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When I first stumbled upon Shatara Jewell’s Instagram, I thought, “Wow, she’s making an impact—I bet I could learn a lot from her!” So I reached out, she said “Yes” and the rest is history.

Shatara serves as a Certified Psychiatric Nurse Lieutenant in the United States Navy and provides dedicated care to military personnel and their families dealing with mental health challenges.

These challenges are significant; issues like rising suicide rates, alcoholism, and substance use disorders are prevalent. Often, these struggles stem from unresolved childhood traumas, which is particularly concerning given that about 87% of recruits are ages 18 to 24.

Shatara’s own experiences with childhood trauma give her a unique lens on the intersection of military service, mental health, and personal growth. Her journey demonstrates how faith and perseverance can lead to transformative healing.

Speaking of faith, it’s the cornerstone of every episode of her podcast, Crazy Black Girl. You’ll be fascinated to hear how she came up with that title! I have to say, her method of sharing God’s word is inspiring. It’s as if she’s preaching, without preaching, which is the best kind of preaching.

In the five-minute snippet: Did she mention anything about tattoo shops? For Shatara's bio, visit my website (link below).

Imena and TJ go to Therapy on Amazon

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Meet Sheena Johnson, a remarkable Jamaican-born woman residing just outside London, where she serves as an ICU nurse practitioner with the UK’s National Health Service.

Her journey took a profound turn during the peak of Covid when she faced the heartbreaking loss of her father while caring for some of the sickest patients. This loss plunged her into intense grief, prompting her to reflect deeply on her life. In a moment of stillness, she confronted difficult questions: What is happening to me? What are these emotions? Where is this overwhelming exhaustion coming from? Through her exploration of various podcasts and reading material, Sheena discovered the root of her struggles: burnout.

Taking a typical nurse's approach, she looked around at her colleagues and noticed many shared similar feelings of anxiety, stress, demotivation, and sleep deprivation. Realizing that she was not alone, Sheena decided to take action. She pursued training to become an accredited transformational coach for nurses and allied healthcare professionals, dedicating herself to helping others overcome burnout. Sheena empowers them to create a lifestyle filled with balance, joy, and vitality so that they can show up authentically in both their personal and professional lives.

If you’re a nurse feeling overwhelmed, there's hope. Sheena is here to help you bounce out of burnout and reclaim your well-being.

In the five-minute snippet: Is that squid giggling? For Sheena's bio, visit my website (link below).

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Erin Johansen is a communications supervisor for a medical flight company, and she’s got her finger on the pulse of the air transport industry. Having grown up in the flight business, she is intimately familiar with each position she oversees.

Imagine a Situation room of sorts. During her 12-hour night shifts, Erin often navigates a bustling control room where 15 to 20 medical flights are in progress at any given time. On particularly hectic nights, that number can soar into the 30s. Picture a team of eight flight coordinators, each surrounded by multiple monitors, managing calls from hospitals for inter-facility transfers, law enforcement inquiries for missing persons, on-scene emergencies, and requests for fire suppression. With operations extending across seven states and over 60 bases from Hawaii to Colorado, the environment can become quite chaotic.

Erin is the backbone of this operation. If communication fails in any way, it could threaten safety or cause delays in patient transport. She must be adaptable and she must be vigilant, knowing that the trust she builds with her colleagues and customers is essential to effective communication. This excellent communication, in turn, reinforces that trust, creating a win-win for all involved.

In the five-minute snippet: It’s the City of Trees. For Erin's bio, visit my website (link below).

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Do you believe in divine intervention? After waking early one morning with Jade on my mind, I couldn't help but feel once again that there’s something greater at work here.

Jade Barrera is a wife, a mother, and a NICU nurse. Having worked with her for many years, I’ve had the privilege of watching Jade grow from a novice nurse to a confident leader as charge nurse. As any nurse will tell you, we become a close-knit family, deeply familiar with one another's struggles and triumphs. We celebrated with Jade when she shared her pregnancy news, and we mourned with her when she lost her son, Theo, at just 19 weeks.

This is Jade's story—one of love, loss, and healing. It spans a full range of emotions, from grief and anger to joy and inspiration. I know it wasn’t easy for Jade to share her story, and I deeply admire her courage in doing so. I hope that, through her journey, we can find both insight into grief and inspiration for our own healing paths.

A quick postscript: After we recorded, Jade realized she hadn’t mentioned something important. After delivering Theo, she experienced lactogenesis—essentially, her body began producing colostrum. This typically happens around 20 weeks of pregnancy, and Jade delivered Theo at 19 weeks. In her words, “Emotionally, it felt like someone kicked me while I was down. I was devastated as it was, and it was amplified by the pain of my body doing something right. I was so upset that my body couldn't carry a baby to viability, but all of sudden wanted to be good at making milk when there was no baby to feed.” I know that by Jade sharing her experiences and her deep emotions, we can view loss through a more compassionate lens.

After such a heavy conversion, Jade and I owed it to ourselves to have five minutes of fun. In the five-minute snippet: it’s a new game called five words, five seconds each and guess what? No one’s counting. For Jade's bio, visit my website (link below).

Pregnancy After Loss Support

Jade's bookstore

Jade's email: jkfierros@att.net

Contact The Conversing Nurse podcast
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Chinelo Okoye is a remarkable double-board-certified nurse practitioner specializing in both adult and pediatric care. Beyond her clinical expertise, she passionately advocates for the representation of nurses in the media. As the founder of Nurse on Purpose, she works to eliminate stereotypes and showcase the intelligence, professionalism, leadership skills, and dedication to patient care that nurses embody.

