Ever thought about trading your bedside badge for a flight suit? 🚁💉

In this episode of Club Nurse, Colton chats with Janessa Dean — former ICU + flight nurse turned flight nurse coach and creator of Flight Prep Academy. She breaks down exactly what flight nursing is, how the teams work (pilot + medic + nurse), what actually happens on scene calls vs inter-facility transfers, and why the job is way more about autonomy, critical thinking, and teamwork than TV drama.

Janessa gets super real about:

• What flight nurses actually do in the air (intubations, vents, chest tubes, RSI… all of it)
• Safety, fear of flying, and how “three to go, one to say no” keeps crews alive
• The experience you really need (spoiler: 3 years ER or ICU, not 47 certs)
• How to start in flight nursing now as a student: externships, ride-alongs, networking
• Why hopping between units might be holding you back from your dream job
• Mentorship, coaching, and dealing with the hidden trauma + burnout of caring for critical patients
• Pay, schedules, and what 24-hour shifts + living at the base actually look like
• Using your RN license as a tool, not your whole identity — and leaning into entrepreneurship as a nurse

If you’ve ever looked up at a helicopter and thought, “That could be me,” this episode is your sign to start making a plan instead of just daydreaming.

>>So You Want to Be a Flight Nurse? The No-BS Guide with Janessa Dean

Jump Ahead to Listen:

[00:01:13] Flight nursing coaching journey.
[00:04:25] Scene calls in flight nursing.
[00:08:40] Fear of flying in helicopters.
[00:11:26] Flight nurse experience requirements.
[00:13:09] Importance of networking in nursing.
[00:16:28] Burnout in healthcare professionals.
[00:21:25] Flight nursing training challenges.
[00:22:34] Critical care nursing pathways.
[00:27:00] Teamwork and camaraderie in nursing.
[00:30:04] Flight nursing reality show idea.
[00:32:33] Career changes in nursing.
[00:34:45] Be an entrepreneur as a nurse.

Connect with Colton on social media:
Instagram: @coltonalanlord, @club.nurse
TikTok: @nursecolton

Connect with Janessa Dean on social media:

Instagram: @janessadeancoaching
TikTok: @janessadeancoaching

Okay besties… buckle up, cuz this week’s Nurse News episode is honestly a rollercoaster. Colton is back spilling all the nurse-world tea — and some of it is MESSY.

We’re talking:

• 👀 A viral, gut-wrenching ER video showing a Black mom in active labor being completely ignored (how is this still happening??)
• ✂️ An 18-year-old who literally ripped a nurse’s hair out and is now facing felony charges (girl, BE SERIOUS.)
• 💉 The flu-season glow-up: trivalent vaccines are in, quadrivalent is out + the at-home flu mist moment none of us saw coming
• 🏫 A school nurse who stood 10 toes DOWN after being pressured to break HIPAA (Amber Wood = certified icon)
• 🚨 Another “fake nurse” saga because apparently impersonating an RN is everyone’s villain origin story now (???)

Colton breaks it all down with his classic mix of humor, real talk, and “pls someone check on healthcare” energy. If you want to stay informed, stay entertained, and stay slightly stressed about the state of nursing… this ep is for you.

>>Patient Rips Out Nurse’s Hair — Now Faces Felony Charges

>>What Nurses Should Know About Flu Season 2025

>>School Nurse Forced by Superintendent to Compile List of Students with HFM Disease

>>Another Fake Nurse Sentenced: Why Credential Fraud Is Rising in Healthcare

Jump Ahead to Listen:
[00:01:23] Medical racism in emergency care.
[00:04:25] Patient faces felony charges.
[00:06:16] Flu mist self-administration program.
[00:09:07] School nurse protecting HIPAA.
[00:11:42] Nurse credential fraud.

Connect with Colton on social media:
Instagram: @coltonalanlord, @club.nurse
TikTok: @nursecolton

This week on Nurse News, Colton Lord is serving up all the feels — from heroic saves to heartbreaking headlines, with a little side of nursing inspo. 

Here’s what’s making waves in nursing this week:  

• 🚑 Jamaica issues emergency call for healthcare volunteers at Black River Hospital after Hurricane Melissa
• 💪 Nursing student channels the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” to save a life after motorcycle crash
• 📺 NBC medical drama St. Denis Medical set to return with a star-studded cast
• 🚨 ER staff member brutally beaten by patient at UPMC Altoona — nurse airlifted for emergency surgery

From global callouts for help to life-saving hero moments and shocking hospital violence, this week’s stories hit every emotion — joy, anxiety, heartbreak, and hope (basically, the full Inside Out cast).  

