Nurse Talk Short | Connecticut Tragedy Highlights Mental Health Cuts
Nurses around the country mourn the loss of life marked by the shooting of innocents in Connecticut. Every day a massive tragedy is being played out on a smaller scale in emergency rooms, in mental health facilities and on the street across our country where, […]
Tribute. Shin Splints. Annoying Driver. Pop Quiz.
Shayne and Casey welcome RN and Co-President of National Nurses United, Deborah Burger. Deborah is a frequent guest on Nurse Talk. She recently wrote an article about the need to restore our mental health system. In the wake of the tragic shooting in Connecticut and […]
RN Deborah Burger on California Prop 30, Raising Money for Health Care
We check in with RN and Friend of Nurse Talk, Deborah Burger. Deborah is also co-president of National Nurses United. She’ll talk about California Proposition 30 endorsed by the California Nurses Association and supported by Governor Jerry Brown. Prop. 30 would raise from $6 billion […]
Fall Flu Fashion Show, Dr. Francine Shapiro on EMDR and RN Deborah Burger on Raising Money for Health Care
Most of us don’t run with the crowd that attends the Annual Fall Fashion Week in New York City. BUT…it does seem somewhat exciting and it certainly highlights all of the beautiful fall fashions and—SADLY—the fact that eating disorders are alive and well in the […]
Blogalicious. Patient Stories. Nurse Stories. Tell Us Where it Hurts!
Hello everyone. This week we have a rewind for you but before we chat about that—I do want to put in a plug for our wonderful Nurse Talk blog. Every time I read a new post I am either moved to tears or laughter. Honestly—take a few minutes and check it out.
We’ve mentioned Missy Vaughan and Barbara Taylor Vaughan before. Missy is Barbara’s daughter and she takes great care of Barbara who has Alzheimer’s. Their ongoing blog posts talk candidly about the progression of Barbara’s disease, the ups and downs and everything in between. Oh—and did I mention Missy has M.S.? Together they articulate the “reality” of their lives in Alzheimer’s in the First Person.
And then there’s Brandi Chase. Brandi’s blog called Lymphoblaster is an online chronicle through her bout with Leukemia. In one of Brandi’s entries she writes:
“The litany against fear is an incantation spoken by the Bene Gesserit, a secret sisterhood from the Dune book series, in order to focus their minds in times of peril.
I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.
I confess, I use it, and it works. Upon waking for the first time after having my central line installed, I was overwhelmed with fear. The pain from the procedure was upon me, and every movement hard, and unfamiliar. I saw two years of this and wondered how I would ever endure it. It was a dark place, and I looked into it, long and deep. It passed over me, and through me. And here I am. Day 23. I remain.” Read more…
This week we’re featuring a redux of show 449 where we share touching stories like these from our Nurse Talk blog and salute the great writers and contributors that are featured each week. We also have an interview with Deborah Burger on the one-woman play about nursing in America, Tell Us Where it Hurts by Anna Deavere Smith.
Anna is also known as Gloria Akalitus on television’s Nurse Jackie. We share some touching stories recreated by Smith in the play from the caretakers—career RNs—who have also been hit by the failing economy and healthcare costs. Their stories are told with honesty and courage. Share the humanity of what is happening all across the country.
Casey and Shayne also have fun with some—well—rather messy nurses notes, like this one from cardiology: “Patient has chest pains if she lies on her left side for over a year by the time she was admitted to the hospital, her rapid heart had stopped and she was feeling much better.” We also hear from an old friend, Lucille Jones—a rather crazy one at that (no offense Lucille). Lucille’s stories have been memorialized in our Nurse Talk Comedy Pharm…Check them out!
Deborah Burger on Tell Us Where it Hurts | National Nurses United Sponsored Segment | June 9, 2012 | Show 449
This week we visit with RN Deborah Burger about the recent performance of Tell Us Where It Hurts, by Anna Deavere Smith. We share some touching stories recreated in the play by Smith of the caretakers—career RN’s—who have also been hit by the failing economy […]
Deborah Burger with an NNU Update | National Nurses United Sponsored Segment | February 25, 2012 | Show 437
We have an update on the very active nurses from National Nurses United. Deborah Burger always brings life and humanity to the critical healthcare issues in our country.
All-Woman Senate Panel Moves to Ban Viagra. National Nurses. Single Payer in California. Lotsa Laughs
The show begins with Casey, “Dan as you know, we try to shy away from controversy but sometimes a gal just has to speak up. I must comment on the recent congressional hearings on contraception. First of all—I thought that train left the station in the 70’s! And can we talk? The expert panel assembled consisted of all males! “Where’s The Beef?” as our old friend Clara Peller used to say in the famous Wendy’s commercial. Without going into further detail, we wondered what it would be like—if the shoe were on the other foot—so to speak. You know, the deck being stacked to fall the other way?”
AS LUCK would have it—a little research provided us with the perfect opportunity to share just that kind of breaking news. Listen this Saturday as California State Senator Janelle Jones introduces groundbreaking legislation (Senate Bill SB 1240) that moves to criminalize the very dangerous Viagra. That’s right—Viagra. The all-woman senate panel that drafted this bill says there is mountains of evidence that Viagra should be banned! Don’t miss Senator Jones on Nurse Talk!
AND..we have an update on the very active nurses from National Nurses United. Deborah Burger always brings life and humanity to the critical healthcare issues in our country.
We’ll check in with our friend Andrew McGuire. Andrew is the Executive Director of California One Care. Cal One Care envisions a health care system where every child and every adult receives the health care they need, when they need it, and at a cost that is affordable.