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Meet Lia Xiong-Ratley, a Family Nurse Practitioner, women’s health advocate, and rescuer of the underdogs, literally.

Lia has worn many hats over the years, from pediatric ICU to cardiothoracic surgery, but after becoming a family nurse practitioner, she has found her place at Planned Parenthood.

If you think the only services offered through Planned Parenthood are contraception and abortion, you're not alone; Lia and I thought this too. However, the reality is that they provide essential services such as STD testing and treatment, cervical and breast cancer screenings, prenatal care, infertility services, vasectomies, and gender-affirming care, which Lia defines with remarkable clarity (trust me, it’s more than you think).

So, why did Lia become such a passionate advocate for the underserved? Her own experiences have shaped her. As the daughter of emigrants fleeing political persecution during the Vietnam War, Lia grew up advocating for her family as they rebuilt their lives as Americans. It’s no surprise that she roots for the underdogs.

And speaking of dogs, Lia runs a successful dog rescue through her Instagram, which initially started as a platform to showcase her travel adventures (you'll hear about those too). The dogs Lia fosters each have distinct personalities, and she has a special gift for bringing that out in them. She'll make you fall in love with each one (I know I have). 

In the five-minute snippet: Uh, yeah, you’ll just have to hear this one for yourself. For Lia's bio, visit my website (link below).

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Today’s guest is someone whose work sits right at the intersection of education, innovation, and human connection.

Dr. Christine “Christy” Heid is a nursing educator, simulationist, innovator, and healthcare advocate with more than two decades of experience.

As a Nursing Simulation Specialist, she brings an invaluable perspective as both a nurse educator and simulation expert who has personally experienced the challenges institutions face in preparing nurses for clinical practice. A recognized innovator in nursing education, she created the Heid ATE Guide for Clinical Teaching and Learning©, which is an Innovative, Progressive Tool to facilitate the Development of Clinical Judgment Skills for real-world nursing Practice. Brilliant.

But wait, there’s more. Christy has led a multi-site research project funded by an OADN Foundation Grant. She has held roles as a consultant, course developer, and faculty member, contributed to national committees, and published research on simulation and clinical judgment.

In this episode, we talk about how simulation is transforming nursing education, what it really means to build clinical judgment, and why innovation is as much about empathy as it is about technology. Her work reminds us that innovation and empathy aren’t opposites; they’re partners.

I wish, as a young nursing student in 1983, that Christy had been in my life. We didn't have simulations. We didn't have nursing simulation specialists. We had to practice on each other. Yeah, I'm not kidding. So we've come a long way and I was so happy to meet Christy.

In the five minute snippet: Put on your boxing gloves. For Christy's bio, visit my website (link below).

UbiSim

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"Life is a journey, not a destination."  This quote perfectly describes the path of my guest this week, Kim Kish, a surgical oncology nurse practitioner.
Kim's journey started as a lab research associate where she learned valuable skills and even got published. From there, she moved into cardiovascular circulatory support, where she found herself observing nurses, doctors, and patients. She was again picking up crucial work and life skills that would prepare her for her next career in business.
Wait, what? I thought we were moving in the direction of nursing. Yes, but we are enjoying the journey. In her role as a business process design specialist, Kim discovered the joys of traveling, high pay, and process management. But something kept tugging at her, urging her to go around the next bend and discover nursing. So at age 30, she became an adult learner and entered nursing school.
Kim is passionate about providing quality care to the people she serves. She is a leader among her peers, a mentor to new APRN's, and a published author. She told me she loves being a nurse practitioner and will likely retire from this profession. Does that mean she has reached her destination? Not hardly. Something exciting is right around the corner. She is soon launching her career coaching business to help nurses in their journey to lead fulfilling lives.
In the five-minute snippet: Got any travel plans? For Kim's bio, visit my website (link below).


NP for Life LinkedIn
Nurse Your Life Back to Health on Amazon
kknpforlife Instagram

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Today’s episode is one that really hits close to the heart — because it’s about the people who spend their lives caring for others, and what happens when no one’s caring for them.

You’re about to meet Kevin Dickinson, the founder of GetVitals, and his co-founder and clinical advisor, Amber Smith. They developed a mental health app built specifically for nurses — starting with those working in emergency departments. 

Kevin didn’t come from healthcare; he came from engineering. But after watching Amber, an ER nurse and educator with more than a decade of experience, struggle through exhaustion, compassion fatigue, and burnout, he decided to do something bold: he left his career to build a tool that actually supports the people on the front lines.

Together, Kevin and Amber are bringing a deeply personal and powerful perspective to the conversation about mental health in nursing — one that blends love, lived experience, and a shared mission to change the culture of healthcare.

We’ll discuss what burnout really looks like inside an ER, what inspired GetVitals, and how they’re helping nurses take care of themselves with the same compassion they provide their patients every day.

So settle in. This conversation is honest, hopeful, and a reminder that healing the healers might just be where change begins.

In the five minute snippet: He nailed it! For Kevin and Amber's bios, visit my website (link below).

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Are you a critical care nurse or aspiring to become one? If so, you won't want to miss my guest this week, Sarah Vance.
With over 15 years of critical care experience, Sarah is dedicated to educating and mentoring nurses, both new and new to critical care.
Sarah has a knack for simplifying complex concepts and bringing a lighthearted approach to the often intense ICU environment.
She shares valuable free open-access medical education content on social media, covering topics such as intra-aortic balloon pump placement, sedation and pain management for ventilated patients, and safe blood transfusion administration, all crucial for critical care nurses.
Her Instagram handle is @iseeyou_nurse which is a keen play on words but clearly communicates that as a nurse, YOU ARE SEEN.
And that is one of Sarah’s superpowers. She sees the nurse holistically, recognizing the emotional and interpersonal aspects in addition to the technical skills and protocols. She understands that nursing involves the heart, emotions, relationships, communication, and ongoing self-reflection.
In the five-minute snippet: what undo button? For Sarah's bio, visit my website (link below).
Sarah's Instagram
ISeeUNurseResources Etsy store
The Critical Care Masterclass
ISeeU_Nurse website
Sarah's YouTube
Sarah's TikTok
Sarah's LinkedIn

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Today, I’m honored to welcome on the podcast, Lori Schellenberg, a registered nurse with nearly 45 years of experience. Lori’s career is a true testament to the power of embracing change. She began at the bedside and followed her curiosity into home health, occupational nursing, and workers’ compensation—discovering along the way just how transferable nursing skills really are.

Through her journey, Lori built partnerships, mentored colleagues, and helped healthcare businesses grow. When retirement left her seeking a new purpose, she turned her focus to patient advocacy, founding Stepping Stone Advocacy Services. And when she noticed nurses themselves struggling with burnout and limited career vision, she created the Stepping Stone Nurse Academy—a platform offering courses, mentorships, and internships to help nurses transition into fulfilling alternative careers.

Lori’s mission today is dual: to support patients navigating the healthcare system and to empower nurses to realize their untapped potential. 

In the five-minute snippet:  I’d like to see this one on the big screen. For Lori's bio, visit my website (link below).

Contact The Conversing Nurse podcast
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Wow, when you hear my interview with Monica Reyes, you will realize what I’ve known for a while, that she was born to be a pediatric nurse. Her playful nature aligns perfectly with this nursing specialty. She tells us that IV skills are extremely valuable to pediatric nurses and shares her heartbreaking experience of losing a patient. We gained insight into her personal story of the challenges of having a daughter with a chronic disease. In the five-minute snippet, Monica shares what she expects to hear when she gets to the pearly gates of Heaven. For Monica's bio, visit my website (link below).

Society of Pediatric Nurses: https://www.pedsnurses.org/

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Today, I’m joined by Tim Jones, the CEO of Health Nuts Media and a true innovator in the world of health education. With over 30 years of experience, Tim has transformed how patients—especially children—learn about their health.

He’s an Emmy Award-winning producer who blends evidence-based research with engaging storytelling, using animation and interactive tools to make medical information accessible, understandable, and even fun. His work is used in major healthcare institutions across the country, improving health literacy and outcomes for countless patients and families.

Tim’s passion lies in pediatric care, where his creative approach is making a real difference in how kids understand and engage with their health. I’m excited for you to hear his journey, his insights, and the future of health communication.

I want to thank Tim for showing us how storytelling, animation, and innovation can transform patient education—especially for kids. His work reminds us that when health information is clear, engaging, and accessible, patients and families are empowered to take control of their health.

In the five-minute snippet: The Sandlot, Star Wars, The Lion King…need I go on?

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I've partnered with RNegade.pro! You can earn CE's just by listening to my podcast episodes! Check out my CE library here: https://rnegade.thinkific.com/collections/conversing-nurse-podcast

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Have you ever wanted to know what a labor and delivery nurse does? Well, in this episode, Christine Daniel, a labor and delivery nurse for over two decades tells us all about the highs and lows of this interesting nursing specialty. The lows?  Well, the pace is fast, you can stand for long periods, it's very physical and there’s dealing with loss, as well as the social issues surrounding pregnancy. But then there are the highs: the individuality of each delivery experience, the challenge of the operating room, the thrill of learning a new skill, the shared sense of teamwork, and the awareness of just how much joy you give and receive in a day’s work. And don’t forget about the vagina in the box (I’m not sure if that’s a high or a low, but it was the source of a lot of laughs). In the five-minute snippet, I hope that Christine's wish may someday come true: that those little thought bubbles above her head will become visible to all, so watch out! For Christine's book recs visit my website: https://bookshop.org/lists/christine-daniel-bsn-rnc-ob
Vagina in a box simulator:
https://www.gtsimulators.com/products/kyoto-kagaku-vaginal-delivery-assistance-simulator-kk-mw36

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Today’s guest, Randy Morris, is a dynamic leader in the world of nursing, education, and patient advocacy. You may know him on social media as @Dr. Nurse Randy, but behind the title is a highly accomplished clinician and strategist with a bold mission.

He is the CEO of Prism Care Advocates, a board-certified healthcare leader, nurse manager, professional development educator, and nursing practice expert. His mentoring and coaching empower nurses to work at the top of their license and lead their own practice.

His expertise in policy writing, quality assurance, and education has improved outcomes and transformed care delivery in real, measurable ways. And through his private consulting practice—as a board-certified patient advocate, legal nurse consultant, and nursing practice consultant—he helps patients navigate complex systems, supports clinicians in growing professionally, and partners with organizations to meet compliance and quality goals.

Randy is proof that when nurses step into their power, systems change, outcomes improve, and leadership gets redefined. Whether he’s mentoring professionals, writing policies, or speaking truth online, he’s raising the bar for what nursing can and should be. 

In the five-minute snippet: Let’s just give thanks for kindergarten teachers everywhere. For Randy's bio, visit my website (link below).

Contact The Conversing Nurse podcast
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Website: https://theconversingnursepodcast.com
Your review is so important to this Indie podcaster! You can leave one here! https://theconversingnursepodcast.com/leave-me-a-review
Would you like to be a guest on my podcast? Pitch me! https://theconversingnursepodcast.com/intake-form
Check out my guests' book recommendations! https://bookshop.org/shop/theconversingnursepodcast

I've partnered with RNegade.pro! You can earn CE's just by listening to my podcast episodes! Check out my CE library here: https://rnegade.thinkific.com/collections/conversing-nurse-podcast

Thanks for listening!