The Conversing Nurse podcast

In 375 BC, the ancient philosopher Plato wrote, "Our need will be the real creator." But over time, the phrase has been condensed to its current form,  "Necessity is the mother of invention." 
Alex Whitefield, aka "The Break Nurse", is an innovator and nurse leader who identified a need: hospitals were using outdated break systems which were making it difficult for nurses to get breaks. So he co-in...

Brian Cerezo is a nurse who likes to have fun, but he's also passionate about the nursing profession and proud about being able to financially support his family. And he doesn't solely rely on his W-2 job. He's made some risky moves by investing in real estate, stocks, and the dreaded crypto. We agreed investing can sometimes be uncertain, but as his portfolio grows, so does his comfort in knowing he's got a bac...

Tiffany Gibson is a radical nurse leader who has been featured in Oprah Daily and Ebony magazines and proudly shares her two cents on social media and through her podcast. So when she manifested her goal on LinkedIn to book twelve speaking engagements this year, I jumped at the opportunity to invite her to be my guest because her wisdom for nurses cannot go unheard.
Tiffany is an emotional intelligence consultant and the found...

According to Forbes magazine, the relationship between managers and their employees has a significant impact on their mental health, similar to the effect of a partner. My guest this week, NICU Nurse Manager, Felicia Torres Vaughn, understands this and works hard to build strong relationships with her staff. During our conversation, Felicia clarified some common misconceptions about managers and emphasized the importance of mentors...

It was great reconnecting this week with my old friend and colleague, Rochelle Caldwell. Now let me rephrase that: we are not old, our friendship has just happened to span 43 years.  Rochelle is a labor and delivery nurse and an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and since that’s a mouthful, let’s just say an IBCLC. She was inspired to pursue this career path by another nurse, also an IBCLC who witnessed her inte...

This week, I had an informative conversation with the Founder and CEO of the CRNA School Prep Academy, Jenny Finnell. Like a great nurse entrepreneur, Jenny identified a need: CRNA candidates were struggling to get into these highly competitive schools. So she created the Academy, a place where potential students can find resources on how to land the all-important interview, how to make themselves stand out in a crowd of candidates...

Kristin Hansen is an enthusiastic, energetic, and highly skilled PICC nurse. However, she admits that it wasn't always easy for her to transition from starting IVs on premature babies in the NICU to placing PICC lines on adults. But with practice and persistence, she learned everything about this interesting nursing specialty and we are so lucky she is sharing her knowledge with us. Kristin explained the criteria for becoming ...

This week I had an informative and fun conversation about money with my guest, nurse, and finance coach, April Waddell. Yes, you heard me right, I said fun. Talking about money can create anxiety in some and I’m no different but April’s positive and hopeful spirit helped me keep calm and carry on.

After retiring from her work as a Pediatric ICU nurse, April founded Nurse Money Date, a financial coaching business and you’ll love hear...

Myra Gamble is so chill and laid-back, it’s hard to believe she’s a Trauma ICU nurse. She’s also done emergency room nursing, hospice, home health, cath lab, interventional radiology, and telemetry. And I imagine that such a wide range of experience has only made her a better ICU nurse.
As I listened to her recount stories from the COVID ICU, I remembered the toll it took on so many healthcare professionals. I loved hearing ho...

My guest this week, Lynn John, is a smart, tenacious woman. Deciding in high school to become a nurse, Lynn was told that would never happen. Armed with a prove-them-wrong attitude, she forged on and obtained her Master's in nursing. But after several years of working under institutional abuse in the form of unsafe staffing and mandatory overtime, she realized she did not want to be boxed into a W-2 job until retirement. So sh...

Cassidie Thomas is a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. This week, I had a conversation with her about fertility nursing, which is a fascinating field that I knew little about until now.
I learned that fertility nurses take care of a diverse group of patients, including couples who struggle with infertility, egg donors, individuals, surrogates, and cancer patients who want to preserve their eggs for future use. These patients of...

**This episode discusses suicide, depression, and addiction, which may be triggering topics for some. Reach out to a mental health professional if you are experiencing depression, addiction, or suicidal ideation**
Mental Health Resouces for Healthcare Workers and First Responders:
National Alliance on Mental Health
(Nurse-Led):
Debriefing the Front Lines
Don't Clock Out

If you like wild rides, you...

Hey guys! Today I’m talking about retirement because it's been two years since I retired from nursing! And for anybody who's been with me for a while, you've heard me talk about the challenges of retirement, and there certainly have been some. There have also been many blessings and we'll talk about those too, so let’s get to it!
The Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory
Becker's Clinical Leadership ar...

This week I had a great conversation about all things remote nursing. My guests are Maggie Lajaunie, Head of Clinical Services, and Blaire McElroy,  Clinical Services manager for the remote care company, Veta Health.
I came into the conversation with ZERO knowledge about what remote nursing entailed and I left with a new appreciation of it.
Like the Grinch, my heart grew three sizes that day because once again, I was blow...

It was a thrill to reconnect with my colleague and friend, Kari Replogle. Kari has a gentle personality that perfectly suits her role as a NICU nurse. But don't let that delightful personality fool you. Kari is also a highly skilled practitioner and self-proclaimed lover of the adrenaline rush. In our conversation, Kari reflected on seeing her mom help people as a nurse, whether in a hospital or a camp setting and became inspi...

If you've been listening to the podcast for a while you’ve heard me say that we would be discussing bullying and, I’m happy to report that after over 65 episodes, I'm finally doing that.  And I'm not only talking about it, I'm talking to the expert about it.
My guest, Dr. Phyllis Quinlan, a Ph.D.-prepared nurse,  literally wrote the book on Bullying and Chronic Incivility in Nursing. With a combined 45 year...

**CAUTION** In this episode we discuss mental health, including suicide. If you are experiencing mental health challenges and have thought of harming yourself, there is help for you. Call or text 988, the Suicide/Crisis Hotline. Help is available 24/7/365. Please reach out.

What do psych nursing, powerlifting, and The Walking Dead have in common? My guest for this week, Tara "Taz" Kittrell. Her long career servin...

Ever since I started this podcast, I have been looking forward to talking with a nurse who is also a JD. Recently, I got the opportunity to have an insightful conversation with Kwamane Liddell. Kwamane is a healthcare visionary. You only need to glance at his LinkedIn profile to see the many accolades he has received from various sectors, including healthcare, business, innovation, and technology. Here are just a few examples:
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Paras Barnett was leading a robust life as a nurse. She worked at a prestigious institution, provided expert nursing care to her patients, was a strong organizational leader, and a loving wife and friend.
However, despite all this, she felt like something was missing and was on the verge of burnout. So she became a Caritas coach, and in the process, learned how to prioritize self-care in order to be able to fill the cup of othe...