Disclaimer: Names and identifying details have been withheld to protect the nurse involved.

In this gripping episode of Nurse Converse, an anonymous psychiatric nurse shares firsthand details from two violent riots inside an Arizona adolescent behavioral health facility. After repeated warnings about unsafe staffing and high acuity went unaddressed, nurses were left managing 26 teens with minimal support. When the situation escalated, 911 was called and police deployed pepper balls on the unit, affecting patients and staff alike.

Our guest joins host Jana Price and describes the chaos, the trauma experienced by vulnerable adolescents, and the moral distress nurses carry long after the shift ends. We also explore regulatory oversight, administrative response, and the very real fear of retaliation that keeps many nurses silent.

This episode is a sobering look at patient safety, staffing, and the courage it takes to speak up.

>>911 Calls From Psych Nurses During Violent Youth Riot Released

Jump Ahead to Listen: 

[00:01:43] Arizona adolescent psych facility riots summary
[00:03:27] Why the nurse ultimately called 911
[00:05:11] Breaking point: staff assaulted during Code Grays
[00:05:57] Unsafe staffing ratios on riot night
[00:07:51] What safe restraint response should look like
[00:09:02] Police arrival and use of pepper balls
[00:10:20] Pepper exposure and chaos on the unit
[00:13:21] Added trauma for already vulnerable adolescents
[00:17:22] Acuity tool changes and hidden staffing data
[00:22:05] State survey findings: major safety deficiencies
[00:24:05] Management direction on riot wording and 911 calls
[00:28:50] Fear of retaliation and need for anonymity

Connect with Jana on LinkedIn and social media: 

Instagram: @gentlyusedrn

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In this episode of Nurse Converse, host Melanie Van Sistine is joined by nurse leaders Courtney, founder of Rekindled Nurse, and Tara, founder of Debriefing the Front Lines. Together, they reflect on a nurse-led relief outreach trip to Asheville, North Carolina, organized nearly a year after devastating hurricanes impacted the community.

The conversation explores how nurses showed up for local healthcare workers through intentional community care, emotional debriefing, and peer support when headlines had faded. Courtney and Tara share their personal journeys into nonprofit leadership, the importance of processing trauma, and why nurses are uniquely positioned to lead healing efforts beyond the bedside.

This episode is a powerful reminder that meaningful impact does not require perfection, only heart, and that alone is no longer enough.

>>Nurses Helping Nurses: Inside a Healing Outreach After the Hurricane

Jump Ahead to Listen: 

[2:18] Courtney’s nursing background
[4:32] How Rekindled Nurse supports nurses
[7:02] Tara’s path to nursing and trauma work
[8:58] Launching Debriefing the Front Lines
[10:22] Why debriefing matters after crisis
[11:53] Intention behind the Asheville trip
[12:57] Hurricanes that sparked the first outreach
[14:23] From Florida outreach to Asheville
[16:45] What the community was still carrying
[18:11] Nurses forming a team in the house
[20:23] The courage it takes to receive help
[21:40] Simple ways to support these nonprofits
[23:24] “I don’t have enough to give”
[24:55] Small gestures and caring for yourself

Connect with Melanie on social media:
Instagram: @mels.crafty.corner
TikTok: @mels.crafty.corner
Shop Mel's Crafty Corner!

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In this episode of the Love n’ Leary Nursing Podcast, Marion Leary and Rebecca Love announce the podcast’s new partnership with Nurse.org and reflect on how this milestone represents the power of saying yes to opportunity. They revisit the early conversations that sparked the show, including imposter syndrome and career uncertainty, and connect those experiences to the broader responsibility of nurse leadership. The discussion explores advocacy, the importance of nurses using their voices with confidence, and how storytelling, policy engagement, and diverse communication platforms can expand nursing influence. Together, Marion and Rebecca emphasize how nurses can shape public narratives, strengthen the profession, and drive meaningful change across healthcare. 

