The Conversing Nurse podcast

Send us Fan Mail

Imagine being a sick or injured child entering the healthcare system and being approached by nurses and doctors wielding strange objects, sharp needles, and unpleasant medications. Now picture being the parent of that child, who naturally wants to protect and advocate but lacks the health literacy to comprehend what is happening. Whether parent or child, you would likely be terrified and would want someone like Nurse Deon on your side.
Fortunately, there is Deon Huffman, a pediatric nurse with 10 years of experience dedicated to educating both parents and children. He helps them understand common procedures in a clear and approachable manner, never condescending. Deon’s YouTube videos cover a variety of topics, including healthy eating for kids, understanding emotions, vital signs, and the MRI machine. His trips to the zoo are both educational and entertaining.
Nurse Deon doesn’t work alone; his team includes physicians, child life specialists, and even puppets. Together, they create an evidence-based educational broadcast that rivals any popular children’s programming.
Research shows that when parents and children are educated, their anxiety levels decrease which makes our job as healthcare professionals easier and more enjoyable, creating a win-win situation for everyone involved.
In the five-minute snippet: let them eat cake! For Deon's bio and book recommendations, visit my website (link below).

Contact The Conversing Nurse podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconversingnursepodcast/
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!

Send us Fan Mail

What happens when someone who has spent a lifetime as a patient also becomes a healthcare professional?

Nicholas Kelly has lived with cystic fibrosis since he was just three months old. But when you hear his story, you quickly realize that CF is only one part of who he is. Nicholas is a dietitian, educator, poet, author, speaker, and passionate advocate for patients and the CF community.

In our conversation, we talked about growing up with cystic fibrosis, the experiences that shaped him, and the reason he chose to become a dietitian—which, interestingly, had nothing to do with his CF.

But one of the things I found most fascinating was hearing Nicholas talk about healthcare from both sides of the relationship. He understands what it means to sit in the patient's chair, but he also understands what it means to be the professional sitting across from that patient.

And that perspective has made him a powerful advocate for something every patient deserves: a voice.

We talked about self-advocacy, what happens when patients don't feel heard, the importance of the patient-clinician relationship, and why patients need to recognize that they are an important part of their own healthcare team.

This is a conversation about chronic illness, certainly—but it's really a conversation about being seen, finding your voice, and taking an active role in your own life and healthcare.

In the five-minute snippet: He found me out! For Nicholas' bio, visit my website (link below).

Contact The Conversing Nurse podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconversingnursepodcast/
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!

Send us Fan Mail

I have to admit before I interviewed Leah Elliott, I knew very little about the legal nurse expert role. With Leah’s thorough explanations about the process she goes through, from accepting the case, to research, and finally, to the presentation, I found this nursing specialty to be fascinating! I love that she says participating as a legal nurse expert is a little like solving a mystery. Being a lifelong learner, Leah feels strongly that nurses should belong to professional nursing organizations and she utilizes these organizations in her expert research of best practices and standards of care. In Leah’s role as a nursing professor, she's thoughtful about sharing what she has learned as a nurse expert with her students to help them in their future practice. In the five-minute snippet, Leah shares her story of an act of kindness during the pandemic.  For Leah's bio visit my website (link below).

Leah's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheLeahelliott?app=desktop
Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses: https://www.awhonn.org/
American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants: http://www.aalnc.org/
National Alliance of Legal Nurse Consultants: https://www.legalnurse.com/
International and American Association of Legal Nurse Industry: https://iaalni.org/


 

Contact The Conversing Nurse podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconversingnursepodcast/
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!

Send us Fan Mail

We spend our careers caring for other people at their most vulnerable.

But what happens when we become the person who needs care?

My guest today, Raymond Lavine, has spent his career helping families prepare for long-term care. But right now, Raymond isn't just advising people about it—he's living it.

He's recovering from a serious illness and is currently utilizing long-term care himself.

And that gives us a rare opportunity to hear about caregiving from both sides: the advisor who has spent years helping families prepare for the future, and the person experiencing firsthand what it means to suddenly need help.

Raymond's journey to this work is anything but ordinary. From growing up in the Hollywood Hills in a family shaped by immigration and persecution, to serving as an airborne infantryman in Vietnam, to a career in banking, mortgages, and insurance, his experiences have shaped a deep understanding of vulnerability, resilience, and what it means to truly understand another person.

And for those of us in healthcare, there's a lot to unpack.

