Episode 1 - community, RN
May 8, 2023
About This Episode
Faith Hines, BSN, RN, joins our hosts for the pilot episode, sharing how her background and the different communities she is a part of have helped her take care of herself and be a better nurse, friend and family member.
Episode Guests
Faith Hines, BSN, RN
Faith Hines, BSN, RN, is a nurse at Northwestern Medicine who practices in general medicine and is currently transitioning into a new clinical coordinator role on the night shift. She is also the founder of Divergent Faith Ministries, a faith-based nonprofit in Chicago that aims to inspire young women who feel called into health care.
Faith Hines, BSN, RN, joins our hosts for the pilot episode, sharing how her background and the different communities she is a part of have helped her take care of herself and be a better nurse, friend and family member.
Episode Guests
Faith Hines, BSN, RN
Faith Hines, BSN, RN, is a nurse at Northwestern Medicine who practices in general medicine and is currently transitioning into a new clinical coordinator role on the night shift. She is also the founder of Divergent Faith Ministries, a faith-based nonprofit in Chicago that aims to inspire young women who feel called into health care.
transcript
Saklak [00:00:05] I'm Alyssa Saklak.
Masnari [00:00:06] And I'm Laurin Masnari.
Saklak [00:00:08] On Better, RN, we get real about nursing.
Masnari [00:00:11] The good and the gritty.
Saklak [00:00:12] We talk to real healthcare experts.
Masnari [00:00:15] With the goal of becoming better.
Saklak [00:00:17] For our patients, our colleagues.
Masnari [00:00:18] Our family, our friends.
Saklak [00:00:20] Our partners and ourselves.
Masnari [00:00:26] Hi, Alyssa.
Saklak [00:00:26] Hi, Laurin.
Masnari [00:00:27] I'm so excited that we are recording our first podcast episode.
Saklak [00:00:31] It feels surreal. Like, I feel like we've been thinking and planning and dreaming of this for months.
Masnari [00:00:36] I know. And what a great way to start by talking about community.
Saklak [00:00:41] We're doing a podcast for a community of nurses, in a way that we could hopefully reach all of our nurses.
Masnari [00:00:48] Yeah, and our own community is the reason that we're still here. When we started out together, do you remember the first time we met?
Saklak [00:00:55] Do I remember? Of course, in the locker room. It was my first day. I was so nervous. I showed up probably an hour before my shift. You were in the locker room and I said, "Hi, I'm Alyssa." And you said, "Hi, I'm Laurin." And I said, "I'm a new nurse here. Do you want to be friends?" And you were like, "I have to go to the break room for huddle." [laughs]
Masnari [00:01:18] I was so overwhelmed. It's overwhelming to be new. You know, when people will take a photo and it'll be like a personality pic. I feel like that interaction is our personality pic. You're like the bright bubbly, "Here I am. I'm ready to take on the day!" And I'm like, "I'm here. I'm also ready to take on the day. I'm just going to be a little quieter about it.”
Saklak [00:01:37] But, like we connected.
Masnari [00:01:38] Yeah.
Saklak [00:01:38] And it worked. We're definitely headed towards this topic: Why is community important to our health and wellness? You know, I think that's something I've been reflecting on as we prepared for this episode. What are your thoughts?
Masnari [00:01:50] Community impacts every single aspect of who I am and why I am the way that I am. And we talk a lot about our community, not only within Northwestern Medicine, but our chosen community of our friends, where we chose to go to school, you know, participating in events through Team NM, we're volunteering within our Chicagoland community, intramural sports, and we've both played on like rec leagues here in Chicago. So, there are so many different opportunities to grow and learn about different things, and community gives us all of that.
Saklak [00:02:21] Absolutely. More importantly, as we sometimes forget, the physical impacts that it can have on us to have that support. You know, recently there's been more research and studies, even in cardiovascular research, of how it's a protective factor to have community support. And so I think I just keep thinking as a nurse, like, what does that mean for me and what are some of the challenges that we face? One thing that the National Alliance on Mental Illnesses highlights is how having that support system can be a major part and is vital to your mental and emotional health.
