CareHero Podcast

Today’s guest on CareHero Podcast is Maggie Macri, a forensic nurse at SAFE Alliance. Maggie is a warm and passionate healthcare professional and an active member of her community in Austin, Texas. She has an incredible story and some great life lessons to share, including the importance of doing hard work, the significance of having good people around you, and the value of looking for growth opportunities and embracing experiences outside your comfort zone. We touch on what forensic nursing entails, some of the challenges Maggie encounters in her role, and how volunteer work shaped her career as a nurse. Maggie also highlights the value of mentorship and shares the best piece of advice she has received in her career. Tune in today for some important insight!

Key Points From This Episode:

• The superpower Maggie would choose: the ability to talk to animals.
• Maggie's background and how she got into healthcare.
• Hear about her role as a forensic nurse at SAFE Alliance, a nonprofit crisis center and clinic.
• What Maggie finds most rewarding about her job: serving her community.
• What forensic nursing entails, including sexual assault examinations.
• Other services offered by SAFE Alliance, such as law enforcement & legal support.
• How Maggie looks after her own mental health when dealing with trauma on a daily basis.
• Some of the challenges she encounters with legislation in her current role.
• How she facilitates constant learning through various webinars & asking lots of questions.
• What it meant to win the Cherokee Inspired Comfort Award &  other commitments she has made to her community.
• How volunteer work shaped her career as a nurse; seeing the impact it had first-hand.
• Learn about Camp Kesem
• Why Maggie partially attributes her success to stepping out of her comfort zone.
• The value of mentorship and how to find the best mentor for you.
• The best piece of advice Maggie has received: you can do anything in a 12 hour shift!
• The most important thing she has learned in her career: the impacts of trauma.
• What she would to do improve healthcare in America: make it available to everyone.
• The importance of treating sexual assault patients as “more than evidence.”
• The future of forensic nursing and why listeners should take advantage of opportunities.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

LinkedIn

Stony Brook University

Stony Brook University Hospital

Safe ALLIANCE

St. David's South Austin Medical Center

Camp Kesem

ABC Article

NBC Article

Dr. Patrick J. Dineen Memorial Foundation Article

S.B. Article - National Award

S.B. Article - Battle of the Bands

S.B. Article - Bone Marrow Drive

At five years old, Dr. Xavier had an experience which set her on a path to become a doctor of psychiatric nursing. In today’s episode, Dr. Xavier shares her journey from a rural fishing town in India, to a first-generation high school graduate, to assistant professor and research lead at the UNC  School of Nursing. Prior to the research position she now holds, Dr. Xavier worked as a clinical practitioner, and she explains how this experience informs the work that she does today. Dr. Xavier strongly believes in an interdisciplinary approach to healthcare, having an open mind, and giving people the benefit of the doubt. She shares her hopes for the future of mental healthcare as a whole, and the nursing research realm in particular. Her never-give-up attitude, her drive to continuously absorb knowledge, and her passion for the reduction of suffering, make for an inspirational conversation which you don’t want to miss! 

Key Points From This Episode:

• The heartwarming superpower that Dr. Xavier would choose.
• Dr. Xavier shares the experience she had when she was five years old which sparked her interest in mental illness. 
• What Dr. Xavier’s current role at the UNC School of Nursing entails. 
• Why an interdisciplinary approach to care is so important. 
• How Dr. Xavier’s past clinical experience is helpful to the research work she is doing now. 
• Having an open mind and giving people the benefit of the doubt is key to being a psychiatric nurse.
• What Dr. Xavier loves about the work that she does. 
• Challenges that arise due to the interdisciplinary nature of Dr. Xavier’s team. 
• Advice from Dr. Xavier that will be beneficial for anyone looking for funding. 
• The best ways to learn more about a career in the academic nursing field. 
• How Dr. Xavier keeps up to date with advancements in psychiatric nursing. 
• A prestigious award that Dr. Xavier has received, and how she feels about it. 
• Do not give up! 
• Learning how to ask the right questions is the most important learning Dr. Xavier has had during her career in research. 
• Changes that Dr. Xavier would like to see occur in the American healthcare system. 
• The lack of recognition that is rife in the realm of nursing research.
• Final inspirational words of encouragement to all CareHeroes.  