>>Love n' Leary Nursing Podcast

Connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn

Connect with Marion on social media:
Instagram: @marionleary
TikTok: @marionleary
Facebook: Marion Leary

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Nurse inventors, this one’s for you. 💡

In this special Emory University series episode of Nurse Converse, host Jeri Ford, RN sits down with Dr. Rasheeta Chandler and Dr. Monique Bouvier from Emory University to talk about something nurses are already doing every day—but rarely get credit (or compensation) for: invention and innovation.

Less than 1% of healthcare patents are attributed to nurses, even though we’re the ones hacking together workarounds, spotting safety gaps, and fixing broken systems at the bedside. In this conversation, Jeri, Rasheeta, and Monique break down how to turn those everyday ideas into protected, funded, and scalable innovations—without losing your intellectual property along the way.

They cover:

• Where to start when you have an idea (and no business background)
• Free and low-cost resources like the SBA, SCORE, Coursera, and local Chambers of Commerce
• Why you must understand your institution’s IP rules before you build anything
• Pitching 101: how to tell the story of your solution, not just rattle off statistics
• Funding options—from grants and pitch competitions to incubators and private support
• Essential protections like NDAs, trademarks, and choosing LLC vs. S-Corp/C-Corp
• Networking, time management, and staying resilient when you hear “no”

If you’ve ever thought, “Someone should really invent a better way to do this,” this episode is your sign: that someone is you.

>>Invention—How to Pitch, Patent, and Prosper as a Nurse Entrepreneur

Jump Ahead to Listen:

 [00:01:30] Nurses as healthcare innovators.
 [00:04:40] Beginning the entrepreneurial journey.
 [00:09:17] Exploring mentorship and business support.
 [00:12:11] Understanding intellectual property in healthcare.
 [00:18:41] How innovation fits within clinical environments.
 [00:21:42] Tips for crafting an effective pitch.
 [00:25:43] Storytelling and navigating pitch competitions.
 [00:29:31] Women advancing in entrepreneurship.
 [00:34:31] Building confidence in nursing leadership roles.
 [00:36:54] Funding pathways for healthcare innovators.
 [00:40:03] Startup financing and early-stage support.
 [00:45:12] Recognizing and elevating nurses’ inventive ideas.
 [00:51:59] Safeguarding the value of your intellectual property.
 [00:53:08] Monetizing study tools and nursing school notes.
 [00:56:14] Comparing LLC, S-Corp, and C-Corp structures.
 [01:02:16] The power of networking and professional connections.
 [01:05:55] Leveraging Facebook groups for business growth.
 [01:09:41] Affordable legal help for new entrepreneurs.
 [01:12:27] Gaining visibility through conferences and events.
 [01:15:54] “Keep your receipts”: Documenting everything.
 [01:21:12] Why entrepreneurship belongs in nursing education.
 [01:24:46] Building foundational business knowledge.
 [01:29:02] Pursuing your ideas with courage and clarity. 

For more information, full transcript and videos visit Nurse.org/podcast
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In this Emory University series episode of Nurse Converse, data isn’t just for tech bros and spreadsheets—nurses are doing it every day.

Host Raquél Pérez, RN sits down with Dr. Jacqueline Nikpour and Dr. Jane Chung, nurse scientists and faculty at Emory University’s School of Nursing, to unpack the real power of data science in healthcare. From big data and AI to smartwatches and home sensors, they break down how these tools can actually support nurses rather than replace them—and why nursing expertise is essential at every step of designing and implementing new technology.

Whether you’re a student, bedside nurse, or nurse entrepreneur, this conversation will help you see that you’re already a “data person”—and that the future of data, AI, and healthcare desperately needs your nursing brain.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• What “big data,” data science, and AI really mean in a nursing context
• How nurses are already doing data science at the bedside through clinical judgment
• Ways data and AI can reduce documentation burden and free up time for patient care
• Career paths in nursing informatics, research, and tech-driven roles
• How nurses can step into leadership, advocacy, and innovation in the data space

Perfect for anyone curious about data and AI, but unsure where (or if) they fit in. (Spoiler: you absolutely do.)

