Nursing the System

Nursing the System

By Claire Phillips, DNP RNBusinessMedicineHealth & FitnessCareers
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Nursing the System episodes

  • 23: The Rest Strategy That Actually Makes You More Impactful
    🎙 Episode Overview

    Today, we’re talking about one of my favorite strategies for avoiding burnout and sustaining long-term productivity: the Deload Week. Borrowed from the world of weightlifting, this concept has become a core part of how I structure my work and energy throughout the year.


    Whether you’re juggling multiple roles, running a business, or just feeling like you never get a true breather—this episode will help you rethink how (and when) to pause without losing momentum.


    🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn
    • What a Deload Week is and why it’s essential for long-term sustainability
    • How I structure mine around my business and corporate work
    • Ways to tailor this concept to your unique life and energy cycles
    • Why rest doesn’t mean disengagement—and how to make space for creativity, reflection, and deep learning
    • When not to use this practice (yes, there are times it's not the move)


    🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You
    • Rest is productive when it’s intentional.
    • You don’t need a full week—even 1–2 days of strategic, structured rest can spark clarity and momentum.
    • Bored brains birth good ideas. Giving your brain space helps creativity and innovation thrive.
    • Structure + flexibility is the sweet spot. Guardrails help, but so does room to play.
    • Deloading ≠ procrastination. Know when you're resting and when you're avoiding.


    🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode

    As you listen, think about the natural cycles in your work or personal life. When could you plan a “pullback” period that would set you up for a stronger push forward? If you’re feeling exhausted, uncreative, or like you’re constantly in output mode, this episode will help you recalibrate.


    🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take
    1. Reflect: Where in your year could a deload week (or days) help you recharge?
    2. Plan: Choose a period post-deadline, post-launch, or pre-push to give yourself intentional breathing room.
    3. Define your guardrails: What are your non-negotiables (email, podcast, client care)? What can you pause?
    4. Make it restorative: Use the time to play, read, think, journal, or explore new ideas.
    5. Test and tweak: Try a mini deload and take notes on what helped. Adjust for next time.


    📣 Special Invitation

    💡 Have a question or a workplace challenge you want me to unpack on the pod?

    Send me a DM on Instagram or reply to one of my System Sunday emails—I’d love to turn your Q into a full episode.


    📲 Call to Action
    • DM me on Instagram with your Deload Week idea or takeaway.
    • Share this episode with a friend who’s overdue for a break.
    • Rate & review the podcast—it helps more changemakers find this content!
    • Subscribe so you never miss a new episode.


    ⁉️ Want me to answer your question or scenario on the podcast?

    I just opened a new form where you can anonymously submit:

    • A leadership or systems challenge you’re facing
    • A scenario you want me to walk through
    • A question that’s been stuck in your head about your role, team, or impact

    I'll be selecting a few to feature in upcoming episodes.

    Submit your Q here!


    👉 Resources Mentioned
    • Follow on Instagram: @nursing.the.system
    • Join my System Sunday email list for your weekly dose of strategy and sanity for nurses leading change in healthcare.
    32 min
  • 22: How I Mentally Prepped for My Biggest Keynote Ever
    🎙 Episode Overview

    Today’s episode is a little different—I’m recording straight from my bed, under the covers, because inspiration struck and I had to get this out of my brain.


    I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes look at preparing for and delivering my first big keynote—to an audience of 2,000 at a national nurse practitioner conference. From pre-speech jitters to the moment I walked off stage, I’m unpacking what worked, what surprised me, and the mental strategies I used to keep my nerves in check.


    If you’ve ever had to speak in front of a group, pitch an idea, or step into a high-pressure leadership role, this episode is for you.


    🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn
    • How I managed my nerves leading up to my biggest keynote yet
    • The "it’s not a big deal" mindset hack I use to keep calm under pressure
    • My dad’s genius storytelling trick for instantly connecting with an audience
    • Why making friends with your audience in advance is a game-changer for confidence


    🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You
    • Confidence isn’t about eliminating nerves—it’s about managing them.
    • Your audience wants you to succeed. Humanize them, and you’ll feel less pressure.
    • Stories create connection. A well-placed personal story makes your talk instantly more engaging.
    • Growth often feels uncomfortable. The nerves mean you're stepping into something bigger.


    🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode

    If you’ve got a presentation, pitch, or public speaking moment coming up, listen to this episode with that in mind. Think about how you can apply these strategies to show up with more confidence and own the room.


    🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take
    1. Test the “it’s not a big deal” mindset—see if downplaying the pressure helps calm your nerves.
    2. Start with a story. Next time you speak, open with something relatable to set the tone.
    3. Make audience connections before you speak—introduce yourself, chat with people, and anchor yourself to familiar faces.
    4. Reframe nerves as proof of growth. If something makes you nervous, it’s probably pushing you to a new level.


    ⁉️ Want me to answer your question or scenario on the podcast?

    I just opened a new form where you can anonymously submit:

    • A leadership or systems challenge you’re facing
    • A scenario you want me to walk through
    • A question that’s been stuck in your head about your role, team, or impact

    I'll be selecting a few to feature in upcoming episodes.

    Submit your Q here!


    📲 Call to Action
    • DM me on Instagram (@nursing.the.system) with your biggest public speaking challenge!
    • Share this episode with a friend who needs a confidence boost before their next big talk.
    • Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes!
    • Join my System Sunday email list for your weekly dose of strategy and sanity for nurses leading change in healthcare.
    34 min
  • 21: My Project Fell Apart – Here’s the 8-Step Process that Saved It
    🎙 Episode Overview

    Today’s episode is a special sneak peek from my private podcast series: The Changemaker Case Files. This private series takes you behind the scenes into real coaching conversations with nurse changemakers — nurses just like you — who are navigating career pivots, leadership challenges, and everything in between.


    In this episode, I’m sharing the 8-step process I personally use to navigate roadblocks in my own change work — including the very real tech disaster that almost derailed this entire podcast project. Whether you’re leading a project, navigating a career transition, or just trying to stay afloat in a constantly shifting healthcare system, these steps will help you stay grounded and move forward with confidence.


    If you love this episode, you’ll love the full Changemaker Case Files series — and you can access it for free by subscribing at the link in the show notes.


    🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn
    • Why roadblocks are inevitable in any change project (and why that’s not a bad thing)
    • The exact 8-step process for handling setbacks without spiraling
    • How to emotionally discharge frustration so you can problem-solve effectively
    • Why transparency builds trust — and how to share setbacks with your team the right way


    🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You
    • Roadblocks aren’t proof you’re failing — they’re part of the process.
    • Emotional regulation comes before problem-solving — always.
    • Resilient leaders communicate transparently, even when things go wrong.
    • Every challenge is an opportunity to build creative problem-solving skills.

    🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode

    Listen with a recent or current challenge in mind, and think about how you can apply the 8-step process to your own situation. Even if you’re not leading a big project right now, this framework will serve you in any season of your career — from day-to-day work frustrations to major career pivots.


    🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take
    1. Save the 8-Step Process — write it down or save it somewhere you can easily access when things go sideways.
    2. Practice emotional discharge intentionally the next time you hit a snag — avoid jumping straight into problem-solving mode.
    3. Reflect on a past project that hit a roadblock — how would this process have helped you navigate it differently?
    4. Subscribe to The Changemaker Case Files to hear even more real conversations and coaching moments — the private podcast is free and linked in the show notes.



    📲 Call to Action
    • Subscribe to The Changemaker Case Files for free
    • Join Changemaker Essentials Waitlist if you’re ready to invest in your future
    • DM me on Instagram with your thoughts, feedback, or how you’re using the 8-step process in your own work
    • Join my System Sunday email list for your weekly dose of strategy and sanity for nurses leading change in healthcare.
    29 min
  • 20: Why Traditional Nursing Career Advice Isn’t Working—And What to Do Instead
    🎙 Episode Overview

    The healthcare landscape is evolving at breakneck speed—but the career advice nurses are still being given is stuck in the past. In this episode, we’re getting brutally honest about why the “stable job, climb the ladder, collect degrees” mindset is no longer enough—and how it’s actively hurting your ability to build a career that lasts.


