Working a global pandemic highlighted to need for nurses to prioritize their mental health.

Remember - you are more than your job. You deserve to be here and to be happy. If you are struggling, seek out help from your peers, do a debrief, get peer support, or seek out help from a therapist.

This episode was a doozy. Glad it was a short one!

Take care of yourself!

XO

Nicole

Katy is a practicing RN. She has a degree in English from University of Washington and got a second degree in nursing from Duke University in 2005. After an 18-year career as an ICU nurse and a travel ICU nurse, she earned her certification as a Death Doula and End of Life planner through the Going with Grace program founded by Alua Arthur. She recently created her own Death Doula business named We Will Get By, LLC.

Katy talks about her views on death and how being a death doula can be so helpful in the transition to end-of-life care or "deathcare" outside the hospital. This is a super interesting episode and so helpful.

Thank you so much for being on the show, Katy! Go follow what Katy is up to on her Instagram @we.will.get.by!

XO

Nicole

Kalen Knight is a Forensic Nursing Specialist with the International Association of Forensic Nurses. He has extensive experience in clinical practice and education development from his prior professional experiences, including emergency, trauma, infectious disease, biocontainment/quarantine, nursing education, and forensic nursing. In addition to his role with the IAFN, Kalen practices as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner for Nebraska Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska as well as a Medicolegal Death Investigator for Pottawattamie County Medical Examiners Office in Iowa. He earned his BSN From Clarkson College in 2016 and his MSN and MBA from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 2022. He is a Certified Emergency Nurse and Certified Adult/Adolescent Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner. He additionally is an adjunct lecturer for the Masters in Forensic Nursing Programs Quality, Legal, Matters of Death Course and Clinical at Oakland University in Michigan.

This is a very interesting episode! Kalen gives us the rundown of what a normal call is like, how he processes the scene, as well as the follow-up as to where the decedent goes and whether or not autopsies are needed. He shares what he loves about the job, and how his views on death have changed since doing this work.

If you are interested in forensic nursing, this episode is for you!

Also, go check out Kalen's new podcast - Forensic Nursing: Beyond the Evidence with the International Association of Forensic Nurses here!

Thank you so much for being on the show, Kalen!

Take a listen if you are interested in Dr. Kat's point of view on H5N1.

Thank you for being a voice of reason!

XOXO

Nicole

Leah is a seasoned registered nurse with over 15 years of experience across various specialties. She currently serves as a Discharge Nurse for Acute Care Units and as a Forensic Nurse Examiner/Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner in the Emergency Room. In addition to her clinical work, Leah is dedicated to raising awareness about critical issues such as sexual assault, domestic violence, and human sex trafficking through social media content. Her educational posts are balanced with lighthearted nurse humor to provide an approachable, yet impactful, platform for advocacy.

Leah has conducted research on Childhood Trauma through the Academy of Forensic Nursing and utilizes funds generated from her social media presence and the Nurse Converse podcast to support domestic violence victims. She purchases phones for patients whose abusers have damaged or confiscated their devices, enabling them to communicate with local advocates, law enforcement, and social support networks. Furthermore, Leah has spearheaded initiatives to display resource posters for victims of domestic violence and human trafficking in hospital restroom stalls and has played an instrumental role in revising national and local hospital protocols for responding to calls to the Nurse Advice Line from sexual assault survivors.

Leah imparts her knowledge of her position, common misconceptions, implications for healthcare providers, and implications for our practice! Her #1 key takeaway is just saying to our patients "I believe you, I am so sorry someone did this to you, and this is NOT your fault."

Please go check out her meaningful work teaching adults how to talk to children and you about human trafficking at:

https://goafn.thinkific.com/bundles/walkwisebundle

Also, please go visit Leah's Linktree to see everything that she is up to as well as her International Group Trips:

https://linktr.ee/offtheclocknurse

If you want to listen to episodes of Leah on the Nurse Converse Podcast check it out here!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nurse-converse-presented-by-nurse-org/id1724443873

Thank you so much!

Nicole

Caroline Danna MSN, RN became a Registered Nurse in 2012. Since then, she has had over a decade of experience hiring nurses. Caroline has held positions in nursing recruitment as a Hospital Nurse Recruiter as well as Travel Nurse Recruiter. She also has years of experience in Nurse Management roles at both a large level I trauma center and small community hospital. Caroline managed all nursing hires within her respective units while in nursing leadership. Her true passion is coaching nurses as they advance their careers and grow professionally.

Nurse Coach Caroline offers advice on the following topics in this episode:

1. How to stand out on a resume and land an interview
2. Should I take a prep course for the NCLEX?
3. When should I apply for a job?
4. Boundary setting
5. Imposter syndrome
6. Mentorship
7. Surviving your first year!
8. Self-care tips!

Please check Nurse Coach Caroline out on her website https://www.nursecoachcaroline.com/ and on Instagram and Tiktok @nursecoachcaroline for her amazing resources for the New Grad Nurse.

Thanks for being on the show!

XO

Nicole

P.S. If you want to check out the NCLEX prep course Caroline talked about here is the info:

Mometrix - Test Prep 

20% off Discount code: CAROLINE20

https://ref.mometrix.com/1191-852.htm

Desiree Wood,  DNP, ARNP, AGPCNP-BC, CCRN, is a board certified nurse practitioner with the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She has over 18 years of diverse nursing experience, 10 years as an Acute Care NP in the ICU, the last 6 years focused on Medical Aesthetics, and is the founder of Seattle Beauty! 

We discuss the importance of speaking up, barriers to speaking up, tools for speaking up such as C.U.S. from TeamSTEPPS, and we even role play what speaking up looks like! Not sure what to say or who to turn to? We got you!

Let me know what you think about this episode! We hope it was helpful and in the future, you will be able to get CEs for listening to it. Stay tuned. :)

XOXO

Nicole

Dr. Julie Siemers is a patient safety consultant, industry nurse leader, and educator. She is also the founder of Lifebeat Solutions and the author of the bestselling book ‘Surviving Your Hospital Stay: A Nurse Educator's Guide to Staying Safe and Living to Tell About It.’

