Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicki Guerra.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Hi! My name is Nicki and I’m a registered nurse based in Miami, Fl. I also have my blog, Just Nicki Things that I started back in 2014 when I was going away to college. I wanted a way to express myself, and writing was the best way I knew how to do so. Back then, “blogging” wasn’t really a thing- I remember some people from my high school actually made fun of me for starting one. Writing has always been my passion; I love being able to share stories about my everyday life and relatable scenarios I experience day to day. That being said, I wasn’t totally convinced “journalism” was what I wanted to study in school- queue nursing. I got my BSN from Nova Southeastern University, and I’ve now been a nurse for over two years. I recently made the switch over to pediatrics, and I couldn’t be happier. So here I am, two years and a whole pandemic later, blogging whenever I get the chance to, and helping save tiny lives at the same time.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’m really grateful and blessed to have the life experiences I’ve had. My mom (along with some financial aid and scholarships) paid for college, which I am eternally grateful for. I realize not everyone is blessed with the opportunity to graduate with a bachelor’s degree and have no student loans to pay off. My education is something I’ll forever thank my mom for. I went to the University of Central Florida straight out of high school and completed my first two years of undergrad there. Unfortunately, I didn’t get into their nursing program, so I moved back home and transferred to Nova Southeastern University to complete my BSN. I completed my undergraduate nursing degree with a pretty competitive GPA while also working at a local boutique throughout school. There were some normal, I-hate-nursing-school struggles, but everything was doable and I had a great support system through it all. As for blogging, I find it hard to have a writing-based platform this day in age. Everyone is more interested in “aesthetic” pictures and fashion, and that’s not necessarily what I aim for in my blog. I genuinely enjoy sharing my experiences, be they about work, travel, or life in between, so grasping my audience seems challenging at times.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m currently a registered nurse at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, FL, and I write for my blog, Just Nicki Things, on my free time. I work in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit, so I take care of kids, from newborns to age 18, with congenital and acquired heart conditions. This is so near and dear to me because my immediate family members, including my mom, sister, and cousins, suffer from a genetic, congenital heart condition called Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. I grew up going to cardiologist appointments and visiting my closest family members in the hospital after all kinds of surgeries, so being able to care for children with the same, if not worse, heart conditions is more fulfilling than you can imagine. I’m proud to work for a leading organization in pediatric cardiology, and that I am able to help these children heal in the best way I can. One of my patients really changed my life. He was in the hospital for eight months while he waited and ultimately received a heart transplant, and taking care of him all that time really made me a more compassionate, patient, and caring nurse. I’ll forever be grateful for everything he taught me about myself and my career, even though he was only three years old.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
SO many people deserve credit! First and foremost, my mom, Georgette, is number one. She’s always believed in me and pushed me to be the best in everything I do. Whether it’s a blog post or listening to me vent after the worst shift of my life, my mom has always been there for me and supported me. My first ever preceptor, Celine, is also a big reason I am where I am today. She’s everything I want to be “when I grow up,” even though she’s only a couple years older than me. She taught me how to be an amazing, caring, and helpful nurse and I can only hope that one day I’ll have that same impact on someone. Lastly, an old co-worker, Chris, was a huge influence on why I became a nurse. He took care of my mom during one of her hospitalizations, and his actions during that shift ultimately saved my mom’s life. Fast forward about four years later, and we ended up working on the same nursing unit together. It’s funny how life works, right? Besides them, I’m so grateful to have a family that supports me, including my sister, dad, step dad, and grandparents. Their unconditional love and support pushes me to do better and be better every day.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://justnickithings.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickiguerra/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/nicki_gee
