Wakanda's Wrld

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A joke about “grown male nurses” lit the fuse—and we decided to take it all the way. We start by dismantling the tired myths around male nurses and talk honestly about why many of us chose this career: purpose, skill, and the privilege of helping people face to face. From there, we dig into the economics shaping the bedside today, including why Kansas spent $61 million on travel nurses at state psychiatric hospitals and why permanent roles still struggle to compete on pay and flexibility.

We open the books on what really...

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A nursing program let an unlicensed instructor teach fundamentals and lead clinicals for nearly a year—and the fallout exposes a deeper question: who is minding the gate in healthcare education? We break down what went wrong, why oversight failed, and how students and nurses can protect themselves with simple checks that keep patients safe and careers intact.

From there, we follow the money. A 2025 compensation report shows leadership roles scoring the biggest gains, with solid movement in critical care, anesthesia, oncology, and emergency nursing. We compare hourly rates across regions, we...

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A nurse collects sick leave pay from one employer while working shifts at another and ends up sentenced, repaying funds, and suspended from practice. We open with that case not to sensationalize it, but to draw a clean line on ethics, policy, and why the short-term gains never outweigh the long-term damage to your license and your livelihood.

From there we shift into something brighter: a big salute to new grads gearing up for the NCLEX and the first year on the floor. We talk about choosing units that want you...

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We share a candid look at hospice nursing from the RN case manager seat, then shift to data on nurse side hustles and a frank review of virtual nursing’s mixed results. Honest, practical, and focused on what helps nurses and patients most.

• RN case manager scope across 20+ patients
• Home visit realities, safety, and family dynamics
• Medicare-driven charting and start of care admissions
• Scheduling swings, urgent calls, and travel load
• Why hospice intimacy is rewarding and draining
• Side hustle stats, popular paths, and how to start
• Reasons...

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We dive into violence in nursing from simulation labs to courtrooms and then pivot to the federal rollback of nursing home staffing rules. We end with a frank look at ANA membership and why excluding LPNs weakens nursing’s voice.

• UNC simulation tackles verbal abuse, escalation, and bullying
• Eight in ten nurses report workplace violence in the past year
• Classroom actors and debriefs build real de‑escalation skills
• Arkansas felony case underscores accountability for assaults
• CMS staffing rule rollback risks unsafe ratios in long‑term care
• Profit pressures v...

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We tackle three flashpoints in healthcare: the power struggle over nursing’s professional status and autonomy, the road-birth after a disputed OB discharge and what accountability should look like, and a hospital air-quality scare that pits staff safety against “normal” test results. We invite physicians, nurses, and parents to weigh in with personal experiences and practical fixes that prevent harm before policies catch up.

• nursing’s professional status debate and scope implications
• alleged physician lobbying against APRN and CRNA autonomy
• roadside birth after discharge and disciplinary actions
• bias, listening, and s...

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Headlines say “policy change,” but the real story is what happens at the bedside when nursing is cut out of “professional degree” status. We dig into how limiting loan access for graduate nursing threatens the workforce pipeline, from advanced practice roles in rural clinics to educators who train the next generation. When funding disappears, access shrinks, burnout accelerates, and patients wait longer for the care they deserve.

From there, we turn to a gut-punch: a laboring mother delayed at triage. Minutes matter in labor and delivery, and slow intake mixed with dismissi...

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A nurse filming herself while eating in a patient’s room sparked a bigger conversation than a single clip could hold. We dig into the ethics and optics of eating at the bedside—how small choices shape trust, how infection control and dignity intersect, and why the “do what you must” survival mindset can still cross a line. It’s not about shaming staff who are stretched thin; it’s about naming the tension and protecting patients while we protect ourselves.

From there we zoom out to leadership and ask a question man...

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What happens when a nurse refuses to choose between faith, professionalism, and style? We sit with Samira, a Black Muslim nurse and co-CEO of We Got You Covered, to unpack how modesty, patient dignity, and cultural competence can coexist with performance scrubs that actually fit the job. Her story moves from doula days and pediatrics to home health and wellness clinics, tracing the moments that shaped her advocacy—from patients questioning her English to elders asking her to remove her hijab—and the grace she uses to turn bias into teachable care.

...

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Laughter isn’t a luxury in nursing—it’s survival gear. We sit down with ScrubTales, a 12-year RN who’s worked everywhere from hospitals to home care, to unpack the wild contradictions of bedside life: patients who refuse the meds they need, the strange power of a scrub cap, and the delicate art of staying kind when the day gets loud. If you’ve ever wondered why nurses lean on humor, or how we hold the line between compassion and burnout, this one hits home.

We dive into the real friction b...

