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Digging into the nuances of Brayden’s life nursing career, he was able to bundle a core experience into his own life. In a lovely little clip, Bowers, the reality star turned Registered Nurse, allowed Blakely, his nervous stepchild, to perform a blood draw on his arm, demonstrating to the girl that medical procedures really need not be so scary. Bowers emphasized that it was just a supervised teaching moment, instructing the child never to attempt this on her own without professional guidance.
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Throughout the whole procedure, Bowers calmly coached Blakely, from washing the hands to identifying veins and correctly inserting the needle. There was no hesitation as the registered nurse would explain terms such as “bevel” in clear language while offering continuous reassurance to the girl during the entire process. When Blakely expressed doubts about the procedure, Bowers leaned over to comfort her and said, “You’re okay,” showing great expertise as a nurse combined with patience as a father.
Another important disclaimer was issued by Bowers within his post, saying that he is a trained nurse and that Blakely understood that it was a one-off educational experience. “I only wanted to show her that it doesn’t have to be scary,” he wrote, which exemplifies such an excellent parenting style. Then the video ended with huge results, visibly showing blood being drawn into the vial, confirming that the lesson truly took place.
This little moment was so full of heart, enough to touch the hearts of healthcare workers on social media. “Peds nurse here… I am IMPRESSED!!! What a fabulous job, love that you’re teaching her and so amazing as a dad!” stated Pediatric Nurse. This comment is reflective of the dad method, combining medical education with an emotional support system.
Another healthcare worker foresees broader applications for the technique, “We are Peds dietitians at UCLA and work with kids with very complex and chronic conditions so as you know they have a lot of medical trauma. This is awesome and I will share with my team to see if this concept can be applied to helping reduce procedural trauma for our patients.” This demonstrates how what could have been just a small personal parenting moment undertaken by Bowers could potentially make waves in the medical community.
Many commenters expressed shock at Bowers’ nursing credentials, with one saying, “I really wasn’t sure about you on reality TV. But now you’re one of my favorites to follow… I’m so impressed with how you treat the ladies in your life!!” This statement attempts to put across that transitioning from reality show star to working nurse and family man has been one Bowers has pulled off in the eyes of the public.
The video also earned accolades from fellow nursing professionals, with one stating, “My favorite from the show by far!!! From male nurse to male nurse, you are that guy!!! Teaching the youth and paying it forward means so much to the profession!!!” This echoes the earlier comment in underlining the importance of Bowers in fashioning new and positive representations for male nurses in an industry largely dominated by women.
Most likely, the sweetest of all comments are from those who perceived the profound relationship between this stepfather and his stepdaughter. An onlooker went on to say, “The fact that you have stepped into her life and taken the role of a role model, stepdad is the absolute example of what a wonderful human you are.” With this, we are saying so much about Bowers’ commitment as an actual family member, beyond sharing his medical knowledge with them.
Then the video amazed a few, those who have had some recent medical experience, with a first-time mom stating, “I just had a baby and she did better than 95% of my blood collectors I’m impressed.” The other user quickly responded: “She did better than some of the nurses that pricked me, good job!!” The multitude of praise seems to indicate that the trainee reasonably excelled; the youth did very well under Bowers’ tutelage.
Bowers responded to many comments with one comeback of, “Normally it’s good to show kids on dolls or bears but I figured I’d be an ok substitute.” His sense of humor in what might be considered one of the most intense and awkward situations imaginable speaks to a person comfortable both in the domains of nursing and parenting.
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Once upon a time, the reality show era was an opportunity to transition-from-contestant-to-healthcare-professional-and-devoted-stepfather. This has moved Bowers so high in public favor. He is positioned as a beacon for modern fatherhood, mixing medical expertise with a gentle approach to parenting. With this bit of teaching, Bowers is making a statement: Courage isn’t the absence of fear; it is being able to face that fear with knowledge and assurance.