She spent 15 years in nursing education, serving in roles ranging from Professor to Dean, and as Executive Director at a large nursing university in California. She has a rich background in direct patient care, with experience in various roles on the medical/surgical care floor, in the Intensive Care Unit, the emergency department, and the trauma resuscitation department at University Medical Center in Las Vegas. Additionally, she served as a flight nurse on a trauma helicopter for 10 years.

On this riveting episode we disuss some big takeaways that are important for improving your clinical practice as well as making patient care safer!

1. Count your respirations! Really count them. :)
2. Call the Rapid Response!
3. Speak up!
4. Treat your patients as if they are your family members!

Thank you, Dr. Julie for some interesting and important information about how to make the hospital setting safer.

It takes a village!

Best,

Nicole

Can't wait for you all to tune in!

Nicole

With firsthand experience overcoming burnout, Shauntel founded ChartLyfe.com to support her colleagues in healthcare.

It was a pleasure to have Shauntel on the show! She offers great insight, her own burnout story, and resources on improving your well-being. Be sure to check out her weekly Peer Support Groups, her health coaching and wonderful resources on her website.

XO,

Nicole

If you are an infectious disease nerd, this show is for you! :)

So happy to have you back on this show, Kat so we can all learn from you!

Nicole

P.S. This epidose was recorded 9/12/2024. The waste water data may look different that we we talked about on this episode.

P.S.S. I got my Covid-19 Vaccine and only had a sore arm. :)

Thank you so much for listening!

Tami is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner and owner of Refresh Seattle, a mental health and wellness practice. She provides telehealth services to anyone in WA state and offers a truly holistic approach to mental wellness. She has experience in a wide range of medical specialties and we'll hear later how she incorporates that knowledge into her current practice. She graduated with her Bachelors in Nursing from Washington State University in 2005 and earned her master's in nursing from Seattle University in 2015. She is an active PNW hiker, softball player, world traveler, sports fan, and dog lover. 

Tune in to listen to how to make your mental health a priority, tips on how to improve it, and how to address S.A.D (Seasonal Affective Disorder) this winter.

If you are interested in reaching Tami for an appointment, check out her website here!

Thank you so much for being on the show!

Stay safe and stay sane,

Nicole

Andrea Dalzell is a registered nurse, healthcare advocate, disability rights influencer, speaker and most importantly, a survivor. At the age of five, Andrea was diagnosed with transverse myelitis, an inflammation of the spinal cord that causes pain, muscle weakness and paralysis, and she was using a wheelchair full-time by twelve years old. Inspired by her experiences with nurses, she received her nursing degree from the City University of New York, College of Staten Island. Andrea became the first registered nurse in a wheelchair in the state of New York, and she devotes her career to helping others with disabilities live healthier lives whether seated or able-bodied.

 Andrea was crowned Ms. Wheelchair New York 2015, and utilized her title and platform: "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Access," to promote her message and belief that people with disabilities can live a fulfilling life. As an advocate and activist, she has won national recognition over the years, including being named New Mobilitiy's Person of the Year (2021) and the inaugural Craig H. Neilsen Visionary Prize Winner 2020. She has also been featured in Unite Spinal, HomeCare Magazine, Apple's iWatch campaign, Yahoo, and Forbes.

On today's show we talk about Andrea's story and her nursing journey. After 1500 job applications and 75 job interviews, it took a global pandemic to get the break she needed to work bedside. What a story! You will want to tune in for this!

Also, Andrea shares how hospitals and nursing programs could be doing better. Hint: We could be doing better.

Want to get involved? Check out the National Organization of Nurses with Disabilities.

Thanks so much for being on the show, Andrea!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Since we last chatted, Bryan has taken the world by storm, appearing on national television, local news, American Ninja Warrior, and appearing in the documentary by Cut called "Three Dying People Talk about Death" among other things.

Bryan opens up about the day to day of his life, managing stress and how movement is his medicine. His family and his health are his number one priority.

If you want to support Parkinson's research check out this link to donate to the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

And go follow what Bryan is up to on social media at @fox_ninja_c.

You are such an inspiration, Bryan!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

"Josie Tate is a family nurse practitioner with a heart to see others succeed. Since starting her nursing journey with a BSN in 2006, she has enjoyed working in a variety of settings with a strong background in inpatient and outpatient cardiology services. Her most memorable times as a nurse include being a preceptor to nursing students and mentor to newly hired employees. 

While she enjoys her role as an NP, she is also passionate about her life outside of practice. She is a wife to her college sweetheart and mom to three fun-filled kids. 

Soon after becoming a nurse practitioner in 2019, she saw new NPs experience a disconnect between obtaining an advanced degree and embracing the title of advanced practice provider. To bridge that gap, she created Clincepts, a job search solution to help nurse practitioners get happily hired.

Josie empowers nurse practitioners in 3 major aspects: passion, pay (beyond just salary), and productivity. She teaches strategies that help NPs articulate their unique professional stories by assisting with resume creation and interview preparation. With this, they can have that ideal job they are passionate about and be paid well for what they do. In addition, she shares ways to be efficient at work, so they can enjoy life outside of work."

If you are transitioning from RN to advanced practice, go check out one of Josie's courses or sign up to her blog to get helpful tips to increase your interviewing skills or buff up your resume!

Thank you so much for being on the show and thank you for helping nurses thrive, Josie!

It was such a pleasure!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Beth talks about her thoughts on nursing, hospice nursing, and how the pandemic has affected our profession. Also, she gets into her nursing trajectory, and where and how she finds joy in hospice nursing. As a reiki provider, Beth shares some treasures from that very specific type of energy work.

I'm excited for you to listen to this episode, feel validated, and maybe find some tools to protect your energy and your practice!

Please go check out Beth's book and subscribe to her blog! She offers real tips and insights for nurses for the death and dying process.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

As always this was a fun, informative interview! Please go subscribe to Kat's blog at www.epidemiologistkat.com.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane!

Nicole

Today, Des Wood and I talk about what's been going on behind the scenes with me and my thoughts on the podcast. We discuss what is going on in healthcare, our thoughts on the pandemic, and in nursing.

Please help! Do you want Found Down to continue? What do YOU want from the show?

It's been so fun and meaningful for me to do the show. Let me know what would like from Found Down!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

P.S. Please check out the upcoming Yoga in the Park on 8/19! All proceeds go to Hope Center Resources, a nonprofit that helps people experiencing homelessness.

