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In this episode, Dr. Mike Martel and Dr. Crista Reaves sit down with Alexa Andersen, PhD student at Michigan State University’s College of Nursing, to talk about her journey into nursing and her research on invisible disabilities.

Alexa shares how her own health experiences inspired her to return to nursing school and pursue research that raises awareness and empathy for individuals living with conditions that aren’t always visible—like ADHD, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain.

MSU Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD)
https://rcpd.msu.edu/

Invisible Disabilities Association (IDA)
https://invisibledisabilities.org/

Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program
https://hiddendisabilitiesstore.com/

Dysautonomia International (autonomic nervous system disorders)
https://www.dysautonomiainternational.org/

Learn more about the MSU College of Nursing: https://nursing.msu.edu
Follow us on social: @MSUNursing

To find your breaking news and latest updates within the College of Nursing, please refer to our website at nursing.msu.edu. You can also find us on all social media platforms @MICHSTNursing

If you have a question for our hosts or a prospective guest, please message us at: [email protected]

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In this episode of the Spartan Nurse Podcast, hosts Mike Martel and Crista Reeves sit down with Desiree Love, an MSU College of Nursing BSN alumna and med-surg nurse at Butterworth Hospital (of Corewell in Grand Rapids). Desiree shares her inspiring journey to nursing, including overcoming challenges with TAR syndrome, the loss of a sister, and her own battles with anxiety and depression during college. She reflects on how faith, community, and resilience helped her succeed, the lessons she learned at Michigan State, and the importance of building genuine connections with patients.

To find your breaking news and latest updates within the College of Nursing, please refer to our website at nursing.msu.edu. You can also find us on all social media platforms @MICHSTNursing

If you have a question for our hosts or a prospective guest, please message us at: [email protected]

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In this inspiring episode of the Spartan Nurse Podcast, hosts Dr. Mike Martel and Dr. Krista Reaves sit down with Pia Love, a self-described “nurse of all trades” and passionate advocate for mental health in nursing.

Pia shares how personal grief became the spark that led her into behavioral health, the journey of launching her own mental health business during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the real challenges and triumphs of nurse entrepreneurship.

💬 “We can’t pour from an empty cup. If we want to be rocks for our patients, we need to take care of our own mental health too.” — Pia Love

🔗 Learn more about MSU College of Nursing: https://nursing.msu.edu

To find your breaking news and latest updates within the College of Nursing, please refer to our website at nursing.msu.edu. You can also find us on all social media platforms @MICHSTNursing

If you have a question for our hosts or a prospective guest, please message us at: [email protected]

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In this episode, Dr. Fabrice Mowbray joins the Spartan Nurse Podcast to break down how big data and predictive analytics are transforming healthcare. Mowbray shares how data can help predict patient needs, improve clinical decisions, and guide healthcare policy. He explains the difference between machine learning and traditional models, why nurses are key to building meaningful data tools, and how Michigan State University’s College of Nursing is leading the way in training the next generation of data-driven clinicians.

Glossary

Black Box
Any complex piece of equipment, typically a unit in an electronic system, with contents that are mysterious to the user.

Calibration
Adjusting a tool or model so it gives accurate and reliable results.

Compliance
Following rules or laws, especially in healthcare or safety.

Consultation
A meeting to get advice or share information, often with a professional like a doctor.

Contextual
Dependent on the situation or setting something happens in.

Delineate
To clearly show or describe something, like drawing boundaries or explaining steps.

Diagnostics
Tests or tools used to find out what is wrong with someone’s health.

Discrimination (in data/modeling)
How well a model tells the difference between different groups or outcomes (not related to unfair treatment in this context).

Dissemination
The act of sharing or spreading information widely.

Doctorate (PhD)
The highest degree you can earn in school. People with a PhD have studied a subject deeply and done original research.

Electronic Medical Record (EMR)
A digital version of a patient’s medical chart that doctors and nurses use to track health information.

Emergency Department (ED)
A hospital facility that provides immediate, unscheduled outpatient care for patients with serious medical conditions requiring prompt attention.

Emergency Room (ER)
Another term for an emergency department.

Encryption
A way to protect information by changing it into a code that only authorized people can read.

Epidemiology
The study of the distribution, causes, and control of diseases and other health-related states or events in populations.

Generalizable
Able to apply to many people or situations, not just the ones studied.

Geriatric
Related to the health and care of older adults.

Hyper-parameters
Settings or choices that guide how a machine learning model works, like how fast it learns.

Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
A special hospital area for very sick patients who need constant care and monitoring.

Neonatal
Related to the care of newborn babies, especially those who are sick or born early.

Prognosis
A prediction about what is likely to happen with a person’s health.

Registered Nurse (RN)
A licensed healthcare professional who gives medicine, helps patients, and works closely with doctors to provide care.

Regression (in statistics)
A way to find relationships between things, like how one factor might affect another.

Sepsis
A life-threatening condition that occurs when the body's response to an infection damages vital organs.

Socioeconomic
Related to a person’s income,

To find your breaking news and latest updates within the College of Nursing, please refer to our website at nursing.msu.edu. You can also find us on all social media platforms @MICHSTNursing

If you have a question for our hosts or a prospective guest, please message us at: [email protected]

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In this episode of The Spartan Nurse Podcast, co-hosts Dr. Mike Martell and Dr. Krista Reeves sit down with Dr. Eric Wallis, Senior VP & Chief Nurse Executive at Henry Ford Health, to discuss the powerful partnership between HFH and MSU College of Nursing.

Dr. Wallis shares valuable career insights for future nurses, discusses the importance of workplace culture, and explains how nurses can shape healthcare innovation.

