Found Down

On this week's episode, I do a somber reflection on what working as a nurse during the height of Covid-19 felt like, the impact it had on me as a nurse, as a person, and on our profession. Working a global pandemic highlighted to need for nurses to prioritize their mental health. Remember - you are more than your job. You deserve to be here and to be happy. If you are struggling, seek out help from your peers, do a debrief, get peer support, or seek out help from a therapist.This episode was a doozy. Glad it was a short one!Take care of yourself!XO Nicole

On today's episode, I interview Katy Raymond, RN, EOLD about her role as a Death Doula and her nursing business Wewillgetby.com.Katy is a practicing RN. She has a degree in English from University of Washington and got a second degree in nursing from Duke University in 2005. After an 18-year career as an ICU nurse and a travel ICU nurse, she earned her certification as a Death Doula and End of Life planner through the Going with Grace program founded by Alua Arthur. She recently created her own Death Doula business named We Will Get By, LLC.Katy talks about her views on death and how being a death doula can be so helpful in the transition to end-of-life care or "deathcare" outside the hospital. This is a super interesting episode and so helpful. Thank you so much for being on the show, Katy! Go follow what Katy is up to on her Instagram @we.will.get.by!XONicole

On today's episode, I interview Kalen M. Knight, MSN, MBA, RN, CEN, SANE-A about his role as a medicolegal death investigator. You are going to want to listen to this episode - it's super fascinating!Kalen Knight is a Forensic Nursing Specialist with the International Association of Forensic Nurses. He has extensive experience in clinical practice and education development from his prior professional experiences, including emergency, trauma, infectious disease, biocontainment/quarantine, nursing education, and forensic nursing. In addition to his role with the IAFN, Kalen practices as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner for Nebraska Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska as well as a Medicolegal Death Investigator for Pottawattamie County Medical Examiners Office in Iowa. He earned his BSN From Clarkson College in 2016 and his MSN and MBA from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 2022. He is a Certified Emergency Nurse and Certified Adult/Adolescent Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner. He additionally is an adjunct lecturer for the Masters in Forensic Nursing Programs Quality, Legal, Matters of Death Course and Clinical at Oakland University in Michigan.This is a very interesting episode! Kalen gives us the rundown of what a normal call is like, how he processes the scene, as well as the follow-up as to where the decedent goes and whether or not autopsies are needed. He shares what he loves about the job, and how his views on death have changed since doing this work. If you are interested in forensic nursing, this episode is for you! Also, go check out Kalen's new podcast - Forensic Nursing: Beyond the Evidence with the International Association of Forensic Nurses here!Thank you so much for being on the show, Kalen!

On today's episode, I chat with a friend of the podcast, Dr. Katrine Wallace aka Epidemiologist Kat about what is really going on with the Bird Flu, otherwise known as Avian Flu or H5N1. It was refreshing to hear her talk about the data around H5N1. Big picture - let's not panic. Take a listen if you are interested in Dr. Kat's point of view on H5N1. Thank you for being a voice of reason!XOXONicole

On today's episode, I interview Leah Helmbrecht a Forensic Nurse Examiner and Sane Nurse.Leah is a seasoned registered nurse with over 15 years of experience across various specialties. She currently serves as a Discharge Nurse for Acute Care Units and as a Forensic Nurse Examiner/Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner in the Emergency Room. In addition to her clinical work, Leah is dedicated to raising awareness about critical issues such as sexual assault, domestic violence, and human sex trafficking through social media content. Her educational posts are balanced with lighthearted nurse humor to provide an approachable, yet impactful, platform for advocacy.Leah has conducted research on Childhood Trauma through the Academy of Forensic Nursing and utilizes funds generated from her social media presence and the Nurse Converse podcast to support domestic violence victims. She purchases phones for patients whose abusers have damaged or confiscated their devices, enabling them to communicate with local advocates, law enforcement, and social support networks. Furthermore, Leah has spearheaded initiatives to display resource posters for victims of domestic violence and human trafficking in hospital restroom stalls and has played an instrumental role in revising national and local hospital protocols for responding to calls to the Nurse Advice Line from sexual assault survivors.Leah imparts her knowledge of her position, common misconceptions, implications for healthcare providers, and implications for our practice! Her #1 key takeaway is just saying to our patients "I believe you, I am so sorry someone did this to you, and this is NOT your fault."Please go check out her meaningful work teaching adults how to talk to children and you about human trafficking at: https://goafn.thinkific.com/bundles/walkwisebundleAlso, please go visit Leah's Linktree to see everything that she is up to as well as her International Group Trips:https://linktr.ee/offtheclocknurseIf you want to listen to episodes of Leah on the Nurse Converse Podcast check it out here!https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nurse-converse-presented-by-nurse-org/id1724443873Thank you so much!Nicole