Just popping on to say I'm on a break and will return in June. I'm posting a Nurses Week GIVEAWAY on my Instagram account on 5/6 so check it out there!

You all are amazing. See you in June!

Nicole

Today I am thrilled to have Patient Safety Director Krista Haugen, MSN, RN, CTFE back on the show to discuss medical errors and mistakes in healthcare. She gives her insight as to why this is such a complex issue, what is just culture and shared accountability and how a facility and providers can approach mistakes. We share our own mistakes from our careers and we discuss why shame is so wrapped up in these events. She also talks about what is “speaking up” and how to think about it in regards to keeping your patients safe.

Medical errors and mistakes in healthcare are extremely important issues. We are moving away from a “blaming” culture and more to a systems approach like the “Swiss Cheese Model.” Often there are many contributing factors to why an error occurred. Check out this link to the causal map of the Titanic sinking. Hint: There wasn’t just one reason the titanic sank.

Check out this video on how we beat ourselves when we make a mistake: https://dontforgetthebubbles.com/fixing-what-once-was-broken-ross-fisher-at-dftb18/

Thank you so much for listening to this show!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

David, you are an inspiration to the community. Thank you for what you do!

Stay Safe & Stay Sane,

Nicole

My resources for this episode are from:

The Nurse Erica, Nurse Liz, The Tennessean, The CMS Report, and Institute of Patient Medication Practices

If you want to support RaDonda Vaught you can:

1. Show up at her court date on 5/13/2022 in Nashville, Tennessee.
2. Write a hand written letter to the Honorable Judge Jennifer L. Smith to request clemency. Please send it to RaDonda's PO Box.

RaDonda Vaught

PO Box 128

Bethpage, TN 37022

3.Sign this petition to grant RaDonda Vaught clemency.

Please stay hypervigilant. If there are things in your work environment that are not safe speak up, write incident reports, and help change the system. I know are we are fearful of this legal precedent, but I urge you to help make your work environment the safest as possible. We need to continue use just culture and have an open, non-punitive avenue for reporting.

We support you RaDonda!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Thank you so much for being on the show. And thanks for listening, Keri!!!

Stay Safe & Stay Sane,

Nicole

Al reveals how The ICU Murse account got started and how sharing the truth about Covid made him go viral. Al often speaks our truth on social media and for that, I am so grateful. He is also making talking about mental health a priority on his platform.

Al and Christiian Letsinger (aka Redbeard RN) have a new podcast in the works call 'You can't make this shi(f)t up!' It's not out yet, but sounds entertaining!

Thank you so much for coming on the show and for speaking your truth. Thank you for all you do for the nursing community, Al!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

You’ll get to learn my thoughts on life, nursing, entrepreneurship, and some of my thoughts about Found Down.  

I talk about my conception of Unwound Retreats - a travel and wellness business for nurses.  We have some amazing international trips coming up in 2022 to Morocco and Mexico and oh man, you deserve to come!  Want a cultural, spiritual and education retreat? Check out Unwound Retreats and get on my email list to learn more! 

Thank YOU for listening and supporting Found Down.  

Do you have feedback on the show? Do you have guest ideas? Do you want merch?

Drop a line and let me know!

Xoxo

Stay Safe & Stay Sane!

Nicole

Paul Benz is a King County based Mental Health, Addiction, Grief and Trauma Chaplain of the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America). Paul is a Street Minister from Operation Nightwatch and a Spiritual Care Provider/Chaplain for a level one trauma center in Seattle.

Spiritual care providers are a crucial part of the medical team - they attend all codes, they sit with the dying, the suffering, and give patients and family members solace during really stressful times, as well provide staff support.

Pastor Paul talks about his work, how he was called to it and how he metabolizes it when things are heavy. This is a very real conversation about death and how we approach death in the 21st century in Western America. And having been in this work, he has some interesting revelations. Don't die with regrets and live your life in a way that doesn't cause harm. He references this text that is very "life giving." And he also has great insight on how to live your life - "To learn to love more truly" and "love thy neighbor" he says.

We also talk about what is going on in Ukraine right now and he sings a beautiful tribute to the Ukrainians who are being persecuted right now. He chose to sing 'This is my Song' and it comes from Finland's own experience with a Russian invasion in the 1930s.

This is a very real and raw episode. Thank you, Paul for delivering this beautiful episode with me.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

P.S. GRAB YOUR KLEENEX

Let me tell you, this was a validating and difficult conversation to have. We were *not* in a great place before the pandemic hit, so it is not surprising to learn about the toll it is taking on us. Per a study referenced in the interview, 75% - 77% of us are experiencing a clinical diagnosis of depression, anxiety, PTSD or insomnia. That is most of us!

The way through is not an easy fix. It's time we are transparent about how we are doing when we consider re-building. Nursing is not the same as it was in 2019.

So, we talk about what we can do as individuals and as healthcare leaders. Some of the work is personal and some of it is organizational. Both Marie and Cheri say utilizing the military's Stress First Aid Model is helpful. Staff truly need support in this time, so peer support programs are essential, as well as having authentic leadership as highlighted in the Healthy Work Environment by AACN. The emotional well-being of healthcare providers is a national top priority.

If you are struggling, please know you are not alone. Here are some resources. Please get help if you are having a tough time.

Suicide Hotline

1-800-273-8255

Crisis Line

Emotional PPE - an organization that offers free counseling to healthcare workers

Use your Employee Assistance Program for counseling services

Better Help

Thank you!

Stay Safe & Stay Sane,

Nicole

On this episode, we get into how Spencer is actually doing and what is coming up for him lately. . Spencer gets into his very interesting background as a kid who grew up overseas in Bangkok, Thailand and what played out after a swift and unexpected move to the states. He also shares his career trajectory and how he got into EMS. It's a super interesting story - one that involves a stint in standup.

This is such a great episode. We get into some nuances of our jobs and swap a few stories.

It was such an honor to have you on the show, Spencer!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Today I sit down with the co-founders of the Last Pizza Party Movement, Nurse Erica and Nurse Nander. This nurse advocacy movement and non profit was born out of the Covid-19 pandemic. “The Last Pizza Party is dedicated to ensuring safer workplaces for healthcare providers, safer care for patients through legislation, and educating providers on current regulations and protective strategies.” In this episode, we discuss the impact of unsafe staffing on patients and nurses, the power of unionizing and what is really going on with the “nursing shortage.”

