As a nurse, if you heard a colleague say I'm not a nurse, I'm a nurse practitioner - would you be offended? Or are they justified in saying that to clearly identify their role and scope of practice with patients which is different from the registered nurse? I know, it may sound like a betrayal because you can't be a nurse practitioner without being a nurse first but before you write them off as having a superiority complex, consider the fact that they do have advanced education, additional licen...
Dec 16, 2021•40 min•Season 2Ep. 44
When was the last time you combed or washed your patient's hair? Is that part of your assessment? How often does a hair make the care plan? A person's hair provides a lot of information about one's health and blood circulation. Hair also serves a variety of functions, including protection, sensory input, thermoregulation, and communication, for example, hair on the head protects the skull from the sun. So what happens when a patient is experiencing hair loss or thinning because of their disease ...
Dec 14, 2021•41 min•Season 2Ep. 46
Through her platform and business, Sarah Gaines aka "The Six-Figure Travel Nurse" coaches RNs making the transition into travel nursing and provides them with tips and training to maximize their earnings, as well educates new travel nurses with all the practical information they need to succeed, from taxes to supplies to take with them on assignment. Read the article on Nurse.org
Nov 23, 2021•39 min•Season 2Ep. 39
We know that cultural diversity and health equity are very much issues that plague and negatively impact the quality of healthcare that so many people receive. In this episode, Kimberly Wilson , tech entrepreneur and creator of "Hued," an app that links black and Latinx patients with culturally competent doctors shares what she and her company are doing to fix it. Birthed from her own frustrations as a black woman navigating healthcare and experiencing disproportionate care, Kimberly was inspire...
Nov 17, 2021•35 min•Season 2Ep. 42
Nurse Alice sat down to speak with Neela Sethi Young , M.D, 44, a wife, mother of two, and pediatrician and co-founder of Jaanuu Scrubs , which is the only physician-founded and led scrub brand in the healthcare apparel industry. Read the full article on Nurse.org
Nov 16, 2021•45 min•Season 2Ep. 40
Nurse Alice spoke with Rick Nettles, MD, Vice President of Medical Affairs for Janssen Infectious Vaccines underneath Johnson & Johnson on a recent episode of the Ask Nurse Alice podcast. Nurse Alice, who shared that she herself got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, went directly to the source and spoke with Dr. Nettles about how the vaccines work, his own experience, and what all nurses should know about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. Read the episode transcript here...
Nov 02, 2021•28 min•Season 2Ep. 36
Until 2021, Forbes had never named a nurse on their 30 under 30 healthcare list, until Dr. Kristen Choi came along. Dr. Choi is a psychiatric nurse and health services researcher as well as an Assistant Professor of Nursing and public health at UCLA. Choi joined the Ask Nurse Alice podcast to discuss her background, future goals and her participation in the Pfizer clinical trial.
Oct 19, 2021•42 min•Season 2Ep. 38
The FDA hopes to reduce Americans' sodium intake by 12% over 2.5 years. They are asking restaurants to reduce the salt in their products. In this episode Nurse Alice talks about why you're still probably eating too much salt, even if you consider yourself to be healthy and how to reduce your own sodium intake.
Oct 19, 2021•27 min•Season 2Ep. 37
Ryann Kress BSN, RN, has never let her wheelchair stop her from accomplishing her goals. She spent much of her adolescence in and out of emergency rooms and doctors' appointments managing her disability, Ehlers-Danlos SyndromeEhlers-Danlos Syndrome . When Ryann started her healthcare career as an EMT, and then a registered nurse, she was not using a wheelchair. Her life changed dramatically at age 26 when she had to start using a wheelchair. She persevered. Now, a registered nurse, pageant queen...
Oct 05, 2021•45 min•Season 2Ep. 35
“I’m stuck in a job I hate,” “I want a better relationship with my spouse, but don't know where to start,” “I’m frustrated because I'm stuck in such a boring routine." Can you relate? If the answer is yes, well, you're not the only one. There are times in life where we sometimes feel stuck. Whether you're feeling stuck in a job, stuck in a relationship, can't decide the next goal to pursue, family dynamics, or just feel like you're not living your true purpose. You don't have to feel stuck forev...