On today's episode, I have Nurse Coach Caroline to discuss all things for the New Grad Nurse!Caroline Danna MSN, RN became a Registered Nurse in 2012. Since then, she has had over a decade of experience hiring nurses. Caroline has held positions in nursing recruitment as a Hospital Nurse Recruiter as well as Travel Nurse Recruiter. She also has years of experience in Nurse Management roles at both a large level I trauma center and small community hospital. Caroline managed all nursing hires within her respective units while in nursing leadership. Her true passion is coaching nurses as they advance their careers and grow professionally.Nurse Coach Caroline offers advice on the following topics in this episode:How to stand out on a resume and land an interviewShould I take a prep course for the NCLEX?When should I apply for a job?Boundary settingImposter syndromeMentorshipSurviving your first year!Self-care tips!Please check Nurse Coach Caroline out on her website https://www.nursecoachcaroline.com/ and on Instagram and Tiktok @nursecoachcaroline for her amazing resources for the New Grad Nurse.Thanks for being on the show!XONicoleP.S. If you want to check out the NCLEX prep course Caroline talked about here is the info:Mometrix - Test Prep 20% off Discount code: CAROLINE20https://ref.mometrix.com/1191-852.htm

On today's episode, I have Dr. Des Wood on Found Down to discuss how to speak up as a nurse in difficult situations. It is a skill!Desiree Wood,  DNP, ARNP, AGPCNP-BC, CCRN, is a board certified nurse practitioner with the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She has over 18 years of diverse nursing experience, 10 years as an Acute Care NP in the ICU, the last 6 years focused on Medical Aesthetics, and is the founder of Seattle Beauty!  We discuss the importance of speaking up, barriers to speaking up, tools for speaking up such as C.U.S. from TeamSTEPPS, and we even role play what speaking up looks like! Not sure what to say or who to turn to? We got you!Let me know what you think about this episode! We hope it was helpful and in the future, you will be able to get CEs for listening to it. Stay tuned. :)XOXONicole

On today's episode, I interview Dr. Julie Siemers, DNP, MSN, RN about the importance of acknowledging medical errors and ways to improve patient safety. Dr. Julie Siemers is a patient safety consultant, industry nurse leader, and educator. She is also the founder of Lifebeat Solutions and the author of the bestselling book ‘Surviving Your Hospital Stay: A Nurse Educator's Guide to Staying Safe and Living to Tell About It.’She spent 15 years in nursing education, serving in roles ranging from Professor to Dean, and as Executive Director at a large nursing university in California. She has a rich background in direct patient care, with experience in various roles on the medical/surgical care floor, in the Intensive Care Unit, the emergency department, and the trauma resuscitation department at University Medical Center in Las Vegas. Additionally, she served as a flight nurse on a trauma helicopter for 10 years.On this riveting episode we disuss some big takeaways that are important for improving your clinical practice as well as making patient care safer! Count your respirations! Really count them. :)Call the Rapid Response! Speak up!Treat your patients as if they are your family members!Thank you, Dr. Julie for some interesting and important information about how to make the hospital setting safer. It takes a village!Best, Nicole

On today's episode of Found Down, I interview and catch up with the talented and very funny flight and ground paramedics Chris Pfingsten and Spencer Oliver from the wildly successful EMS 20/20 podcast. We discuss the evolution of their careers, the different scopes of EMS ground and flight paramedics, and the genesis and creation of their podcast. They are truly out there trying to close the knowledge gap that school doesn't provide, as well as prevent us all from being "4th Year Medics."Can't wait for you all to tune in!Nicole