The vision of the Last Pizza Party Movement is big, but not unachievable. But it starts with all four million nurses taking the time to care about what is happening to nurses collectively across the USA. Nurses deserve safe staffing for patient safety and our patients deserve it, too.

Be prepared to get riled up. There are three pieces of legislation that need your attention!

1. The Safe Staffing Act that would mandate nurse to patient ratios nation wide – https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1567/text?r=2&s=1
2. The Pro Act – Protecting the right to Unionize – https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/842
3. The Workplace Violence Prevention Act for Healthcare Workers https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/1309/text

If you want to get involved, please go the Last Pizza Party Movement website here. Follow them on instagram @thelastpizzapartymovement or on tiktok @thelastpizzapartymovement. You can join their FB group, as well.

You can follow Nurse Erica and Nurse Nander on Tiktok to stay in the know.

Thank you so much for being on the show! It was a good one!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Tiffany shares her story with diversion and what happened to her. She never imagined that this would be her, as she identified with this image of being the “perfect ICU nurse.” It wasn't until her addiction with vicodin took over, that she found herself getting caught diverting narcotics on the job. She very candidly talks about how things were handled, what happened with her nursing license and the requirements she had to do. And yes, there is life after getting help! It get better, she says!

Tiffany has a wealth of resources for those in need on her site www.recoverandrise.com. Also, if you are looking for a support group, please check out She Recovers. If you are looking for help with addiction, Tiffany recommends SAMSA. If you are a nurse and need specific resources please check out NCSBN.org.

If you are struggling with addiction, please seek out help. You are not alone.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Irnise hosts webinars, among other courses for nurses on how to document to protect ourselves and how to mitigate malpractice. So, I brought her on to give her advice on how we should approach documentation, whether or not we should hold liability insurance and what should we do if we are called to testify in a trial. You are most certainly going to want to listen to this episode! Irnise is full of practical insights and advice.

Please go follow her on Instagram at @yournurselawyer and sign up for one of her courses!

Irnise- It was such a joy and a pleasure doing this interview!

Thank you!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Get ready to be inspired! Cat speaks openly about how when she was going through a particularly challenging time she created Nurses Inspire Nurses - a concept that didn't exist before. This vision came to be when she hosted a Nurse Give Back Night and she ended up putting "Nurses Inspire Nurses" on t-shirts. The rest is history.

Trust me when I say this - you are going to want to listen to this episode. Especially, if you are feeling down, hopeless and stuck! Cat gives her wisdom on how to move through discomfort and where she derives her magic. And she offers up advice to those of us who are going through hard times right now.

Please check out Nurses Inspire Nurses! They have a free community for nurses and give 500 gifts a month to nurses in their 'Inspire a Nurse' project! Plus, they have cool merch, fun events and are giving back to the nursing community all the time!

Thank YOU Cat for all that you for US!

XOXOXO

Nicole

First of all - We both want to say a BIG thank you to all of the nurses out there that are in nursing school! We need you. Second of all, thank you to all of the preceptors out there. You know you have been precepting like crazy. So, thank you!

Amy delves into tips for preceptors when teaching new nurses such as how to find out their orientees learning styles, how to set them up for success, when to ask for help and how to know when to take a break.

We also discuss advice for new nurses! We know it is so tough right now. When you are struggling, reach out and ask for help. We want to support you. Here are a few resources Amy recommends if you need encouragement:

Lacey Magen New Nurse Mentor

Anna Rodriguez -The Burnout Book

Nurses Inspire Nurses

Preceptors - Remember the positive impact you can have on the future of nursing.

Orientees - It gets better and you got this.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

XOXOXO

Nic

Today I sit back down virtually with two of my favorite women - Dr. Katrine Wallace and Christina Kim, NP. Epidemiologist Kat has a Ph.D. in epidemiology, has over 15 years of professional research and she currently is a professor at University of Illinois at Chicago. Christinaaaaaaanp is a Nurse Practitioner in outpatient oncology, with a BS in biochemistry. Both women are super active on social media promoting the truth about the Covid-19 pandemic, vaccines, their efficacy and fighting incessant misinformation.

I check in with these women to catch up, talk about how things have been and find out what we know about Omicron. The key take aways are - mitigation measures work, vaccines show effectiveness against this omicron variant, particularly if boosted.

SO, DON'T PANIC AND GET YOUR BOOSTER!

Kat & Christina - Thank you for doing your good work fighting misinformation and spreading truth all in the name of public health and humanity.

Love you ladies!!

XOXOXO

Nicole

Grace uses her dark humor and insight on Tiktok and has blown up on that platform. She is very funny and candid. You should definitely follow her there @_shesaidwhat_ and on Instagram @gracesaidwhatz.

This is a pretty raw episode. Come check it out!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

And with that leadership experience, Joanie offers real insight into this nursing exodus and what needs to be done.  A large part of the problem is lack of leadership from nursing leaders and hospital administration.

She also posits that at this juncture the nursing collective needs to come together to make the change we want. "Nurses own the workforce, but we just don't know it yet." We have so much power right now, we just haven't figured that out.

Come listen to an inspiring and motivating interview with Joanie Guy.

And maybe, you’ll want to go on one of her trips to the south of France!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Chris is also the co-host of the amazing EMS 20/20 podcast where he and his co-host Spencer Oliver review calls that area submitted by their colleagues to offer insight into what went well, what could have gone better all in the name of providing invaluable education. Go LISTEN! It is fabulous!

This is a funny and heartfelt episode. Thank you so much for being on the show, Chris! You are always welcome to come back!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

This episode is super enlightening as well as very needed. Dr. Tonelli dives into this notion of just because we can do something as medical providers, doesn't mean we should. It gets really juicy, so please tune in!

Thank you so much for being on the show, Mark. I am so appreciative and I know our listeners will be, too.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole 

What we talk about is interesting, this notion of needing to detangle how we often over identify with our roles as clinicians in certain settings, (ie ICU or ER) but at the end of the day, as Sam says, we have chosen careers in the service of others, so we are equally valuable in whatever role.

"Spend your cortisol wisely," Sam says in her meme-able quote. It's ok to leave and do something less stressful.