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Trump's recent claims linking acetaminophen to autism sparked a necessary conversation about medical misinformation. As your resident healthcare voice of reason, I'm setting the record straight with evidence-based facts. A gold-standard Swedish study examining over 250,000 individuals found absolutely no connection between Tylenol and autism when accounting for genetic and environmental factors. The rising autism diagnosis rates reflect our improved ability to recognize neurodivergence, not medication side effects.

The consequences of social media missteps in healthcare education came into sharp focus when a nursing student lost everything after recording clinical experiences. Despite...

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We tackle shocking healthcare stories and controversial debates affecting nurses and medical professionals today. Diving into ethical boundaries, workplace culture, and personal struggles, this episode examines the realities behind the scrubs.

• Surgeon suspended after leaving mid-operation to have intimate relations with his wife
• Epic EMR headquarters revealed to look like an elaborate theme park with themed attractions
• Debate about nurses entering the profession "just for the aesthetic" versus genuine passion
• Discussion on whether nursing school's difficulty deters those with superficial motivations 
• Healthcare workers sharing dating struggles and relationshi...

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The nursing profession stands at a crossroads of tradition and technological evolution. A major announcement from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing reveals that by 2026, candidates will have the option to take the NCLEX—the gateway to nursing licensure—from home rather than at testing centers. This shift promises convenience but raises profound questions about what we value in professional certification.

Having personally navigated the NCLEX journey twice, I question whether the traditional experience—the nervous drive to the testing center, the rigorous identification process, the controlled environment—serves a deeper...

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The dangerous intersection of nursing careers and social media takes center stage as we examine how thoughtless posts can destroy years of hard work in seconds. We begin with a cautionary tale of a nursing student expelled for complaining about an instructor online - a stark reminder that social media policies exist for a reason, and proper channels should always be used to resolve conflicts.

Diving into the ongoing NCLEX pass rate debate, we separate fact from fiction by examining the current data: RN pass rates stand at 88.6% and LPN rates...

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The healthcare profession has always demanded courage, but today's nurses face dangers that extend far beyond the traditional risks of the job. From violent attacks to professional peril, the frontlines of care have become increasingly hazardous terrain.

What happens when a family member walks into a hospital room to find their loved one restrained and seemingly unresponsive? The podcast opens with this emotional scenario, breaking down the medical necessity behind restraints and high-concentration oxygen masks while offering guidance on how families can constructively address their concerns. Rather than storming in with...

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We explore the troubling case of 15 nurses fired after a 12-year-old patient's death at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, where a child was placed in an inadequate general pediatric unit instead of a proper psychiatric facility. The Washington State Nurses Association suggests these firings were retaliatory after nurses raised concerns about patient treatment.

• Hospital closed dedicated adolescent psychiatric unit despite warnings from healthcare professionals
• Child was placed in a general pediatric unit without proper safety features or specially trained staff
• Decision appears financially motivated at the expense of patient safety...

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The journey through nursing school tests more than just your academic abilities—it challenges your relationships, resilience, and determination in ways you might never expect. Having completed my RN program at Murray State College in Oklahoma, I'm sharing the unfiltered reality of what nursing students face and how to navigate these challenges successfully.

My personal experience revealed the importance of finding your unique role within your cohort. Unexpectedly becoming the class "prayer leader" before exams allowed me to build relationships across different study groups, collecting valuable learning strategies along the way. Th...

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Healthcare professionals are leaving the field due to critical staffing shortages across all settings and specialties. From inadequate nurse-to-patient ratios to unaddressed toxic workplace behaviors, the factors driving the healthcare exodus require a collaborative solution involving everyone from hospital administrators to family members.

• Understaffing is the #1 reason healthcare workers leave, causing unsafe conditions for patients and burnout for staff
• Compensation misconceptions persist, with many assuming nurses are highly paid when most are not adequately compensated
• Family members and patients sometimes have unrealistic expectations without understanding the multiple simultaneous emergencies staff...

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Welcome to a journey through healthcare's strangest and most troubling corners. Today we're diving into several shocking stories that reveal the sometimes bizarre reality faced by both patients and healthcare workers in our current system.

The episode opens with the disturbing case of a Wisconsin hospice nurse who amputated a patient's foot without authorization, planning to display it in her family's taxidermy shop with a sign reading "wear your boots, kids." Despite the serious ethical violation, she received only a misdemeanor charge and completely avoided jail time, though her nursing career...

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A nurse in New Jersey stands accused of assaulting a nonverbal, bedridden patient while claiming to remove "demons," leaving the vulnerable victim bleeding and traumatized. This shocking case exemplifies a disturbing reality within our healthcare system where those most vulnerable can face unthinkable harm from the very people entrusted with their care.

