How do you effectively communicate with people who require prolonged mechanical ventilation and thus cannot vocalize? How can we better connect with people who cannot speak for themselves? What assumptions do we have that need to be challenged? What practical tips and tools could improve and humanize communication and therefore patient safety - for you, the nurse and for patients and their families?

In this episode we hear how curiosity about these questions and others compelled Dr. Laura Istanboulian to explore interventions to support adult patient communication in the intensive care unit during and beyond. She eloquently describes patient, family and nursing perspectives that can deepen our understanding and praxis in important ways.

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For generations, people have been judged, shamed, and blamed for their weight-by families, friends, healthcare practitioners, and society at large. These messages become so deeply internalized that many of us don’t even recognize when we’re turning that judgment inward. Why do so many patients describe themselves as “bad” for what they eat? How did food choices become a moral issue?

In this episode of Radical Nurse Talk, Nurse Practitioner Heather Watson, an expert in obesity medicine, invites us to rethink the language we use about body size, health, and care. Heather explores how terms like “obesity” are often misunderstood and misused, and how negative stereotypes and moral judgments can do real harm, especially for those living with serious illnesses like cancer or organ failure alongside obesity.

Drawing from her clinical experience and her passion for advocacy, Heather challenges listeners to consider: How does our language, intended to care, sometimes cause harm? What would it mean to communicate with patients about weight in ways that are truly supportive, evidence-based, and free from stigma?

Join us as we unpack the complexities of weight, health, and communication, and discover how nurses and healthcare professionals can lead the way in creating more compassionate, equitable care for all.

For more information and to access resources, visit radicalnursetalk.com.

Although much of the conversation around health focuses on illness, this episode takes a different path—delving into the complex realities faced by pregnant individuals navigating socioeconomic vulnerabilities. We explore how precarious housing, mental health crises, substance use, past trauma, and intimate partner violence can intersect to put both mother and baby at risk before and after birth.

Our guest, Lindsay Croswell, Nursing Practice Lead for the Nurse-Family Partnership ® (NFP) Program in Ontario, Canada, shares her extensive experience working with first-time parents in challenging circumstances. Lindsay was among the first public health nurses to implement NFP in Canada 17 years ago and has since played a pivotal role in shaping the program nationally and internationally.

Listeners will hear how nurses, through skilled therapeutic communication, provide vital antenatal and postnatal care in the community—building trusting relationships that transform lives and outcomes for vulnerable families. Lindsay discusses the evidence-based NFP model, where the nurse is the intervention, and how this approach supports young, first-time parents to achieve healthier pregnancies, stronger parenting skills, and brighter futures for their children.

Tune in to discover how compassionate, evidence-informed nursing can make a profound difference when pregnancy and parenting are complicated by social and economic adversity.

For more information and to access resources, visit radicalnursetalk.com.

Throughout any given shift, regardless of the practice setting, nurses regularly provide care to individuals who are grieving or have experienced various forms of loss. But what about the nurses themselves? How are they coping? Nurses grieve too.

In this episode, Cory Burdock shines a light on the often-overlooked reality of nurses’ grief, acknowledging it as a normal and genuine part of the healthcare profession. For too long, this aspect of practice has been dismissed, suppressed, or even pathologized. Through an open and thoughtful discussion, Cory urges both individuals and organizations to recognize and reframe the grief paradigm, ultimately bringing the experience of nurses’ grief and its impact out of the shadows.

Cory Burdock is a registered nurse with a certification in Hospice Palliative Care Nursing from the Canadian Nurses Association. She is the president-elect of the Canadian Palliative Care Nurses Association and is deeply committed to the need for a wider recognition of nurses’ grief. Following graduate studies in Palliative Care Education and nurses' grief, Cory works as a Clinical Nurse Specialist specializing in Pain and Symptom management in Alberta, Canada. She also focuses on quality improvement, policy development, and program planning for palliative care, while serving as an educator and mentor for advanced practice nurses.

For more information and to access resources, visit radicalnursetalk.com.

Birgit Umaigba is a registered nurse and PhD student at Queen's University's School of Nursing. She is also a thought leader, speaker, health equity advocate, nurse educator, and consultant. At the heart of her work is a commitment to integrating an equity-focused perspective into nursing, particularly in addressing the needs of Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities.

Patricia Strachan, host of Radical Nurse Talk, first learned of Birgit’s advocacy through an article in The Canadian Nurse in 2024. The article highlighted Birgit's efforts to push for the collection and publication of race-based data in Canadian healthcare—a critical step toward identifying and addressing systemic racism.

Racism and inequality remain pervasive challenges in Canadian healthcare, affecting patients, families, and nurses alike. In this conversation, Birgit shares her insights on how we can all be part of the solution, advocating for a shift toward a more inclusive society and nursing practice. She explores how our everyday interactions—our language, attitudes, and actions—can foster inclusivity, allowing both healthcare providers and patients to show up authentically. These principles are vital not just in nursing, but in all healthcare conversations, particularly when caring for people facing serious illness.

For more information and to access resources visit: radicalnursetalk.com

In this heartfelt episode, Mahoganie Hines delves into the critical role of nurses in advocating for patient-centred care at the end of life. With passion and expertise, Mahoganie highlights how nurses serve as the steady presence—the calm in the storm—when patients are facing decline and when families are overwhelmed by difficult decisions. She passionately argues that advocacy is not just a role, but a cornerstone of nursing care during this sensitive time.

As a clinical nurse specialist on the palliative care unit at St. Peter’s Hospital in Hamilton, Ontario, Mahoganie shares invaluable, evidence-based insights and practical strategies for nurses—both generalists and specialists—on how to effectively communicate with patients and their families. She offers guidance on how to navigate common questions and challenges that often arise at the end of life.