And at the end of the day, it is just a job.

Thank you for coming back on the show, Sam for this fun episode!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

I promise you, you do not want to miss out on this honest and raw conversation. Tim has a unique perspective on dying and the dying process. "It is not medical" he says. What a breath of fresh air!

Come listen along to Tim wax poetic about death, something that is so universal to us all.

Thank you so much for all you do, Tim.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Emily is an adventurous and brave individual who shares this inspiring tale. Not everything went as expected - as often in this case, so you will definitely want to tune in to this episode!

Thank you again for being on the show!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Emily shares with us the day to day of the operations at this facility and how they keep their quarantined individuals safe and cared for. She has learned a lot about her practice as a nurse from this experience and has learned to check her biases and use harm reduction strategies in caring for guests.

Emily also discusses the results of a UW Impact study that shows the REAL benefit to the community, where they predicted that the facilities saved at least 5,000 - 20,000 people from being infected with Covid-19!

If you want to get involved in the community, check out the medical reserve corp.

https://kingcounty.gov/depts/health/emergency-preparedness/reserve-corps/join.aspx

https://kingcounty.gov/depts/community-human-services/COVID/shelter-response.aspx

Thank you so much for being on the show! Go follow Emily @yawar.misky on Instagram.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Emily is definitely an interesting and talented woman. We touch on her work as a disaster response nurse during the Ebola outbreak. I promise to bring her back to talk solely about it in a special dedicated episode.

And, this amazing human also spends hours of her own free time combating Covid misinformation on social media on her Instagram @twodustytravelers. Thank you on behalf of all of us.

Emily is also a travel blogger and travel entrepreneur. She is one half of www.twodustytravelers.com where she and her husband promote ethical travel and put on overland jeep tours. Go check it out!

Thank you so much for coming on the show! You are an inspiration to so many of us.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Bryan shares how he came to want to talk openly about this and his hopes to make it better for others out there living with a chronic illness. He gets very vulnerable on this episode of Found Down and about his choice to speak out. He is up to some really cool things and hopes to change the landscape for young people dealing with PD. You can follow him here @balddad206 on Instagram. He is clearly thriving and such an inspiration to us all.

If you want to donate to the Michael J. Fox Foundation you can do so here.

Thanks for being such an awesome human and nurse.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Emily shares her nursing trajectory, what led her to travel nursing and her burnout story.

It is clear in talking with Emily that she is passionate about travel nursing and the need for a better community. Travel nurses often arrive on site, not knowing anyone, thus it can be an isolating experience. So, she decided to create a better space for travel nurses to come together online and in person through the MedVenture App, which officially launched this January 2021. Emily speaks about her nursing entrepreneurship journey, what it means to fail fast and the need to get over perfection.

As far as trying travel nursing or entrepreneurship, Emily says just do it! Whatever is sitting on your heart, you should just do it.

This was a very inspiring interview. Thank you so much for being on the show.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Shannon also shares how she carved out a four month break between her last travel assignment working as an ICU travel nurse and taking a job as a camp nurse. "Rest is a radical act!" I agree, Shannon.

Thank you so much for being on the show! Please go follow Shannon Miller on Instagram @headstandsonholiday to see what cool stuff she has going on!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

This is a very informative episode. Thank you so much for being on the show, Dr. Kat!

Go follow Dr. Kat on Instagram @epidemiologistkat or on TikTok @epidemiologistkat OR go to her website for great resources www.epidemiologistkat.com.

Hope you enjoyed this one!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Neal has been featured in many news sources including here with Sanjay Gupta, MD and Anderson Cooper.

Thank you, Neal for your bravery and courage. We so appreciate what you have done for modern medicine and humanity.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Aries shares a few stories and if you listened to his first episode, you won't want to miss this episode.

Aries gives out a few pieces of important life advice from his unique point of view - "Wear a seatbelt, don't text and drive and get vaccinated!"

I'll be complying.

Thanks, Aries for being on the show!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

The vision of the Last Pizza Party Movement is big, but not unachievable. But it starts with all four million nurses taking the time to care about what is happening to nurses collectively across the USA. Nurses deserve safe staffing for patient safety and our patients deserve it, too.

Be prepared to get riled up. There are three pieces of legislation that need your attention!

1. The Safe Staffing Act that would mandate nurse to patient ratios nation wide - https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1567/text?r=2&s=1
2. The Pro Act - Protecting the right to Unionize - https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/842
3. The Workplace Violence Prevention Act for Healthcare Workers https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/1309/text

If you want to get involved, please go the Last Pizza Party Movement website here. Follow them on instagram @thelastpizzapartymovement or on tiktok @thelastpizzapartymovement. You can join their FB group, as well.

You can follow Nurse Erica and Nurse Nander on Tiktok to stay in the know.

Thank you so much for being on the show! It was a good one!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

It was a real treat to catch up with Eileen as we worked side by side for many years.

Thank you so much for being on the show.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Diana shares what burnout is, how to stay engaged, how to listen to yourself and when you know it is time to move on among many other things.

Thank you so much for being on the show. It was a joy and a privilege to have this conversation.

Please follow Diana on her Instagram @catalystforselfcare.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

This was a fascinating interview. I hope you enjoy it!

Thank you so much for being on the show! I can't wait to have you back on the show to talk diabetes education! Please go follow him on his Instagram @redbeardrn for great nursing content.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

After a year of putting this weekly podcast out there, I'm taking a break for the month. Thank you for supporting this one woman operation. I truly appreciate it.

If you have ideas for guests or for topics, please email me at founddownpodcast@gmail.com and I'll check it out.

Until then - I'll see you on July 5th!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Today we talk about the prevalence of dying patients in the ICU and the experience of being a nurse and provider and helping someone cross to the other side. We pull back the veil and share some of the most vulnerable feelings that come along with this work.

Warning - This is a pretty raw episode.  

Thank you for always being willing to have these conversations, Des.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane, 

Nicole

Today I have Lisa Pylat Soltis, MN, RN, CCRN-CMC-CSC, CHFN, PCCN Senior ECMO Clinical Specialist back on the show to talk about the ethical considerations of using Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO). This episode is an emotionally heavy one, although important. We discuss who ECMO is best for, what is destination therapy and the definition of a bridge to no where.

