Designing Your Dream Nurse Life: A Q&A with Dr. Farah Laurent

What does your dream career look like?

Is it…teaching and inspiring the next generation of nurses through education? Creating a new quality improvement program for nurses in your hospital? Building your own healthcare or nursing business venture from the ground up? Maybe you’re not sure yet?

Regardless of where you hope your dreams will take you, Farah Laurent, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC, CPXP, CEN, has a mindset strategy to help you get you there—because it worked for her. Here’s how.

Q: What Inspired You to Get Into Nursing?

 

A: I started my nursing journey in Canada. I always knew I wanted to be a nurse and started nursing school there. 

I didn’t know what specialty I wanted until I started watching Trauma: Life in the ER, which showed traumas all over the United States, like in Detroit and Memphis. When I saw those nurses taking care of trauma patients, I thought, “That’s the type of nurse I want to be.” I wanted to be an emergency nurse.

Q: Did You Have Any Roadblocks Along the Way?

A: My clinical instructor in my last semester asked me what type of nurse I wanted to be. I said, “Well, I want to be an emergency nurse,” and she actually laughed at me. She said I would never be an emergency nurse because I was too unorganized and should start in med-surg, as they typically tell everybody.

I didn’t listen, of course. I was upset and felt defeated for a moment. Then I thought, “Who is she to tell me what I can or can't do?” At the time, there were no residency programs in the location I was in, and it was unheard of for new nurses to get into the emergency department. 

But I was driven and relentless with my goals. I made great relationships and got hired as a nursing student before taking my nursing boards. I received two offers from emergency departments in the city where I was, and I took the one at a trauma center.

 

Q: Where Did Your Career Take You?

A: I became an ER nurse, and then fast forward—I not only became an ER nurse, but I also promised myself I would become a clinical instructor to inspire other nurses and make education fun. I wanted to support nursing students by showing them that they can do whatever they want, just like I did.

I became an adjunct faculty member and a clinical instructor at NYU. I absolutely loved teaching and supporting nursing students. After that, I held many leadership roles, such as the Director of Education, and obtained my Doctoral Degree in Organizational Leadership.

I also recently became a peer reviewer for the Journal of Emergency Nursing. I got two doctoral scholarships—one from the Emergency Nurses Association and one from the Society of Trauma Nurses. 

 

Q: How Do You Help Nurses as a Nurse Coach?

A: I’m a nurse career coach, and I help nurses level up their careers by landing their dream jobs and higher pay in less than 90 days. 

What I do is not just help them with technical aspects like how to interview, write a resume, or a cover letter. What I’ve found through coaching is that many nurses lack confidence, self-esteem, and clarity on where they want to go in their careers. 

A lot of my work is also helping them change their mindset, gain confidence, and promote themselves. Nurses often play small and don’t highlight their accomplishments because we’re taught to be humble. I teach them to be bold and to go after what they want.

 

Q: What Trait Do Nurses Most Commonly Need to Have “Coached Up”?

A: The biggest things are confidence, communication, and mindset. Nurses have difficulty articulating their worth. I’ll ask them to name five strengths, and they’ll struggle or shy away from saying them. I help eliminate those self-limiting beliefs, reminding them they’re amazing and can do whatever they want.

 

Q: What If a Nurse Doesn’t Know What Their Dream Is?

A: We do a lot of clarity work, and I ask them questions to dig deep. 

One exercise we do is their "why" story. I ask them why they got into nursing. Many say, “I don’t have a why story,” but there’s always something. 

Recently, I worked with a nurse interested in primary care and cardiac nursing, but she didn’t think she had a reason why. As we dug deeper, she told me about how her father had a cardiac event and was treated by a male nurse practitioner who connected with her father. That experience was why she wanted to go into primary care and cardiac. It brought tears to her eyes, and she realized her true reason for pursuing that path.

 

Q: What Can a Nurse Do Today to Turn Their Career Into Something They Love?

A: Here are a few tips:

• Feel fulfilled and be in your purpose. People’s lives and priorities change, so your purpose might change, too. But once you find it, you’ll always have direction and clarity. ‍
• Outline your dream lifestyle first and then build a career around it. If you have kids and don’t want to work weekends or night shifts, don’t apply for those types of jobs. It’s about creating a career that fits your life.‍
• Find and become a mentor. Be a mentor to others and seek out mentors. Not just in nursing, but also in other fields. I regret not networking enough earlier in my career. ‍
• Focus on building your personal brand. Whether you’re in business or not, you are a brand. You need to be aware of how others perceive you and build that brand in ways that align with your goals and values.

 

Final Thoughts

Don’t be afraid to articulate your worth and value as a nurse, because if you do, your dream career might be closer than you think. Simply start! Take action every day toward your goals.

To get in touch with Farah, visit her website or connect with her on Linkedin. 

You can also check out her book, Nurses Making Money Moves: A Nurse's Guide to Starting a Business, and stay tuned for her upcoming course for aspiring nurse entrepreneurs, Nurses Making Business Moves.

Non-Bedside Nurse Educator Emergency