On today's episode, I sit down with Shauntel Howard, MSHI, BSN, RN-CHC, a registered nurse for over 10 years and a certified health and burnout coach specializing in burnout prevention. With firsthand experience overcoming burnout, Shauntel founded ChartLyfe.com to support her colleagues in healthcare. It was a pleasure to have Shauntel on the show! She offers great insight, her own burnout story, and resources on improving your well-being. Be sure to check out her weekly Peer Support Groups, her health coaching and wonderful resources on her website.XO,Nicole

On today's episode, I catch up with a friend of the podcast, Dr. Katrine Wallace a.ka. Epidemiologist Kat to chat all things Fall respiratory viruses like Covid-19, Flu, and RSV, and what the public health implications might be! Do you have questions about which vaccines to get? I promise you we will cover a lot of the common questions circulating right now. We also get into Mpox, Measles and Polio.If you are an infectious disease nerd, this show is for you! :)So happy to have you back on this show, Kat so we can all learn from you!NicoleP.S. This epidose was recorded 9/12/2024. The waste water data may look different that we we talked about on this episode.P.S.S. I got my Covid-19 Vaccine and only had a sore arm. :)

After almost a 2 year hiatus, the Found Down Podcast is back. Critical Care nurse and host, Nicole Johnson is back on the show, accompanied by Dr. Des Wood, nurse practitioner and co-owner of Seattle Beauty. Des interviews Nicole this time to find out what's been going on, revisit what the podcast is all about, and inquire about what is in store for this next season! Thank you so much for listening!

Today I interview Tami Morgan, ARNP, FNP about prioritizing your mental health as a healthcare provider, in particular as a nurse. Tami is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner and owner of Refresh Seattle, a mental health and wellness practice. She provides telehealth services to anyone in WA state and offers a truly holistic approach to mental wellness. She has experience in a wide range of medical specialties and we'll hear later how she incorporates that knowledge into her current practice. She graduated with her Bachelors in Nursing from Washington State University in 2005 and earned her master's in nursing from Seattle University in 2015. She is an active PNW hiker, softball player, world traveler, sports fan, and dog lover. Tune in to listen to how to make your mental health a priority, tips on how to improve it, and how to address S.A.D (Seasonal Affective Disorder) this winter. If you are interested in reaching Tami for an appointment, check out her website here!Thank you so much for being on the show!Stay safe and stay sane, Nicole

Today I interview the amazing Andrea Dalzell, aka the Seated Nurse.Andrea Dalzell is a registered nurse, healthcare advocate, disability rights influencer, speaker and most importantly, a survivor. At the age of five, Andrea was diagnosed with transverse myelitis, an inflammation of the spinal cord that causes pain, muscle weakness and paralysis, and she was using a wheelchair full-time by twelve years old. Inspired by her experiences with nurses, she received her nursing degree from the City University of New York, College of Staten Island. Andrea became the first registered nurse in a wheelchair in the state of New York, and she devotes her career to helping others with disabilities live healthier lives whether seated or able-bodied. Andrea was crowned Ms. Wheelchair New York 2015, and utilized her title and platform: "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Access," to promote her message and belief that people with disabilities can live a fulfilling life. As an advocate and activist, she has won national recognition over the years, including being named New Mobilitiy's Person of the Year (2021) and the inaugural Craig H. Neilsen Visionary Prize Winner 2020. She has also been featured in Unite Spinal, HomeCare Magazine, Apple's iWatch campaign, Yahoo, and Forbes.On today's show we talk about Andrea's story and her nursing journey. After 1500 job applications and 75 job interviews, it took a global pandemic to get the break she needed to work bedside. What a story! You will want to tune in for this!Also, Andrea shares how hospitals and nursing programs could be doing better. Hint: We could be doing better.Want to get involved? Check out the National Organization of Nurses with Disabilities.Thanks so much for being on the show, Andrea!Stay Safe and Stay Sane,Nicole