    If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything “right” but still feel stuck, burned out, or unsure what’s next, this episode will help you understand why—and what to do instead.


    Most importantly, you’ll learn why becoming a systems thinker and building a changemaker skill set is the ultimate form of career insurance in today’s healthcare world.


    🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
    • Why traditional career advice for nurses is outdated—and dangerous in 2025.
    • The three biggest career myths keeping nurses stuck (and what to believe instead).
    • How the most successful nurse leaders think differently about their careers and impact.
    • Why “stability” is a myth—and adaptability is your real superpower.
    • How to future-proof your nursing career with a portable, powerful skill set you can apply anywhere.


    🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:
    • There is no such thing as a “stable” nursing career anymore.
    • Degrees alone won’t save you—but strategic skills, relationships, and systems thinking will.
    • You can’t afford to wait for permission—the nurses who thrive create their own opportunities.
    • Change leadership isn’t a title—it’s a mindset and a set of tools you can use anywhere.
    • Your best career insurance plan is becoming someone who understands how systems work and how to change them.


    🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode:

    As you listen, take note of the career advice you’ve been following—where does it come from? Is it aligned with the realities of healthcare today, or are you still clinging to outdated ideas that no longer serve you? Reflect on what being a changemaker could look like for you, no matter where you work today.


    🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take:

    ✔ Stop chasing stability and start building adaptability—become someone who can thrive in any setting.

    ✔ Audit your career mindset—are you waiting for a seat at the table, or learning how to build your own?

    ✔ Start thinking like a systems thinker—practice seeing the big picture, not just your daily tasks.

    ✔ Explore Changemaker Essentials—Claire’s 12-week program to help you build the strategic skills, influence, and confidence to create a career that works for YOU, not just the system.


    📣 Special Announcements:

    🚨 Changemaker Essentials enrollment is OPEN!

    This 12-week program is designed for nurses who are ready to:

    • Stop feeling stuck and start driving change in their careers and workplaces.
    • Build systems thinking, influence, and problem-solving skills that work in any setting.
    • Create a career path that’s aligned with their values and future-proofed against industry shifts.


    Enrollment is only open March 3-6, 2025, so head to the link in the below to save your spot.


    📲 Call to Action:

    🔗 Visit here to enroll in Change Maker Essentials before doors close on March 6th.

    📩 DM Claire on Instagram @nursing.the.system with any questions—or just to share your biggest takeaway from today’s episode.

    📤 Know a nurse who feels stuck in their career? Send them this episode!


    ⁉️ Want me to answer your question or scenario on the podcast?

    I just opened a new form where you can anonymously submit:

    • A leadership or systems challenge you’re facing
    • A scenario you want me to walk through
    • A question that’s been stuck in your head about your role, team, or impact

    I'll be selecting a few to feature in upcoming episodes.

    Submit your Q here!


    👉 Resources Mentioned:
    • 📚 Changemaker Essentials Enrollment Page – Enrollment Closes March 6th
    • Join my System Sunday email list for your weekly dose of strategy and sanity for nurses leading change in healthcare.
    • 📲 Follow Claire on Instagram: @nursing.the.system
    28 min
  • 19: How to Transition into your Role as a New Nurse Leader
    🎙 Episode Overview

    Stepping into a leadership role—whether you’re new to an organization, promoted within your unit, or stepping up as a charge nurse—can feel like drinking from a firehose. You’re excited, a little overwhelmed, and wondering, Where do I even start?


    The truth? New leaders often feel like they’re failing before they’ve even begun. But leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about learning how to ask the right questions. In this episode, we’re breaking down the mindset shifts, first steps, and success tools you need to transition into leadership with confidence.


    🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
    • The biggest mindset traps that new leaders fall into (and how to avoid them).
    • Why you don’t need to prove yourself right away—and how pacing yourself sets you up for long-term success.
    • The first steps every new leader should take to earn trust and build momentum.
    • How to clarify your team’s challenges and goals before making big decisions.
    • Three practical tools to help you stay organized, build relationships, and find early wins in your role.


    🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:
    • Leadership transitions take time—you don’t have to prove yourself in the first month.
    • Your first job as a leader is to listen, learn, and observe.
    • Small, strategic wins are more impactful than rushing to fix everything at once.
    • Trust isn’t built by doing everything—it’s built by doing the right things well.
    • You don’t need to have all the answers—great leaders know how to ask the right questions.


    🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode:

    Reflect on where you’re at in your leadership journey—are you feeling pressure to over-perform, or are you focusing on learning first? Take notes on the success tools shared in this episode and pick one or two to start implementing this week.


    🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take:

    ✔ Shift Your Mindset: Give yourself permission to be a learner first, not a fixer.

    ✔ Set Up 1:1 Conversations with key team members to understand what’s working and where support is needed.

    ✔ Start Your Orientation Manual: Document important systems, processes, and stakeholder insights.

    ✔ Use the Map Your Impact Mini-Course to identify key players and how to strategically build relationships.

    ✔ Find an Early Win: Look for a small, meaningful improvement to build credibility with your team.


    📣 Special Announcements:

    📌 Navigating a new leadership role? My Map Your Impact Mini-Course will help you cut through the noise, identify your strategic position, and make an impact—without feeling overwhelmed. Find it in the show notes!


    📌 Want a clear strategy for leading with confidence? Join the waitlist for Changemaker Essentials—my leadership coaching program designed to help you step into your role with clarity and purpose.


    ⁉️ Want me to answer your question or scenario on the podcast?

    I just opened a new form where you can anonymously submit:

    • A leadership or systems challenge you’re facing
    • A scenario you want me to walk through
    • A question that’s been stuck in your head about your role, team, or impact

    I'll be selecting a few to feature in upcoming episodes.

    Submit your Q here!


    📲 Call to Action:

    📩 DM me on Instagram @nursing.the.system to share your biggest leadership challenge—I’d love to hear from you!

    Join my System Sunday email list for your weekly dose of strategy and sanity for nurses leading change in healthcare.

    🎧 If this episode resonated with you, send it to a fellow nurse leader or tag me on Instagram with your takeaways.

    39 min
  • 18: What Nurses Get Wrong About Grad School
    🎙 Episode Overview

    If you’re thinking about grad school—or you’re already in the thick of it—there’s a lot you probably wish someone had told you. Many nurses see grad school as the natural next step for career growth, but without a clear “why,” they often end up burned out, frustrated, or questioning if it was worth it.


    In this episode, I’m breaking down the six biggest mistakes nurses make when choosing, applying to, and navigating grad school—so you can make the most of your experience.


    🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
    • The biggest misconceptions about grad school (and why it won’t automatically fix burnout).
    • Why using grad school as an escape route can backfire—and what to do instead.
    • How to avoid underestimating the financial, time, and mental investment that grad school requires.
    • Why not all schools are created equal (and how to find a program that actually fits your career goals).
    • How to be strategic in your applications instead of telling admissions committees what you think they want to hear.
    • The number one way to find mentorship during grad school—and why it’s your responsibility to seek it out.


    🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:
    • Grad school should be a strategic choice, not an emotional escape route.
    • If you’re struggling with lack of structure, grad school won’t fix that—you have to build systems that work for you.
    • The true cost of grad school goes beyond tuition—it affects your time, opportunities, and mental capacity.
    • A “top-ranked” school isn’t always the best fit—your personal vision matters more than prestige.
    • Professors and advisors won’t automatically check in on you—mentorship is something you have to create for yourself.


    🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode:

    Take a moment to reflect on why you’re considering grad school. Are you running toward something or just running away? Listen with a critical and open mind—this episode will help you get clear on whether grad school is the right move for you right now.


    🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take:

    ✔ Get clear on your "why" before applying—ask yourself what long-term impact you want to have.

    ✔ Assess whether you need grad school or just a better structure for career growth.

    ✔ Do the math—look at the true financial, time, and energy cost before enrolling.

    ✔ Research schools intentionally—find a program that aligns with your career goals, not just the most prestigious name.