Masnari [00:02:54] Yeah, and I think our guest today is going to do a really great job of bringing all of this home for us. Today we're talking to Faith Hines. Faith is a nurse at Northwestern Medicine. She practices on my unit in general medicine, and I'm so excited. Currently, Faith is transitioning into the role of a clinical coordinator on nights, which is such a well-deserved position for her. But Faith has found the benefit of community professionally and personally, and we're so excited to talk with you. Thanks for joining us, Faith.
Hines [00:03:20] Thank you, ladies, for having me. I'm so happy to be here.
Saklak [00:03:23] Faith, let's back this up further. You and I go way back, when I think I was a new grad nurse, wasn't I? And you worked --
Hines [00:03:32] EC, you were EC on 15 West.
Saklak [00:03:33] And you were a new patient care technician when you first started here, correct?
Hines [00:03:37] Yeah. And Laurin was CC on our unit.
Saklak [00:03:42] Look at the Dream Team coming back, right? Oh, my gosh.
Hines [00:03:45] Yeah, absolutely.
Masnari [00:03:46] We love a full circle moment.
Saklak [00:03:47] I feel like what I started to learn about this topic of like community and how it impacts your health, you were like the pinnacle person that I thought of and I was so excited. I know that we had met before just getting coffee, and you told me your whole like connection to the community. And I was just thrilled because I get super passionate about these things. Tell us your background. What's your story?
Hines [00:04:09] Well, I actually started at a community college, Truman, up in Uptown in Chicago. And up there I had a lot of community service events and a lot of scholarly activities that allowed me to get out and see the people around me. I'm traditionally from the South Side. I don't really leave the South Side. And so going to school up north and having to pass through Chicago and all the different types of communities that we have here opened my eyes to like the world out there, the world outside of where I was from. And so I joined like different committees at Truman to learn about what issues were affecting people from different backgrounds in our city. And it kind of led me into wanting to be a voice for our community, not just mine, but other communities, people who are maybe marginalized or don't really feel like they have the voice to speak up. And so at first I thought that that led me to law. I was a pre-law student. I was in English liberal arts. Through my college journey, I kind of learned the different fields and areas that we can be a voice for people. And I stumbled upon nursing. I had never grown up thinking I could be a nurse. I shied away from math and science and all those biological things. And I'll look towards books and talking with people and connecting with people. But thankfully I had some advisors who gave me the nursing route and through a long journey becoming a CNA, then a PCT at Northwestern Medicine and then finally, a nurse, I found my passion through those community engagements. People were like, speak stuff into you, like, "Hey, I think you'll be good at this. I think you'll be good at that." And you don't really think about it, but it takes others seeing that person in you who you will become. And that's the beauty I find in community. People can see things in you that you wouldn't necessarily see in yourself or people you are always around don't see you as that person. But it takes getting out and reaching and meeting other people. You're like, "Hey, I can be more than this." And so my nursing journey was built off community. If it wasn't for exploring my community and building in other communities, I would have never found this path or this journey.
Masnari [00:06:00] I think that's huge. What you said about people around you, lifting you up and bringing you to where you need to be. I think that's a huge part of community. Those people are the folks that you surround yourself with, can lift you out of tough things or bring you to better things or help you see what you're capable of. And we are so lucky that those people did that for you and that you're here.
Hines [00:06:22] Laurin, you being one of the major ones, you and Alyssa, since the beginning, you all have encouraged me. So, you know, even times where I'll say, "I don't think I can do that." You pushed me, you know. "Yes, you can. Don't sell yourself short. Go at it." And look where we are now. I really appreciate you and everybody at our Northwestern Medicine community, our family, they always have been amazing to me.
Masnari [00:06:41] How does your community at Northwestern Medicine help you now in your role as a PCT and then as a nurse now transitioning into the clinical coordinator position? What has Northwestern Medicine done to help you be successful?
