feel that from a very early age I had confidence around me in my household. My mother had confidence in her skills and herself, she always had a strong positive walk and voice that would be direct and she was always sure of herself. When she wasn’t she was honest and found the answers. My father was the middle sibling of all 14 of his siblings but he was the handyman for everyone. He taught himself skills and learned certain things his siblings would no want to learn about and not want to go to school for. My Grandmother was a very well dressed lady and always professional and the designer so she always carried confidence in her. Being around my family has shaped my mindset from an early age of being in school and always willing to learn more and be inquisitive. I had a group of friends who we all challenged each other to be better and competed with each other. We all landed Top 10 of our high school graduating class while playing sports, being in honor clubs and societies and I even became a certified nursing assistant while graduating high school. Having the career to helping people early humbled me to things ordinary teenagers would not understand. I took care and helped the elderly with activities of daily living and always kept my confident from high school. In college, I faced a road blocked as I failed a class and had to be dismissed from a prestigious nursing school which devastated me, but I still.pursued and kept my faith to obtain a BSN degree. I fought and went back into nursing school, completing and taking steps into becoming an LPN, RN-ADN, getting married and moving and obtaining my BSN-RN. I discovered my passion for educating and pursued my MSN Educator Degree during COVID. I had so many obstacles even facing the hard fact of losing the most important people in my life, my mom, grandmother and mother in law crushed me confidence but I kept going. I am a living testimony of graduating this weekend with my Masters in Nursing Educating despite my loss I kept going. My confidence was obtained in knowing if I didn’t know something, I would research and learn it myself and once I can teach it to someone else I Mastered that content and I find the next challenge. In life will always be challenges but I hold on to my faith in GOD and what my family instilled in me and I keep going. I have been blessed to be surround by my aunt a d uncle who I grew up in the same household with as a child with my mother and grandmother and they exude the same confidence our family left me with. I still have examples and I know my role of living the same examples for my two children.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a registered nurse that work on a dedicated education unit in Georgia at Piedmont fayette hospital. I am also the unit based educator on my unit which involves me educating staff, on boarding new hires, checking staff off annual competencies, and supporting new nurse residents. The most exciting thing about my role is that I have the opportunity to precept new nurses into the field of nursing and then I also precepet those new nurses as a nurse externs where they grow and learn the roles of being a nurse. I have the opportunity to teach classes that helps them with their clinical skills as a nurse. My brand name is Kellye knows nursing which I designed to be a platform on Instagram, Facebook and you tube to inspire and support new nurses into the field of nursing. The can reach out to me for support or one on one help in areas they are not confident about. My focus is using my real world experiences to inspire other nurses that in the midst of challenges and obstacles they can achieve their end goal of becoming a Nurse. I have been throught the scenic route of becoming a CNA, LPN, RN, BSN-RN, and MSN-EDUCATOR and this year I will be awarded Nurse Educator of the year at an annual Nurses Ball located in Atlanta which is truly an honor and shows my dedication to the profession. I plan to use my platform to also help nurses navigate in the world of nursing and support them. Things to look forward to with me is launching my services of nurse coaching calls, tutoring sessions and you tube page as I help mentor and guide nurses using my wisdom and experience. My passion meets purpose and I believe GOD has called me to do the work and I am striving to continue being great. Feel free to follow me on any of my platforms, reach out, subscribe or purchase any one of my services.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back the 3 qualities or skills that were most impactful to me and my journey were Communication Skills, Resiliency, and Self-discipline. I say the number one being Communication because as a nurse you have to learn how to communicate with everyone on their level, the ability to meet everyone where they are is impactful in life and in your career. Communication with patients and their families as well as communicating effectively with your team plays a part in your success. Working on communication does not happen overnight it takes practice and learning how to be a better communicator It’s something I would advise new nurses to learn to craft and build upon. I noticed with my new nurse’s texting is where they are strong at, but lack face to face communication and that’s more important. Resiliency is another major skill That takes time to develop. It is built on the ability to not give up on goals. It’s constant work when the journey or the task becomes difficult you dont give up. The ability to fail and know that you can dust yourself off and try again at that same task without staying stuck at feeling sorry for yourself and not trying again. Learning to build a community of like-minded people that you can bounce ideas from helps with building resiliency as well.
Self discipline is also important to stay the course and hold yourself accountable. Developing this skill is not easy, but having systems in place and having a planner to write down things and check off task helped me develope my discipline. Being consistant from the beginning and having a personal mentor to help you along your journey. Investing in a great mentor to guide you along the way and my services would help new nurses with these skills and more as they navigate in nursing.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
In life and in your career there will be many times where you feel overwhelmed or overstimulated. These are just things that we cannot control and even at my level, I get overwhelmed. Nursing school, things at home, workplace stress, even family issues can have us stressed. There in normal stress and stress thats nit good for us. During times I am stressed, I take a few moments I take a few moments to deep breathe and think about why I feel this way period I reflect on how I should act or handle that situation. When I do a few deep breathing exercises it helps me to regain my ability to have a clear mind. Another thing I do is call my husband/aunt/uncle or bestfriend and have a vent session to release what I have to say and have a trusted person who I know cares about me and my well being to help me figure it out. I don’t broadcast things to people who do not have my best interest at heart. Going to the gym helps me alot to run the treadmill and burn the stress levels down. Seld care is simple but something we do not do enough of, I learn to step back and celebrate myself and have moments out the month for me. Sometimes it’s a soak in bath and body works stress relief with candles, sometimes it’s a full day home in bed, other times, fun day with my kids and family. Whatever that me time looks to you. do it without hesitation and do it often.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Kellyeknowsnursing
- Facebook: Kellye knows nursing
- Youtube: Kellye Knows Nursing
