By Avery Woods is a pediatric ICU nurse with a long career under her belt. As a mother, ICU nurse and TikTok influencer, she has learned a lot about what it means to be a parent from her time at the hospital.
Now, she is out with a new eBook on all things pediatric ICU nursing to help providers prepare for a career in the NICU. Scrubs Mag caught up with Woods in Arizona. Read on below.
PEDS101 is a 20-page eBook filled with tips and tricks for both new-graduates and experienced nurses that are new to the pediatric world.
“In the 5 years of my nursing career, I have gained a love for education and enjoy sharing the trials and errors I’ve learned along the way. I breakdown the best way to communicate with both pediatric patients and parents, pointers on different skills such as IVs and NG tubes, on top of handling loss and taking home grief. I hope it can help any nurse in a transitional period heading into the amazing pediatric world of nursing” Woods told Scrubs Mag.
Avery, 27, first told her dad that she wanted to be a nurse before she was even old enough to form memories. She graduated from nursing school at age 21 and fell in love with pediatrics right away.
She soon started documenting and sharing her experiences as a pediatric nurse on social media, where she has since developed a loyal following.
“After a few years, the people I looked up to were then turning to me for advice and following my journey and I was able to make a second career out of it, which I didn’t even know was possible! I still pinch myself every day at the opportunities that have presented themselves through my hard work and dedication. I truly have the best of both worlds, balancing my family on top of a career both bedside and online,” she said.
As her online following kept growing, Woods decided to put her knowledge and experience to good use by writing a book. She started creating PEDS 101 after so many years of fielding questions about pediatric nursing.
She was getting questions from both new-grad nurses and experienced adult nurses transitioning to pediatrics.
“I wanted to gather all the most common questions and put everything together in a go-to handbook for nurses interested in pediatrics. Everything in my eBook are tips and tricks for interacting with both patients and parents.”
Woods knows how stressful being a pediatric nurse and running a family at the same time can be. She wanted to help others looking to excel in their careers while balancing their responsibilities at home.
“I’m so grateful I’ve been able to grow both on and off social media. I think the reason I’ve been able to be successful growing my following comes down to the fact that I’m a very real and authentic person. If I meet someone in person that follows me on social media, I want to make sure I’m no different than the person they know online. I’m honest and I’m not afraid to share my experiences and opinions- even if they’re taboo.”
That sense of honesty is paying off.
She also shared her advice for other nurses looking to grow a following on social media.
“If someone asked me how to be successful as an influencer, I would tell them to find their niche and make sure they’re passionate about it. Success comes from hard work, excitement, and consistency. If someone is wanting to become an influencer or write a book with only money in mind, no success will come from it.”
You can follow Woods on Instagram and purchase a digital copy of PEDS 101 online.