Hines [00:06:53] I think the major thing that I've gotten from Northwestern Medicine is the sense of advocacy for myself, as well as understanding that as a team and as a unit, we're better than we are alone. Even going back into when I was a PCT, back in 2020, you know, there was a lot of unrest in the downtown area and a lot of like blockage and everything to get to our hospital. And so during that time, Northwestern Medicine had set up a shuttle bus system and came and got people who are far south and kind of shuttled them back and forth to work. And so even just being that reliable transportation, our community kind of shouldered that for us. And then coming in as a nurse, our residency program, I just finished my year-long residency. It’s been amazing. When I started last year, March 2022, I'm like, "How am I going to tackle this? Am I really going to become a nurse? Like, how is this going to work?" And you know, our instructors and ECs pretty much encouraged us, told us every month, “You'll get it, you'll get it. Keep coming to the seminars, keep reaching out, connect with your managers.” And this entire year I've seen myself grow as a nurse because of that residency program. I find the people in my cohort who are just as nervous as I was and just building that kind of camaraderie with everybody else has made me and kept me. There were a lot of times I was like, "Is this is too much? I'm not going to be able to handle this, tackle this." But you realize people are feeling the same way. If you just talk to others, be there for others. Let them be there for you. You know, here we are. We made it. And keep going.
Saklak [00:08:15] I think it takes a lot of vulnerability to reach out and make those connections.
Hines [00:08:19] Yes.
Saklak [00:08:20] You know, engage yourself in the community, especially as a new grad nurse. I mean, I remember the first invite I got to get dinner after a shift and I was gleaming up and down like, "Oh, yes, I made friends!" I think a lot of other people experience that like a new work environment, potentially a new city. What are some of the things that have helped you kind of be vulnerable and make those connections? Because it's a lot easier said than done to build a community of people around you because matter of fact, it can also be detrimental if you're not surrounding yourself with, you know, the support that you need. So, I feel like you've had a lot of experience at that. Tell me more about your thoughts on it.
Hines [00:08:55] I think that putting myself out there and realizing that it's OK to not know it all or not be right. I kind of grew up in kind of like a reserved, conservative environment in my home life. And that was another part of community that, like you just spoke to, doesn't always like maybe push you forward, maybe can hold you back in some area. So putting myself out there and, you know, going out into the world, it was very frightening. But I think that once I allowed myself to just take that moment where, "OK, you're not all put together at this moment, you can break down. That's OK.” And once people saw that human, vulnerable side, they were more willing to, "Hey, I went through this. Let me just walk you through it and talk you through it." And so, I let my guard down.
Masnari [00:09:34] With everything you mentioned, the civil unrest in Chicago and becoming a new nurse, and you've gone through so many changes in the past couple of years, and we know that something you're really passionate about is mental health. So how do you think that having a strong community support has supported your mental health?
Hines [00:09:52] I think that just understanding that mental health was important was something that I didn't know. Being from a community, a place where they don't really talk about it. I can honestly say before last year I had never went to therapy or knew about any of it, but it was through just those constant reminders and posting in all our bathrooms, like, if you need help, reach out to EAP Perspectives. It's finally like, “OK, let me just text this number.” And I texted them, and it changed my life. And so, you know, I'm coming up on my six-month therapy which, you know, Northwestern Medicine gives employees six free sessions, and I'm going to continue with my own expense because it's been amazing and a game-changer. And so, I think that just Northwestern Medicine, being a group of people where they value mental health, they don't put it off, has really encouraged me to take it seriously on my home front.
Masnari [00:10:38] What would you say to people who are scared or are struggling to break into that type of community?
Hines [00:10:44] I will say the best foot you can put forward is the first step. For me, talking on the phone, hearing my voice, hearing feedback, stuff like this gets my mental health a little, like, anxious. So, when I first started with therapy, I started by text, and for the first two or three days, the therapist and I just text back and forth, and then I'm like, OK, I feel like I could talk to her. And then we went through the app in a traditional way. So, I think just even shooting that first text and putting that first foot forward, you will see after a while it's OK to open up. Like I was saying before, let their guard down and something's better waiting on the other side of that fear and anxiety.
Masnari [00:11:15] I think something that we talk about a lot, Alyssa, you and I have talked about this is, there's a lot of bad things that came out of the pandemic, right?