Meanwhile, healthcare professionals are discovering hidden cameras in staff bathrooms across facilities nationwide. This violation of privacy represents yet another challenge for workers already facing extraordinary workplace stressors. From hidden surveillance to staffing cuts, the mounting pressures on healthcare...

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Are you unknowingly selecting your romantic partners based on chemical reactions rather than genuine attraction? This provocative question sits at the heart of our exploration into how birth control may influence partner selection through altered hormonal states.

According to research by Dr. Sarah Hill, women on hormonal contraceptives often select partners with lower testosterone levels and different physical characteristics than they might choose when not using these medications. This phenomenon raises fascinating questions about relationship stability when contraception is discontinued - with some women reporting suddenly finding their partners less attractive...

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Ready for some nursing hot takes that challenge everything you've been told about your career path? This episode dives into the controversies surrounding traditional nursing advice and offers a refreshing perspective on professional development in healthcare.

Our guest boldly challenges the common belief that working as a CNA before becoming a nurse creates better healthcare professionals. "Bedside manner and empathy—if it's in you, then you got it. You can't teach it," they explain, questioning whether starting in support roles truly benefits future nurses or simply perpetuates outdated traditions. Even more co...

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Two tragic healthcare stories highlight how staffing shortages directly compromise patient safety in American healthcare institutions. We take a deep dive into these cases to expose the real-world consequences of inadequate staffing ratios and lack of appropriate supervision in hospitals and nursing homes.

• A 35-year-old man with bipolar disorder died by suicide in a Savannah emergency room after being left inadequately supervised during a psychiatric hold
• The hospital's psychiatric unit was closed due to staffing shortages, forcing placement in a general ER with insufficient monitoring
• A federal court recently blocke...

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Ever noticed how some people on social media will say absolutely anything to grab attention? When someone compared nurses' roles during COVID to what might happen if conflict with Iran reached American soil, I had to speak up. This harmful fear-mongering ignores the reality of our emergency response systems – FEMA, Red Cross, Salvation Army – all specifically designed to handle disasters without drafting every healthcare worker in the country.

The healthcare landscape continues to expose its troubling priorities. BlackRock is suing UnitedHealth Group because the company backed away from "aggressive anti-consumer tactics" foll...

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Kan, a trauma nurse practitioner from Dallas, shares her journey from growing up in the Mississippi Delta surrounded by healthcare disparities to finding purpose in trauma nursing and advocacy for Black representation in healthcare.

• Moved from Mississippi to Dallas in 2019 after completing degrees in public health and nursing
• Motivated to enter healthcare after witnessing family members die from treatable conditions in an underserved community
• Found true fulfillment after transitioning from orthopedic nursing to trauma care
• Emphasizes the importance of spirituality in providing holistic nursing care
• Challenges the notion tha...

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Have you ever wondered why some healthcare professionals seem to have a professional life that doesn't match their dating choices? Or what happens when wild animals crash into nursing homes? This episode dives into these questions and more!

I'm kicking things off with a fascinating look at why nurses often "date down" despite their professional success. It's not about the job title—it's about self-perception. When someone achieves career advancement but hasn't updated how they see themselves, they naturally continue seeking relationship patterns that feel familiar. This disconnect between professional growth an...

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A viral incident of a nurse conducting a medication pass live on TikTok has sparked intense discussion about professional boundaries in healthcare. This nurse's actions—stating a patient's name, making medication errors, and dismissing concerns from viewers—serve as a powerful reminder about the responsibilities that come with licensure. Rather than simply criticizing, we explore this as a learning opportunity for all healthcare professionals about maintaining appropriate boundaries while creating content.

The conversation shifts to examining arguably the most significant transformation happening in healthcare today: the integration of artificial intelligence into dire...

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Amanda Shatwell shares her journey from EMT to Emergency Room nurse to LPN Program Coordinator at Southern Tech, exploring how nursing education has evolved to meet today's student needs through hybrid learning models. Her perspective challenges the notion that all nurses must be naturally nurturing, highlighting how different personality types can thrive in various nursing specialties while offering practical advice for avoiding burnout.

• Southern Tech's LPN program achieves remarkable 95-100% pass rates through innovative hybrid learning approaches
• Flexibility with accountability helps working parents succeed in nursing education
• Emergency Room experi...

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The countdown to healthcare's "Silver Tsunami" has begun. By 2030, every American baby boomer will be over 65, creating an unprecedented 70-80 million retiree population that will transform our healthcare system. What happens when this massive demographic meets a healthcare workforce that doesn't reflect the diversity of those it serves?

