Nursing2026 Podcast

Health care organizations continue to seek meaningful ways to support staff well-being in the wake of unprecedented workplace stress and ongoing burnout. In this episode, Beth Steinberg, DNP, RN shares how an innovative employee-led therapy dog program evolved from a small pilot project into a nationally recognized model for supporting health care worker well-being. She discusses the unique benefits of animal-assisted therapy and how therapy dogs help staff navigate stress, grief, burnout, and the lasting effects of workplace trauma. The conversation further explores real-world considerations and challenges, offering practical insights into implementing animal-assisted programs in health care settings, including addressing infection prevention, risk management, cultural considerations, and staff concerns. The conversation highlights how simple moments of connection between people and animals can create meaningful support for those who spend their careers caring for others.

Read the related article in the November 2026 issue of Nursing, "Implementation of a therapy dog program to support nurse health and well-being across an academic medical center."

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In this episode, we tackle one of the most difficult yet increasingly important conversations facing nurses, parents, and caregivers: the impact of pornography exposure on children and adolescents. Pediatric nurse and sexual assault nurse examiner Heidi Olson discusses how early exposure can influence development, relationships, sexual behavior, grooming, exploitation, and online safety, while offering practical, trauma-informed strategies for talking with young people. Listeners will learn how to recognize red flags, identify vulnerable youth, respond to concerns, and navigate emerging challenges such as sextortion and AI-generated sexual content. Most importantly, this episode equips health care professionals with actionable tools and hopeful insights to help protect and support children in today's digital world.

Read the related article in the August issue of Nursing2026, "Childhood exposure to pornography and the normalization of online exploitation."

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Heidi Olson, RN, MSN, CPN, SANE-P, is a Certified Pediatric Nurse, Certified Pediatric Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, and nationally recognized educator on child sexual abuse, human trafficking, and exploitation. As Founder and President of Paradigm Shift Training and Consulting, she equips professionals with practical, trauma-informed strategies to identify and respond to vulnerable populations.

Drawing on extensive experience in pediatric and forensic nursing, Heidi has taught at the university level and currently serves as a TeleSANE for Penn State University, providing expert forensic consultation and patient care to rural and underserved hospitals throughout the United States.

Heidi previously managed the SANE Program at Children's Mercy Kansas City, where she performed or reviewed more than 1,500 pediatric forensic examinations, including many involving suspected trafficking. In this role, she collaborated extensively with law enforcement, child protective services, and a large multidisciplinary team. She also educated hundreds of healthcare professionals on topics related to sexual violence. Heidi continues to serve as an expert witness for the prosecution in sexual assault cases.

In 2019, Heidi implemented an evidence-based screening process in the emergency department that has resulted in hundreds of vulnerable children being identified as victims of exploitation. She has testified in support of legislation that was ultimately passed into law and participated in a Capitol Hill briefing focused on protecting children online. Heidi has also testified at the United Nations about the importance of protecting children from pornography exposure.

Heidi has done groundbreaking work to raise awareness about the role of pornography in influencing child-on-child sexual assault and exploitation. She is the published author of a peer-reviewed article on childhood pornography exposure. In January 2025, she had the honor of submitting an amicus brief on this topic to the United States Supreme Court.

Heidi has also been featured in several documentaries addressing these issues, including Vulnerable Innocence, which has received 24 awards. In 2023, she received the Cry Purple Award, which recognizes citizens doing outstanding anti-trafficking work in their communities.

As a survivor of sexual abuse, Heidi is living proof that healing is possible. One of her greatest joys is supporting other survivors as they navigate their own healing journeys.

In this podcast episode, we are joined by Dottie Borton, an experienced RN consultant and infection preventionist to discuss the recent Andes virus outbreak on a cruise ship as a timely entry point into a broader discussion of hantavirus infections and their implications for nursing practice. The conversation highlights key differences between hantavirus types, emphasizing that Andes virus is unique in its ability for person-to-person transmission, whereas most US cases are linked to rodent exposure. Listeners will gain practical clinical insights into symptom recognition, diagnostic challenges, and the rapid progression of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. The episode also underscores the nurse's role in identifying exposure risks, implementing appropriate infection control, and delivering clear patient education on prevention. Although rare, hantavirus infections require vigilance due to their potential severity and rapid deterioration. 

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In this podcast episode, we are joined by UNC Health nursing and occupational health leaders Dr Jeff Strickler, Elaine Marshall, and Dr Catherine Capp to discuss rising workplace violence, and the systemwide strategies they have implemented to prevent violence, support injured staff, and empower nurses to advocate for safer environments. From unit‑based champions to proactive risk‑assessment tools and state‑level policy change, their work shows what is possible when nurses refuse to accept violence as "part of the job." Transcript

In honor of Nurses Month, this episode explores the unique power of nurses, grounded in trust, human connection, and frontline insight, and how that power can shape care, leadership, equity, and policy in today's health care system. Joining us for this discussion is Jennifer S. Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, a nationally recognized nursing leader and the 38th president of the American Nurses Association, where she advocates on behalf of the nation's 5.5 million registered nurses. The conversation weaves together advocacy, technology, burnout, and purpose, ultimately calling for health care leaders to take concrete action to protect nurses and fully realize their impact.