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Dr. Rose Mary Xavier - UNC  

UNC School of Nursing

LinkedIn

X-lab

University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

Duke University

Arizona State University

University of Kerala

NIH/NINR Summer Genetics Institute

As a professor and program director at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing in Lubbock, Texas, Lisa Campbell believes strongly in the power of getting an education and constantly striving to learn more. As an award-winning registered nurse and health leader with over 34 years of experience in healthcare, Lisa has a wealth of knowledge to share with us.  Today she tells us how her natural desire to help older people led her to follow in her mother’s footsteps in choosing nursing as a career, and how her daughter has now done the same. She discusses her role at TTUHSC School of Nursing, the importance of coaching and mentorship within healthcare, and advice to younger people wanting to pursue a career in public health. Hear about her passion for social justice, her concerns about the equity of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, the need for policy change, and the problem of the wage gap between people of color and white earners in healthcare. Find out about the importance of listening, being present, and really assessing the need in a situation instead of assuming that you know what a person or community needs. For all this and a wealth of other wisdom, tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Why Lisa would choose flying as her superpower.
• How Lisa followed in her mother’s footsteps when she chose a career in nursing. 
• Lisa’s role at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing. 
• How the motto used by Nelson Mandela on Robben Island “Each one, teach one” has influenced Lisa. 
• The story of a particularly exciting day in Lisa’s work: Doctor Nursing Practice Symposium.   
• What she loves most about her current role: setting students up for success.
• Lisa’s concerns about equity in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.  
• Advice to younger people wanting to pursue a career in public health: volunteer at a non-profit. 
• One of the most rewarding moments in Lisa’s career as a geriatric nurse practitioner. 
• The importance of listening, being mindful of being present, and other tips from Lisa.
• Being well organized, self-awareness, and other things that have helped Lisa succeed. 
• The best piece of advice Lisa has ever been given: get an education and strive to learn more.
• Why nurses need to really assess a situation and not assume that they know what a community needs in order to meet people where they are. 
• The best compliment she has received in her career: being called the “mother of the community.”
• Lisa’s passion for social justice and bridging the wage gap between people of color and white earners in healthcare.
• How Lisa stays mentally and physically healthy. 
• Lisa thanks people for the work they’ve done during the pandemic.   

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

LinkedIn

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, School of Nursing

University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee

2020 ANCC Certified Nurse Award

Yahoo Article - Biden-Harris's COVID-19 Task Force

Seven Practices of a Mindful Leader: Lessons from Google and a Zen Monastery Kitchen

Nurses work at the intersection of art and science and have the ability to completely change people’s lives. For the past 34 years, Marlene Feagan has been breaking down barriers and building resilience in the healthcare system, and we hope you feel as inspired by her story as we were. Driven by faith and her desire to care for others, Marlene has been instrumental in setting up faith community nursing groups which assist vulnerable people in a variety of ways. In this episode, we discuss what it means to be a faith community nurse, and the professional journey that Marlene took to get to the point she is currently at in her career. Marlene encourages all current and aspiring nurses to be open to the opportunities, and to always be cognizant of the bigger picture within which you are working. Marlene also shares her hopes for the future of nursing, and the importance of finding people who you can lean on and learn from. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Why Marlene would choose teleportation as her superpower.
• Marlene’s professional background, and what drew her to nursing.
• The job Marlene first held as a nurse, and the family system which she loved most about it. 
• Experience that Marlene had with adolescents in a chemical dependency program.
• St. Elizabeth’s health ministries program which Marlene was instrumental in setting up. 
• What it means to be a faith community nurse.
• Growth that has occurred in the realm of faith community nursing over the years. 
• How faith community nurses help vulnerable people.
• The importance of building trust between nurses and patients.  
• Marlene’s thoughts on certification, and the process of acquiring it.
• Challenges that Marlene and her team have faced over the past year, and how they have overcome them.
• Incredible strength that Marlene has seen amongst her teams. 
• People in Marlene’s life who inspire her.
• Why nurses should always look at the bigger picture. 
• The value that lies in being faithful as a nurse. 
• Opportunities that exist in the nursing world, and Marlene’s hope for the future of the field. 
• Enjoy the journey, and more encouragement from Marlene for all aspiring nurses. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