>>5 Key Things Nurses Need to Know About Data Science

Jump Ahead to Listen:

 [00:02:39] Understanding data science in modern healthcare.
 [00:06:13] How data science supports everyday nursing decision-making.
 [00:10:50] Evolving responsibilities of nurses in primary care settings.
 [00:12:49] Using home-based sensors to support aging adults.
 [00:16:09] Applying data analytics to improve nursing workflows.
 [00:22:09] Bridging nursing practice with data-driven approaches.
 [00:26:10] The supportive—not replacement—role of AI in nursing.
 [00:31:15] Exploring careers in nursing informatics.
 [00:33:15] Challenges and opportunities in technology adoption.
 [00:37:31] How nursing care models shape patient outcomes.
 [00:42:10] Pathways for advancing into informatics and data roles.
 [00:48:34] Leveraging data for nurse-led businesses and innovation.
 [00:49:50] Making sense of data across different nursing environments.
 [00:54:41] Emerging technologies reshaping nursing practice.
 [01:00:20] Building advocacy and leadership skills in data-focused nursing.
 [01:04:44] Cultivating innovation and long-term career development.
 [01:09:04] Why big data depends on nursing—and vice versa. 

For more information, full transcript and videos visit Nurse.org/podcast
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In this Emory University series episode of Nurse Converse, host Rebeca Leon sits down with Dr. JoEllen “Ellen” Schimmels, Interim Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Specialty Director, and Dr. Nicholas Giordano, Assistant Professor at the Emory School of Nursing, for an honest conversation about resilience, burnout, and the realities nurses face in today’s healthcare system.

Grounded in both research and lived experience, the episode explores how burnout, moral distress, workplace violence, and systemic inequities shape the profession—and what meaningful solutions look like at both the individual and organizational levels.

You’ll hear:

• What burnout really looks like today and why so many nurses feel stretched beyond capacity.
• How ethical, political, and structural pressures—including staffing, documentation burden, bias, and policy constraints—fuel moral distress.
• The impact of bullying, incivility, and silencing within nursing and healthcare hierarchies.
• System-level strategies that make a difference, from safe staffing and supportive leadership to resilience programs and workplace redesign.
• How nurses can stay aligned with their values while advocating for themselves, their colleagues, and their patients.

Whether you're a bedside nurse, leader, or student, this episode offers validation, clarity, and hopeful direction for creating healthier environments where nurses can truly thrive.

>>From Burnout to Balance—7 Resilience Boosters for Nurses

Jump Ahead to Listen:

 [00:01:10] Resilience in nursing.
 [00:03:27] Burnout across the healthcare workforce.
 [00:09:25] Burnout challenges faced by new nurses.
 [00:11:56] Core drivers contributing to nursing burnout.
 [00:15:29] Moral distress and its connection to burnout.
 [00:19:11] The broader landscape of burnout in the nursing profession.
 [00:21:40] Stigma surrounding nurses seeking support.
 [00:25:40] Barriers tied to mental health stigma in clinical settings.
 [00:28:33] Obstacles to accessing mental health resources.
 [00:31:48] Silence, underreporting, and their impact on burnout.
 [00:35:59] National recognition of healthcare worker burnout as a crisis.
 [00:39:31] The role of collective care and team support.
 [00:44:55] Prioritizing nurse safety and psychological well-being.
 [00:47:23] Resilience and mindfulness training for clinical teams.
 [00:49:40] Elevating the nursing voice and improving reporting processes.
 [00:55:17] Advocating for professional values in nursing.
 [00:57:10] Practicing sustainable self-care as a nurse.
 [01:00:24] Nursing professional development and building advocacy skills.
 [01:05:06] Measuring well-being and burnout within the clinician workforce.
 [01:09:03] System-level factors driving burnout. 

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How do you ask for more money in a profession that’s built on selflessness? In this episode of the Emory University series on nurse empowerment and advocacy, host Ama Mathewos sits down with Emory professors Dr. Catarina Fernandes (Goizueta Business School) and Dr. Kim Dupree Jones (School of Nursing) to unpack the art and science of negotiating your best nursing compensation.

