My life as a nurse at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital: Eliza Macken, BSN, RN

Eliza Macken, BSN, RN, first earned a degree in Sociology and Anthropology at Long Island University - Post before graduating from Northeastern University with her nursing degree in 2017. In 2018, she was offered a job in the Emergency Department at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital. We asked Eliza to tell us about her life as an ED nurse.

What made you choose nursing as a profession?

I’ve always been interested in human anatomy, so nursing seemed like a natural fit. I also really like the customer service aspect of nursing. I want to help people and help my community. Nursing is a great way to do that.

Originally, I thought I wanted to work in pediatrics. That was my first choice for my senior practicum. But I didn’t get my first choice and ended up in Emergency Medicine. At the time, I was wasn’t sure it would be right for me, but I ended up loving it and now I can’t imagine working in any other area.

You’ve worked your entire career in the Emergency Department. What is that you like about it?

I like that it is so fast paced and you never know what you are in for. I also love how closely we work with both the providers and the PCAs. It really does feel like a team and like you are part of that team. I think the providers really do respect the nurses and our opinions.

What does your typical day look like?

I am a mother of two. I have a three-year-old and a 10-month-old. My shift is typically 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., but I wake up with my kids at 6:30 a.m. and help my husband get them ready for school. He usually takes them into school, and I get ready for my day. I live almost an hour away, so it’s a bit of a drive. That’s really my time. I don’t get much time to myself, so I used it to listen to an audio book or just enjoy the quiet.

When I get to work, I head straight to the charge desk. I settle in and get my sheets ready for report out. I am one of the Clinical Leaders, basically I’m the permanent charge nurse, so I don’t actually take care of patients. It’s my job to manage the flow of the department. It’s kind of like a puzzle. Especially on busy days. I try to figure out which patients can come out of a room and move to a hallway spot and how I can get all of the patients in the waiting room back into the ED to be seen by a nurse. Things are constantly moving so that we can take care of everyone.

It can be a challenge, but I enjoy it. I’m constantly in my brain trying to figure out the puzzle. Some days the ED is full with patients, and we worry how we will be able to care for them all. But that’s what makes ED nurses special—we’re calm under pressure and we thrive in challenging situations.

Starting my career in the Emergency Department has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. Our patients come to use on what might very well be the worst day of their lives and we help them and their family members. I am always on the go, and I never know exactly what the day will hold, but that’s really exciting. And I’ve learned so much in six years. I can’t imagine working on any other unit at this point.

You spend so much of your time caring for other people. What do you do to practice self-care?

I mentioned it before, but my drive is really helpful. I have an hour to listen to an audiobook and just relax. That way, by the time I do get home, I’ve had time to decompress. If I have two shifts in a row, when I get home, I get in the shower, jump into bed and get ready to do it all over again. Turing right around for back-to-back shifts can be hard, but if it means more of my days off are grouped together, it can be really worth it.