No Really, I'm Fine

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Introducing Dr. Rachel Rackow!

Ok, so you might not want her to cut the cake at your birthday party, but you do want her to cut through difficult conversations! Rachel has been practicing palliative medicine for many years now and has continued to worked through her own loss, trauma, Covid, parenting, and more. She has used her personal experiences of loss to enhance her work and used her work to help heal her experiences of loss. She's a dedicated physician, attentive mother, intrepid friend, and just a lovely human being. Oh...

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John McCall brings us a lively conversation filled with laughter and tears as he shares his journey into ICU nursing, sharing the joy and substantial challenges. 

John didn't begin a career in nursing until a second career after feeling unsatisfied after a career in business. It seemed the words from an early childhood influence, Mr. Rodgers, kept ringing in his ears "In times of trouble, always look for the helpers." John has had quite a journey through leaning into this call to help and has certainly had success and challenges along t...

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This week’s episode features ICU nurse Amanda Wood. Originally drawn by the fascinating stories of the medical field, she shares openly about the true emotional toll of an acute care setting. 

In our conversation, Amanda admittedly wonders if she can sustain herself on this career path. After the initial curiosity that drew her in, she recounts her stressful journey with nursing starting by training during the pandemic. She also reflects on her ongoing struggle to maintain compassion and her own well-being while working with complex cases in the ICU. As she...

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On this week’s episode we welcome another amazing nurse, Alyssa Gibbs. Feeling called to nursing from a young age she’s spent time in Pediatrics, in CVICU and in an emerging role as a Critical Response Nurse (CRN). 

Alyssa reflects on how she’s learned to handle stressful situations with families and patients and provide calm to the care team in the midst of crisis. She speaks to the emotional toll of nursing, especially when you’re not in the right role. Just as she’s learned to read the signs of ph...

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This week we’re honored to welcome Sarah Ream to the podcast. With years spent working as an ED Social Worker, she has become accustomed to supporting people in the midst of crisis. But after experiencing the sudden loss of her husband, she learned new ways of being present to herself and others.

You might want to grab some Kleenex as you listen to this touching and poignant reflection on love, loss and healing in the midst of one’s own pain and sorrow. 

Thank you Sarah for sharing your...

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At a young age Laura was told, “you will see a lot of suffering.” While at first she was upset by this prediction, she now embraces this reality on a daily basis. In this poignant conversation, she shares how she was shaped since birthed to provide comfort and guidance to others in the midst of their suffering. 

Since she was a child, Laura has cultivated a therapeutic presence that can help sustain others in the midst of crisis. Along the way, she’s come face to face with her own limitations  and lear...

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We’re thrilled to welcome Ilyse Ring as she shares about her 30+ years of experience as a speech pathologist . From her educational background in linguistics and women’s studies, Ilyse reluctantly followed a prompt from her mom into speech therapy. Today, she’s still discovering the joy and wonder of helping people find their voice again.

Working in an acute care setting, Ilyse opens up about the challenges of shifting job roles, difficult patient interactions and even working through the pandemic while facing family health struggles. She celebrates both the magic of rec...

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On this week’s episode the lovely couple Kyle and Sarah join us to share their experience with being a nurse…while being married to a nurse! From a fortuitous meeting in youth group, Sarah and Kyle followed parallel paths to find meaningful work in the nursing field. 

For Sarah, she’s followed her passion to provide empowering care as a labor and delivery nurse, while Kyle’s journey has gone from medical missions to work as a critical care nurse. In this engaging and honest dialogue, they open up about the joys...

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This week we welcome Kyle Cook to the show, an Oncology RN whose is passionate about the patient experience. In this episode, Kyle reflects on some surprising sources of inspiration that have made him the amazing nurse he is. You’ll love hearing how a blend of key relationships, unique job experiences and a certain star singer have all been instrumental in his journey. 

Throughout this heartfelt conversation, Kyle demonstrates the wit, wisdom and infectious joy that make him a beloved nurse and a trusted advocate for patients and colleagues. We hop...