Together, they break down why negotiation isn’t selfish, how systemic factors (gender, hierarchy, race) shape nurses’ pay, and why nurses are often socialized to underestimate their own value. From understanding the difference between “fixed pie” vs. “integrative” negotiations to getting clear on your BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement), this episode gives nurses language, frameworks, and confidence to advocate for themselves.

Listeners will learn how to:

• Think beyond base salary and negotiate the whole compensation package (schedule flexibility, education support, childcare, role titles, and more)
• Use data, peer networks, and job interviews to understand their true market value
• Reframe negotiation as a way to improve patient care and strengthen organizations—not just “ask for more”

Whether you’re a bedside nurse, advanced practice nurse, faculty member, or leader, this conversation will help you own your worth, get paid closer to what you deserve, and push the profession toward fairer, more sustainable compensation.

>>How to Negotiate Your Best Nursing Compensation Package

Jump Ahead to Listen:

 [00:02:31] Hierarchy dynamics in healthcare.
 [00:04:43] Strategies for negotiating nursing compensation.
 [00:09:39] Understanding integrative vs. distributive negotiations.
 [00:11:34] How negotiation shows up in nursing roles.
 [00:15:05] Challenges tied to nurse reimbursement models.
 [00:19:05] Gender-based pay disparities in nursing.
 [00:24:35] Systemic barriers affecting nurse negotiators.
 [00:27:26] Gender influences on negotiation behaviors.
 [00:30:35] Advocating for and articulating nursing value.
 [00:35:07] Charge nurse duties and workplace pressures.
 [00:39:16] Preparing effectively for negotiations.
 [00:40:43] Considering non-financial elements in negotiation.
 [00:44:34] Approaches to negotiating salary.
 [00:49:02] Market-based factors that shape negotiation power.
 [00:51:08] Tactics for strengthening your salary negotiation.
 [00:55:05] Additional methods for optimizing salary outcomes.
 [00:58:39] Exploring compensation options beyond base pay.
 [01:01:50] Using accurate data to inform negotiations.
 [01:06:54] Viewing negotiation as a collaborative, constructive process.
 [01:09:21] Taking action to secure better compensation. 

For more information, full transcript and videos visit Nurse.org/podcast
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In this inspiring episode of the Emory University series on Nurse Converse, host Dr. Everett Moss II, CRNA, sits down with three powerful voices from the Emory University School of Nursing—Dr. Beth Ann Swan, Dr. Shawana Moore, and recent graduate Sofi Igyan—to unpack one of the most misunderstood words in nursing: power.

Together, they challenge the idea that power is something loud, aggressive, or purely positional. Instead, they explore power as the ability to influence change, whether you’re an academic leader, an advanced practice nurse, or a new graduate stepping into the profession for the first time.

Listeners will hear:

• Why power is deeply personal and often situational—shifting with the room you're in, the role you hold, and how others perceive you.
• How humility and silence can be profound sources of strength, including the concept of the “silent storm” and the impact of knowing when not to speak.
• The student and new-graduate perspective on power—how embracing agency, mentorship, and opportunities can transform the nursing school and early-career experience.
• The role of mentorship in cultivating influence and the responsibility to lift others as you rise.
• How storytelling and social media can serve as powerful platforms when nurses share lived experiences and credible information.
• Practical advice for nurses at every stage—from flowing like water through challenges, to embracing new opportunities, to navigating imposter syndrome.

From redefining influence to owning your voice at any stage of a career, this conversation highlights the many forms of power nurses hold—and how harnessing that power can shape both individual careers and the future of the profession.

