The Self Care Unit

This week, Micheline and Sibyl take a deep dive into nursing stereotypes, focusing primarily on "the mean girl to nurse pipeline" meme and "the mom" stereotypes. How do these stereotypes put nurses in boxes? What challenges exist for nurses to identify outside of said stereotypes? And how do these stereotypes discount the skills, labor, and intellectual aspects of nursing? We talk about all that and more!

This week on the Self Care Unit, we have such an amazing guest! Supriya Ganesh, aka Dr. Samira Mohan from The Pitt, is here!

Now in its second season, The Pitt continues to be a smash hit (particularly among healthcare workers) because of its realistic portrayal of work in a hospital, its willingness to take on real issues, and its honest depiction of the emotional toll of healthcare work.

So tune in as Supriya dives into all of that and more with us; it's a conversation you don't want to miss!

CW: Discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to listeners.

On today's episode, we are joined by Dr. Sunita Sah to learn about her groundbreaking research on influence, authority, trust, compliance, and defiance, and discuss her bestselling book: Defy: How to Speak Up When It Matters.

“Why is it so hard to speak up, even when we know something’s wrong?” For nurses and for everyone, Dr. Sah answers that question by sharing the research behind compliance vs. defiance, reframing acts of defiance, and giving strategies on how to take action.

It's a fantastic conversation, and we are so thankful to Dr. Sah for sharing her expertise with us! Highly encourage listeners to read Defy, and you can also visit SunitaSah.com for more of her fascinating work.

This week, Sam Calvin stopped by to discuss decision fatigue with us. Sam gives us the basics on how decision fatigue develops, its impact on caregivers, particularly nurses, and how it can lead to burnout. We talk about how decision fatigue is a natural and expected response to sustained cognitive load, so Sam offers practical advice for mitigating its effects in a high-stress profession like nursing. Big thanks to Sam for his expertise!

CW: We discuss Alex Pretti's murder at the beginning of this episode

For this special episode, we formally welcome Sibyl as our new cohost! Our beloved Carley has a bit too much on her plate with her job and wedding to be a full cohost, but don't worry, she will pop in still.

Thankfully, Sibyl is here to step in. She is an incredible nurse and an awesome person, so we are so excited to have her join the team. We chat with her about goals as a podcast host, her own self-care practices, and whether it even matters if you're a good dancer.

This week, we are joined by Dr. Cambria Nwosu! Dr. Nwosu is a Legal Nurse Consultant with over 15 years of experience across clinical practice, healthcare administration, and medical-legal analysis. For those interested in a similar journey from bedside nursing to legal nursing, Dr. Nwosu explains the role of legal nurse consultants in the legal process and discusses the importance of patient advocacy, understanding healthcare policies, and the challenges faced by nurses in documentation and informed consent.

For more of her content and expertise, check out @cjnlegalnurse on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube!

Happy New Year! On today's episode of The Self Care Unit, we discuss New Year's resolutions, exploring the real psychological impact they can have, whether it is worth it for nurses to use them as a method to care for themselves, and the mechanisms behind the "fresh start" effect. We also talk about realistic goals, approach vs. avoidance, and why we should try our best not to compare ourselves to others!

The BBC Article referenced in the episode is Linked Here!

This week, we are focused on the night shift! Carley and Micheline are joined by Ashleigh Small, AKA, That Night Shift Nurse. As the mentor behind Flip the Shift, Ashleigh is a certified NICU nurse who has developed her own method to make working the night shift work for you. We talk about the realities of night shift work, what's important to help manage your schedule, and practices that can help new nurses take it on!

For more of Ashleigh, check out her Instagram @that.nightshift.nurse or on her website fliptheshift.com!

This week, Carley and Micheline discuss the challenges and the joys of the holiday season as nurses. They reflect on what they are grateful for in their personal and professional lives, share stories of finding purpose in nursing, and offer coping strategies for those nurses who are spending the holidays away from family, maybe for the very first time.

We wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and a holiday season full of love and cheer!

CW: Suicide/Suicide Ideation

This week, Carley and Shannon are joined by Drew Robinson! Drew is a former MLB player, mental health advocate, and professional speaker who miraculously survived a suicide attempt, resulting in a newfound purpose of helping others and de-stigmatizing mental health. The conversation centers on Drew's story, the ways to share our struggles and build support systems, and Drew's tagline: "strength isn't always physical."

Drew and links to all his work can be found on Instagram @drewrobbb !