The FreshRN Podcast with Kati Kleber

By Kati Kleber, MSN RN

Your first year as a registered nurse is challenging. This podcast is hosted by Kati Kleber, MSN RN and features experienced nurses from FreshRN.com, who discuss the basics of that first year. From or... more

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The podcast currently has 147 episodes available.

Best of The FreshRN Podcast with Kati Kleber

The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

Number 1: Hate the ICU but Eyeing CRNA? What It Really Takes to Get In (and Thrive)
Hate the ICU, but still thinking about CRNA school? You're not alone. And it might not be the dealbreaker you think. In this episode, I (Kati Kleber, MSN RN) sit down with Jenny Finnell, MSN, CRNA, to unpack what it really takes to get into CRNA school, and what life actually looks like on the other side. Jenny shares her honest experience of struggling emotionally in the ICU, why becoming a CRNA felt completely different, and how many nurses misunderstand what this career path truly demands. Instead of glamorizing CRNA school, we break down the realities: who's a good fit, who might not be (yet), and how to approach the process strategically: without burning yourself out or self-selecting out too early. What you'll learn: ✅ Why you don't have to love ICU nursing to thrive as a CRNA (and how the emotional load can be totally different) ✅ What CRNA programs are really looking for: ICU experience, prerequisites, references, and the details most applicants miss ✅ How to prepare for the interview (clinical questions + emotional intelligence) and how to handle questions you don't know without panicking We also talk candidly about fear, rejection, impostor syndrome, and why "no" doesn't mean never. If you're burned out in the ICU but curious about CRNA, or you're early in your ICU journey and trying to decide if this path is worth pursuing, this episode will help you make a more informed, grounded decision. 🔗 Resources & Links: 🎁 CRNA Conference Giveaway: Enter to win TWO full scholarship tickets (you + a CRNA buddy) to the in-person CRNA School Prep Academy Conference in Louisville, KY (June 12-14, 2026), plus travel vouchers for both of you. Learn more and ENTER HERE. Join Jenny's free aspiring CRNA Community of 3,500+ nurses Learn more about Jenny and CRNA School Prep Academy ➡️ https://crnaschoolprepacademy.com/ Follow CRNA School Prep on socials for free resources and giveaways: @CRNASchoolPrepAcademy Join the FreshRN email list ➡️ https://www.freshrn.com/email-sign-up Nurse leaders: Need a comprehensive residency program for your new grads? Check out: https://www.freshrn.com/enterprise/ 🎧 Follow & Subscribe: If this episode gave you something to think about, follow FreshRN wherever you listen to podcasts, and share it with a nurse friend who might need it too!
January 22, 202650min
Number 2: The Pressure to Perform: Why Nurses Feel Like They Should Know It All
New nurses step onto the floor with a license, but not with all the answers. Yet patients, families, and even friends often expect brand-new RNs to perform like seasoned experts. In this episode, I (Kati Kleber, MSN RN) sit down with my husband, licensed clinical counselor John Kleber, to unpack what it's like to learn under that spotlight of public expectations. Together, we explore how new nurses can manage the gap between what people expect of you, and what you realistically know as you grow into the role. What you'll learn: ✅ Why people assume you "know everything now" the second you pass NCLEX, and what's actually realistic ✅ How the Dunning-Kruger effect shows up in new grad nursing (the "I've got this!" → "Oh no I don't" roller coaster) ✅ How Benner's Novice-to-Expert model explains the long game of becoming truly competent ✅ Why shame, perfectionism, and imposter syndrome hit so hard in your first year ✅ Simple phrases you can use when you don't know the answer... but still want to build trust with patients and families ✅ Practical mindset shifts (from a counselor's perspective) to build confidence that's grounded and not fake 🔗 Resources & Links: John's counseling practice: https://www.klebercounseling.com/ Join the FreshRN email list for free (non-spammy) resources & updates: https://www.freshrn.com/email-sign-up Nurse leaders: Need a comprehensive residency program for your new grads? Check out: https://www.freshrn.com/enterprise/ 🎧 Follow & Subscribe: If this episode gave you something to think about, follow FreshRN wherever you listen to podcasts, and share it with a nurse friend!
December 11, 202541min
Number 3: Allergy Assessment for Nurses: True Allergy vs Sensitivity, IgE Testing, and Safer Care
