Nursing is a profession that can lead to service in MANY other industries. Recent studies of employers put the skills of nurses in the top ten favorites of all. So we should not be surprised to see how many nurses have gone on to lead a life of service in Politics. We will talk with two nurses who have spent their lives in public service. Barbara Johnson has served the Minneapolis City Council for a total of 32 years, most recently as its President for 12 years. My other guest has been deeply involved with the Minnesota Nurses Association for many years and is currently running for Governor of Minnesota in November 2018. This will truly be a dialogue about passion for service in healthcare and politics and how being a nurse adds phenomenally to that work, while providing a perspective that enhances their contribution.

Over the past 20 years many healthcare organizations across the country began to put primary focus on Customer Service and the proven behaviors that created the best outcomes for their patients. One of those groups was The Studer Group, founded by Quint Studer, based on his experiences of turning a hospital in Chicago from a very poorly rated organization to a stellar organization in a very short period of time. The Studer Group was acquired by Huron Consulting Group in 2015. Today's show is a dialogue with two of the people who helped spread the successes of Studer Group to healthcare organizations across the country. My guests today are Stephanie Brown, and Lavonne Dwinel, experts in supporting the staff of these participating organizations to produce wonderful outcomes through Customer Service strategies.

I welcome back Marie Manthey and Becky Lillihei to the second show on the subject of addiction in Nurses and how to support them back to the workforce in a better frame of mind than anytime previous in their career. In addition we are fortunate to have Dr. Deborah Mathias-Anderson. Her doctoral research was on the work re-entry processes of nurses who had completed substance use disorder treatment. The conversation will be a deeper dive into the issues and resolutions for nurses recovering from addiction. I am SO grateful to know that at least in this area nurses can go from a devastating disease to a life preserving growth and learning opportunity--with a little help from some friends!

Fascinating discussion with Katherine Todd, DNP and VP of Health and Wellbeing at the Waters Senior Living and 3 of her new DNP directors. The Waters is a bold new way of dealing with Senior Care and their philosophy is all about wellbeing--that of the residents at their 5-star-hotel-looking facilities to all of the staff from directors to the newest entry-level employees. This was a round table discussion with these bright new leaders in a bright new field of Senior Care. I came away from the session with a renewed sense of pride in Nursing! Please listen in, I think you will be impressed!

When talking about nurses, the doctors they work with cannot be far behind. This show is a doctor and nurse, who are also good friends after years of working together. More important, Dr. Penny Wheeler is now the President and CEO of the hospital they both worked for. Think of the advantage to nurses to have the top administrator of your organization intimately familiar with the work you do. Both of my guests have a PASSION for patients and the work that they both do for them.

Nursing Unions are a bit of a mystery to me and so perhaps to some of you also. I love history and thought this might be a great way to learn about them. Jean Ross, National Nurses United Co-President and passionate advocate for social justice along with Bernadine (Bunny) Engeldorf, a nurse at United Hospital in St. Paul, MN and MNA 1st Vice President. We will have a great dialogue about this important aspect of nursing in the 20th and 21st centuries. How did the unions get started, when and why? What were the issues in place when they were created? What is the impact they have had on Nursing and the Healthcare Industry? This is a big topic and may take more than one segment to learn it all.

We are all familiar with the PTSD effects that our Military experience after being in active war zones. How often do we consider the Nurses who are treating those military personnel? Mary-Ann Rich is both a nurse who served in Iraq and a nurse who has experienced many traumatic decisions in her everyday work. We will examine the effects of psychological trauma on nurses in BOTH arenas. What can help? Please listen and call in with your experiences and what helped you.

Theresa Nguyen is an inspiration to Nurses, women, and immigrant children the country over. She IS what America is all about. We will talk about her life as the first American born child of Vietnamese parents after arriving in America. Her growth and development under a phenomenally giving father, her decision to contribute to her new country through Nursing and ultimately through encouraging Nurses to stretch themselves to their best ability through starting her own business coaching others.

I am joined in this session with Dr. John Nelson of HC Environment. We discussed Research in Nursing, but specifically research around the trademark of Nurses: Caring. Who knew that could be quantified, but it can! What if the healing effects of individual nurses could be measured and financially compensated! Count me in!

Very interesting episode in which Dr. Nelson takes complicated information and presents it in a very accessible and understandable way. Fascinating that he has tested Caring around the world and found similarities and differences in how different cultures value caring.

This episode addresses a problem in our society with addiction to drugs and alcohol and the reflection of that disease in healthcare personnel, including nurses. Although we have long recognized addiction to be a disease in society, it carries a huge negative stigma for nurses and other healthcare providers. Marie Manthey is a pioneer in relationship-based nursing care and has utilized this concept to support nurses in the clutches of their disease. Marie and Beckie Lillihei, RN are among many in Minneapolis, actively reaching out to nurses in addiction to support, teach and return them to their own humanity and self-confidence, so they can continue to contribute to their community in profound ways.