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In this podcast episode, we are joined by Mary Magee, MSN, RN, CPHQ, CPPS, LSSBB to discuss diagnostic safety from a nursing perspective. She describes using Patient Safety Organization data to classify diagnostic events, establish where diagnostic processes break down, and determine how nurses make the biggest difference. Assessment was the dominant category in the data, and the discussion illustrates practical fixes: clear escalation language, pre‑procedure checklists, and ownership of follow‑up. The conversation emphasizes near‑miss reporting as a learning tool and steps nurses can implement immediately to reduce diagnostic delays.

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In this podcast episode, we are joined by Jill Cox, PhD, RN, APN-C, CWOCN, FAAN to discuss wound care nuances in nursing practice. The discussion covers challenges such as limited access to wound care specialists, ethical dilemmas around end-of-life care and skin failure, and growing recognition of unavoidable pressure injuries, along with what this means for accountability, documentation, and legal protection. Equity in wound assessment is also addressed, particularly the difficulty of identifying pressure injuries in patients with dark skin tones and the importance of recognizing atypical wounds. The episode looks ahead to emerging technologies and AI in wound care, encouraging nurses to balance innovation with sound clinical judgment.

Read the related article, "Wound care basics: An overview for nurses" in the March 2026 issue of Nursing.

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This episode explores Alpha-gal syndrome, a tick-associated allergy that causes delayed reactions to mammalian products and is often missed in clinical settings. The conversation with Jeffery Strickler, DHA, RN highlights how Alpha-gal differs from other tick-borne illnesses, the wide range of symptoms nurses may see, and why delayed nighttime reactions are a major clue. The episode also covers hidden risks in medications and medical products and emphasizes the critical role nurses play in recognition, patient education, and safety.

Explore related articles for more information: "Tick-borne diseases in the US" in the July 2024 issue of Nursing and "Mammalian meat allergy: Unexpected danger" in the August 2017 issue of Nursing.

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This episode explores the evolving role of ketamine in mental health care and what it means for the future of nursing practice as psychedelic-assisted therapies move toward mainstream medical use. Rebecca Ivory, DNP, MS, PMHNP-BC, Adjunct Faculty at the University of Delaware School of Nursing in Newark, Delaware, and Jennifer Graber, EdD, APRN, PMHCNS-BC, Associate Dean at the University of Delaware School of Nursing, co-authors of the NCPD article, "Ketamine infusion therapy for treatment-resistant major depressive disorder and suicidal ideation: Nursing care and considerations,"published in the December 2025 issue of Nursing share their insights.

In this podcast episode, Courtney Stathis DNP, FNP-BC, RN and Catherine Wilson-Mooney, MSN, RN discuss the growing use of GLP-1 medications for weight loss and the urgent need to address their psychological, ethical, and social implications. Although these drugs can lead to significant weight reduction, they do not automatically improve body image or mental health, and may even be linked to depression and suicidal ideation. The conversation highlights the role of psychiatric nursing in educating patients, assessing emotional well-being, and ensuring safe use, especially as social media and cultural pressures drive patients to seek quick fixes. Concerns are raised about cost disparities, mail-order or compounded versions, and the increasing prescription to children, whose physical and emotional development may be at risk. The conversation underscores the importance of ethical prescribing, practitioner oversight, and deeper attention to the psychological side of weight management, beyond the physical outcomes.

Read the related article, "The physiologic and psychologic effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists" in the September issue of Nursing2025.

Courtney Stathis DNP, FNP-BC, RN is a family nurse practitioner who received her FNP from CUNY Lehman College and DNP from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Her nursing career has included pediatric, telemetry, neuro and surgical stepdown nursing as well as neuro ICU. She has extensive experience as a Stroke Nurse Practitioner with international collaboration with experts in stroke at the University College Cork in Ireland. As an Assistant Professor of nursing at Kingsborough Community College, she enjoys teaching pediatric nursing to her students. She continues to pursue evidence- based research to apply to her practice.

Catherine Wilson-Mooney, MS, RN is a Nurse Educator who received her MS in Nursing Management and Leadership from Walden University and a BSN from the City University of New York at the College of Staten Island. Her nursing career has included medical surgical nursing and operating room nursing with the majority focus of her career in women and children's health and nursing leadership. She implemented and facilitated the first postpartum depression support group in the New York City area in 1996 and started her teaching journey with the City University of New York in 2014. She is an Assistant Professor at Kingsborough Community College and enjoys teaching Nursing the Emotionally Ill and Maternal Child Health Nursing to her students.

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