On this encore episode of The Nurse Keith Show nursing and healthcare career podcast, Keith interviews Dr. Caroline Cárdenas, PhD, MSN, MA, RN, CBCN, an expert in the science of play. Caroline has completed and defended her doctoral dissertation, titled “The Significance of Play in Restoring Compassion”, and has a great deal to share about the journey.

Formerly a dedicated oncology nurse, Caroline's vision is to serve as a play researcher and advocate, educator, clinical psychologist, and public speaker, as well as produce body and movement play retreats to guide women, breast cancer survivors, healthcare professionals, educators, nursing and medical students, and mothers all over the world to discover, explore, practice, protect, and share their unique creative expression through the sacred practice of play, with the hope of reawakening and fostering purpose, meaning, and authentic connection through shared joy.

Caroline is featured in James Redford’s documentary film, “Playing for Keeps”, where she speaks about her own journey of what inspired her to become an oncology nurse, her personal experience with burnout and compassion fatigue, her discovery of play through hula hooping, and how teaching hula hooping inspires and cultivates joy.

Contact Nurse Keith about holistic career coaching to elevate your nursing and healthcare career at NurseKeith.com. Keith also offers services as a motivational and keynote speaker and freelance nurse writer. You can always find Keith on LinkedIn.

Are you looking for a novel way to empower your career and move forward in life? Keith's wife, Shada McKenzie, is a gifted astrologer and reader of the tarot who combines ancient and modern techniques to provide valuable insights into your motivations, aspirations, and life trajectory, and she offers listeners of The Nurse Keith Show a 10% discount on their first consultation. Contact Shada at TheCircelandtheDot.com or [email protected].

The Nurse Keith Show is a proud member of The Health Podcast Network, one of the largest and fastest-growing collections of authoritative, high-quality podcasts taking on the tough topics in health and care with empathy, expertise, and a commitment to excellence. The podcast is adroitly produced by Rob Johnston of 520R Podcasting.