LinkedIn

St. Elizabeth Healthcare

University of Kentucky Sanders-Brown Center on Aging

Mount St. Joseph University 

Purdue University Fort Wayne

Florence Nightingale Award 

ANCC Certified Nurse Award for Faith Community Nursing

American Nurses Association

Karen Clements believes that “being in healthcare is a lifelong learning event,” and we couldn’t agree more. On the show today, Karen shares with us some of the most important lessons she has learned over the years, in the diverse range of settings she has worked in, including the army and a psychiatric hospital. Karen has received a number of well-deserved awards for her services, but she won’t take the credit herself and attributes much of her success to the teams she has been surrounded by. Pride, compassion, and resiliency are the three core pillars on which Karen builds her life, and she explains how she lives these out, and how she helps her team members get through challenging times. Karen has a wealth of valuable knowledge to share about ways of improving communication channels between nurses and management, working with multigenerational teams, and how to deal with the curveballs that life will inevitably throw at all of us at some point. Karen also shares her thoughts on what she thinks the future of nursing will look like, and the main thing she wishes she could change in the healthcare industry. Karen’s passion for her work is undeniable, and the world is lucky to have her as a CareHero. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Why Karen would choose flying as her superpower. 
• Karen’s early introduction to the world of nursing. 
• The trajectory of Karen’s nursing career, from the army to her current position at Dartmouth-Hitchcock.  
• What Karen’s job entails, and what she loves the most about it.
• Advice that Karen gives to the new graduates who come to work at her hospital.
• The succession plan for nurses that exists at Karen’s hospital. 
• Karen’s journey of continuous learning. 
• Accreditation that Karen’s hospital received during the week this podcast was recorded. 
• How Karen’s time in the army equipped her for all the jobs she has held since then. 
• A person who has had a hugely positive influence on Karen’s life.
• Ways that you can improve your communication with management. 
• Value that is being brought to the hospital by the millennial nurse mentor that Karen consults with.
• Lessons that Karen learned from working at a psychiatric hospital. 
• Don’t be afraid of the curveballs; what this means to Karen and why it is the best advice she has ever been given.
• Karen explains the action she took which led to her receiving an Above and Beyond Award.
• Ways that nurses make memorable differences in patients' lives. 
• Pride, compassion, resiliency; the core pillars that Karen lives by. 
• How Karen looks after her own mental health, and the mental health of her team. 
• Karen shares her thoughts about the future of nursing. 
• The biggest challenge that Karen sees in the healthcare sector. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

LinkedIn

Dartmouth-Hitchcock

The Dartmouth Institute | For Health Policy & Clinical Practice

DAISY Foundation

Health Leaders Media Article

University of Maine

Husson University

FACHE | American College of Healthcare Executives

Our guest on today’s show is not only a passionate nurse practitioner but also the first African American president of the Alabama State Nurses Association. Dr. Lindsey Harris feels that this is a role wherein she can make a very meaningful impact; out of the approximate three million nurses in the USA, only around 279,000 of them are black, and Lindsey hopes to inspire many more people of color to join the nursing profession. Helping others is what makes Lindsey feel fulfilled, but she knows that in order to look after others she also needs to look after herself, as do all other healthcare heroes. Lindsey sees nursing as a holistic art, is unafraid of a challenge and is endowed with the special skill of being able to bring people and organizations together. In this episode we discuss all of the above, as well what Lindsey’s job entails, her recommendations for continuous learning, the value of networking, tips for communicating with management, and the philosophy that she lives by. Be sure not to miss out on this one! 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Why Lindsey would choose healing as her superpower. 
• Lindsey’s passion for helping others and how she came to be a nurse. 
• What Lindsey’s job at the UAB School of Nursing entails. 
• Challenges are a common occurrence in Lindsey’s line of work, but getting through them is extremely rewarding. 
• Lindsey works in a cutting-edge learning environment but regardless of where you work as a nurse there are many ways to continuously learn. 
• How God, her parents, and professional organizations have been so helpful to Lindsey on her professional journey. 
• The pride Lindsey feels in her role as the first African American president of the Alabama State Nurses Association. 
• How mentors of color can help to increase the currently small percentage of nurses of color in the United States.
• The importance of building relationships in order to move forward in your career. 
• Goals of the Alabama State Nurses Association and the measures they are putting in place to reach these.
• The philosophy which Lindsey lives by: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. 
• Tips for working and communicating with management.
• You never know what other people are going through, so always be kind. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