I had a candid conversation with Chinelo about my complacency regarding the negative portrayal of nurses. I acknowledged the hypersexualized Halloween costumes and the disheartening narratives in shows like Nurse Jackie and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which depict nurses in such a negative light. Despite recognizing that these portrayals didn't reflect the true essence of nursing, I realized I had not actively challenged these misrepresentations—sadly, I didn't even get angry about it.

What are the consequences if we choose to ignore the media's misconceptions about us? Chinelo emphasized that our ability to attract new nurses to the profession diminishes when potential candidates see these negative portrayals. Moreover, it impacts nurse retention. After all, why would a brilliant nurse remain in a field that is so inaccurately represented?

Through her Nurse on Purpose podcast, Chinelo elevates the image of nursing by showcasing nurses as innovators, advocates, leaders, and entrepreneurs, demonstrating the diverse and impactful roles that real nurses play. As author Robert Byrne aptly stated, “The purpose of life is a life of purpose,” and Chinelo is undoubtedly embodying that purpose every day.

In the five-minute snippet: She’s in the dog house and she’s not sad about it. For Chinelo's bio, visit my website (link below).

Nursing is STEM coalition

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Meet Lia Xiong-Ratley, a Family Nurse Practitioner, women’s health advocate, and rescuer of the underdogs, literally.

Lia has worn many hats over the years, from pediatric ICU to cardiothoracic surgery, but after becoming a family nurse practitioner, she has found her place at Planned Parenthood.

If you think the only services offered through Planned Parenthood are contraception and abortion, you're not alone; Lia and I thought this too. However, the reality is that they provide essential services such as STD testing and treatment, cervical and breast cancer screenings, prenatal care, infertility services, vasectomies, and gender-affirming care, which Lia defines with remarkable clarity (trust me, it’s more than you think).

So, why did Lia become such a passionate advocate for the underserved? Her own experiences have shaped her. As the daughter of emigrants fleeing political persecution during the Vietnam War, Lia grew up advocating for her family as they rebuilt their lives as Americans. It’s no surprise that she roots for the underdogs.

And speaking of dogs, Lia runs a successful dog rescue through her Instagram, which initially started as a platform to showcase her travel adventures (you'll hear about those too). The dogs Lia fosters each have distinct personalities, and she has a special gift for bringing that out in them. She'll make you fall in love with each one (I know I have).

In the five-minute snippet: Uh, yeah, you’ll just have to hear this one for yourself. For Lia's bio, visit my website (link below).

Contact The Conversing Nurse podcast
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I've partnered with RNegade.pro! You can earn CE's just by listening to my podcast episodes! Check out my CE library here: https://rnegade.thinkific.com/collections/conversing-nurse-podcast

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This week, I had the pleasure of catching up with a returning guest, the OG Nursepreneur, Farah Laurent. Since our last conversation over two years ago, she has been achieving remarkable success. Not only does Farah hold six board certifications, but she has also earned a doctorate in nursing.

One exciting development is that Farah hosted her first nursing conference titled “Nurses Making Money Moves.” By the time this episode airs, the conference will have already taken place and, I’m sure, been a huge success. Good news for future fans—Farah plans to make this conference an annual gathering. And that title sounds familiar, it is also the name of her new book.

It feels like Farah is everywhere, doing everything. Whether you catch her on LinkedIn Live or listen to her podcast, The Nursing Dose with Farah, her energy is undeniable. She is truly dedicated to helping nurses elevate their careers.

In the five-minute snippet: DJ Farah is setting fire to the dance floor.

Contact The Conversing Nurse podcast
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I've partnered with RNegade.pro! You can earn CE's just by listening to my podcast episodes! Check out my CE library here: https://rnegade.thinkific.com/collections/conversing-nurse-podcast

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In the heart of northern New Zealand, nestled between rolling hills and lush green valleys, lay Heart Place Hospital, a beacon of innovation in the world of healthcare. Founded by Jacqui O'Connor, a Registered Nurse with three decades of experience, this unique wellness charity is unlike any hospital seen before.

After her own dismantling and rebuilding, Jacqui has devoted her life to the intricacies of mental well-being and integrative health, believing that true healing goes beyond the limits of conventional medicine.

As a self-proclaimed “cycle starter,” Jacqui radiates a palpable energy that draws in fellow healthcare professionals, artists, and community members alike. She understands the constraints that often stifle creativity within the medical field, and she is determined to break those barriers. Her vision is clear: healthcare should embrace all facets of human experience—mind, body, and soul.

With so many healthcare professionals feeling the effects of burnout in their jobs and their lives, Jacqui’s movement toward a more holistic approach to health creates a vision of empowerment and creativity. With Jacqui at the helm, Heart Place Hospital will inspire healing and innovation, one community connection at a time.

In the five-minute snippet: Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight. For Jacqui's bio, visit my website (link below).

Heart Place Hospital Facebook

Heart Place Hospital Podcast YouTube

Heart Place Hospital Spotify

Contact The Conversing Nurse podcast
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Your review is so important to this Indie podcaster! You can leave one here! https://theconversingnursepodcast.com/leave-me-a-review
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I've partnered with RNegade.pro! You can earn CE's just by listening to my podcast episodes! Check out my CE library here: https://rnegade.thinkific.com/collections/conversing-nurse-podcast

Thanks for listening!