Lisa shares stories from her own experience at the bedside as well as discusses some clinical cases. She also brings up moral distress and how it relates to ECMO.

This is a very heartfelt episode. Bring a tissue.

Thank you, Lisa for being back on the show and for educating all of us.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

We discuss what has been surprising and interesting about contact tracing in a global pandemic, the ins and outs of the work itself and any lessons learned.

Nik also has a huge following on Tiktok @nikhagen where he infuses humor, love and kindness in his videos. I highly suggest you check him out! Thank you for being a light!

Thank you, Nik for being on the show and sharing your experience with us all.

In gratitude,

Nicole

Lisa discusses what is ECMO, who the intended recipients are, the indications for its use in COVID-19 patients and the outcomes when using this therapy.

This is a really educational episode filled with heart, too. Lisa shares how she went back to the bedside during the beginning of the pandemic and had an experience that will forever stay with her.

Thank you, Lisa for being on the show! I appreciate your wisdom and expertise.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Thank you, Susan for being so fun to talk to!

You're the best.

Nicole

Dr. Wallace holds a Ph.D. in Epidemiology and has 15+ years of professional research experience in epidemiology, research design, pharmacoepidemiology, health economics, outcomes research, and biostatistics. She is currently working as an epidemiologist and adjunct assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health.

​You will not want to miss this episode. It is phenomenally informative.

Thank you, Kat for being such a delight and a champion for science and public health.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Shannon is about to take a much needed break. Congratulations and you deserve it!

Thank you so much for being on the show, Shannon!

Nicole

Brian discusses how the the landscape has changed a lot from the days of being encouraged to push everything down emotionally. Paramedics and fire fighters are often first on scene for horrifying calls. Now, Brian is involved in resiliency work where the focus is to try be proactive in your self care so you can stick around to do the job you love.

This was a riveting and entertaining episode. Brian, thank you so much for being on the show and showing us nurses some love.

Nicole

Medical errors and mistakes in healthcare is extremely important issue. We are moving away from a "blaming" culture and more to a systems approach like the "Swiss Cheese Model." Often there are many contributing factors to why an error occurred. Check out this link to the causal map of the Titanic sinking. Hint: There wasn't just one reason the titanic sank.

Check out this video on how we beat ourselves when we make a mistake: https://dontforgetthebubbles.com/fixing-what-once-was-broken-ross-fisher-at-dftb18/

Thank you so much for listening to this show!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

It was an absolute pleasure to have you on the show, Chantelle!

I hope you all enjoy this episode.

Stay Safe and Stay Safe,

Nicole

Today I interview Corey Palmer to find out about their experience being a new ER nurse in the pandemic as well as thoughts on how nursing school prepared them for the reality of nursing. They reflect on how their orientation was changed to adapt to the Covid-19 pandemic and thoughts on what they would have done differently.

Corey also was an EMT for six years before going into nursing school and they share their thoughts on the learning curve that presented, as well as reflect on their time as an EMT.

Corey offers touching words of encouragement and advice to new nurses coming into the profession right now. "I'm so proud of you."

Thank you, Corey for sharing you thoughts on this episode. You are awesome.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Shana also has her own business where she does trauma informed care for private clients at https://liquidsunshinepsychiatricservices.com/.

This is a fascinating interview. I hope you enjoy it.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Raeann is also a part of Nurstory.org, a digital story telling workshop. Naturally, we discuss storytelling in nursing, its impact and what happens when nurses come together and swap stories. As she said, nurses hold so many stories that often don't ever get told.

Thank you for this very interesting and informative episode, Raeann! It was a pleasure!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Des and I are hosting the next Unwound Retreat this Wednesday. You can find out about it here. We'll be teaching stress reduction strategies as well as practicing restorative yoga. We hope to see you there.

I'm so grateful for your friendship mentorship and leadership, Des.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nic

In her current role, Krista is a Patient Safety Director at a major medical air and ground transport organization reviewing adverse events. She is passionate about just culture and has a systems view of how mistakes are made. She speaks openly about how we need to support the clinicians who are involved in such events so they know they are not alone.

This is such an inspirational episode. Thank you for being on the show, Krista. Thank you for your message of hope and encouragement to keep going even when things are hard.

As Always, Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

If you were ever curious about the complexities of organ donation, please listen in. It is definitely a very complicated but meaningful thing and it takes a village to accomplish - from the patient themselves and their families, the onsite nurses, physicians, respiratory therapists, the organ donation coordinators, the surgeons and the transport crew AMONG MANY OTHERS.

A special thanks to all people who are registered donors and for the donors themselves that have saved hundreds of thousands of lives. And for the families out there that already know this, organ donation can often bring so much hope in a tragic time.

This is a very important episode and I promise you will definitely learn something new. I did.

Thank you, Leah for being on the show. You are so amazing and are doing such incredible work.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Thanks so much for doing this episode, Hanna. I appreciate your insight and what you are doing in the Emergency Room.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Thank you, Angela for being on the show.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

This is an intense story as Pauline shares her journey with this diagnosis and how she is doing today.

Thank you so much for being on the show. I'm so happy you are almost back to your baseline.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Melissa and I go way back, so it was an absolute joy to catch up and share stories.

Thank you so much for being on the show. Your patients are so lucky to have you.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

We cover all kinds of topics in these 30 minutes, including an amazing, truly Harborview story. WARNING TO THE SQUEAMISH - your stomach might do a cartwheel listening to this episode.

Nichole! Thanks again for being so amazing and I hope to meet you in person someday.

Stay safe and stay sane!

Nicole

P.S. I have new merch with my tag line - "Stay Safe and Stay Sane." Check it out here.

Thank you so much for being on the show today. You are a gift and I hope to get to meet you in person.

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Becky reflects on what life is like as a CRNA and she describes it is as "99% boredom and 1.0% sh&t your pants." She shares a few stories that have stayed with her over the years and discusses what parts of her job bring her joy as well as what is challenging.

Becky, thank you so much for talking with me. I hope you get back to traveling as soon as we are able. I always love your ethos on living life.

Sending you so much love.

