Brienne Pies, RealityRN’s most recent Spa Giveaway recipient, isn’t a nurse yet—but nursing seems to be in her blood.

A nursing student at South Dakota State University, Brienne remembers how her mother, a hospice RN, changed lives.  “People would always come up to her while we were shopping and thank her for the care she provided them or a loved one. I wanted to know what that felt like to make such a difference in someone's life.”

Taking her mother’s advice—first work as a CNA before pursuing nursing to see if she could handle the "dirty" aspects of healthcare—she got a job in a nursing home. Brienne fell in love with healthcare on the spot, and stayed at the same nursing facility for 4 ½ years.

She states, “I love being able to help people when they need it most.  Whether it's simply helping someone get ready for the day or giving a medication to make the pain go away, nurses and other healthcare professionals can make a huge and lasting impact on a person's life. I love it when I can say, ‘I made a difference.’”

Now a full-time student, Brienne, who’s hopeful of becoming an ER nurse, says nursing is more than she expected. She states, “I never realized how many different areas of expertise are available to nurses: the Armed Forces, OB, Peds, NICU, PICU, ER, OR, dialysis, cancer treatment centers, psychiatric hospitals, prison system, etc.”

As a RealityRN member, Brienne enjoys reading posts from real, everyday nurses: “They give me an idea of what it will be like when I first step onto the floor as a newly certified nurse—even if I’m scared out of my mind. They help me realize that thousands of nurses before me have been through the same thing. And if they’ve come out of it alive, then so can I.”

Join RealityRN in congratulating Brienne and wishing her continued success on her journey to becoming a nurse!

Related: Caring, New Nurse, Student Nurse