    ✔ Seek mentorship proactively—connect with faculty, peers, or professional groups to support your journey.


    📣 Special Announcements:

    📌 Thinking about grad school? My Personal Statement Writing Guide is your roadmap to crafting an authentic, standout application.

    📌 If you’re feeling uncertain about your next career move, Changemaker Essentials is designed to help you build clarity and confidence in your professional path.

    ⁉️ Want me to answer your question or scenario on the podcast?

    I just opened a new form where you can anonymously submit:

    • A leadership or systems challenge you’re facing
    • A scenario you want me to walk through
    • A question that’s been stuck in your head about your role, team, or impact

    I'll be selecting a few to feature in upcoming episodes.

    Submit your Q here!

    

    📲 Call to Action:

    📩 DM me on Instagram @nursing.the.system to share your thoughts on this episode or ask any questions!

    Join my System Sunday email list for your weekly dose of strategy and sanity for nurses leading change in healthcare.

    🎧 If you found this episode helpful, share it with a fellow nurse who’s considering grad school!

    29 min
  • 17: The 7 Non-Negotiables I Swear By to Prepare for a Smooth Job Transition

    🎙 Episode Overview:


    In this episode I discuss how I am stepping into a leadership role where I was hired for my leadership skills—not my subject matter expertise. In this episode, I’m sharing how I prepared for my new role and the seven things I did six weeks before my first day to set myself up for success. If you’re navigating a leadership transition, this episode will give you tangible strategies to help you feel more confident, clear, and prepared.


    🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

    • Why preparing for a transition isn’t about control—it’s about resilience.
    • The mindset shift that makes stepping into leadership feel less overwhelming.
    • How to create structure before day one to reduce stress and decision fatigue.
    • The importance of observing, listening, and connecting in your first few weeks.
    • How setting expectations with your team and loved ones makes the transition smoother.


    🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:

    • Leadership transitions aren’t just about learning the job—they’re about designing systems that support you through the change.
    • You don’t need to have all the answers on day one—your job is to listen, observe, and build trust.
    • Setting up your home life and routines in advance creates more mental space to focus at work.
    • Every system—from your calendar to your relationships—affects your success in a new role.


    🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode:

    If you’re stepping into leadership, about to start a new job, or feeling overwhelmed by a transition, use this episode as a checklist. Pick one or two strategies that resonate and implement them now—you’ll thank yourself later.


    🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take:

    1. Rehearse Your New Routine: Start practicing your new schedule before day one—wake up at the same time, test your commute, and fine-tune your workflow.
    2. Declutter Your Physical & Digital Spaces: Clear out distractions so your home and workspace feel supportive.
    3. Prioritize Observation & Connection: Spend your first weeks listening, asking questions, and learning the dynamics of your team.
    4. Set Expectations With Loved Ones: Be upfront about how your schedule is changing and what you’ll need during the transition.
    5. Identify Your Leadership Priorities: Define how you want to show up each day, even before you start making changes.


    📣 Special Announcements:

    🚨 The Map Your Impact Mini-Course is here! This course helps you map out your role, focus your energy, and start driving meaningful change from day one—without feeling overwhelmed.


    As a podcast listener, you can use the code MYI10OFF for $10 off your enrollment. Find the link in the show notes!


    ⁉️ Want me to answer your question or scenario on the podcast?

    I just opened a new form where you can anonymously submit:

    • A leadership or systems challenge you’re facing
    • A scenario you want me to walk through
    • A question that’s been stuck in your head about your role, team, or impact

    I'll be selecting a few to feature in upcoming episodes.

    Submit your Q here!


    👉 Resources Mentioned:

    • Map Your Impact Mini-Course (Code: MYI10OFF)
    • Connect with me: @nursing.the.system
    24 min
  • 16: Breaking Down the Silos in Healthcare: How to Start at Your Level
    Breaking Down the Silos in Healthcare: How to Start at Your Level

    🎙 Episode Overview:


    Silos in healthcare are everywhere, from departments that don’t communicate to shifts operating in isolation. 

    In this episode, I’m diving into why breaking down these barriers is critical for collaboration, patient care, and building a healthier workplace culture. 

