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Kristy has been teaching nursing at a technical college since 2019, which means she’s spent years explaining to students why “just Google it” is not an acceptable care plan. Before that, she earned a bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire because she is good at wasting her money. After receiving her bachelor's degree in English, she went on to nursing school, graduating and becoming a Registered Nurse in 2014.

Kristy writes the way she teaches, straight from the gut, equal parts heart and humor. Her storytelling is shaped by life as a bedside nurse, educator, wife, mother of two kids, with two jobs, two dogs and a hamster.

Kristy can be found reading novels, training for her next race, or roasting her husband and kids with one-liners. Summers are spent at the baseball field and there is nowhere else this momma would rather be. She believes in God and country, kindness and dogs.

When she’s not corralling viruses or writing about the ghosts of patients past, Kristy is home with her amazing family, who graciously lets her test-drive her stories at the dinner table. She also has in-laws, but that section of the book may or may not be redacted for Christmas gift reasons.

Kristy’s voice is blends relentless humor and raw confession; think Florence Nightingale meets a stand-up comic with questionable boundaries. She’s here to tell you what nursing really looks like when the curtains are pulled back: the moments that break you, the ones that keep you coming back, and the hospital ghosts that follow you home whether you like it or not.

Newest Nurse on the Planet started as a book for new nursing graduates and the craziness of everything we can't teach in school. It soon became part memoir as well, since there were so many things I had to explain because of my experiences. Newest Nurse on the Planet was my dream. I would love for students, nurses, non-medical people, and anyone who has ever known a nurse to read and share this book with others. I promise you will get something out of it.

 Dinosaurs Suck at Baseball began as a simple writing prompt in a group I’m part of, but it quickly turned into something much bigger, stranger, and more fun than I expected. I found myself drawn to the idea of writing children’s books that are playful, sarcastic, a little ridiculous, and maybe just slightly inappropriate in the best possible way. It reminded me that children’s stories don’t always have to be perfectly polished and precious. Sometimes, they can be weird, funny, dramatic, and still have heart. 

Are you a nurse with a heartwarming, hilarious, embarrassing, or inspiring story to tell? Have you experienced a moment on the job that made you laugh until you cried, restored your faith in humanity, or reminded you why you chose this incredible profession? Do you have something you wish you would have known as a new nurse? Any tips or advice for nursing newbies? Tell me about a time you were called in to talk to leadership for the dumbest reasons. Tell me how you have been treated.

I’m collecting real-life nursing stories for a special book; a tribute to the moments that make this job unforgettable. Whether it’s an unexpected patient encounter, a shocking foreign object in rectum story, a shift that changed your perspective, or a lesson you’ll never forget, I’d love to hear it!

Your story could inspire, entertain, shock, and touch the hearts of readers everywhere. Plus, you’ll be part of a book that celebrates the humor, resilience, and humanity of nursing.

Submit your stories of nurse life:
Send your true nursing story (short and sweet is best!) to: AuthorKristyPolden@gmail.com or drop us a comment in the box below.

This will be compiled into an anthology of nurse stories.

Feel free to use a pen name if you prefer. Indicate “Anonymous” if you wish.