Mahoganie’s wealth of experience includes not only her clinical work but also her leadership in bioethics, education, and palliative care advocacy. She has held numerous roles, including educator, palliative pain and symptom management consultant, and hospice nurse. Her expertise has been recognized with multiple awards, and she has become a well-respected voice in promoting a palliative approach to care across healthcare organizations.

Beyond her clinical and academic work, Mahoganie is the president of the Canadian Palliative Care Nursing Association, and she is a certified specialist in palliative care nursing. With a Master’s in Health Science and Bioethics, Mahoganie’s impact extends across various levels—from the bedside to boardrooms, from clinical settings to guideline groups. She remains a passionate advocate for both patients and nurses, ensuring that compassionate care is always at the forefront of palliative practice.

Tune in for this enlightening conversation about the essential role of nurses in end-of-life care, and the powerful difference advocacy can make in providing comfort and clarity during one of life’s most challenging times.

For more information visit: radicalnursetalk.com

All over the world nurses work with seriously ill patients and their families, often in significantly under resourced conditions, difficult geographies, and within diverse cultural contexts. How can these nurses be supported to optimize their relational work in serious illness?

In this episode, Erin Das, a Canadian-trained advanced practice nurse based in Nairobi, Kenya, explores the challenges and strategies for supporting nurses and healthcare workers who care for seriously ill patients in under-resourced, geographically challenging, and culturally diverse settings. Erin’s work is deeply rooted in palliative care, drawing from her experience in pediatric palliative care, pain and symptom management, cancer care, kidney support, health education, and community development.

As the practice head at the Global Treehouse Foundation, Erin focuses on improving access to care for seriously ill children and their families. She is also the supportive care lead at Africa Healthcare Network, the leading dialysis organization in sub-Saharan Africa, and an Executive Member of PallCHASE (Palliative Care in Humanitarian Aid Situations and Emergencies). Currently, she coordinates a Project ECHO Community of Practice program that provides palliative care training for humanitarian healthcare workers in East Africa.

With experience in Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea, and Kenya, Erin provides valuable insights into the importance of communication training and support for healthcare workers, emphasizing how these efforts must respect the cultural beliefs, languages, and practices of both health workers and the communities they serve.

For more information visit: radicalnursetalk.com

Have you ever asked a patient about their resuscitation preferences? Or what we refer to as code status—whether they would want their heart restarted if it stopped? Most nurses have asked this question in some form during various practice encounters. While it might seem like a straightforward inquiry, there is much more beneath the surface.

In this episode, Dr. Sharyn Milnes, an Australian critical care nurse, scholar, and educator, offers valuable insights and practical guidance that will resonate with nurses everywhere. Sharyn is currently the Manager of Communication and Education for the iValidate program's clinical education and training at Barwon Health in Geelong, Australia. iValidate ("Identifying Values, Listening, and Advising High-risk Patients in Acute Care") is a unique and evidence-based Australian communication program designed to enhance conversations between healthcare teams, seriously ill patients, and their families.

In our discussion, Sharyn explores how questions about code status intersect with or can complicate efforts around advanced care planning, which is being increasingly promoted in healthcare settings. With a strong foundation in ethics and shared decision-making, Sharyn examines the language commonly used in healthcare settings—language that we often assume patients understand. She explains how important conversations can be inadvertently shut down and how treatment momentum can unintentionally send messages, shape patients' and families' understanding, and influence the decisions they make. Throughout it all, Sharyn emphasizes the profound impact that nursing communication can have, particularly through a technique she calls "a circuit breaker."

For more information and to access resources visit: radicalnursetalk.com

In this episode, we explore the intersection of nursing and the arts—a rare but powerful combination in healthcare. In January 2024, The Telegraph, a renowned UK news outlet, featured an article titled "The Nurse Who Helps Dying Patients Write Poetry." The nurse at the centre of this story is Rekha Vijayshankar, a trailblazer in the field of palliative care. Rekha joins us to share poignant stories that highlight the transformative and diverse ways nurses can connect with dying patients, offering new perspectives on relational care. Through these reflections, she invites us to challenge our assumptions and rethink our roles in the healthcare process, especially in unconventional practices.

Rekha is a Queen's nurse, Winston Churchill fellow, and a leader in frailty and palliative care. She currently serves as Deputy Head of Quality and Clinical Governance at Marie Curie, UK. With a deep background in palliative care, public health nursing, and as a nurse prescriber, Rekha’s work is grounded in social justice and equity. Drawing from her own experiences as a family caregiver and her lived reality of social isolation and health challenges, she uses a public health lens to empower those facing adversity, particularly in navigating end-of-life decisions. A mindfulness practitioner, Rekha’s insights offer a profound and compassionate look at nursing and caregiving.

For more information and to access resources visit: radicalnursetalk.com

How can a Chief Nursing Officer influence conversations about serious illness?

In this episode, Patricia Strachan explores this question with Dr. Leigh Chapman, a dedicated nurse and leader who is advocating at the highest levels across Canada to improve working conditions for nurses—helping them not only stay in the profession but thrive. And when nurses thrive, patients benefit too.

Leigh Chapman was appointed Canada’s Chief Nursing Officer in 2022, a positive outcome from the challenges posed by the pandemic, which caused severe nursing shortages and burnout. Since her appointment, Leigh has travelled across Canada—coast to coast—listening to nurses and using her platform to advocate for meaningful change. Her leadership is inspiring.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Leigh shares insights from her diverse clinical experience, including her recent work in supervised injection sites, as well as her ongoing nursing advocacy efforts at the national level. She reflects on her work to create and sustain workplaces where therapeutic nursing relationships can develop and flourish.

Leigh’s message is one of hope and inspiration, and we believe it will resonate with nurses both in Canada and beyond.

For more information and to access resources visit: radicalnursetalk.com