>>Jamaica Issues Emergency Call for Healthcare Volunteers at Black River Hospital

>>Nursing Student Channels the Bee Gees to Save a Life

>>Nurses, Get Ready for ‘St. Denis Medical’ to Return with Real-World Hospital Humor

>>ER Healthcare Worker Brutally Beaten by Patient at UPMC Altoona

Jump Ahead to Listen:

[00:02:48] Jamaica emergency issued.
[00:05:06] Bee Gees. 
[00:09:45] St. Denis Medical returns.
[00:10:32] ER nurse brutally attacked.

Connect with Colton on social media:
Instagram: @coltonalanlord, @club.nurse
TikTok: @nursecolton

In this episode of Club Nurse, Colton Lord chats with Dr. Bonnie Clipper, total nursing trailblazer and founder of the Virtual Nursing Academy. Bonnie spills on how she turned her decades in nursing leadership into a movement that’s helping hospitals level up with virtual care and tech-driven solutions. They dive into her new partnership with Collette Health, how AI is changing the game (without replacing nurses), and why it’s time for nurses to stop saying “no” to innovation and start leading it. Tune in for major inspo, real talk about tech in nursing, and a peek at what the future of healthcare actually looks like.

>>Pioneering the Future of Virtual Nursing, Bonnie Clipper's Story

Jump Ahead to Listen:

[00:00:34] Meet Dr. Bonnie Clipper
[00:03:30] Why Virtual Nursing Academy Exists
[00:06:50] Partnering with Colette Health
[00:10:45] What Virtual Nursing Looks Like
[00:17:10] AI and the Future of Nursing
[00:21:00] Nurses as Innovators

Connect with Colton on social media:

Instagram:  @coltonalanlord, @club.nurse
TikTok: @nursecolton

Connect With Bonnie on LinkedIn

Colton is giving the ultimate rundown from the HLTH conference in Vegas 🩺 From AI taking over (in a good way 👀) to nurse-led innovations that are straight-up changing the game, this episode is a whole vibe.

Colton spills on:

• 💡 Why nurses should be in rooms where healthcare innovation happens
• 🤖 How AI might actually save nurses from burnout (not steal our jobs, promise)
• 🏥 The wild Nurse Hackathon energy — ideas, collabs, and prototypes galore
• 🪞 A face scanner that tells your biological age (spoiler: Colton wasn’t thrilled 😅)
• 🩻 The VR headset that lets you see what delirious patients experience — lowkey terrifying but major empathy boost
• 💬 Real talk with nurse creators, innovators, and even a nurse-turned-Microsoft exec bringing AI to documentation

If you’ve ever dreamed of making healthcare better (or just wanna know what’s next for nurses in tech), this recap is your sign to tune in.

>>HLTH 2025 Recap: How Nurses Are Reshaping Healthcare

Jump Ahead to Listen:

[00:01:14] AI in healthcare innovation.
[00:04:02] Nurse Hackathon and innovations.
[00:06:50] Health technology innovations.
[00:09:17] Virtual reality in patient care.
[00:15:05] Nurses as natural leaders.
[00:15:15] Healthcare innovation in nursing.

Connect with Colton on social media:
Instagram: @coltonalanlord, @club.nurse
TikTok: @nursecolton

This week on Nurse News, Colton’s serving up the wildest mix of nurse stories you didn’t know you needed. We’re talking about a “sexy nurse” statue in Poland that has everyone (rightfully) losing it, off-duty nurses going full superhero to save lives, and the Joint Commission finally waking up to nurse staffing issues (hallelujah 👏).

 Here’s what’s on deck ⬇️  

• 🗿 Polish nurses vs. the Lara Croft statue – why it’s sparking outrage (and petitions).
• 📊 Joint Commission update – finally recognizing nurse staffing as a national performance goal.
• 🩸 Mother-daughter nurse duo – saved a trooper’s life with a belt after a shooting.
• 🏃‍♀️ Nurse practitioner hero moment – performed CPR and used a defibrillator to save a runner mid–cardiac arrest.
• 💬 Bernie Sanders & Mary Turner – the real talk on burnout and moral distress.
• 🍁 Canadian nurse exodus – why 62 out of 100 new nurses are quitting New Brunswick.
• 💰 Government shutdown chaos – how it’s delaying pay for VA nurses.

>>Nurses Slam ‘Overly Sexy’ Hospital Statue in Poland, Want It Removed

>>Joint Commission Finally Recognizes Nurse Staffing as a National Performance Goal 2026

>>Off-Duty Mother-Daughter Nurses Use Belt to Save Trooper’s Life After Shooting

>>Off-Duty Cardiology NP Saved Fellow 10K Runner’s Life at Finish Line

>>Bernie Sanders Sounds Alarm on Nurse Staffing Crisis: ‘Patients Are Suffering'

>>U.S. Nurses Arrive in B.C. as Canada Confronts a Youth Nurse Exodus

>>Government Shutdown by the Numbers: What Nurses Need to Know

Jump Ahead to Listen:

[00:02:27] Polish nurses want statue removed.
[00:05:04] Joint Commission staffing goal. 
[00:6:43] Mother-daughter duo save trooper.
[00:09:55] NP saves fellow runner at 10K with CPR.
[00:11:11] Bernie Sanders on nurse staffing crisis. 
[00:13:07] Youth nurse exodus in Canada.
[00:29:24] How the government shutdown is affecting VA nurses.

