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Feb. 1, 2024

From Scrubs to Scripts: How Claire Bonneau Redefined Her Career

From Scrubs to Scripts: How Claire Bonneau Redefined Her Career
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Write Medicine

If you’re on LinkedIn, and you’re a nurse, a nurse who’s a health or medical writer, or a nurse who’s exploring how to become a writer, I think you’re going to love today’s First Friday episode. 

From the scrubs to the keyboard, Claire Bonneau’s story of how she shifted out of a full-time nursing role into a thriving freelance medical content writer is nothing short of motivational. She graduated from nursing school in 2019 and leaped into freelance health writing during the pandemic and her journey is proof that it's never too late to follow your passions.

Join us to explore:

  1. The challenges and triumphs of transitioning careers during uncertain times.
  2. How the problem-solving and creative aspects of nursing can lead to success in writing.
  3. The importance of community and learning from one's mistakes in the freelance world.


Listen to the full episode to hear how Claire is shaping her unique niche in the freelance health writing community. Oh, and she drops some serious gems about navigating platforms like Upwork and LinkedIn.


Connect with Claire

Website

LinkedIn

Email: claire@clairebonneau.com

Newsletter


What steps can you take today?

  1. Dedicate a moment each day to journal about your professional journey. Capture moments of learning, growth, and the emotions attached to your evolving career path.
  2. Reach out and connect with one new person a week on professional networking platforms like LinkedIn to start building your community, just as Claire did.
  3. Experiment with a freelancing platform by creating a profile or submitting a project proposal to experience the process and discover potential opportunities for skill-building and networking.


Time Stamps

  • (02:59) - Introducing Claire: From nurse to now
  • (05:55) - Why she went into writing
  • (07:37) - How creativity has helped her build her business
  • (09:05) - The obstacles Claire faced and her approach to problem-solving
  • (10:27) - Some examples of roadblocks and embarrassing moments she experienced
  • (13:34) - Transformation from isolation to engagement on LinkedIn
  • (15:44) - Her experience building an email newsletter
  • (17:37) - The purpose of the newsletter and building community
  • (21:05) - Claire’s thoughts on Upwork and how it’s been effective for her
  • (25:00) - Will she always be on Upwork and what a transition strategy would look like
  • (27:56) - Where the negativity comes from towards Upwork
  • (29:51) - Her encounter with feeling tapped by the nursing label as she transitioned into a new field
  • (33:30) - Her 3 pieces of advice for transitioning from clinical care to writing freelance
  • (34:58) - Where to connect with Claire
  • (36:17) - Episode Takeaways


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About Write Medicine

Hosted and produced by Alexandra Howson PhD, CHCP

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