Nicole

COVID-19 VACCINE MYTHS:

1. This vaccine was rushed so therefore it is unsafe.
2. This is new mRNA vaccine will modify my own DNA.
3. This vaccine uses fetal tissue.
4. This vaccine causes infertility.
5. I already had Covid, so I don't need to be vaccinated.
6. This was developed to control us and implant a mircochip.
7. More people will die from negative side effects of the vaccine than of the virus.
8. The flu vaccine will cover me for Covid-19 so I don't need the vaccine.
9. I won't need to wear a mask post Covid-19 vaccination.
10. Herd immunity through natural immunity is better than herd immunity through vaccination.

If you have concerns about the vaccine, please do your research and get vaccinated when you feel safe about it. At this time, it is not recommended for those with anaphylaxis issues - severe allergic reactions.

For transparency, I received the Pfizer vaccine on 12/18 and I'm feeling great. I had a soreness in my injection site that lasted two days. I did develop a migraine two hours after getting the vaccine. However, I get migraines so I'm unsure if it was related or not.

Please follow Christina Kim on Instragram and Tiktok @christinaaaaaaanp

Here is the New England Journal of Medicine article about the Pfizer vaccine clinical trial.

Here is a great New York Times article that answers frequently asked questions about the vaccine.

Thank you so much for listening to this episode. I hope you enjoy it!

Nicole

Des inquires about the origin of the podcast, my nursing career and how it has impacted my life. Hint - I did not take the traditional path. We discuss my thoughts on self-care including my own practices and why the pandemic is hard for us right now. I talk about my nurse wellness business Unwound Retreats and my exciting plans to take nurses travelling all over the globe. Morocco is going to be the first international destination in 2021! Check out my website here! I'd love to have you join us.

Also! We touch the topic of my Found Down Podcast Merch! If you want cool swag from the podcast, check it out here! I also have a voicemail! Please call 662-446-2834 if you want to leave any comments about the show, have stories to share, or have ideas for the show. I'd love to play and/or read the messages on the air.

Thank you, Des for this opportunity to open up. It is always such a pleasure talking with you.

XOXO

Nicole

Don't forget to follow Des' business MySeattleBeauty.com for any of your pandemic beauty needs.

This episode acts as a counterbalance to the heaviness of last weeks. Susan had me in stitches. I hope you laugh along with us.

Susan - it is always a pleasure.

XOXO

Nic

Today I interview my friend and colleague, Marie Cockerham, MN, RN, CCRN Staff Support Specialist about why the pandemic is hard especially in our 9th month, wellness in nursing and ways to support yourself and mental health during this difficult time.

This episode brings up a lot of feelings and we touch on suicide so I want to list some resources if you are struggling:

Crisis Prevention Line

Suicide Hotline

Talk Space

Better Help

Greater Good Resource Center

Covid Coach

She Recovers

YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

Remember, it is imperative we check in on each other and take care of our mental health so we will be here on the other side.

I love you,

Nic

Sending you so much love and gratitude,

Nicole

Have you responded to emergencies while flying? What was that experience like? Please email founddownpodcast@gmail.com.

As mentioned in the beginning of the show, thank you for the support! Please rate, review Found Down on whatever platform you are listening. Also, Found Down has merch! Check it out!

Do you want to support a non-profit this holiday season? Check out Hope Center Resources, a Seattle non-profit that delivers much needed toiletries to the homeless.

Also, with the real possibility of vaccines on the horizon, Unwound Retreats is planning some exciting upcoming events. Click here to get on my email list!

Thank you so much for listening and supporting the show!

Stay Safe and Stay Sane,

Nicole

Nichole shares her story of how she set out to watch the solar eclipse in the most beautiful of places canyoneering with some of her fellow ICU nurse friends. And while out in the wilderness, in a moment, everything changed for her. She tells her remarkable story, her rescue and how she was able to find the beauty in the moment, even when she was staring death in the face.

Nichole is currently making a documentary film about her experience called 'Be Like Water' and all proceeds will go to search and rescue.

Nichole also offers amazing wisdom and advice to us, her fellow nurses and how being a patient changed how she sees the way we do our work.

Bring the tissues, this one is tear jerker.

Nichole - Thank you so much for such a special episode. It was truly a gift to get to chat with you.

XOXO

Nicole

ALSO - This is overdue but shout out to all of the respiratory therapists for a belated respiratory therapy week! You literally are the cheese to our macaroni.

Jerry! It was such a pleasure to chat with you!

May you and your wife get back to traveling as soon as it is safe to do so!

Nicole

We also discuss a more recent turn of events which is Christina's Tiktok platform. During the pandemic, she has gained an enormous following where she is dispelling falsehoods, combatting the anti-maskers with science. She does a wonderful and funny job doing so and on behalf of all of us who believe in science, we thank you.

Please follow Christina on tiktok and instagram @christinaaaaaaanp You won't regret it!

This is a good one!

Thank you!

Nicole

We chat about how Nicole is holding up during the pandemic, how she expertly pivoted her business the moment she realized everything was going to change and her thoughts on the fallout of the pandemic for healthcare providers. She offers up some really thoughtful advice for how we should take care of ourselves and opens up about one of the most difficult experiences of her life - unexpectedly losing her mom.

Nicole shares an amazing and riveting Found Down story where she performed bystander CPR story at the airport. Talk about being in the right place at the right time! You are really going to want to listen to this! And she tells us her thoughts about how we can get better bystander cpr rates.

Thank you Nicole for doing the show! You are an absolute inspiration, leader and pioneer.

Much love,

Nicole J.

This is a fascinating, educational and heartbreaking episode. Dr. Hisert reflects on what is going to stay with her and as we know, some of this stuff just stays forever. 

Thank you so much, Katie.

It was an honor.

I hope you enjoy this episode! You are definitely going to want to listen to this one!

Nicole

But before we delve into that topic, we clear the air about our feelings on Donald Trump contracting Covid-19. As healthcare providers, it is hard not to have some feelings about this development, his behavior and latest tweets about it so we discuss this with our honesty and colorful language.

The second half of the show we have a conversation about accidental Tylenol overdoses and the complexities behind it, as well as share some of our own stories from the bedside. Please check out this resource about acetaminophen toxicity which lists that Tylenol toxicity is responsible for 56,000 annual ER visits a year, 2600 hospital admissions and over 500 deaths. Tylenol OD is the number one reason for liver transplantation in the US annually.

