Tackling Burnout One Nurse at a Time with Rachel Smiddy

Rachel Smiddy understands how important it is to take care of yourself, especially nurses that seem to always be caring for others. Rachel decided to seek out a coaching certificate program and completed one so that she can work one on one with people to help them through issues that might be bringing them down. It is becoming more apparent that nurses are suffering from burnout, so Rachel also started a FB group called Nurses Against Burnout (NABO). She discusses the need to have goals beyond our careers and the responsibilities of life outside of work. An important piece of self-care is to find ways to make your life easier, like meal prep and staying hydrated.

Rachel talks about how, if you can stay open to new possibilities, the right path will open itself up to you. Don’t be afraid to try new things. It is scary to think about leaving your comfort zone, but trust in yourself and follow your instincts. Now is the time to take care of yourself and find what is right for you.

Rachel Smiddy is a Registered Nurse currently working as a Fertility Nurse Case Manager. She has been a nurse for 18 years after graduating from the University of Delaware with a BSN in Nursing. She started her Career at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. After 5 years of floor nursing in pediatrics and moving to a different state she landed in the OR/PACU in a fertility clinic. She has transitioned through different roles as a fertility nurse over the last 13 years. Along the way Rachel experienced getting married, buying a home, having children and raising doggies too. One of the things Rachel enjoys to do in her spare time is reading. She came across Brene Brown on Oprah and started reading her books. This began an interesting and fun personal growth journey which inspired her to become certified as a Life Coach. The Life Coaching skills have helped her navigate rough experiences through life and her nursing career. Now Rachel coaches other nurses to help prevent burn out, manage career changes and avoid jobs that suck!