Hi, I’m Kristel.
An operating room nurse, writer, and Filipino living abroad — sharing stories from the heart.
I created KristelRN as a space where nursing, healing, migration, and everyday life come together. Behind every shift in the operating room is a real person with dreams, exhaustion, quiet victories, homesickness, and hope. This blog is my way of documenting those moments honestly.
What started as a simple nursing blog slowly became something deeper — a journal of becoming.
From long hospital shifts to navigating life abroad, from missing home to learning how to heal and grow, I write about the parts of life we often keep to ourselves.
What You’ll Find Here
OR Nurse Diary
Real stories and reflections from life inside the operating room — the lessons, emotions, teamwork, pressure, and meaningful moments that stay with you long after the shift ends.
Migration Diaries
My journey living abroad as a Filipino nurse — adjusting to a new country, building a life far from home, and finding strength in unfamiliar places.
Healing & Growth
Gentle reflections on self-care, emotional healing, burnout, growth, and learning to slow down in a world that constantly asks us to keep going.
Travel Journal
Places that inspire peace, comfort, and perspective. Small moments, quiet cities, cafés, walks, and memories collected along the way.
Why I Started This Blog
Nursing is more than a profession.
It changes the way you see people, pain, life, and yourself.
There were moments in my journey when I felt overwhelmed, lost, exhausted, or emotionally disconnected. Writing became my safe space — a way to process experiences and reconnect with myself.
Through this blog, I hope other nurses, OFWs, students, and dreamers feel seen and understood.
You are not alone in what you carry.
A Few Things I Love
- Slow mornings and coffee
- Quiet walks around the city
- Meaningful conversations
- Cozy cafés and bookstores
- Journaling after long shifts
- Soft, calming spaces
- Stories that make people feel understood
Thank You for Being Here
Whether you’re a nursing student, an overseas worker, someone healing quietly, or simply passing through — welcome.
I hope this space feels comforting, honest, and real.
This is more than a blog.
It’s a collection of stories from the heart.
— Kristel ♡