If you have the time, please listen to 'Use Only As Directed' a This American Life podcast episode that does a beautiful job covering this topic.

Stay safe out there and remember to read your labels and use only as directed!

Hope you enjoy this one and thank you, Cam!

Nicole

The thoughts expressed on this show do not represent my employer or the employer of my guests.

I have some thank yous to share, announcements about future episodes and a call to action for an upcoming episode. Also, merch is coming and please check out the website www.founddownpodcast.com to see the pictures of the guests who have been on the show!

Thanks for being amazing and thanks for the support!

Nicole

Kelsey's move east brought her to a more rural setting and working in acute care. She shares why she made this move, how the transition felt and the adjustments she had to make to her practice.

Also, having just been diagnosed with Covid-19, she let's us in on that experience, how she thinks she got it and some scary revelations.

Kelsey! It was so wonderful to have you on the show! And I'm so happy you are feeling better!

I hope you enjoy this one.

XO

Nicole

We discuss the phenomenon of "frequent flyers" those patients that just keep coming back and share a few stories. Inevitably, things get heavy and she shares what burnt her out.

Amy says that everybody has a story and we shouldn't forget that.

It was such a joy to sit and talk with Amy. She is a true gem and this episode is full of heart. Thank you, Amy.

I hope you enjoy this episode.

Nicole

This episode I interview former Naval Medic and soon to be nurse, Jerard Cook. He shares the most epic tale from his time a search and rescue swimmer in the Sea of Japan in 2005 - you can read about it here. This story is riveting and had me on the edge of my seat.

Also, Jerard opens up about the day he almost quit his dream of having a career in the medical field which caught me totally by surprise.

Thank you SO much for being on the show and for being such an amazing person.

Nicole

We go WAY BACK to nursing school and talk nursing care plans, to terrible scrubs and tough lessons. Thank God we all made it out alive.

If you are currently in nursing school, THANK YOU! We need you and you can do it! Hang in there because it gets better!

Thanks, Marci for taking me back! Hope you enjoy this episode!

Nicole

Sam says oncology chose her but she is drawn to it by the hope for a cure, the science and the challenge of it - and what a challenge it can be! She also is in a unique position where she is the one who delivers hard news, news nobody wants to hear and she openly discusses what that feels like. "It is a skill with a lot of emotion."

As for what makes her stay - it is part calling, part opportunity to help people, she loves what she does and her co-workers.

Additionally, Sam boxed for a few years in her twenties at Cappy's and she offers up some life lessons she learned that stay with her today. Everyone could use this advice.

Sam was a delight and a pleasure - always cool and funny.

I hope you enjoy this episode!

Nicole

Don't worry, we round it out with some funny nursing stories. Cam was an absolute delight to have on and he made sure to take full advantage of our 'E" for explicit rating.

You won't want to miss this episode!

Nicole

I hope you enjoy it!

Nicole

We chat about our times traveling and working abroad in Phnom Phen, Cambodia for the International Nursing Program set up by the esteemed and accomplished Lia Golden. We swap thoughts and stories about seeing a hospital setting so different from our own. We both were so impressed by the nurses and how they are excellent clinicians in spite of having such limited resources. It drove home the message that a nurse is a nurse is a nurse. We all want the best for our patients, we just have vastly different resources.

True to Found Down form, there are a few stories in there that will make you say, "what??"

I hope you enjoy this one!

Nicole

On today's episode not only do we learn about this EPIC Good Samaritan tale, we catch up with Madeline and talk about the reality and intensity of working in a COVID ICU, how she adapted and is still processing her feelings in real time. We learn how going back to the basics kept her afloat in this intense time, including revisiting 'Notes on Nursing' by Florence Nightingale. This was a truly inspirational interview.

I hope you enjoy this episode! It was a roller coaster!

Nicole

Thanks for listening to this show and sharing it with you friends! I truly appreciate it!

Can you do me a favor, especially, if you are a friend of mine? Can you please rate and leave an honest review Found Down on whereever you listen to your podcast? It truly helps get the show up the ranks and gives the show a better chance of success.

Thanks so much for your support! I have a new episode coming out tomorrow with the super awesome and brave Madeline Dahl! You won't want to miss it!

Nicole

P.S. Thank you to those out of you out there that have already done that! :)

Des and I get to talking about the stories that stay with us... the ones that linger in our minds. As Des says, the point in talking about this is to lift the veil on some of what we as nurses experience so that our colleagues out there know that they are not alone. A lot of us have had walk into situations where we feel ill-prepared or struggle with what is happening. Yet, somehow we do it with grace and compassion.

We both share experiences that were difficult and how it impacted us. I discuss a time when I felt profound moral distress and Des shares her experience transitioning a beautiful, young woman to comfort care.

If you are struggling with anything out there, please seek out help. Check out Betterhelp.com and talkspace.com for online counseling services. Check-in with your employee assistance program for their counseling options. Also, here is some resources from the AACN on moral distress.

Thank you so much for tuning in!

Nicole

On this episode, Susan talks about the importance of storytelling in nursing, what "Trauma Season" means and a hit parade of the top summer activities to avoid based on her experience. To be fair - I asked her to tell us....

This episode is full of dark humor - a coping mechanism for those of us that see the worst of the worst.

Susan eloquently talks about how we often have "ghosts" that linger with us and how to cope amidst the darkness.

This is a very special episode. I hope you enjoy it!

Nicole

Come listen along and get ready for a riveting tale.

Nicole

In this time of Covid-19, I see you and feel you. This is a tough time a) be alive and b) be in healthcare. Hopefully, we can bond over some things together and laugh from time to time.

If you want to be on the show or want to write in some stories, please email me at founddownpodcast@gmail.com

XO

Nicole

In this height of the Covid 19 pandemic, the most stressful time any nurse has lived through, it is important to offer an outlet and a space for us. It is time to offer a mental vacation so you can laugh or cry or laugh cry... whatever suits you. This is geared for medical professionals and so there will be a lot of medical jargon but for the tourists who jump on board, we’ll try to use laymen's terms at times.

Oh and we nurses swear like sailors so this is not kid safe either.

I hope you enjoy the show and honestly, this is supposed to be pure entertainment.  You know everyone loves a good nursing story, so buckle up! And I hope you get a good belly laugh!

Podcast coming mid-June 2020.

Nicole