Hines [00:11:24] Yeah.
Masnari [00:11:25] And I think one of the good things is this light that was shined on how important our mental health is and how important community is and what does that mean for different people. And community, like we said, doesn't have to look the same for everyone. So, it's, I think it's awesome that you were able to get plugged in in a way that was comfortable for you as like a little baby step to get you in the right direction.
Saklak [00:11:48] So I think we can't talk about community without talking about social media and how it's been able to connect us and has been super helpful during the pandemic to connect with people all across the world. It can be also detrimental and isolating, and there's a preference of in-person versus virtual world. Can you tell us a little bit more about your preference and your experience with the dualities of social media, social connection, but also the physical connection?
Hines [00:12:14] Being in nursing school during the pandemic, so, we were all virtual for everything. I think I kind of prefer meeting people where they're at. So, you'll have some people who were completely fine with the pandemic. They are remote people. They like to stay in, they like to work from home. They order all this stuff to bring it to the house. So, most of our stuff will be virtual. And you have some people who are extroverted, just like, “I need to get out of here,” like, “I need to start connecting.” So, I think meeting people where they’re at in being the introvert when needed and being an extrovert when needed, just seeing how people flow is has been helpful for me personally. We are in a field and at a place where we meet people in their most vulnerable states, the most vulnerable times. And so I think just even that empathy and being with that person in that moment can also just totally change the outcome.
Masnari [00:12:57] With all these changes that are going on. How do you lean on your personal, your outside-of-work community, to keep yourself safe and healthy when all of these you're dealing, you're in health care. It's so tough. How do you keep yourself safe and healthy, and how does your community help you with that?
Hines [00:13:12] I think that putting myself first as far as self-care, finding those things that I like to do, my hobbies. I was able to share in our last year Nurses Art Week, my photography, stuff that I like to do. Beauty, health and beauty stuff has really given me that sense of confidence to even go out within my neighborhood and like, "Oh, they have a block party over here, let me go meet who I'm around, who I live by." And my community, like my family, my nieces and nephews, help with that because they're always telling me, you know, “Titi Faith, you look so good, I love you who you’re becoming. You're so beautiful.” My niece plays in my makeup now. And so just showing her, you know, just small, cute things. We kind of formed a beauty culture in community, so I like that we have those moments on my off days, and it's been amazing just to continue to see them grow and become, you know, the amazing, beautiful women that I want them to be.
Saklak [00:13:58] Faith, I just wish everyone else could see you right now. You have such a glowing presence. And I think the most perfect example of community and connection and your ability to connect with other people.
Hines [00:14:09] Thank you.
Masnari [00:14:10] Faith, talk to us a little bit about some advice that you might have for people who are struggling personally or professionally to find a sense of community.
Hines [00:14:19] I would say for anyone who's currently struggling, you know, just trying to find their place where they may be rooted and stuff, I would say just reach out to others. The first place would be, of course, your peers, your colleagues, people who are at the same level as you because nine times out of 10, you know, they're trying to work and provide for their families, they're trying to still live their life, achieve, accomplish their goals. So just reach in to the next person and seeing how you all can tackle issues together, that's how you build community, by finding those common, related factors and building upon them and making your environment better.
Masnari [00:14:49] When I think back to when I first started at Northwestern Medicine and it was Alyssa's first day, we started maybe a month apart, it just turned into this organic friendship that just blossomed out of this community that we both happened to find ourselves in. And we came from such different backgrounds. Like Alyssa was this awesome athlete in college, and I played no sports in college and went to an all-women’s college. And it was just the fact that we found ourselves together in the same place. I think community, you can choose it, but community is also sometimes just what happens to you. And I got so lucky with this community.
Hines [00:15:25] Absolutely.
Saklak [00:15:26] I think, Laurin, you said it beautifully like, community is sometimes, you can't choose it. And just is what happens, there's a little bit of serendipity, but there's, that's the beauty of it. Hearing your story, it seems like as nurses, we all have that in common. A lot of our closest friends that we make are within our community is, really sometimes organic and beautiful and leads to lifetime support and friendships.
