Best of Nurse Talk: RN Irma Westmoreland on VA Nurses’ National Contract Win and Exercise Guru Joanie Greggains
Oh lord…on the show this week we have a horrible sound ensemble that includes what is now being touted as “The worst sound EVER”—a knife against a glass bottle, followed by the screeching sound of chalk on a chalkboard, the sound of a ruler on a bottle, and the sound of nails on a chalkboard. If these noises don’t raise the hair on your chin—well—then you must be really Zen or hard of hearing. More fun with this on the show.
AND—we all know the V.A. hospital system is a lifeline for our returning veterans. What we don’t know or may not think about is the overwhelming case loads for the healthcare practitioners who care for these vets. Recently V.A. System RNs won a NATIONAL CONTRACT that they say will ensure vets the level of QUALITY CARE they deserve. At issue for a long time has been the lack of sufficient staffing among other safety concerns. V.A. RN Irma Westmoreland is with us to talk about this landmark contract. Irma also talks about the advances that have been made within the system to increase and improve immediate care for Veterans. We don’t hear enough about the good that is being done and the improvements being made so this is great news to share.
For those of you who live in the Bay Area—you probably already know and love Joanie Greggains, one of America’s favorite health and exercise personalities. Her TV exercise show, Morning Stretch, aired for 18 years, and her popular #1 talk radio show, The Joanie Greggains Show, was heard for 25 years on KGO Radio 810 AM in San Francisco, CA. Both have made her a familiar, popular, and respected authority in the health and fitness field. Joanie drills through ten “Barriers to Exercise.” Turns out Casey has every one of them. Check out Joanie’s website at www.joaniegreggains.com.
Casey and Shayne talk a little bit about the meningitis outbreak. For the non-nurses in the audience, what is meningitis? How does one get it? What are the treatments? Is it always deadly?
This show was originally broadcast October 20, 2012.