>>8 Keys to Cultivating Power in Your Nursing Career

Jump Ahead to Listen:

 [00:02:19] Understanding power and influence in nursing
 [00:04:43] Navigating personal power and professional presence
 [00:10:15] Influence within nursing’s power structures
 [00:14:32] Elevating student confidence and empowerment
 [00:20:17] How nursing students shape conversations online
 [00:21:24] Examining influencers and credibility in nursing
 [00:26:01] Storytelling as a catalyst for impact
 [00:30:09] Mentorship as a foundation for future leaders
 [00:37:01] Staying open to unexpected opportunities
 [00:40:05] Adapting and “flowing like water” in your career
 [00:42:15] Growth through professional and personal challenges
 [00:47:00] Books and ideas that inspire empowered nursing practice 

For more information, full transcript and videos visit Nurse.org/podcast
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Persuasion isn’t just for politicians and advertisers—it’s a core nursing skill.

In this episode of the Emory University series, host Melissa Mills sits down with Dr. Roxana Chicas, Dr. Sharron Close, and recent Emory School of Nursing graduate Sofi Igyan to explore how nurses can use the power of words to influence change from the bedside to the boardroom.

Together, they unpack what persuasion really means in health care—how it differs from simple education, and why it’s both an art and a science. You’ll hear how strategies like knowing your audience, framing messages, leveraging the “power of three,” and using data and stories together can move patients, policymakers, and the public to action.

The guests share real-world examples—from farmworker advocacy and climate health, to social media “nurse hacks,” to early-career experiences with therapeutic communication and mental health. They also dig into storytelling tools like the AIDS Memorial Quilt and the legacy of Cesar Chavez to show how narrative can humanize complex issues, build empathy, and shift policy.

Whether you’re a new graduate nurse, bedside nurse, educator, or emerging nurse leader, this episode will help you:

• Claim your voice as a communicator and advocate
• Use persuasion ethically and effectively
• Turn everyday conversations into opportunities for impact

Listen in and rediscover your words as one of the most powerful tools you have as a nurse.

>>Unlocking the Power of Persuasion in Your Nursing Career

Jump Ahead to Listen:

 [00:01:39] Persuasion in nursing communication.
 [00:05:03] Core components of effective persuasion.
 [00:09:14] Applying persuasive strategies in community settings.
 [00:14:26] How nurses can influence public perception through media.
 [00:18:09] The power of storytelling.
 [00:20:40] Stories that drive meaningful change in healthcare.
 [00:25:28] Creativity as a communication tool for nurses.
 [00:30:05] Using multimedia platforms to expand reach.
 [00:34:02] Elevating patient voices in care and advocacy.
 [00:37:54] Fostering communication confidence among nurses.
 [00:44:42] Creating space for vulnerability in nursing culture.
 [00:48:13] Building confidence in clinical and professional expertise.
 [00:50:13] Developing therapeutic communication skills.
 [00:54:46] Embracing lifelong learning in nursing practice. 

For more information, full transcript and videos visit Nurse.org/podcast
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In this inspiring episode of Nurse Converse, Melanie Van Sistine of Mel's Crafty CoRNer shares her journey from canceled shifts and burnout during the pandemic to becoming a two-time Best of Nursing Award winner and full-time nurse entrepreneur. She opens up about navigating a serious back injury, losing income as a PRN nurse, and facing early business setbacks—all while trying to rediscover who she was beyond the bedside. Mel reveals how creativity became her lifeline and how resilience can look softer, quieter, and more human than we’re taught to believe.

This episode is a reminder that nurses are allowed to evolve, pivot, and dream beyond the roles they’ve always known. Whether you're feeling stuck, unseen, or uncertain about your next chapter, this conversation will meet you exactly where you are.

>>When a Nurse’s Story Changes: How Creativity, Resilience & Community Helped Me Find a New Path

Jump Ahead to Listen: 

[00:01:18] Finding purpose through creativity.
[00:06:29] Nurse Entrepreneur of the Year.
[00:08:39] Evolving as a nurse.
[00:12:10] Celebrating nurses beyond the bedside.

Connect with Melanie on social media:
Instagram: @mels.crafty.corner
TikTok: @mels.crafty.corner
Shop Mel's Crafty CoRNer!

For more information, full transcript and videos visit Nurse.org/podcast
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