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Thanks to Palliative Care Social Worker, Jen Smith, for engaging us in the first episode of Season 2 for, "No Really, I'm Fine." 

Not only is Jen a joy to talk to (and work with), she is also deeply insightful, caring, and takes on her work with passion and kindness. 

Jen shares insight into how she navigates this challenging work while also suffering a tragic personal loss. This is a heavy experience that is sadly shared by many people who work in health care and find themselves asking, "how do I...

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No Really (really), Andrea Reynolds is fine! 

Andrea brings her unique journey into nursing. Andrea has a passion for taking on challenges in this field, and is fascinated by complex procedures and machines. She works as an ECMO Primer (we are delighted to learn what this job entails!) and does not back away from difficult situations. She shares her ability to cope with the complex nature of this job, and shares her beliefs around death and life. She has a contagious laugh and a buoyant spirit...she's just fun to talk w...

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Oh Fine listeners, this week’s episode includes two special features! First, we welcome our lovely guest host Jyoshin Clay, an ordained Zen Buddhist priest and Chaplain extraordinaire. Welcome Jyoshin! 

Why a new host? Because this time, Aaron Metcalf finds himself in the hot seat. With a mix of vulnerability and humor, Aaron shares how his personal health challenges as a child and later as a spouse have shaped his passion and sense of purpose as a hospital chaplain. He also opens up about his own efforts to maintain emotional health thr...

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Oh friends! Dr. Brian Beldowicz, "just call me Brian Please" brings a lively conversation to us about his long career as a trauma MD both in the military and in a trauma 1 hospital setting. We explore topics around compassion, empathy, doing your part, and a wonderful way of engaging the stories of other people. Brian brings compassion and professionalism, along with his new insight into the power of bringing his emotional world (gasp!) into the workplace. This is a can't miss episode. Please enjoy! 

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Nurse manager Andee Holman joins us today and processes her many years of nursing in many, many, different rolls leading up to her desire to work as a manager. Andee brings great stories, reflections, and heartfelt care into her work. She has developed a passion for supporting healthcare workers and talks about her projects in "code lavender" and "walks of honor" as she continues her life-long mission to see the whole person. Andee also honors her lifelong story of noticing when she is not ok...and developing skills to say honestly, "It's ok...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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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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...

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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...

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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...

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"911 What's your emergency? "

Hopefully these are words you have never had to hear, but if you have, you'll be glad if Jasper Bawcom is on the other line, waiting and ready to dispatch services to you! Jasper brings deep reflection into his work, as well as powerful stories from his unique and high paced work. Jasper is insightful, compassionate, and professional in his role and is a delightful guest. This is certainly an episode to share around with family and friends who have had to use 911 services and others who may...

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This week we have the great opportunity to speak with Adam Haight, who is a Palliative Care social worker. Adam brings a lot of depth and reflection in this conversation as he explores what brought him to this unique work and what continues to offer him meaning as he engages people in very difficult conversations on a daily basis. We especially appreciate Adam's authenticity (both in this interview and in his work) as he candidly explores spirituality and meaning in work. Adam is sincere, reflective, and heart-felt. Thank you Adam, and keep bringing...

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This week we welcome the delightful and insightful Chelan Metcalf! Chelan is a nurse in on an acute med-surge floor and did her RN training in the thick of covid. She brings laughter and tears in this episode as she explores her unique (and deeply moving) call to this vocation and also explores an event of being assaulted while at work, as well as insight into the daily stresses of nursing. She also happens to be married to Co-Host Aaron Metcalf, but don't hold that against her! Thank you Chelan for your work...

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In this episode we "Sing (David) Singer's" praises as he explores coping strategies he has learned as a hospital social worker over his 19-year career. David brings wisdom as a seasoned practitioner working in the emergency department of a Level 1 trauma center and as a practicing therapist while not working in the hospital. He brings tremendous joy and compassion into his work, and we dive into how he is able to maintain his level of passion after working with so much trauma. Enjoy David Singer (I know we do!)

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