Sep 28, 2021•32 min•Season 2Ep. 34
Regret is powerful. It will consume you. It's destructive and can steal your happiness. Some regrets are smaller than others. Major mistakes as a healthcare provider can cause a lot of harm. However, it's important to remember that mistakes are normal in life, and with those mistakes, regret happens. Life goes on. Still, it's important to learn ways to cope with regret, move past it, and be happy again. In this episode, Nurse Alice talks about mistakes and regret. Later, she discusses tips to co...
Sep 14, 2021•27 min•Season 2Ep. 33
What do we do when our peers are touting information that is false or outdated? As a nurse, it's important to share the most accurate information with the public. Especially on your social media platforms. The public trusts nurses. Science and medicine are constantly changing. The least bit of misinformation can go a long way and cause a lot of harm. If you're a nurse and you're sharing information with the public it's important to make 100% sure that you are sharing the most accurate informatio...
Sep 14, 2021•29 min•Season 2Ep. 32
Alice worked as a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) for many years and she really enjoyed the work that she did. A clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is a type of Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) that's completed graduate-level education and clinical training. Like nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists specialize in specific patient populations; however, unlike NPs, they focus more on educating nurses and improving patient outcomes. In this episode, Alice discusses the specific rol...
Sep 07, 2021•27 min•Season 2Ep. 31
It's time to normalize nurse's feelings. As nurses, we are literally overwhelmed by helping others. Not that we don't enjoy helping our patients. We do. That's the reason we became nurses. However, the return on investment I don't feel is matching up. The time that we are investing of ourselves physically, emotionally, spiritually, our time, and our sacrifices to take care of others is daunting. We’re getting tired of having to exude so much compassion. These feelings have a name, it's called "c...
Sep 07, 2021•28 min•Season 2Ep. 30
In this episode, Nurse Tori of The Cellfie Podcast (@nurse.tori_)joins Nurse Alice to talk about her journey into nursing, why she chose to be a NICU nurse, and what she loves about her specialty. If you're considering a career as a NICU nurse or ever wondered "what do NICU nurses do?", this episode is a MUST listen! Check out Nurse.org's Career Guide "How To Become a NICU Nurse" https://nurse.org/resources/neonatal-nicu-nurse/
Aug 31, 2021•47 min•Season 2Ep. 29
Floating as a new nurse can feel intimidating. You were hired for a specific job and you are comfortable. But, there are definite benefits of floating. In this episode Nurse Alice discusses how floating can actually benefit your career and skills as a nurse.
Aug 24, 2021•28 min•Season 2Ep. 28
When you work the night shift you have to adjust your life to meet the needs of your schedule. It's equally as important to learn to stand up for yourself. Here are Nurse Alice's best tips for working the night shift. Here's a peak at what I discuss in the podcast, 1. Not everything has to revolve around work. Let's normalize having a conversation with whoever does the schedule and say, I have an appointment I need to go to and I would really like to move my schedule to accommodate it. My health...
Aug 17, 2021•33 min•Season 2Ep. 27
Alice admits that when the vaccine was first offered to her, she passed. She was hesitant. However, after doing a lot of research she ultimately decided to get the vaccine and so did her family. Fast forward several months, many hospitals are now making the COVID vaccines mandatory for healthcare workers. In this episode, Alice shares her thought on vaccine mandates and the future of nursing. Visit nurse.org for news, career resources, education guides and more.
Aug 10, 2021•32 min•Season 2Ep. 26
Anytime someone dies, other people’s lives are impacted. Most of the time, there is a direct impact on the people with whom they worked. Whether the deceased person worked in your unit or they were a more casual acquaintance, someone they knew will struggle with the news. The relationships we develop through our work as nurses are special. Sometimes we are closer to our fellow nurses than we are to our own family. However, we rarely take the time to think about the huge impact that the loss of a...
Aug 05, 2021•28 min•Season 2Ep. 25
As a nurse, you are your number one patient. Your mental health matters. You have to make yourself a priority. Now more than ever it's important to focus on your mental health. Alice opens up about her own struggles with mental health and burnout. She provides resources, guidance, and advocacy for nurses who are not feeling like their usual selves.
Aug 03, 2021•31 min•Season 2Ep. 24
Nurse Alice reveals the reasons why she quit her job as a Family Nurse Practitioner. After working her way up the nursing ladder from CNA to LPN to RN to BSN to MSN, Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), Alice was ready to get her FNP. Was becoming a nurse practitioner worth it? Does she regret it? When she started her Nurse Practitioner journey she had so many personal and professional reasons as to why this would be a good idea. But was it really? Find out in this episode. Visit nurse.org to read m...