Hines [00:15:50] Absolutely. And I just love y’all two together. Y'all are very, like, you can tell y'all are close and that it's been built, and it's been years put into it. And so, I'm just glad to see where you all are at now. It's amazing.
Masnari [00:16:00] Thanks, Faith, and thank you so much for your time. We really appreciate you sharing all of your experiences and your, your expertise.
Saklak [00:16:07] Thank you so much for sharing your story.
Hines [00:16:09] Thank you all for having me.
Masnari [00:16:16] Thanks for tuning in.
Saklak [00:16:18] Better, RN is brought to you by the Woman's Board of Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Masnari [00:00:06] And I'm Laurin Masnari.
Saklak [00:00:08] On Better, RN, we get real about nursing.
Masnari [00:00:11] The good and the gritty.
Saklak [00:00:12] We talk to real healthcare experts.
Masnari [00:00:15] With the goal of becoming better.
Saklak [00:00:17] For our patients, our colleagues.
Masnari [00:00:18] Our family, our friends.
Saklak [00:00:20] Our partners and ourselves.
Masnari [00:00:26] Hi, Alyssa.
Saklak [00:00:26] Hi, Laurin.
Masnari [00:00:27] I'm so excited that we are recording our first podcast episode.
Saklak [00:00:31] It feels surreal. Like, I feel like we've been thinking and planning and dreaming of this for months.
Masnari [00:00:36] I know. And what a great way to start by talking about community.
Saklak [00:00:41] We're doing a podcast for a community of nurses, in a way that we could hopefully reach all of our nurses.
Masnari [00:00:48] Yeah, and our own community is the reason that we're still here. When we started out together, do you remember the first time we met?
Saklak [00:00:55] Do I remember? Of course, in the locker room. It was my first day. I was so nervous. I showed up probably an hour before my shift. You were in the locker room and I said, "Hi, I'm Alyssa." And you said, "Hi, I'm Laurin." And I said, "I'm a new nurse here. Do you want to be friends?" And you were like, "I have to go to the break room for huddle." [laughs]
Masnari [00:01:18] I was so overwhelmed. It's overwhelming to be new. You know, when people will take a photo and it'll be like a personality pic. I feel like that interaction is our personality pic. You're like the bright bubbly, "Here I am. I'm ready to take on the day!" And I'm like, "I'm here. I'm also ready to take on the day. I'm just going to be a little quieter about it.”
Saklak [00:01:37] But, like we connected.
Masnari [00:01:38] Yeah.
Saklak [00:01:38] And it worked. We're definitely headed towards this topic: Why is community important to our health and wellness? You know, I think that's something I've been reflecting on as we prepared for this episode. What are your thoughts?
Masnari [00:01:50] Community impacts every single aspect of who I am and why I am the way that I am. And we talk a lot about our community, not only within Northwestern Medicine, but our chosen community of our friends, where we chose to go to school, you know, participating in events through Team NM, we're volunteering within our Chicagoland community, intramural sports, and we've both played on like rec leagues here in Chicago. So, there are so many different opportunities to grow and learn about different things, and community gives us all of that.
Saklak [00:02:21] Absolutely. More importantly, as we sometimes forget, the physical impacts that it can have on us to have that support. You know, recently there's been more research and studies, even in cardiovascular research, of how it's a protective factor to have community support. And so I think I just keep thinking as a nurse, like, what does that mean for me and what are some of the challenges that we face? One thing that the National Alliance on Mental Illnesses highlights is how having that support system can be a major part and is vital to your mental and emotional health.
Masnari [00:02:54] Yeah, and I think our guest today is going to do a really great job of bringing all of this home for us. Today we're talking to Faith Hines. Faith is a nurse at Northwestern Medicine. She practices on my unit in general medicine, and I'm so excited. Currently, Faith is transitioning into the role of a clinical coordinator on nights, which is such a well-deserved position for her. But Faith has found the benefit of community professionally and personally, and we're so excited to talk with you. Thanks for joining us, Faith.
Hines [00:03:20] Thank you, ladies, for having me. I'm so happy to be here.
