ECMO saves lives, but at what emotional cost? In this episode of Voices in Nursing, Christina Block, an ECMO transport nurse, and Jennifer Popies, an ICU clinical nurse specialist, share findings from their CVICU research on moral distress. They discuss prognostic uncertainty, the burden of treatment, and the emotional toll of high-stakes decisions. Explore themes of identity, teamwork and resilience, and learn strategies to support care teams on the front lines of ECMO’s toughest challenges.

This episode is sponsored by The ECMO Course, providing nurses with a comprehensive understanding of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, with information available at www.aacn.org/ecmo-course

Nurses face long shifts and sleepless nights, but fatigue creates real risks for clinicians and patients. In this episode of Voices in Nursing, Dr. Susan Weaver and Dr. Terri Wurmser discuss their research on nurse fatigue, drowsy driving, and the impact of poor sleep on care. They also share practical strategies such as power naps, improved scheduling, and organizational support to promote nurse well-being, reduce errors, and strengthen patient safety.

This episode is sponsored by AACN’s Membership, offering members special discounts, clinical resources, and unlimited free CEs, with information on how to join available at www.aacn.org/discoveraacn

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping healthcare, but what does that mean for nurses? In this episode, Dr. Carl Goforth, retired Navy nurse and educator, joins AACN’s Dr. Vicki Good and Andrea Schmitt to explore the promise and pitfalls of AI in nursing. From clinical decision support to ethical safeguards, Dr. Goforth shares how nurses can use AI as a supportive tool without losing their human touch at the bedside. Learn how to stay informed, safe and engaged in this new era.

This episode is brought to you by AACN’s Knowledge Assessment Tool, helping educators identify knowledge gaps and educational needs of nurses new to the unit, or new to ICU or PCU patient care, with information available at www.aacn.org/assessnewnurse

Could silence in healthcare be as dangerous as a clinical mistake? Joseph Grenny, co-founder of Crucial Learning and co-author of “Crucial Conversations,“ joins AACN’s Dr. Vicki Good and Brandee Pak to unpack the updated Silence Kills 2.0 study. Together, they reveal why speaking up matters more than ever, how behavioral agility drives innovation, and practical ways nurses and leaders can build psychologically safe teams that strengthen care, trust and collaboration.

This episode is sponsored by AACN’s Beacon Award for Excellence, offering unit-level recognition for exceptional units, with information available at www.aacn.org/unitrecognition

What if well-being wasn’t a program but a practice embedded in every corner of a health system? Kristi McClure shares how OhioHealth created a long-term, data-informed strategy for clinician well-being — years before the pandemic made it urgent. She discusses how they’ve scaled support across 16 hospitals, leveraged the power of peer connection, and how dog therapy can become a symbol of care culture that starts from within an organization.

This episode is brought to you by AACN’s online course, Essentials of Critical Care Orientation or ECCO, providing modular, interactive case-based orientation for ICU or PCU patient care, with information available at www.aacn.org/orientationcc

Technology can be a powerful tool — especially if it truly supports the people using it. Dr. Sarah Rossetti, nurse informaticist and researcher, shares her work designing and studying digital systems in critical care. She discusses what happens when nurses shape technology from the ground up, why documentation fatigue matters, and how human-centered design can improve care delivery and nurse satisfaction.

This episode is brought to you by AACN’s Online Nursing Community Forums, offering support, inspiration and sharing of best practices online, with information available at www.aacn.org/aacncommunities

Human trafficking often goes undetected — even in clinical settings. Forensic nurse Ashley McAree shares how healthcare professionals can recognize signs of trafficking, debunk common myths and offer trauma-informed care. Learn how her team in Maryland transformed their SAFE program to meet the needs of some of society’s most vulnerable patients and how nurses everywhere can take part in building safer, more responsive systems of care.

This episode is sponsored by AACN’s award-winning, online leadership course, Fundamental Skills for Nurse Managers, with information available at www.aacn.org/managerskills

What if the key to reducing patient mortality lies in the workplace? Dr. Margo Brooks Carthon shares compelling research on how Healthy Work Environments empower nurses to deliver better outcomes—especially for patients facing social and economic barriers. This episode highlights how nurse-driven care, support, and advocacy can make a critical difference for underserved patients during health crises like COVID-19. A must-listen for every nurse-leader and changemaker.

This episode is sponsored by AACN’s Certification, offering specialty, subspecialty or advanced practice board certification, with information available at www.aacn.org/getcertification

Authentic leadership is personal. In this episode, Allison Steuber and Ryan Miller share how they tailor recognition and support to meet each team member where they are — from new parents who are adjusting work hours to nurses preparing for advanced practice. Join hosts Andrea Schmitt and Dr. Vicki Good for a conversation on leading with intention and empathy. When we see the individual, we lead with authenticity — and that’s where real connection begins.

This episode is sponsored by AACN’s online course, Fundamental Skills for Preceptors, with information available at www.aacn.org/preceptorskills

Across 135 nursing units in 45 hospitals, nurses, leaders and interprofessional teams are driving lasting, culture-based change — guided by AACN’s Healthy Work Environment Standards. Dr. Brenda Pun and Dr. Michelle Balas share the work of the HWE National Collaborative and how better work environments start with nurses — and create ripple effects across care teams.

This episode is sponsored by the award-winning quarterly journal AACN Advanced Critical Care, with information available at www.aacn.org/advancedcc