Jul 27, 2021•29 min•Season 2Ep. 23
Giving an effective bedside shift report sets the tone for the shift. Nurses might struggle with nursing handoff - maybe they don't know exactly what to say or how to properly communicate everything that needs to be said, where to conduct shift reports, or how to best give the report. In this episode, Alice shares her best advice for giving a shift report that will set up the incoming nurse for success. And, ultimately give the highest level of patient care. *FIGS SCRUBS DISCOUNT: Get 15% OFF yo...
Jul 20, 2021•27 min•Season 2Ep. 22
Nurse Alice opens up about a relationship that ended and the strategies she used to work through the overwhelming emotions to learn and grow from that experience. We've all experienced disappointment in life and it always hurts - here are 5 ways to deal with disappointment.
Jul 14, 2021•25 min•Season 2Ep. 21
Nurse Alice answers a listener's question regarding a registered nurse from his home town who was spreading misinformation about COVID vaccines on Facebook. The listener reported the nurse to the board of nursing and now the nurse is retaliating against this listener. Conspiracy theories and misinformation about the pandemic and vaccines are all over the internet. If you're a nurse, you've likely come across patients who believe the conspiracy theories. It's a difficult topic to navigate and in ...
Jul 07, 2021•23 min•Season 2Ep. 20
Death is a reality for nurses, but coping with it can be difficult. In this episode, Nurse Alice shares her own personal experience with the death of a loved one and how she used that experience to help other patients and their families. For more advice on coping with death, read the nurse.org article "I'm a Nurse and I Grieve - Coping With Death" https://nurse.org/articles/nurses-coping-with-death/
Jun 17, 2021•18 min•Season 2Ep. 19
No matter how old you are, what occupation you hold, or where you live in the world we can all agree that sleep is essential to functioning properly on a day-to-day basis. That being said, as a Registered Nurse (RN) getting a full amount of sleep can be hard due to the constant and rigorous schedules they must endure. This is especially true for those who work swing shifts, rotating shifts, or night shifts. Losing a minimal amount of sleep can cause changes in a person’s mood, energy level, and ...
Jun 04, 2021•20 min•Season 2Ep. 18
"I will go up against anyone to protect my patient. If I feel that something is unsafe for the patient I am not participating in it. Period." says Nurse Alice. Doing the right thing isn't always easy, it sometimes takes more work, you could ruffle a few feathers and could add time onto your shift. But, doing the right thing is always what's best for your patients. We are here to do what’s in the best interest of the patient. Not what’s the most comfortable for us. If medical errors were allowed ...
May 24, 2021•22 min•Season 2Ep. 17
Aishah Williams, CNM, paid off $80K in two years. Now she’s on a mission to empower nurses to do the same. Aishah wears many hats: midwife, women’s health nurse practitioner, social media influencer, financial coach, and entrepreneur, but at the heart of everything she juggles is a passion for helping others. Nurse Alice chatted with Aishah on the Ask Nurse Alice podcast to learn more about her journey and financial advice for nurses in investing and how to go to nursing school for free. Read th...
May 24, 2021•43 min•Season 2Ep. 16
Discussing racism in healthcare is an uncomfortable topic. Alice teams up with the ANA/California to address racism in nursing and healthcare and identify tools we can use to help address the issues. The ANA/CA recently launched an anti-racism task force to address racism in nursing. Alice discloses her experience growing up as a Black and Filipino nurse whose father was the victim of a hate crime. She also discusses her personal experience working as a Black and Filipino nurse in the United Sta...
May 24, 2021•38 min•Season 2Ep. 15
“Nurses Eat Their Young” is an unspoken secret in the nursing profession. A culture of bullying, negativity, and stress torments the new-nursing community. Jannel of @noviceisthenewnurse is on a mission to empower new nurses and help them turn challenges into healing. She recently launched her book titled, “Lavender and Peppermint Tea” - a self-help book focused on journal prompts and activities to uplift novice nurses. Graduating from nursing school is one of the most exciting times in your lif...
May 17, 2021•43 min•Season 2Ep. 14
