The Nurse Advisory Board of RealityRN comprises nurses who are at various stages in their nursing careers: from just out of school to seasoned nurses.
Through the Nurse Advisory Board, RealityRN connects the wisdom of the seasoned nurse with the needs of those just starting out in the profession. The Nurse Advisory Board helps create and shape the editorial voice of RealityRN and guides the editors in identifying the pain points the RealityRN content will address.
Suzanna Rose Dickson, RN, BSN
Suzanna attended North Park University, graduating with a BS in nursing. She began her career as a floor nurse at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, became a triage nurse and case manager, and is currently working as a pediatric nurse.
Suzanna wishes to share her experiences with other nurses and learn from their encounters, including what motivates and frustrates them. She says, “I often feel that it helps me to better process what I do everyday and where I need to improve.”
Melissa Granger, RN, BSN
Melissa received her BSN from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2005, worked in Med-Surg at Christ Medical Center, Oak Lawn, IL, and currently is working on the Oncology floor at Elmhurst Memorial Hospital, Elmhurst, IL.
Melissa is passionate about offering support to her fellow nurses that are just starting out in the profession. She says, “I don’t feel nurses are given enough support and mentorship in the beginning of their career.”
Brittany Heck, RN, MSN, FNP
Brittany received her BSN from the University of Iowa in 2003 and her MSN and FNP from Loyola University in 2007. She is currently an RN at Swedish American Hospital in Rockford, IL.
Brittany is passionate about helping new RN graduates embrace and empower the nursing profession. She says, “There needs to be a supportive environment in place for nurses to voice concerns and receive feedback from others in the same situation.”
Kathryn Hustedt, RN, BS
Kathryn received her BS in Kinesiology from University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 2001 and her RN from San Juan College in Farmington, NM, in 2005. She began her career as a Health Educator at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, moved to Holy Cross Hospital as an RN on the Med/Surg floor in 2005, and is currently an RN at Anticoagulation Management Service – Holy Cross Hospital, Taos, NM.
Kathryn says, “As a new nurse I went to the internet looking for advice. I didn’t find any. Being part of something that can help a nurse transition smoothly from student nurse to RN is what I’m excited about.”
Sharon LaCroix, RN, BSN
Sharon received her BSN from Western Connecticut State University in 1982. She is currently an RN doing pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative nursing care for Salt Creek Surgery Center in Westmont, IL. Prior to this, Sharon spent 20 years working in various nursing positions at hospitals across the country.
She is passionate about helping young nurses stay healthy for the long-term. “Nursing is hard on the body. Take the time to prioritize tasks and facilitate teamwork, when possible, to get the job done.”
Zudije (Zudia) Neziri, RN, ADN
Zudia attended Illinois Valley Community College and graduated with an Associates Degree in both Science and Applied Science in Nursing. She is a Critical Care nurse at Edward Hospital in Naperville, IL.
Zudia strives to build honesty within the new nurse community. She says, “The ‘reality’ of nursing is that we must have great critical thinkers and help build confident individuals that aren’t afraid to ask questions.”
Kim Rapper, RN, BSN
Kim received her BSN from Olivet Nazarene University in 1997. In 2003, she earned a Graphics Arts and Web Design certificate from College of DuPage, helping her develop patient and family education materials.She is currently an RN at Edward Hospital in Naperville, IL.
Ultimately, Kim’s passion is to see the phrase “Nurses eat their young” become just a bad memory. She hopes to make a difference by improving new grads’ first impressions of nursing in the real world.
Kim has done medical mission trips in Haiti, Brazil and China.
Leah Smith, RN, ADN
Leah graduated from Columbia State Community College with an Associates Degree in Applied Science and Nursing. After working in Labor & Delivery and the Maternal Special Care Unit at Centennial Medical Center, she moved to her current position in Preop/PACU Care at Baptist Hospital Sugicare Center in Nashville, TN.
Leah knows that finding the right specialty of nursing is what makes nursing more than just a job, and she wants to help other nurses like her find their fit. She says, “I’ve already experienced the rush that comes when you positively impact someone’s life.”
Melane Thompson, RN, ADN
Melane is an RN at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, IL. She is also a member of AORN (Association of Operating Room Nurses). Melane graduated from College of DuPage.
With unwavering determination, Melane fights to keep the nursing profession “professional,” stressing that nurses need to stick together. She says, “They need to learn that they are not alone, and they too can have successful nursing careers if they don’t give up!”