What happens after discharge? Who cares for the caregiver? How do we preserve dignity when independence changes? And why are the conversations we most need to have often the ones we avoid?

Today, we're talking about long-term care—but really, we're talking about how we prepare to care for one another when life changes in ways we didn't expect.

In the five minute snippet: Hello Havana.  For Raymond's bio, visit my website (link below).

Contact The Conversing Nurse podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconversingnursepodcast/
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!

Send us Fan Mail

Chinelo Okoye is a remarkable double-board-certified nurse practitioner specializing in both adult and pediatric care. Beyond her clinical expertise, she passionately advocates for the representation of nurses in the media. As the founder of Nurse on Purpose, she works to eliminate stereotypes and showcase the intelligence, professionalism, leadership skills, and dedication to patient care that nurses embody.

 I had a candid conversation with Chinelo about my complacency regarding the negative portrayal of nurses. I acknowledged the hypersexualized Halloween costumes and the disheartening narratives in shows like Nurse Jackie and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which depict nurses in such a negative light. Despite recognizing that these portrayals didn't reflect the true essence of nursing, I realized I had not actively challenged these misrepresentations—sadly, I didn't even get angry about it.

 What are the consequences if we choose to ignore the media's misconceptions about us? Chinelo emphasized that our ability to attract new nurses to the profession diminishes when potential candidates see these negative portrayals. Moreover, it impacts nurse retention. After all, why would a brilliant nurse remain in a field that is so inaccurately represented?

Through her Nurse on Purpose podcast, Chinelo elevates the image of nursing by showcasing nurses as innovators, advocates, leaders, and entrepreneurs, demonstrating the diverse and impactful roles that real nurses play. As author Robert Byrne aptly stated, “The purpose of life is a life of purpose,” and Chinelo is undoubtedly embodying that purpose every day.

In the five-minute snippet: She’s in the dog house and she’s not sad about it. For Chinelo's bio, visit my website (link below).

Nursing is STEM coalition

Contact The Conversing Nurse podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconversingnursepodcast/
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!

Send us Fan Mail

There are moments in healthcare when a few words from your doctor can completely change the way you feel.

“Your test was abnormal.”

“We found something.”

“We need to do more testing.”

“We're not sure what this means yet.”

And suddenly, fear takes over. We want answers immediately. We want to know what to do. And sometimes, in that fear, we make decisions before we’ve had a chance to fully understand what we’re dealing with.

My guest today believes there is another way.

Dr. Christian Borberg is a board-certified OB/GYN and Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Throughout his career, he has cared for women through pregnancy, gynecologic concerns, surgery, and some of the most uncertain and vulnerable moments in healthcare.

But today, his work goes beyond the exam room. He is developing an educational mission to help women navigate medical uncertainty without allowing fear to make the decisions for them.

His guiding philosophy is beautifully simple:

“Don’t React. Reflect. Then Respond.”

Today we're going to talk about what that actually looks like when you're the patient—when you're frightened, when you don't understand a diagnosis, when you're given several options, or when your doctor says, “We don't know yet.”

How do we slow down without ignoring something important? How do we ask better questions? And how do we become active participants in our healthcare without feeling like we have to become our own doctor? Dr. Borberg answers these questions and more in this important conversation.

In the five minute snippet: What he said! For Dr. Borberg's bio, visit my website (link below).

Contact The Conversing Nurse podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconversingnursepodcast/
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!

Send us Fan Mail

 I had so much fun talking with school nurse, Victoria Gutierrez! Honestly, I was enchanted by her excitement and enthusiasm, and I know you will be too. The skills she learned as an ICU nurse: critical thinking, organization, and delegation, have served her well in her role as a school nurse. Although she misses the acuity of the ICU, she’s not missing out on the joy she has found in this niche nursing specialty. She schools us in the education required, responsibilities, challenges, and rewards, oh, and don’t forget that awesome schedule! Her advice for those who are curious about school nursing? Try subbing part-time as she did, before you commit to becoming credentialed. I’d say that’s a pretty good lesson.  In the five-minute snippet, get that garden growing girl! For Victoria's bio, visit my website (link below).

Cleveland State University Accelerated BSN program
Recognizing School Nurses
Professional organizations:
California School Nurses Organization
National Association of School Nurses
School Nurses of California Foundation

Contact The Conversing Nurse podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconversingnursepodcast/
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!

Send us Fan Mail

What does it really mean to be born too soon?

For a premature infant, every day in the NICU can be a battle—and the care these tiny patients receive can have an impact that reaches far beyond their time in the hospital. One of the most powerful tools in that care may also be one of the most natural: human milk.

Today, I'm joined by Dr. Melinda Elliott, a board-certified neonatologist and Chief Medical Officer of Prolacta Bioscience, who has spent more than 30 years caring for premature infants. As a NICU nurse, I knew this would be a great conversation because neonatologists are some of my favorite people.

In our conversation, she takes us inside the world of the NICU and clears up some of the misconceptions surrounding prematurity. We talk about the unique needs of these incredibly vulnerable infants, why human milk can function almost like medicine for a premature baby, and why using a human milk-based fortifier can play such an important role in their growth and development.

Dr. Elliott also shares what the research tells us about human milk feeding, including its relationship to earlier discharge from the NICU and potentially fewer negative long-term complications.

And perhaps most importantly, she talks about the people behind this care—the mothers providing the milk and the dedicated nurses, physicians, and other NICU professionals who work together to give these babies the best possible start.

This is a fascinating conversation about science, compassion, advocacy, and the extraordinary resilience of our tiniest patients. 

In the five-minute snippet: I think I can, I think I can.

Growth and Safety Evaluation in VLBW Infants Receiving An Exclusive HUman Milk Diet: A Phase III Randomized Controlled Trial in Japan

Exclusive Human Milk Diet is Associated with Lower Risk of Motor Impairment at Three Years of Corrected Age

Stepping Stones Exclusive Human Milk Diet Benefits- Prolacta Bioscience

Contact The Conversing Nurse podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconversingnursepodcast/
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!

Send us Fan Mail

Ever since I started this podcast, I have been looking forward to talking with a nurse who is also a JD. Recently, I got the opportunity to have an insightful conversation with Kwamane Liddell. Kwamane is a healthcare visionary. You only need to glance at his LinkedIn profile to see the many accolades he has received from various sectors, including healthcare, business, innovation, and technology. Here are just a few examples:
- He was the first African-American male to graduate from Southern Illinois University's College of Nursing.
- He is an Aspen Institute Healthy Communities Fellow
- He is a Johnson and Johnson  JLABS Innovator
- He is the Founder of Nutrible, a company that utilizes AI social workers to help families access community resources on demand.
Could he have done all of this without a law degree? I’m convinced Kwamane can do whatever he puts his mind to. When he founded Nutrible, he needed to know more about the underlying causes of health disparity, which was leading to the suffering and death of his patients in the emergency room. So by furthering his education and earning a Juris Doctor degree, Kwamane became well-equipped to change health policies and address this issue. Kwamane is changing health equity, one person at a time, and in my book, he embodies the definition of a hero. In the five-minute snippet: food, glorious food!
Johnson & Johnson article

Contact The Conversing Nurse podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconversingnursepodcast/
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!

Send us Fan Mail

Today’s conversation takes us into one of the most important—and increasingly urgent—issues facing children and families today: pediatric mental health.

My guest is Dr. Michelle Hext, a quadruple board-certified nurse practitioner, educator, and passionate advocate for children’s mental health. What struck me about Michelle wasn’t simply her impressive credentials; it was the way she talks about caring for children and their families—with humility, compassion, and a genuine willingness to listen.

Michelle is the owner and CEO of Sunshine Health, LLC, and believes that good mental healthcare begins with meeting people where they are and explaining things in language they can actually understand. She takes the time to listen to her young patients and their families, and she looks at the whole person rather than simply a diagnosis.

We also had a fascinating—and somewhat sobering—conversation about the impact of smartphones and social media on children. Michelle is seeing children exposed to smartphones at incredibly young ages, and she believes we are facing an epidemic of technology use that is having serious consequences for pediatric mental health. In fact, one of her strongest recommendations is no smartphone before the age of 14.

As an advocate for children, Michelle is also working to bring attention to the gaps in how children's mental health is protected and supported in Texas.

And toward the end of our conversation, I asked Michelle what qualities make a great psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. Her answer was simple: humility, being non-judgmental, and being a good listener.

Then she left us with a message that I think applies far beyond mental health: “Literally, no one is normal.” What we call normal, she says, is often just what we're familiar with based on our own experiences.

I think you're going to find this conversation both thought-provoking and relevant—not just for nurses, but for anyone who cares about the mental health and well-being of children.

In the five-minute snippet: they are so sweet in Texas! 

For Michelle's bio, visit my website (see below).

Contact The Conversing Nurse podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconversingnursepodcast/
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!