Connect with Colton on social media:
Instagram: @coltonalanlord, @club.nurse
TikTok: @nursecolton

Colton opens up about loss, perspective, and what it really means to live a life you’re proud of. After his grandpa’s funeral, he’s hit with some major clarity — and he’s not gatekeeping it. This episode dives into how nurses see life and death differently, and why that’s actually the ultimate reminder to start living on purpose.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, burnt out, or unsure if you’re on the right path, this one’s your gentle (but real) reality check.

Jump Ahead to Listen:

[00:02:38] Nursing as a plan B.
[00:04:45] Perspective on mortality in nursing.
[00:07:50] Reflecting on life's direction.
[00:10:28] Living authentically before it's too late.

Connect with Colton on social media:
Instagram: @coltonalanlord, @club.nurse
TikTok: @nursecolton

Colton breaks down what really goes on behind the triage desk — from decoding ESI levels 1–5 to using your gut instincts like the clinical queen (or king 👑) you are. Whether you’re calling shots in the ER or juggling six patients on the floor, triage is part of your everyday nursing DNA.

We’re talking about prioritizing care, trusting your intuition, and knowing when to up-triage — because sometimes that “something feels off” moment can literally save a life. 💉

So grab your coffee, pop in your earbuds, and let’s talk about the organized chaos that is the emergency room. 🚨

>>How to Triage Like a Pro and Prioritize Patients Under Pressure

Jump Ahead to Listen:

[00:01:13] Triaging patients in emergency care.
[00:04:12] Emergency Severity Index Explained.
[00:07:11] Emergency patient triage levels.
[00:10:11] Trusting your medical instincts.
[00:13:41] Fast track area in ER.
[00:16:30] Level 2 Emergency Room Triage.
[00:21:55] Suicidal ideations and triage.
[00:24:33] Triage process in the ER.
[00:28:27] Podcast and healthcare updates.

Connect with Colton on social media:
Instagram: @coltonalanlord, @club.nurse
TikTok: @nursecolton

This week on Nurse News we’ve got dogs, drama, and a dash of social media magic. Here’s the roundup, babes:

• @ScrubHacks’ Lindsey – her emotional dog adoption story lands on The Today Show.
• @HospiceNurseJulie – celebrates 500k followers with a sweet giveaway.
• Nurse Blake – on tour, making nurses everywhere laugh ‘til they cry.
• Nurse Jackie – the comeback is real: addiction, drama, and messy realism on Amazon Prime.
• Dog CPR hero – Stowe nurse saves a choking pup’s life.
• Black lab as a patient – nursing student goes viral with her dog Bella in scrubs.

>>Nurse Blake’s ‘But Did You Die?’ Comedy Tour Kicks Off This Fall!

>>‘Nurse Jackie’ Will Return A Decade Later... Without Her Nursing License!

>>Ohio Nurse Honored After Saving Neighbor’s Rescue Dog With Heimlich and CPR

>>Dog Goes Viral for Playing “Patient” in Nursing Student’s Sim Lab

Jump Ahead to Listen:

[00:02:55] Social media roundup for nurses.
[00:07:44] Nurse Jackie returns without license.
[00:12:21] Nurses saving animals' lives.
[00:14:07] Dogs are better than humans.

Connect with Colton on social media:
Instagram: @coltonalanlord, @club.nurse
TikTok: @nursecolton

Colton gets real about how he’s dodged night shift for seven years straight. From weekend-only hacks to mid-shifts and per diem freedom, he’s dropping the kind of advice that’ll save your sleep, your social life, and your sanity. If night shift’s got you feeling like a zombie with a stethoscope, this ep is your sign to protect your peace and find a schedule that actually vibes with your life.

>>4 Ways Nurses Are Avoiding Night Shift

Jump Ahead to Listen:

[00:01:27] Night shift challenges for nurses.
[00:05:49] Avoiding the night shift.
[00:09:10] Outpatient nursing job benefits.
[00:10:15] Working weekends in nursing.
[00:15:18] Night shift struggles and health.
[00:18:36] Per diem work flexibility.
[00:20:30] Avoiding night shift jobs.
[00:23:18] New grad nursing opportunities.

Connect with Colton on social media:
Instagram: @coltonalanlord, @club.nurse
TikTok: @nursecolton