Today I catch up with American Ninja Warrior and Nurse, Bryan Hill about how this last year has been. Last time we talked, Bryan came on the show to share that he had been diagnosed with Parkinkson's, how that was impacting his life, and how he wanted to get out in front of this secret for his family, particularly for his young son (now 18 months old).Since we last chatted, Bryan has taken the world by storm, appearing on national television, local news, American Ninja Warrior, and appearing in the documentary by Cut called "Three Dying People Talk about Death" among other things.Bryan opens up about the day to day of his life, managing stress and how movement is his medicine. His family and his health are his number one priority.If you want to support Parkinson's research check out this link to donate to the Michael J. Fox Foundation. And go follow what Bryan is up to on social media at @fox_ninja_c.You are such an inspiration, Bryan!Stay Safe and Stay Sane,Nicole

On today's episode I interview Josie Tate, MSN, FNP-C and CEO of Clincepts, a company "created Clincepts to inspire my peers to thrive through the RN to NP transition and love what they do.""Josie Tate is a family nurse practitioner with a heart to see others succeed. Since starting her nursing journey with a BSN in 2006, she has enjoyed working in a variety of settings with a strong background in inpatient and outpatient cardiology services. Her most memorable times as a nurse include being a preceptor to nursing students and mentor to newly hired employees. While she enjoys her role as an NP, she is also passionate about her life outside of practice. She is a wife to her college sweetheart and mom to three fun-filled kids. Soon after becoming a nurse practitioner in 2019, she saw new NPs experience a disconnect between obtaining an advanced degree and embracing the title of advanced practice provider. To bridge that gap, she created Clincepts, a job search solution to help nurse practitioners get happily hired.Josie empowers nurse practitioners in 3 major aspects: passion, pay (beyond just salary), and productivity. She teaches strategies that help NPs articulate their unique professional stories by assisting with resume creation and interview preparation. With this, they can have that ideal job they are passionate about and be paid well for what they do. In addition, she shares ways to be efficient at work, so they can enjoy life outside of work."If you are transitioning from RN to advanced practice, go check out one of Josie's courses or sign up to her blog to get helpful tips to increase your interviewing skills or buff up your resume!Thank you so much for being on the show and thank you for helping nurses thrive, Josie!It was such a pleasure!Stay Safe and Stay Sane,Nicole

On today's show I interview Beth Cavenaugh, a Certified Hospice and Palliative Care nurse about her new book that she co-authored, 'The Pleasure and Pain of Nursing - Self-Care Practices to Protect and Replenish Compassion.' The book offers "the nurse's toolkit to stay grounded, tend to yourself with kindness, and minimize professional burnout." This is a fantastic book that should be in every nurse's break room.Beth talks about her thoughts on nursing, hospice nursing, and how the pandemic has affected our profession. Also, she gets into her nursing trajectory, and where and how she finds joy in hospice nursing. As a reiki provider, Beth shares some treasures from that very specific type of energy work.I'm excited for you to listen to this episode, feel validated, and maybe find some tools to protect your energy and your practice!Please go check out Beth's book and subscribe to her blog! She offers real tips and insights for nurses for the death and dying process.Stay Safe and Stay Sane,Nicole

I am so pleased to bring Katrine Wallace, PhD aka Epidemiologist Kat back on Found Down to discuss what in the world is going on with all the viruses out there! We talk about where we are with the Covid-19 pandemic, what is really going on with monkeypox, and also she shares what she knows about polio being detected in New York.As always this was a fun, informative interview! Please go subscribe to Kat's blog at www.epidemiologistkat.com. Stay Safe and Stay Sane!Nicole

Hey there,Today, Des Wood and I talk about what's been going on behind the scenes with me and my thoughts on the podcast. We discuss what is going on in healthcare, our thoughts on the pandemic, and in nursing.Please help! Do you want Found Down to continue? What do YOU want from the show?It's been so fun and meaningful for me to do the show. Let me know what would like from Found Down!Stay Safe and Stay Sane,NicoleP.S. Please check out the upcoming Yoga in the Park on 8/19! All proceeds go to Hope Center Resources, a nonprofit that helps people experiencing homelessness.

Hey, It's Nicole.Just popping on to say I'm on a break and will return in June. I'm posting a Nurses Week GIVEAWAY on my Instagram account on 5/6 so check it out there!You all are amazing. See you in June!Nicole