Welcome to the first edition of The IV Push, my bimonthly newsletter. Twice a month, I'll drop into your inbox with new resources from FreshRN, quick tips, quotes from the experts, and more.

New things in my millennial life

You know that stage of life where nothing new happens, and it is an absolutely beautiful thing?

That. That's where I'm at. ❤️

We're rounding out our first year as residents of Tennessee, and between the BBQ, rolling hills 🌳, and Southern hospitality, I've learned that this is definitely my vibe.

This quote 👆 is from one of our newest episodes on the FreshRN Podcast. Voice-assisted charting and predictive algorithms based on real-time clinical data are on the horizon. Click below to get the bullet points of the convo + listen to the full episode.

(And if you're more of an Apple Podcast person, here's the link.)

My new workbook is live!

I designed a spreadsheet to help you make smart decisions for any nursing degree (from LPN to PhD) by comparing programs, tracking costs (like scholarships, grants, and loans), and asking some questions to help you reverse-engineer your professional desires so that you're only applying to programs that will help you achieve those goals.

The May 1 decision deadline is fast approaching!

Many of you are making final decisions on nursing programs and are getting your financial ducks 🦆🦆 in a row to plan for the fall. Here's my recommended approach to prioritizing finances to pay for school:

1. Max out your package of financial assistance/school award (this means any grants or scholarships)
2. Any gifted or personal savings
3. Federal loans (better interest rates, more protections)
4. Last resort = private loans to cover any gaps

For most people, there will be gaps. The goal is to make that gap as small as possible, then get a private loan with the lowest available interest rate. Even a 1-2% lower rate can save you thousands.

Enter my new partner ➡️ Juno. Juno is a company that leverages group buying power to get private loan interest rates as much as 4% lower than the market rate, which equates to thousands over the lifetime of the loan.

It's free to sign up with no commitment to see what rates you can qualify for. Plus, they have a ton of easy-to-understand financial literacy education to help make sense of it all, like this undergrad guide.

(And if you already have loans and want to see if you can get a lower interest rate, you can refinance through them as well. Simply sign up at the link below and select "refinance" at the beginning.)

I'm so excited to share Juno with you all because I think it will make your life easier (no more searching for a good rate), save you money, and provide financial resources to educate and empower you from the start.

My master list of all new spring 🌷 content

Blogs 👇

• Building Trust as a New Nurse: Small Actions, Big Impact [LINK]
• FNP vs AGACNP: Real Nurse Perspectives on Choosing the Right NP Track [LINK]
• How to Find NCLEX Pass Rates of Nursing Schools: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide [LINK]
• Middle Cerebral Artery Overview for Nurses and Students: Branches, Blood Supply, and Stroke Patterns [LINK]
• MCA Stroke: Causes, Symptoms, Nursing Care Plans, and What Can Go Wrong [LINK]
• How to Say No as a Nurse (Without the Guilt) [LINK]
• What’s the Difference Between Nursing Program Approval vs Accreditation? (And Why It Matters) [LINK]

Podcasts 👇

• Breaking Down the Myths About Online Nursing Degrees: An Interview With Chamberlain University's President [LINK]
• Which MSN Path Is Right for You? A Straightforward Guide for Nurses [LINK]
• AI at the Bedside: How Artificial Intelligence Is Changing Nursing Right Now [LINK]

That about does it for the first edition of The IV Push! I hope the rest of your April is full of blooming 🌸 flowers, sunshine, strong 💪 coffee, and fresh air.