Saklak [00:03:23] Faith, let's back this up further. You and I go way back, when I think I was a new grad nurse, wasn't I? And you worked --
Hines [00:03:32] EC, you were EC on 15 West.
Saklak [00:03:33] And you were a new patient care technician when you first started here, correct?
Hines [00:03:37] Yeah. And Laurin was CC on our unit.
Saklak [00:03:42] Look at the Dream Team coming back, right? Oh, my gosh.
Hines [00:03:45] Yeah, absolutely.
Masnari [00:03:46] We love a full circle moment.
Saklak [00:03:47] I feel like what I started to learn about this topic of like community and how it impacts your health, you were like the pinnacle person that I thought of and I was so excited. I know that we had met before just getting coffee, and you told me your whole like connection to the community. And I was just thrilled because I get super passionate about these things. Tell us your background. What's your story?
Hines [00:04:09] Well, I actually started at a community college, Truman, up in Uptown in Chicago. And up there I had a lot of community service events and a lot of scholarly activities that allowed me to get out and see the people around me. I'm traditionally from the South Side. I don't really leave the South Side. And so going to school up north and having to pass through Chicago and all the different types of communities that we have here opened my eyes to like the world out there, the world outside of where I was from. And so I joined like different committees at Truman to learn about what issues were affecting people from different backgrounds in our city. And it kind of led me into wanting to be a voice for our community, not just mine, but other communities, people who are maybe marginalized or don't really feel like they have the voice to speak up. And so at first I thought that that led me to law. I was a pre-law student. I was in English liberal arts. Through my college journey, I kind of learned the different fields and areas that we can be a voice for people. And I stumbled upon nursing. I had never grown up thinking I could be a nurse. I shied away from math and science and all those biological things. And I'll look towards books and talking with people and connecting with people. But thankfully I had some advisors who gave me the nursing route and through a long journey becoming a CNA, then a PCT at Northwestern Medicine and then finally, a nurse, I found my passion through those community engagements. People were like, speak stuff into you, like, "Hey, I think you'll be good at this. I think you'll be good at that." And you don't really think about it, but it takes others seeing that person in you who you will become. And that's the beauty I find in community. People can see things in you that you wouldn't necessarily see in yourself or people you are always around don't see you as that person. But it takes getting out and reaching and meeting other people. You're like, "Hey, I can be more than this." And so my nursing journey was built off community. If it wasn't for exploring my community and building in other communities, I would have never found this path or this journey.
Masnari [00:06:00] I think that's huge. What you said about people around you, lifting you up and bringing you to where you need to be. I think that's a huge part of community. Those people are the folks that you surround yourself with, can lift you out of tough things or bring you to better things or help you see what you're capable of. And we are so lucky that those people did that for you and that you're here.
Hines [00:06:22] Laurin, you being one of the major ones, you and Alyssa, since the beginning, you all have encouraged me. So, you know, even times where I'll say, "I don't think I can do that." You pushed me, you know. "Yes, you can. Don't sell yourself short. Go at it." And look where we are now. I really appreciate you and everybody at our Northwestern Medicine community, our family, they always have been amazing to me.
Masnari [00:06:41] How does your community at Northwestern Medicine help you now in your role as a PCT and then as a nurse now transitioning into the clinical coordinator position? What has Northwestern Medicine done to help you be successful?
Hines [00:06:53] I think the major thing that I've gotten from Northwestern Medicine is the sense of advocacy for myself, as well as understanding that as a team and as a unit, we're better than we are alone. Even going back into when I was a PCT, back in 2020, you know, there was a lot of unrest in the downtown area and a lot of like blockage and everything to get to our hospital. And so during that time, Northwestern Medicine had set up a shuttle bus system and came and got people who are far south and kind of shuttled them back and forth to work. And so even just being that reliable transportation, our community kind of shouldered that for us. And then coming in as a nurse, our residency program, I just finished my year-long residency. It’s been amazing. When I started last year, March 2022, I'm like, "How am I going to tackle this? Am I really going to become a nurse? Like, how is this going to work?" And you know, our instructors and ECs pretty much encouraged us, told us every month, “You'll get it, you'll get it. Keep coming to the seminars, keep reaching out, connect with your managers.” And this entire year I've seen myself grow as a nurse because of that residency program. I find the people in my cohort who are just as nervous as I was and just building that kind of camaraderie with everybody else has made me and kept me. There were a lot of times I was like, "Is this is too much? I'm not going to be able to handle this, tackle this." But you realize people are feeling the same way. If you just talk to others, be there for others. Let them be there for you. You know, here we are. We made it. And keep going.