LinkedIn

University of Alabama, Birmingham School of Nursing 

Alabama State Nurses Association

Birmingham Black Nurses Association 

Philippine Nurses Association of America

National Association of Hispanic Nurses

Samford University

Daily Nurse Article

Alabama News Center Article

Scrubs Magazine Article

Hot Jobs - Alabama

Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation

Education is not something that ends after school. It is an ongoing practice, and those who are enthusiastic about continual learning always strive to be the best version of themselves. One of those voracious, lifelong learners is today's guest, Kimberly Bagley, a critical nurse practitioner who holds a Ph.D. in Nursing from the Duke University School of Nursing. She is passionate about critical care medicine, oncology, and end-of-life and palliative care and works at Duke Raleigh Hospital. In this episode, Kimberly shares her fascinating journey to becoming a nurse practitioner. Nursing was not her top career choice, and we hear how working as a massage therapist inspired her to leap into becoming a nurse. We then talk about her role as a critical care nurse practitioner, where she offers advice for those looking to go down the same path. It is a position that requires attention to detail and critical thinking skills. Kimberly touches on the importance of moving forward by pursuing opportunities to further your education and why you should not shy away from your weaknesses but rather lean into them. Our illuminating conversation also covers the benefits of challenging situations, Kimberly's time in the military, and the role nurses should play in shaping health policy. 2020 and 2021 have been designated The Year of the Nurse, and with the passion and drive of practitioners like Kimberly, it is easy to see why!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Why Kimberly would choose the superpower of healing.
• Kimberly’s life story and her winding path to getting into nursing.
• How Kimberly’s different careers and skill sets complement her nursing work.
• What Kimberly’s role as a critical nurse practitioner entails and what her days look like.
• The importance of communication in interdisciplinary teams.
• Kimberly's interest in palliative care and why she believes everyone should think about advanced care planning.
• What those who are considering critical care nursing should consider.
• Nurses are professionals and deserve respect because they are always there for patients.
• The biggest challenges Kimberly faces in her role and how she deals with them.
• Kimberly’s approach to continual education and why she advocates for seeking opportunities.
• How nurses whose workplaces don’t have further education opportunities can learn more.
• The factors, other than education, that contributed to Kimberly getting to where she is.
• Advice on how to communicate with management; try to make their jobs easier.
• What the Foundations of Nursing Practice Award means to Kimberly.
• Kimberly’s experience of enlisting and why her time in the reserves was life-changing.
• Recent experiences with patients that have been very meaningful to Kimberly.
• Even though nursing is tough, it is incredibly rewarding in so many ways.
• The two best pieces of advice that Kimberly has been given.
• Hear the best compliment that Kimberly received during her career.
• Why Kimberly believes that nurses need to play a greater role in shaping health policy.
• Some of Kimberly’s self-care practices and how they help her.
• What an ideal future of nursing looks like for Kimberly.
• Final words of advice from Kimberly: find out what you are passionate about and explore it.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

LinkedIn

Duke Raleigh Hospital

Duke University School of Nursing

American Nurses Association

P.E.O. International

The nursing and healthcare profession can be invigorating, but it can also be challenging, often leading to burnout. If nurses are working in an environment that is not conducive to bringing their best to the bedside, the patients will not get the best outcomes. On today’s show, we talk to Sean Clarke, the Executive Vice Dean and Professor at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. With over two decades of higher education experience as a professor, research manager, and academic administrator in this field, Sean has a lot of insight into different aspects of the nursing field. He has also done extensive research into the subject of improving the working conditions of nurses. He addresses some of the inherent challenges nurses and healthcare professionals face and shares valuable advice on the importance of self-care, communicating your feelings, and maintaining perspective in order to avoid burnout. Sean emphasizes the importance of good management and provides insight into some of the other paths you can take in nursing beyond the bedside. To hear about how you can stay mentally and physically healthy in this job, stay engaged and invigorated in the valuable work you do, and advance your own career, tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Sean shares how he got into healthcare, from volunteering at hospitals to his current position.
• Insight into the current nursing shortage and the opportunities available. 
• What his role as Executive Vice Dean and Professor entails. 
• Sean shares some insight into some of the other paths you can take in nursing beyond the bedside. 
• Sean discusses his research into how to improve the working conditions of nurses.
• Thoughts on preventing burnout and encouraging engagement: The importance of valuing people.
• The inherent challenges for nurses and healthcare professionals: physical demands, working hours, rest, infection risk, and time pressure.
• The importance of acknowledging the value of the work, naming the challenges and hazards, and educating staff about self-care.
• The importance of communication between staff and management: They need to be aware of each others’ realities and they need to feel heard.
• How the sense of connectedness to patients, coworkers, and the workplace is vital to the well-being of nurses.  
• The importance of maintaining perspective, hope, and a sense of empowerment. 
• The problem of time and the importance of good, passionate leaders and management.
• How to advance in your career: Education, side projects or organizations, and mentorship. 
• How to continue to learn in your role
• The best piece of advice Sean’s ever been given: Our lives are a combination of so many things, work is just one part of it.
• What Sean believes the future of nursing will look like: Technology and information more seamlessly blended into the nursing profession.
• Always remain open to the possibilities you might not have considered.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

