“Trust your gut. That was it. That was the whole conversation,” recalls Jenn Johnson, a seasoned ER nurse with over 16 years in the field. Those simple words from her professor shaped how she approaches patient care and the importance of intuition in nursing.

In this episode, Jenn joins Dr. Lara Salyer to share how intuition has been her guiding light throughout her career, especially during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. She talks about battling burnout and how creativity and emotional resilience have helped her. Her book, “Nursing Intuition,” encourages healthcare professionals to reconnect with their passion for the field while also recognizing the emotional toll it can take.

Jenn explains how trusting your gut can lead to better assessments, even when the data doesn’t flag any issues. She points out the value of open communication within healthcare teams that will foster collaboration and improve patient outcomes. She also introduces a unique grief journal she created to help healthcare workers manage emotions and combat burnout. 

By blending intuition and creativity as essential tools to thrive in the demanding world of nursing, Jenn inspires listeners to tap into their own instincts for resilience and healing.

Quotes

• “The easiest catalyst moment is obviously COVID. COVID, for all that it did that was negative, I try my very best to look at the silver linings, however small or minute they may be. There’s always a silver lining if you look hard enough.” (03:04 | Jenn Johnson)


• “Intuition is this great thing where enough of us are doing it, and enough of us have trusted it, that when you go to your physician or your coworkers and say, ‘I just don’t know about X, Y, Z,’ they respond with, ‘Okay, well, let me take a peek at it,’ or ‘What’s really tripping you up? Is there something specific?’ Being able to talk to your support people about that is huge. That’s the big skill. All I’m asking for is that people not only recognize that it’s happening, but also be able to do something about it.” (14:38 | Jenn Johnson) 


• “Intuition is a very soft skill. How do you teach intuition? Well, it’s one of those things that just takes time, effort, validation, and practice.” (20:50 | Jenn Johnson)

Links

Connect with Jenn Johnson:

Website: http://www.rxforgrowth.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ernurse.jenn/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/ernurse.jenn/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-johnson-bscn-rn

Connect with Lara: 

Website: https://drlarasalyer.com

The Catalyst Way: https://drlarasalyer.com/catalyst

Instagram: @drlarasalyer

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drlarasalyer

Linked-In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlarasalyer/

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/c/DrLaraSalyer

TikTok: @Creativity.Doctor

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm