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Sleep. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders, quality sleep is as essential to survival as food and water. It is crucial for forming and maintaining the neural pathways in your brain that allow you to learn and create new memories. Lack of sleep can make it harder to concentrate and respond quickly.
Now, imagine being a healthcare professional—a nurse, physician, or surgical technician—who is also the parent of a child who struggles to sleep and prevents anyone else in the house from getting rest. Yet your job requires you to make critical decisions and perform complex tasks while being chronically sleep-deprived, which can have catastrophic consequences.
Enter Lacy Hess, a nurse entrepreneur who created Lacy’s Lullabies, a sleep consulting business aimed at helping parents and children achieve the restful sleep they need. As a certified pediatric sleep consultant, Lacy assists parents in developing safe sleep plans designed to promote sleep independence. With 13 years of experience as a Registered Nurse, a certification in Emergency Nursing, and a Master’s degree in Education, Lacy brings a wealth of knowledge and credibility to her practice. Her clients consistently provide rave reviews.
If you're a nurse considering a change in specialty or looking to start a side hustle, sleep consulting could be an ideal option. This field leverages many skills that nurses excel at, including flexibility, time management, prioritization, and the ability to provide evidence-based education.
In the five-minute snippet: Well, son of a nutcracker, it’s Buddy the Elf.
For Lacy's bio, visit my website (link below).
Lacy's Lullabies Blog
Lacys Lullabies FB page

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Imagine for a moment if Angie Gray were a recipe. She would be equal parts professionalism, inspiration, and compassion, with just a pinch of badassery thrown in.
But she is not a recipe. She is a thought leader, a nurse coach, a keynote speaker, and she has the challenging task of training C-suite executives to bridge the gap between them and the healthcare professionals on the front lines.
Angie and I are soul sisters of a sort: we love sporting our rose-colored glasses, which is not a negative. We are not blind to the dirty side of nursing: the bullying, burnout, staffing, and wage inequity. Rather, we choose to see the positives and to be the change we wish to see in the profession.
Our discussion was filled with wisdom and insights about why our profession is both great and yet struggling. Angie’s hashtag, #lovingdisruption, is gaining popularity and resonance, and I can’t wait for you to hear her explanation. My prediction? It’s going viral.
So get in, sit down, buckle up, and get ready for a wild ride because this woman has a lot to say!
In the five-minute snippet: she’s a hunker-down kinda gal. For Angie's bio, visit my website (link below) and listen now!
High-Performance Nursing
Sister Friends Podcast
Angie on Dr. Oz show

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 Beth Sanford is known as the "Sunshine Nurse" for two reasons. First, she is a doctorally-prepared nurse who has conducted extensive research on the importance of vitamin D in improving patient outcomes. Her studies have explored how vitamin D levels affect ICU patients, long-term care residents, and global maternal health. Beth is passionate about addressing vitamin D deficiency in clinical practice, population health, and policy.
Did you know that vitamin D is both a nutrient and a hormone essential for nearly every cell in the body? It plays a crucial role in hundreds of processes every day. Deficiencies in vitamin D are now recognized as a risk factor for many chronic diseases, including osteoporosis, impaired cognitive function, various cancers, pregnancy complications, and cardiovascular disease.
We explored how low vitamin D levels impact nurses and other healthcare professionals who work night shifts or are exposed to artificial light for over 12 hours a day. Beth compares the effects to pseudodementia, which can slow response times and hinder the ability to make critical decisions. If you are a nurse experiencing profound fatigue, run, don’t walk to get your levels checked!
Now, back to why Beth is known as the "Sunshine Nurse" for the second reason. She can literally light up a room. With her beautiful smile, positive outlook, and generous spirit, Beth reminds us all that we could use a little more light in our lives.
In the five-minute snippet: North Dakota is nice!
Sperti Vitamin D Lamp
Vitamin D Calculator
Why Fear the Coming of Winter in Game of Thrones? The hypovitaminosis D hypothesis
Substantial Vitamin D Supplementation Is Required during the Prenatal Period to Improve Birth Outcomes  Hollis & Wagner, 2022   A call to action for maternal health
How Vitamin D Changed Hospital Patient Outcomes: An Interview with Dr. Leslie Ray Matthews - GrassrootsHealth

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Here's a quick look at some of the great interviews and plans for 2025!

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This week I stepped way outside my comfort zone and spoke with Tulare County Fire Chief, Charlie Norman.  
I can confidently say that many nurses do not fully understand what firefighters do. We often see them in the ambulance bay and in our communities, but do we really take the time to SEE them? 
Do we know where the budget for fire services comes from? Do we understand how firefighters advance in their ranks? Sadly, do we realize that firefighter deaths by suicide exceed those who die in the line of duty? 
Charlie addressed these important issues and more. He explained the long and challenging journey of bringing paramedicine to our County, his path to becoming fire chief, and his relationships with city and county officials because as he said, everything in life comes down to relationships. 
As fire chief, Charlie prioritizes firefighter mental health, recruitment and retention, having a diverse fire crew, and serving the community.
Charlie embodies the core values of integrity, respect, loyalty, teamwork, and compassion. He says everything he learned in kindergarten he can apply to life: keep your hands to yourself, be nice to people and if you don’t have anything good to say, keep your mouth closed. 
And what does he look for in recruits? Character. Yes, they need to be able to pull a hose, bandage a patient, and competently administer medications, but if their character is lacking, they don’t belong in the fire service. I’d say with Charlie in charge, everything will be ok. In the five-minute snippet: my granddaughter’s question answered by the expert. For Charlie's bio, please visit my website (link below). 
Firescope Board of Directors

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Erika Browning is one of the most interesting guests I've had to date. She has a diverse educational background, earning degrees in Spanish, Biology, and Nursing. And the diversity doesn't stop there. Her nursing experience ranges from working in the emergency room to the ICU, from being a travel nurse to a sexual assault nurse examiner, and from a case manager to starting her own business as a Life Care Planner.
Erika is truly living the tagline of her podcast, which is "basic nurses doing really cool things." Wait, did I forget to mention she has a podcast? Erika is the host of the Black Sheep Nurse podcast, which is currently on hiatus, meaning now is your chance to binge-listen to all the episodes. It's filled with interviews of nurses doing amazing things with their degrees. I was thrilled to learn she will be resuming production because her interviews are sure to leave you laughing, learning, and inspired.
Her newest entrepreneurial venture is all about the fun, which I think might be her middle name. She has recently launched Shop Rebel Nurse, a merch store with quirky and lighthearted items for nurses, including graphic tees, sweatshirts, ball caps, and stickers. And I see a new design in the works that pays homage to her time as a Captain in the Marines! (Did I forget to mention that, too?)
Erika is as authentic as they come, and I'm excited for you to meet her today.
In the five-minute snippet: Move. Over. For Erika's bio, visit my website (link below).
Shop Rebel Nurse IG

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I jumped at the opportunity to talk to my guest this week, Sallie Jessie. Sallie is an incredible person with a unique perspective! 

First, she has a niche job: she is a mobile wound care clinic nurse and I loved hearing all about that. She is also a blogger. When she became a wife and mother, she identified a gap in resources for nurses balancing family and career and then took the initiative to create a supportive community through her blog, Bandaids and Bedtime Stories. This is ingenuity at its best. Her ability to blend her professional insights with personal experiences makes her writing relatable, valuable, and inspiring.

The topics she covers, from relationship dynamics to parenting challenges, as well as self-care for nurses, are so important, especially in a demanding field. And she brings to light some of the nursing profession’s darkest moments like toxic bullying. There’s even something for those new to the profession: how to choose the right nursing specialty. 

Though Sallie is just getting started, her journey will resonate with nurses and parents alike. And I can’t wait to see what she does next.

In the five-minute snippet: babysitters, listen up!
@bandaidsandbedtimestories

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In my working days, I was a member of my institution’s Bioethics committee. I’m now a retired nurse and continue to serve as a community member. Constantly impressed by this committee’s work, I wanted you to meet two of these brilliant minds, so I recently sat down with Sandra Shadley, a licensed marriage and family therapist and our committee chair, and Dr. Ryan Howard, our hospice and palliative medicine physician.
Sandra holds a unique certification: the HEC-C, or certified healthcare ethics consultant and she explained that Bioethics is guided by four principles: respect for autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. Despite the solidity of these principles, bioethical issues are still quite nuanced.
That’s all fine and good, but what exactly does a Bioethics team do? They develop and implement policies, educate the hospital community, review research, and, provide consultations with those patients facing end-of-life decisions.
The committee consists of various disciplines: social workers, physicians, nurses, critical care leaders, risk management, chaplains, and community members. It's a diverse group with diverse perspectives.
Dr. Howard is gifted at having difficult conversations. He approaches patients with curiosity and humility, providing truly patient-centered and individualized end-of-life care.
I left this interview feeling joyful. It was inspiring to witness these two individuals, whom I deeply respect, engage in a dialogue about their shared passion for Bioethics.
In the five-minute snippet: Excavators, chainsaws, and bonfires, oh my! For my guests' bios, visit my website (link below).
The American Society for Bioethics and Humanities
Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment or POLST pdf

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Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Kali Dayton.

 Kali Dayton is an ICU nurse practitioner and like Gandhi, MLK Jr., and Parks, Kali is peacefully protesting the way ICU patients are cared for. Similar to the civil rights advocates before her, Kali fights for the rights of ICU patients. She believes they have the right to limited sedation, early mobilization, open communication, and family participation.

 Kali was born as a baby nurse into an Awake and Walking ICU in which ventilated patients received little to no sedation, were out of bed walking while intubated, and communicating through whiteboards, all with the crucial support of their families. Then she began traveling to ICUs across the country and found her patients automatically sedated if intubated, enduring long periods of immobilization, and if they were lucky enough to avoid death in the ICU, they were discharged to suffer PTSD and face long periods of rehabilitation.

Kali is a self-described ICU revolutionist and is dedicated to educating both clinicians and families through her podcasts, "Walking Home from the ICU" for clinicians, and "Walking You Through the ICU", which is directed toward patients and families. Through her consulting business, Dayton ICU Consulting, she travels the country visiting ICUs helping them to become awake and walking ICUs. The revolution has begun.

In the five-minute snippet: did someone say free time? For Kali's bio, visit my website (link below).
Instagram
Kali's bookstore
ICU Delirium

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Pablo Picasso said, “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”
Sarah Lorenzini has a life filled with both meaning and purpose. She is a rapid-response nurse who utilizes her knowledge and storytelling skills to educate nurses in various critical care aspects through her popular podcast, Rapid Response RN, which has over 120 episodes.
In the podcast, she effectively breaks down complex concepts such as cardiac tamponade, spinal cord ischemia, and serotonin syndrome, all with an exuberance score of 10 out of 10.
Sarah's commitment to education extends beyond her podcast as she mentors students, nurses, and allied health professionals in their roles. She believes that saving patients is a team effort, and as a rapid response nurse, she sees herself as there to elevate and support the bedside team. Sarah embodies kindness, empathy, and leadership, qualities she also encourages in others. She truly lives out her calling and embodies her gift and purpose.
In the five-minute snippet: Sarah is bonkers for Boba. For Sarah's bio, visit my website (link below).
The Rapid Response RN Instagram
Rapid Response and Rescue
LinkedIn

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