Saklak [00:08:15] I think it takes a lot of vulnerability to reach out and make those connections.
Hines [00:08:19] Yes.
Saklak [00:08:20] You know, engage yourself in the community, especially as a new grad nurse. I mean, I remember the first invite I got to get dinner after a shift and I was gleaming up and down like, "Oh, yes, I made friends!" I think a lot of other people experience that like a new work environment, potentially a new city. What are some of the things that have helped you kind of be vulnerable and make those connections? Because it's a lot easier said than done to build a community of people around you because matter of fact, it can also be detrimental if you're not surrounding yourself with, you know, the support that you need. So, I feel like you've had a lot of experience at that. Tell me more about your thoughts on it.
Hines [00:08:55] I think that putting myself out there and realizing that it's OK to not know it all or not be right. I kind of grew up in kind of like a reserved, conservative environment in my home life. And that was another part of community that, like you just spoke to, doesn't always like maybe push you forward, maybe can hold you back in some area. So putting myself out there and, you know, going out into the world, it was very frightening. But I think that once I allowed myself to just take that moment where, "OK, you're not all put together at this moment, you can break down. That's OK.” And once people saw that human, vulnerable side, they were more willing to, "Hey, I went through this. Let me just walk you through it and talk you through it." And so, I let my guard down.
Masnari [00:09:34] With everything you mentioned, the civil unrest in Chicago and becoming a new nurse, and you've gone through so many changes in the past couple of years, and we know that something you're really passionate about is mental health. So how do you think that having a strong community support has supported your mental health?
Hines [00:09:52] I think that just understanding that mental health was important was something that I didn't know. Being from a community, a place where they don't really talk about it. I can honestly say before last year I had never went to therapy or knew about any of it, but it was through just those constant reminders and posting in all our bathrooms, like, if you need help, reach out to EAP Perspectives. It's finally like, “OK, let me just text this number.” And I texted them, and it changed my life. And so, you know, I'm coming up on my six-month therapy which, you know, Northwestern Medicine gives employees six free sessions, and I'm going to continue with my own expense because it's been amazing and a game-changer. And so, I think that just Northwestern Medicine, being a group of people where they value mental health, they don't put it off, has really encouraged me to take it seriously on my home front.
Masnari [00:10:38] What would you say to people who are scared or are struggling to break into that type of community?
Hines [00:10:44] I will say the best foot you can put forward is the first step. For me, talking on the phone, hearing my voice, hearing feedback, stuff like this gets my mental health a little, like, anxious. So, when I first started with therapy, I started by text, and for the first two or three days, the therapist and I just text back and forth, and then I'm like, OK, I feel like I could talk to her. And then we went through the app in a traditional way. So, I think just even shooting that first text and putting that first foot forward, you will see after a while it's OK to open up. Like I was saying before, let their guard down and something's better waiting on the other side of that fear and anxiety.
Masnari [00:11:15] I think something that we talk about a lot, Alyssa, you and I have talked about this is, there's a lot of bad things that came out of the pandemic, right?
Hines [00:11:24] Yeah.
Masnari [00:11:25] And I think one of the good things is this light that was shined on how important our mental health is and how important community is and what does that mean for different people. And community, like we said, doesn't have to look the same for everyone. So, it's, I think it's awesome that you were able to get plugged in in a way that was comfortable for you as like a little baby step to get you in the right direction.
Saklak [00:11:48] So I think we can't talk about community without talking about social media and how it's been able to connect us and has been super helpful during the pandemic to connect with people all across the world. It can be also detrimental and isolating, and there's a preference of in-person versus virtual world. Can you tell us a little bit more about your preference and your experience with the dualities of social media, social connection, but also the physical connection?