    I’ll walk you through practical steps to start dissolving silos at your level—whether that’s with your coworkers, managers, or other departments—so we can create an interconnected web of trust and teamwork.

    🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

    • Why silos limit collaboration and delay patient care—and how to recognize them in your workplace.
    • Practical ways to connect with your coworkers and reduce the “us vs. them” mindset.
    • How building trust with your manager strengthens team dynamics and problem-solving.
    • Strategies to go beyond surface-level niceties with other departments.
    • How to become a connector and foster collaboration across your organization.

    🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:

    • Silos limit communication, delay care, and create an “us vs. them” culture.
    • Collaboration starts with empathy and understanding others’ perspectives, no matter their role.
    • Strong workplace connections create a “web” of trust that helps solve problems faster.
    • You don’t need authority to make an impact—small actions can create ripple effects across your team.

    🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode:


    Come ready to reflect on how you interact with others at work. Pay attention to the practical examples I share and think about how you can apply them to build stronger connections in your organization.


    🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take:


    1. Ask a coworker a meaningful question, like, “What’s one thing making your shift harder today?”
    2. Have a quick, intentional check-in with your manager to better understand their perspective.
    3. Break the ice with other departments by asking a thoughtful question, like, “What drew you to this role?”
    4. Introduce two people who could collaborate better and watch how that connection drives teamwork.


    📣 Special Announcements:


    🚨 I’m so excited to announce the launch of the Map Your Impact Mini-Course! In this course, I’ll guide you through creating a personalized impact map to help you identify your role, focus your energy, and start driving meaningful change without feeling overwhelmed.


    As a podcast listener, you can use the code MYI10OFF for $10 off your enrollment.


    📲 Call to Action:


    • Enroll in the Map Your Impact Mini-Course with code MYI10OFF.
    • Follow me on Instagram @nursing.the.system for more tools and tips on breaking silos.
    • Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to make their workplace stronger.
    • Join the CME Waitlist
    • Join my System Sunday email list for your weekly dose of strategy and sanity for nurses leading change in healthcare.

    

    ⁉️ Want me to answer your question or scenario on the podcast?

    I just opened a new form where you can anonymously submit:

    • A leadership or systems challenge you’re facing
    • A scenario you want me to walk through
    • A question that’s been stuck in your head about your role, team, or impact

    I'll be selecting a few to feature in upcoming episodes.

    Submit your Q here!


    👉 Resources Mentioned:


    • Map Your Impact Mini-Course (Code: MYI10OFF)
    • Connect with me: @nursing.the.system
    32 min
  • 15: How to Get Everyone on the Same Page: Systems Mapping

    🎙 Episode Overview: 


    When you're in a meeting discussing a complex problem, have you ever wondered how everyone can be looking at the same issue but seeing it completely differently? 


    In this episode, we dive into systems mapping—a powerful visual tool that helps get your entire team on the same page. You'll learn how to use this approach to break down complex problems, create shared understanding, and move toward meaningful solutions together.


    🔑 In This Episode, You'll Learn:


    • How to use systems mapping to visualize relationships between different parts of your healthcare system—from staffing patterns to communication breakdowns
    • Why creating a shared mental model is crucial for solving complex problems (and how systems mapping makes this possible)
    • The key difference between systems mapping and workflow mapping, and when to use each
    • A step-by-step approach to facilitate your first systems mapping session with your team


    🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:


    • Systems mapping isn't about controlling the system—it's about understanding it so we can move with it more effectively
    • The act of mapping together is often just as valuable as the final map itself
    • You're already familiar with systems mapping through things like org charts and anatomy diagrams—now it's about applying this skill intentionally
    • When diverse stakeholders map together, you get a more complete picture of what's really happening


    🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode


    Take notes on the 4-step process for facilitating a systems mapping session. Think about a current challenge in your workplace that could benefit from getting everyone's perspective visually mapped out.


    🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take:

    • Choose a specific problem or process in your unit that would benefit from shared understanding
    • Gather your team and use sticky notes or a whiteboard to map out the current system together
    • Ask "what might be happening?" instead of "what is happening?" to encourage more open discussion
    • Use the bathtub analogy (inflows, stock, outflows) to analyze staffing or resource challenges


    📣 Special Announcements:


    Stay tuned for a special surprise in the next episode! Make sure you've collected all the secret code letters from the past few episodes. Collect this episode's secret code letters: "O F F"


    👉 Call to Action:

    • Share this episode
    • Connect with Claire on Instagram @nursing.the.system to share your feedback
    • Subscribe, rate, and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts
    • Join my System Sunday email list for your weekly dose of strategy and sanity for nurses leading change in healthcare.


    ⁉️ Want me to answer your question or scenario on the podcast?

    I just opened a new form where you can anonymously submit:

    • A leadership or systems challenge you’re facing
    • A scenario you want me to walk through
    • A question that’s been stuck in your head about your role, team, or impact

    I'll be selecting a few to feature in upcoming episodes.

    Submit your Q here!

    

    📲 Links & Resources:

    • Instagram
    • Systems Sunday Newsletter
    29 min
  • 14: When Personal and Professional Goals Collide: Building a Life That Aligns
    🎙 Episode Overview


    In this deeply personal episode, I share how an unexpected pull toward living in the Netherlands challenged my carefully planned life path—and what that taught me about navigating vision shifts. Whether you're feeling a tug toward something new or wrestling with seemingly conflicting goals, this episode offers a framework for aligning your shifting vision with your life and career.


    🔑 In This Episode, You'll Learn


    • How to recognize and sit with the discomfort of a shifting vision instead of immediately trying to "fix" it
    • A practical framework for integrating seemingly conflicting personal and professional goals
    • Why "irrational" pulls toward new directions might hold important clues about your future path
    • How to take small, exploratory steps toward a new vision while maintaining your current commitments


    🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You


    • Your vision naturally evolves—this isn't a failure of planning but an invitation to grow
    • Being stuck is always a feeling, never a fact. It's an invitation to think differently about your situation
    • Being a changemaker isn't about becoming a strategic robot. It's about asking: Who do I want to be? What do I love to do? And how can I integrate that into my life?
    • Clarity comes from action, not endless analysis


    🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode


    Take time to reflect on your own experiences with shifting visions or conflicting goals as you listen. Consider grabbing a journal to work through the reflection prompts shared in the episode, especially if you're currently feeling a "tug" toward something new in your life or career.


    🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take


    1. Sit with the discomfort: Journal about where you're feeling a "tug" toward something new or unexpected
    2. Map your intersections: Write down your seemingly conflicting goals side by side and look for creative overlaps
    3. Take small, exploratory steps: Choose one low-stakes way to explore your new vision this week
    4. Ask yourself: "What parts of my current life feel out of alignment? What is this new vision trying to tell me about who I'm becoming?"


    📣 Special Announcements


    • Keep collecting for the secret code! This episode's numbers: 1 and 0


    📲 Call to Action


    • Share this episode with someone wrestling with a shifting vision
    • Connect with Claire on Instagram @nursing.the.system to share your feedback
    • Subscribe, rate, and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts
    • Join my System Sunday email list for your weekly dose of strategy and sanity for nurses leading change in healthcare.


    ⁉️ Want me to answer your question or scenario on the podcast?

    I just opened a new form where you can anonymously submit:

    • A leadership or systems challenge you’re facing
    • A scenario you want me to walk through
    • A question that’s been stuck in your head about your role, team, or impact

    I'll be selecting a few to feature in upcoming episodes.

    Submit your Q here!


    👉 Resources Mentioned
    • Book: "Curbing Traffic” by Melissa and Chris Bruntlett
    • Claire's Systems Thinking Reading List
    • Not Just Bikes YouTube Channel
    • Change Maker Essentials Program
    • Innovative Career Coaching Program
    • Instagram
    • Systems Sunday Newsletter
    30 min

About Nursing the System

From the publisher's feed

The Nursing the System Podcast is for nurses who want to change the healthcare system—but are tired of bandaid fixes and ‘just try harder’ advice. This podcast delivers practical tools, real-world…