LinkedIn

NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing

Connell School of Nursing - Boston College

University of Toronto

University of Pennsylvania

McGill University

Carleton University

University of Ottawa

On top of being a BCEN Distinguished Award winning pediatric emergency nurse, our guest today has made it her mission to educate and empower other nurses to reach their full potential as well. Lisa Chambers is a clinical educator and registered nurse at what was the fourth busiest children’s hospital in the United States, pre-COVID. Lisa finds joy in even the most challenging parts of her job and her passion to help others is unwavering. In today’s episode we discuss the ways in which Lisa breaks down barriers in education and how she helps other nurses to find their purpose and the motivation they need to excel. Lisa shares the eye-opening experience she had working in Dhaka during the SARS epidemic, within a health system that starkly contrasts the one she is now an integral part of. The current pandemic has also highlighted the major differences between the working conditions of healthcare professionals and Lisa stresses the need for more support and resources for the CareHeroes who need it. We also dive into some tips for effective communication, the importance of keeping your education up to date no matter what point you are at in your career, and ideas about what the future of nursing might look like. A final reminder from Lisa: Be kind to yourself! 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Why Lisa wants to be like Mary Poppins. 
• The combination of factors that led Lisa into the nursing profession.
• Some interesting information about CHOC and what Lisa’s role is at the hospital. 
• Lisa’s experience as an educational consultant at the icddr,b in Dhaka (including the most inspirational moment of her career). 
• A day in Lisa’s life and how there’s always a different adventure.
• How Lisa assists nurses in acquiring their certifications, and enhancing their skillsets.
• The challenges that exist alongside the joys in Lisa’s job.
• “Lisa’s Learning Cart” and the other ways Lisa breaks down barriers in education.
• The mentorship program that Lisa is currently working on. 
• Why Lisa decided to pursue her Doctorate of Nursing Practice. 
• Lisa shares who and what she is grateful for, and the meaning that she finds through her work. 
• The dire need to provide support and resources to CareHeroes across the country, especially during this pandemic. 
• Some top tips for effective communication and why it is so important. 
• If you want to implement changes, they should always be for the benefit of the patients. 
• The Distinguished Award that Lisa received in 2020.
• Keep moving forward; when doors open for you, go through them. 
• Be kind to yourself! 

Links

LinkedIn

Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC)

Children’s Hospital Association 

International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh

Certified Paediatric Emergency Nurse Specialization

Trauma Certified Registered Nurse specialization

Distinguished Certified Paediatric Emergency Nurse Award

Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing

CHOC National Recognition for Excellence

Since she was a child, Barbara Jacobs has had a deep desire to help others, and she has never strayed from this path. After receiving her Bachelor’s in Nursing, she worked in various positions in several different hospitals, and through putting her fears aside and following the advice of her mentors, she has worked her way up into a top leadership position in the nursing profession. Barbara encourages all you other Care Heroes to find the courage to follow your hearts, get out of your comfort zones, and push yourselves to the next level. In today’s episode, Barbara shares her experience working in the third busiest hospital in Maryland, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the groundbreaking work she has been involved with around creating an age-friendly health system. Barbara reminds us that death is a reality in a hospital environment, and it is up to healthcare professionals to make sure that when they cannot be saved, patients have the best death possible. By helping a patient, you are also helping the people around them; don’t ever forget how much of a difference you make!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Why Barbara would choose a cloak of invisibility as her superpower. 
• From a young age, Barbara had a strong desire to help people through healthcare.
• Barbara runs us through her studies and her work experiences leading up to today.
• The influence that Barbara’s mentors had on her and how she now tries to do the same for others.
• Don’t be afraid to take bold steps in your career.
• How Barbara feels about being in a leadership position in the third busiest hospital in Maryland. 
• A typical day in the life of Barbara Jacobs. 
• The impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the hospital where Barbara works, and the healthcare workers around her.
• What a Magnet Hospital is and why Barbara loves working in one. 
• Barbara’s involvement in creating an age-friendly health system with the Hartford Institute and IHI.
• The four vital elements that need to be considered in geriatric healthcare. 
• How the COVID-19 pandemic has affected nursing students and how Barbara and her team have modified their training in response.
• Barbara shares the ways in which she continuously expands her knowledge within her field.
• Following her heart is what led Barbara into nursing; don’t be afraid to follow yours.
• There are many different ways to communicate, depending on who you are talking to.
• Death is a reality in a hospital; healthcare workers have the ability to give patients the best death possible. 
• The power that Barbara thinks is going to be given to patients in healthcare systems of the future. 
• When you help a patient you are not only improving their lives but the lives of all of those around them. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Anne Arundel Medical Centre

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

Magnet Hospital

Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing

Institute for Healthcare Improvement

Maryland Organization of Nurse Leaders

AAHS

Luminis Health

George Washington University