Hines [00:12:14] Being in nursing school during the pandemic, so, we were all virtual for everything. I think I kind of prefer meeting people where they're at. So, you'll have some people who were completely fine with the pandemic. They are remote people. They like to stay in, they like to work from home. They order all this stuff to bring it to the house. So, most of our stuff will be virtual. And you have some people who are extroverted, just like, “I need to get out of here,” like, “I need to start connecting.” So, I think meeting people where they’re at in being the introvert when needed and being an extrovert when needed, just seeing how people flow is has been helpful for me personally. We are in a field and at a place where we meet people in their most vulnerable states, the most vulnerable times. And so I think just even that empathy and being with that person in that moment can also just totally change the outcome.
Masnari [00:12:57] With all these changes that are going on. How do you lean on your personal, your outside-of-work community, to keep yourself safe and healthy when all of these you're dealing, you're in health care. It's so tough. How do you keep yourself safe and healthy, and how does your community help you with that?
Hines [00:13:12] I think that putting myself first as far as self-care, finding those things that I like to do, my hobbies. I was able to share in our last year Nurses Art Week, my photography, stuff that I like to do. Beauty, health and beauty stuff has really given me that sense of confidence to even go out within my neighborhood and like, "Oh, they have a block party over here, let me go meet who I'm around, who I live by." And my community, like my family, my nieces and nephews, help with that because they're always telling me, you know, “Titi Faith, you look so good, I love you who you’re becoming. You're so beautiful.” My niece plays in my makeup now. And so just showing her, you know, just small, cute things. We kind of formed a beauty culture in community, so I like that we have those moments on my off days, and it's been amazing just to continue to see them grow and become, you know, the amazing, beautiful women that I want them to be.
Saklak [00:13:58] Faith, I just wish everyone else could see you right now. You have such a glowing presence. And I think the most perfect example of community and connection and your ability to connect with other people.
Hines [00:14:09] Thank you.
Masnari [00:14:10] Faith, talk to us a little bit about some advice that you might have for people who are struggling personally or professionally to find a sense of community.
Hines [00:14:19] I would say for anyone who's currently struggling, you know, just trying to find their place where they may be rooted and stuff, I would say just reach out to others. The first place would be, of course, your peers, your colleagues, people who are at the same level as you because nine times out of 10, you know, they're trying to work and provide for their families, they're trying to still live their life, achieve, accomplish their goals. So just reach in to the next person and seeing how you all can tackle issues together, that's how you build community, by finding those common, related factors and building upon them and making your environment better.
Masnari [00:14:49] When I think back to when I first started at Northwestern Medicine and it was Alyssa's first day, we started maybe a month apart, it just turned into this organic friendship that just blossomed out of this community that we both happened to find ourselves in. And we came from such different backgrounds. Like Alyssa was this awesome athlete in college, and I played no sports in college and went to an all-women’s college. And it was just the fact that we found ourselves together in the same place. I think community, you can choose it, but community is also sometimes just what happens to you. And I got so lucky with this community.
Hines [00:15:25] Absolutely.
Saklak [00:15:26] I think, Laurin, you said it beautifully like, community is sometimes, you can't choose it. And just is what happens, there's a little bit of serendipity, but there's, that's the beauty of it. Hearing your story, it seems like as nurses, we all have that in common. A lot of our closest friends that we make are within our community is, really sometimes organic and beautiful and leads to lifetime support and friendships.
Hines [00:15:50] Absolutely. And I just love y’all two together. Y'all are very, like, you can tell y'all are close and that it's been built, and it's been years put into it. And so, I'm just glad to see where you all are at now. It's amazing.
Masnari [00:16:00] Thanks, Faith, and thank you so much for your time. We really appreciate you sharing all of your experiences and your, your expertise.
Saklak [00:16:07] Thank you so much for sharing your story.
Hines [00:16:09] Thank you all for having me.
Masnari [00:16:16] Thanks for tuning in.
Saklak [00:16:18] Better, RN is brought to you by the Woman's Board of Northwestern Memorial Hospital.