No Really, I'm Fine
Healthcare is riddled with challenges: navigating complex social dynamics, competing economic interests and managing near impossible expectations. On a daily basis, this leads to stressful, even traumatic situations for those providing care. How do healthcare professionals cope with the emotional impact? Join Mike Larson and Aaron Metcalf as they explore their stories in this podcast, No Really, I'm Fine!
Mary Bloom, House Supervisor: "Fluttering Eyes, Flickering Lights, and...Was That a Coincidence??"
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"Was that a coincidence?" we get to hear Mary Bloom, RN and House Supervisor, ask on this episode as she explores her long career in nursing and her evolving trust in her intuition and growing awareness that there is more to life and medicine than we can see.
Mary is joined by her longtime friend and fellow house supervisor, Erin Smith, who also chimes in with her experiences in this fast-paced and problem-solving job. Both Mary and Erin reflect on how they cope after a long day, "living in a crazy n...
Karen Rose Goria, RN, "Florence Nightingale is Smiling Down on Me!"
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Fasten your seatbelts listeners! Karen Rose brings passion, perspective, and wisdom in this episode you don't wanna miss! Karen Rose shares her fascinating journey of discovering her passion and acumen for nursing - from her education to sociology, to her excavating nursing passion from implicit messages of inadequacy heaped on her by our patriarchal society. Karen Rose explores the birth of empathy, her children, her love for balancing perspectives in nursing and more! We laughed until we cried in this conversation. And then we also just cried as we heard Karen Rose reflect...
Preston Meurlott, Travel RN, “COVID Care, a Teardrop Camper and the Hero’s Quest”
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Thank you to Preston for joining us on the podcast today! Preston is a travel nurse from Florida who shortly after beginning his career traveled to New York where he worked during peak Covid pandemic, only to go back to Florida at peak Delta wave! Whoah! In this episode he explores these experiences and also shares his love of traveling - both as a nurse and in his teardrop camper! Preston brings authentic insight into this career and explores what it's been like for him to go cross-country and work in a variety...
Caterina DeMoret, Assistant Nurse Manager, “Finding Purpose in Serving Others”
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Based on listener request, this week we welcome Assistant Nurse Manager Caterina DeMoret. Following her own life-threatening medical crisis, Caterina found a new sense of calm and purpose in her new career as a nurse. After nearly burning out her first year, she learned how to focus on the needs of others and find the support she needs from peers. Known for her ability to provide compassionate care to patients in challenging situations, she now works tirelessly to train her teams to do the same. We hope you enjoy her honest and heartfelt s...
Dr. Matthew Staropoli, "This Resident Life"
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MD Resident Dr. Matthew Staropoli joins the podcast today for a lively discussion of the unique experiences medical residents go through. Dr. Staropoli brings stories from his training as well as stories of why he chose this challenging field. He also shares struggles to find time to cope amidst a very busy schedule and how he utilizes his artistic side, his love of family, and evening boxing to help him get through the stress. Thank you, good doctor, for your work and for taking the time to have this fruitful conversation! Enjoy...and...
Tonya Bonifer, Physical Therapist, "Find My Eyes"
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We’re excited to return this week with Tonya Bonifer, who works as a physical therapist in a Neurotrauma ICU. Blending tenderness and tenacity, Tonya reflects on how she guides patients through the marathon experience of physical recovery following life threatening situations. You’ll hear how she embodies hope in her literal “dream job” and how her patients inspire her to keep coming back. Thank you Tonya for bringing such strength, skill and grace to this life-restoring work!
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Dr. Rattan, Trauma Surgeon, "The Risk of Empathy"
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As we come to the midway point of season 1, we’re honored to welcome Dr. Rishi Rattan. In this episode, Rishi reflects on what empathy means to him and the sacred moments he experiences by honoring the humanity of his patients, even in the face of death. He opens up about the surprising moment he decided to become a surgeon, when he almost walked away for good and what it took for him to find meaning and joy in his work again. We hope you appreciate the candor, vulnerability and wisdom he shares al...
Lea Cassidy, RN "Stewarding Trauma"
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Thanks so much to Lea Cassidy for sitting down with us for a spirited conversation about what brought her into this important work and what she is learning as she continues to engage the challenge of being a night shift ICU nurse. Lea reflects on her journey with ADHD in this episode and how she harnesses this as a super power to work with her patients. She also processes what it has been like to "steward trauma" as a way to honor her role in relationship to what patients and families are experiencing...
Ken King, RT "Jesus Ken! Humor and Normalizing Patient Experience"
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Oh friends! Ken "Jesus Ken!" King brings us a heartfelt conversation about his work as a respiratory therapist. Ken offers insight into his patient interactions and into how he strives to bring some normalcy into a very abnormal setting. Ken is all things air - which it turns out is important to living - and shares his journey into this specific and important field. Ken is well loved and came to us highly recommended. He brings support to staff as well as patient care and uses humor to help bring levity for coping. Surprisingly...Alysa and Genelle - Friends in the Workplace...They'll Be There For You!!!!
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It's the "Smithsters"!!!!!!!!
Besties Alysa Smith and Genelle Smith (no relation, what?) join us on the podcast today for an episode that brings a lot of laughter, joy, and heartfelt care. Genelle is an ICU nurse, and Alysa is an emergency department and together they are an unstoppable force of wisdom and humor. These two have contagious energy and deep compassion for each other's work. They bring some wonderful stories and experiences, as well as reflections on what it has been like for them to have friends who are in the h...