Are you thinking of a career in nursing? Learn how Michigan State University College of Nursing can help you gain hands-on experience and transition into a rewarding career!

Subscribe for more nursing insights & updates.
Visit the MSU College of Nursing: nursing.msu.edu
Follow us on social media: @MichiganStateNursing

To find your breaking news and latest updates within the College of Nursing, please refer to our website at nursing.msu.edu. You can also find us on all social media platforms @MICHSTNursing

If you have a question for our hosts or a prospective guest, please message us at: [email protected]

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In this episode, we talk with Dr. Veronica Bernacchi, a health disparity scientist and nurse researcher, about how social determinants of health (SDOH) impact cancer outcomes. Bernacchi explains SDOH—factors like income, access to healthcare, and living conditions—and how they contribute to cancer disparities, especially in rural and underserved communities.

We explore how telehealth can improve access to care, its challenges, and how nurses can play a key role in bridging gaps by building trust and supporting patients. Bernacchi also highlights the importance of understanding community strengths and using culturally sensitive approaches to promote health equity.

This conversation illuminates the systemic barriers to cancer care and the steps we can take to create more equitable outcomes for all patients.

To find your breaking news and latest updates within the College of Nursing, please refer to our website at nursing.msu.edu. You can also find us on all social media platforms @MICHSTNursing

If you have a question for our hosts or a prospective guest, please message us at: [email protected]

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For those who don't know Dr. Rhonda Conner-Warren, she is a dedicated healthcare professional and educator with a deep focus on community health, health equity, and child development. Currently, Dr. Conner-Warren works as a Health Education Consultant at Focus: HOPE, where she provides physical assessments and monitors growth and development for children in the Center for Childhood program.

Dr. Conner-Warren’s commitment to community well-being extends to her service on the boards of The Corner Health Center and the Health Ecology Board of Governance, where she focuses on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) in health and environmental initiatives. In her professional affiliations, she served as the Bylaws Chair for the Michigan Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and was recently elected as a Member-at-Large for the Michigan Public Health Association, where she addresses pressing public health issues and challenges.

In her academic role, Dr. Conner-Warren teaches both undergraduate and graduate students, with a primary interest in the intersection of community health and service learning. Her teaching and research aim to improve the quality of life and health outcomes for diverse populations, fostering a commitment to service and health equity.

To find your breaking news and latest updates within the College of Nursing, please refer to our website at nursing.msu.edu. You can also find us on all social media platforms @MICHSTNursing

If you have a question for our hosts or a prospective guest, please message us at: [email protected]

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In this episode, we welcome Crista Reaves as the new co-host of The Spartan Nurse Podcast alongside Mike Martel. Crista, an experienced nurse educator and researcher, brings her expertise in clinical partnerships and nursing education. Tune in as they discuss her journey, the MSU College of Nursing, and the future of nursing education.

#SpartanNursePodcast #NursingEducation #HealthcareInnovation

To find your breaking news and latest updates within the College of Nursing, please refer to our website at nursing.msu.edu. You can also find us on all social media platforms @MICHSTNursing

If you have a question for our hosts or a prospective guest, please message us at: [email protected]

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In this episode of the Spartan Nurse Podcast, Calli Harris discusses her journey from a Med-Surg nurse to a researcher focused on LGBTQ+ health disparities, particularly cancer prevention among bisexual individuals. She emphasizes the need for better education and awareness in nursing programs to improve care for LGBTQ+ patients. Harris highlights the challenges posed by the lack of existing research and the importance of inclusive curricula and faculty training. She also stresses the impact of community support and the need for ongoing education and empathy in healthcare.

MSU's Gender and Sexuality Campus Center Quest Training
To access Quest, the training mentioned in the last episode, please visit https://gscc.msu.edu/education/quest.html

To find your breaking news and latest updates within the College of Nursing, please refer to our website at nursing.msu.edu. You can also find us on all social media platforms @MICHSTNursing

To find your breaking news and latest updates within the College of Nursing, please refer to our website at nursing.msu.edu. You can also find us on all social media platforms @MICHSTNursing

If you have a question for our hosts or a prospective guest, please message us at: [email protected]

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Mike and Harley speak with Grace Wojcik, the Director of the Gender and Sexuality Campus Center (GSCC) at Michigan State University. They discuss the resources and support that the GSCC provides for LGBTQIA2S+ students, including educational resources, fun events, and advocacy work.

To learn more about the GSCC and resources it provides, please visit https://gscc.msu.edu/

To access the Quest training mentioned in this episode, please visit https://gscc.msu.edu/education/quest.html

If you need serious support, please refer to the following:
The Trevor Project is the world's largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ young people. They offer 24/7 crisis counseling by phone, text, and chat. You can reach them at 1-866-488-7386 or by texting 678-678. You can also visit their website at https://www.thetrevorproject.org/.

Trans Lifeline is a 24/7 hotline for transgender people in crisis. They offer support and resources to help people cope with gender dysphoria, discrimination, and other challenges. You can reach them at 1-877-565-8860. You can also visit their website at https://www.translifeline.org/.

GLAAD is a national organization that works to promote acceptance of LGBTQ people. They offer a variety of resources, including a helpline, a website, and a library of educational materials. You can reach them at 212-843-4500. You can also visit their website at https://www.glaad.org/.

Please note that these are just a few of the many resources available to LGBTQIA+ people. If you are struggling with your mental health or are looking for support, please reach out to a trusted adult or mental health professional. You are not alone.

To find your breaking news and latest updates within the College of Nursing, please refer to our website at nursing.msu.edu. You can also find us on all social media platforms @MICHSTNursing

If you have a question for our hosts or a prospective guest, please message us at: [email protected]