Dr. Uchi, one of the less than 1% of occupational therapists who are Black men, takes us deep into this looming crisis. Occupational therapy—that crucial but often misunderstood profession helping people regain independence after illness or injury—stands at a crossroads. Will it rise...

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Neurologist Connor Petty joins us to explore the intricate relationship between brain health and mental wellbeing, sharing insights from his practice treating everything from migraines to Parkinson's disease in rural Oklahoma. We dive deep into the distinction between common headaches and migraines while examining how modern lifestyle factors affect our neurological health.

• Connor Petty's journey from working with children with autism to becoming a neurologist
• The crucial differences between headaches and migraines and when to seek medical attention
• How increased screen time affects neurological health across all age demographics
•...

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Speech pathologists aren't just the people who help kids say their R's correctly—they're essential healthcare professionals with an astonishingly broad scope of practice that remains largely invisible to the public and even fellow medical providers. Our guest, who transitioned from a decades-long opera career to speech language pathology, pulls back the curtain on this misunderstood profession.

The conversation reveals a troubling reality: speech language pathology is 92% white and 97% female, creating significant blind spots in how communication disorders are assessed and treated. For years, speakers of non-standard American English dialects have be...

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Preview of the coming chapters for the episode this Saturday

0:00

Meet The SLP: Opera to Speech Pathology

1:50

Diversity Crisis in Speech Language Pathology

4:17

The Misunderstood Scope of Allied Health

5:58

A Day in the Life of an SLP

9:03

The Healthcare Staffing Deficit Reality

15:25

The Cost-Efficiency of Proper Allied Health

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...

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What happens when military discipline meets civilian healthcare chaos? Kevin Gibson, known as "The Boot Nurse," brings unique insight to this collision of worlds from his 16.5 years of naval service and subsequent career as a registered nurse and NCLEX coach.

Kevin's journey through nursing wasn't smooth – he candidly shares his experience failing the NCLEX exam three times before succeeding on his fourth attempt. This vulnerability forms the cornerstone of his coaching philosophy today. "What person do you know actively tells you they were unsuccessful?" he asks, pointing out that while nursing ex...

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This is a short clip of the upcoming bonus episode of Kevin Gibson and Myself. 

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Have you ever wondered what life is like for CNAs beyond the nursing home? In this eye-opening conversation, Elena Torres shares her remarkable journey from working as a CNA for 13 years across multiple healthcare settings to building her own thriving health insurance brokerage.

Elena's candid storytelling takes us through her experiences in long-term care, trauma ICUs, endocrine surgery, and the notorious "wild west" of med-surg floors. She doesn't hold back when describing the stark realities of healthcare—from reporting a negligent nursing home to state authorities after finding untreated stage four pr...

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Ever wondered how some nurses break free from the burnout cycle and build real wealth? In this eye-opening conversation with Larissa (NightNurse305TV), we dive deep into the strategic mindset shift that transforms ordinary nursing careers into launchpads for financial independence.

"I'm not a nun, I'm a nurse and I'm a hustler," declares Larissa, challenging the traditional view of nursing as purely a service profession. With 13+ years of experience across multiple specialties and a successful pivot into real estate and entrepreneurship, Larissa reveals her unconventional approach to leveraging hospital experience. Rather...

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Dosage calculations – the words alone can send shivers down nursing students' spines. But what if there was a way to transform this dreaded subject into something approachable, even enjoyable? Enter ABlessed RN, a veteran nurse with 15 years of experience who's revolutionizing how nursing students approach medication math with her groundbreaking "Puzzle Piece Method."

Drawing from her diverse nursing background spanning long-term care, school nursing, medical-surgical units, and specialized hospital departments, ABlessed RN shares why Med-Surg became her "heart" despite common misconceptions that it's less complex than critical care. Her perspective reveals th...

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The traditional nursing path isn't the only way forward. Just ask Kieara, a Montreal-based aesthetic nurse whose journey proves that following your passion can lead to a fulfilling career on your own terms.

Growing up with an esthetician mother, Kieara always had an eye for beauty work, but followed her father's advice to pursue nursing first. Now, she's found the perfect blend of both worlds as a cosmetic injector with six years of nursing experience under her belt. Her story challenges the outdated notion that new graduates must "do their time"...

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Healthcare is facing a crisis that few are talking about. The proposed reduction in federal funding for EMTs through Bill 1067 threatens to drastically decrease emergency medical services across America, particularly in rural areas. EMTs already earn shockingly low wages despite their life-saving responsibilities—in some regions making less than fast-food workers. Without proper funding, entire counties could lose emergency services, forcing patients to wait for help from neighboring areas when every second counts.

But funding is just one piece of a complex healthcare puzzle. The disconnect between medical specialties has created da...