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,

Nicole

P.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