New nurses are often handed a long "allergy list" and five minutes to make sense of it. In this episode, Kati Kleber talks with Sophia L. Thomas, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, PPCNP-BC, FNAP, FAANP, former President of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and NP at DePaul Community Health Centers, about how to take a focused allergy history that actually improves patient care. What you'll learn: ✅ A fast framework to separate side effect vs intolerance vs sensitivity vs true allergy ✅ The exact questions to verify things like "penicillin allergy" and when to consider delabeling ✅ How and when to use allergen-specific IgE blood testing (no antihistamine washout) ✅ High-impact pitfalls: alpha-gal syndrome and heparin; birch–apple cross-reactivity ✅ Documentation that helps providers choose safer meds and diets ✅ When to loop in pharmacy/allergy, and what to tell families about prevention This episode is great info for new grads, med-surg, ICU/ED, primary care, school nurses, and anyone updating intake workflows. 🔗 Resources & Links: Connect with Dr. Sophia Thomas on LinkedIn and X Join the FreshRN email list for free resources & updates: https://www.freshrn.com/email-sign-up/ Nurse leaders: Looking for a comprehensive residency program for your new grads? Check out: https://www.freshrn.com/enterprise/ 🎧 Follow & Subscribe: If this episode gave you something to think about, follow FreshRN wherever you listen to podcasts, and share it with a nurse friend!
December 04, 202535min
Number 4: Correctional, Home Health, and AI: Inside NSO's New Nurse Liability Data
Correctional nursing, home health, aesthetics, nurse leaders… and now AI? NSO's newest nurse liability report highlights some surprising trends in where claims are happening (and why), and this episode breaks it all down in a way that's actually useful for real-world nurses. In this episode, I (Kati Kleber, MSN RN) sit down with Jennifer Flynn from NSO to discuss their latest nurse liability data: what's increasing, what's getting more expensive, and what nurses can do today to reduce risk without practicing scared. What you'll learn: ✅ Why correctional nursing is showing up more in claim trends, and what "deliberate indifference" means in real cases ✅ Why home health continues to drive a huge portion of claims (even though far fewer nurses work in that setting) ✅ A real example of how blurred boundaries in home health can spiral into scope issues, board investigation, and job loss ✅ How lack of equipment + improvising (yes, even "I'll just YouTube it") can turn into devastating patient harm ✅ Why aesthetics/cosmetic nursing is higher risk than many nurses assume ✅ How nurse leaders and charge nurses can be named in claims, even without touching the patient ✅ The big AI questions no one can fully answer yet: Who's responsible if AI contributes to harm? Should patients be told? Is AI a tool… or a product? ✅ The "feast or famine" documentation problem: EMRs capture everything… except the context you actually need to defend care If you're a bedside nurse, a home health nurse, a correctional nurse, or a nurse leader, this episode will help you spot risk patterns before they become a problem, and reinforce the simplest truth in nursing liability: good care + good documentation = protection. 🔗 Resources & Links: Learn more about professional liability coverage through NSO: https://www.nso.com/ Join the FreshRN email list for free (non-spammy) resources & updates: https://www.freshrn.com/email-sign-up Nurse leaders: Need a comprehensive residency program for your new grads? Check out: https://www.freshrn.com/enterprise/ 🎧 Follow & Subscribe: If this episode gave you something to think about, follow FreshRN wherever you listen to podcasts, and share it with a nurse friend who might need it too!
January 15, 202651min
Number 5: Love Nursing, Hate People
Being a new nurse is overwhelming enough, but what if you also feel out of sync socially with the people around you? Socially awkward. Emotionally drained. Cognitively overloaded. Loving nursing, but quietly wondering if you're doing it "wrong." In this episode, I (Kati Kleber, MSN RN) sit down with my husband, licensed clinical counselor John Kleber, to talk honestly about what it's like to be a new nurse who doesn't feel like they fit the mold. Together, we unpack how neurodivergence, social anxiety, uneven emotional skill sets, and public expectations can collide during the already-intense transition from nursing school to practice. Rather than trying to "fix" us nurses, we normalize why feeling awkward with the social side of nursing is just part of the learning process, and how to stay grounded while you grow into the role. What you'll learn: ✅ Why it's common to love nursing but still feel awkward about the social side, and feel misunderstood, or out of place (especially for anyone who's neurodivergent) ✅ The difference between a genuine skill deficit and VERY normal developmental stages in new nurses ✅ Why perfectionism and people-pleasing are so common, and so exhausting ✅ Practical therapy frameworks, scripts, and tools to help you communicate your needs, protect your energy, and build confidence without pretending to be someone you're not 🔗 Resources & Links: John's counseling practice: https://www.klebercounseling.com/ Join the FreshRN email list for free (non-spammy) resources & updates: https://www.freshrn.com/email-sign-up Nurse leaders: Need a comprehensive residency program for your new grads? Check out: https://www.freshrn.com/enterprise/ 🎧 Follow & Subscribe: If this episode gave you something to think about, follow FreshRN wherever you listen to podcasts, and share it with a nurse friend who might need it too!
December 18, 202558min