Meet Hailey Okula | RN New Grads CEO & Registered Nurse

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hailey Okula and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hailey, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My thought process stemmed from my own struggles as a newly graduated nursing student. I realized the lack of centralized resources for new grads in the nursing field and decided to fill that gap by creating RN New Grads. Never in a million years did I expect it to turn out to be what it is today! What started as an instagram profile posting current RN New Grad job openings has evolved into my primary job and a lot more educational based. I now provide Cheat Sheets, Nursing Notes, and apparel for the nursing community. I am SO thankful for the encouragement and backing from my followers and the tight-knit community of nurses and healthcare professionals that have supported my small business journey to what it’s become today.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
RN New Grads is more than just a business to me; it stemmed from my own personal struggles and a need I saw to fill a gap in the nursing community. As previously mentioned, as a newly graduated nursing student, I saw the lack of centralized resources for new grads and decided to create RN New Grads, initially starting with an Instagram profile posting job openings. With the support of my followers and the nursing community, the business evolved into what it is today, offering educational resources and support for new nurses. Currently I post educational videos online that are different than others as I write story scripts and teach through “Educational Nursing Skits”. I find that this way of teaching really keeps the viewers engaged and gives them a little snippet of a story while learning about nursing. I also create Cheat Sheets for all sorts of units, and am currently working on two other resources that the nursing community has yet to see! I truly believe that taking risks and staying true to my passion have been vital to successfully overcoming challenges and growing the business. Despite the hurdles I unfortunately deal with on occasion, I do my best to stay committed to fostering a positive environment in the nursing community and supporting nurses at all stages of their careers. My goal is to continue growing RN New Grads into a thriving platform that positively influences nursing education and support.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
While living in Southern California is expensive, it definitely has its perks, and I would definitely want to get my best friend a piece of all of them! We’d start our week-long trip by taking our trailer out for a few days and heading to the beach for some coastal camping. Our last camping trip was in Dockweiler Beach which was a great time. Riding bikes, beach games, brewing coffee in our cozy camper, enjoying breakfast with an ocean view, bonfire at night with some smores and some card games! As the sun sets (even though I’d probably want to go to sleep), we’d head to a local brewery for some cold beers and live music. The next day I would probably need to get some work done on RN New Grads, which my best friend understands so we would probably go to a cute coffee shop for a quick hour or two. Also during our trip I definitely would want some sweet treats from Cinnaholic or Crumbl Cookies. And if there’s a football game or a gymnastics event nearby, you can bet we’ll be cheering on our favorite teams. My best friend is a huge Disneyland fan so we would probably have to make a stop there as well. From beachside camping to brewery hopping and scenic hikes, it’s all about enjoying the simple pleasures and making unforgettable memories with my best friend by my side.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to dedicate this shoutout to my husband, Matt. RN New Grads owes so much to his tireless support and his willingness to step into numerous roles within the company, lightening my workload significantly. Thank you, Matt, for always standing by me, even when my ideas seemed a bit out there, and for being my rock during this risky entrepreneur endeavor. Your unwavering support means the world to me, and I’m incredibly grateful to have you by my side!

Website: https://rnnewgrads.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rnnewgrads/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069436355725

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@rnnewgrads

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@rnnewgrads