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Meet Lia Xiong-Ratley, a Family Nurse Practitioner, women’s health advocate, and rescuer of the underdogs, literally.

Lia has worn many hats over the years, from pediatric ICU to cardiothoracic surgery, but after becoming a family nurse practitioner, she has found her place at Planned Parenthood.

If you think the only services offered through Planned Parenthood are contraception and abortion, you're not alone; Lia and I thought this too. However, the reality is that they provide essential services such as STD testing and treatment, cervical and breast cancer screenings, prenatal care, infertility services, vasectomies, and gender-affirming care, which Lia defines with remarkable clarity (trust me, it’s more than you think).

So, why did Lia become such a passionate advocate for the underserved? Her own experiences have shaped her. As the daughter of emigrants fleeing political persecution during the Vietnam War, Lia grew up advocating for her family as they rebuilt their lives as Americans. It’s no surprise that she roots for the underdogs.

And speaking of dogs, Lia runs a successful dog rescue through her Instagram, which initially started as a platform to showcase her travel adventures (you'll hear about those too). The dogs Lia fosters each have distinct personalities, and she has a special gift for bringing that out in them. She'll make you fall in love with each one (I know I have).

In the five-minute snippet: Uh, yeah, you’ll just have to hear this one for yourself. For Lia's bio, visit my website (link below).

Contact The Conversing Nurse podcast
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Website: https://theconversingnursepodcast.com
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I've partnered with RNegade.pro! You can earn CE's just by listening to my podcast episodes! Check out my CE library here: https://rnegade.thinkific.com/collections/conversing-nurse-podcast

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Today’s guest is someone whose work sits right at the intersection of education, innovation, and human connection.

Dr. Christine “Christy” Heid is a nursing educator, simulationist, innovator, and healthcare advocate with more than two decades of experience.

As a Nursing Simulation Specialist, she brings an invaluable perspective as both a nurse educator and simulation expert who has personally experienced the challenges institutions face in preparing nurses for clinical practice. A recognized innovator in nursing education, she created the Heid ATE Guide for Clinical Teaching and Learning©, which is an Innovative, Progressive Tool to facilitate the Development of Clinical Judgment Skills for real-world nursing Practice. Brilliant.

But wait, there’s more. Christy has led a multi-site research project funded by an OADN Foundation Grant. She has held roles as a consultant, course developer, and faculty member, contributed to national committees, and published research on simulation and clinical judgment.

In this episode, we talk about how simulation is transforming nursing education, what it really means to build clinical judgment, and why innovation is as much about empathy as it is about technology. Her work reminds us that innovation and empathy aren’t opposites; they’re partners.

I wish, as a young nursing student in 1983, that Christy had been in my life. We didn't have simulations. We didn't have nursing simulation specialists. We had to practice on each other. Yeah, I'm not kidding. So we've come a long way and I was so happy to meet Christy.

In the five minute snippet: Put on your boxing gloves. For Christy's bio, visit my website (link below).

Contact The Conversing Nurse podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconversingnursepodcast/
Website: https://theconversingnursepodcast.com
Your review is so important to this Indie podcaster! You can leave one here! https://theconversingnursepodcast.com/leave-me-a-review
Would you like to be a guest on my podcast? Pitch me! https://theconversingnursepodcast.com/intake-form
Check out my guests' book recommendations! https://bookshop.org/shop/theconversingnursepodcast

I've partnered with RNegade.pro! You can earn CE's just by listening to my podcast episodes! Check out my CE library here: https://rnegade.thinkific.com/collections/conversing-nurse-podcast

Thanks for listening!

Send us a text

"Life is a journey, not a destination." This quote perfectly describes the path of my guest this week, Kim Kish, a surgical oncology nurse practitioner.
Kim's journey started as a lab research associate where she learned valuable skills and even got published. From there, she moved into cardiovascular circulatory support, where she found herself observing nurses, doctors, and patients. She was again picking up crucial work and life skills that would prepare her for her next career in business.
Wait, what? I thought we were moving in the direction of nursing. Yes, but we are enjoying the journey. In her role as a business process design specialist, Kim discovered the joys of traveling, high pay, and process management. But something kept tugging at her, urging her to go around the next bend and discover nursing. So at age 30, she became an adult learner and entered nursing school.
Kim is passionate about providing quality care to the people she serves. She is a leader among her peers, a mentor to new APRN's, and a published author. She told me she loves being a nurse practitioner and will likely retire from this profession. Does that mean she has reached her destination? Not hardly. Something exciting is right around the corner. She is soon launching her career coaching business to help nurses in their journey to lead fulfilling lives.
In the five-minute snippet: Got any travel plans? For Kim's bio, visit my website (link below).


NP for Life LinkedIn
Nurse Your Life Back to Health on Amazon
kknpforlife Instagram

Contact The Conversing Nurse podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconversingnursepodcast/
Website: https://theconversingnursepodcast.com
Your review is so important to this Indie podcaster! You can leave one here! https://theconversingnursepodcast.com/leave-me-a-review
Would you like to be a guest on my podcast? Pitch me! https://theconversingnursepodcast.com/intake-form
Check out my guests' book recommendations! https://bookshop.org/shop/theconversingnursepodcast

I've partnered with RNegade.pro! You can earn CE's just by listening to my podcast episodes! Check out my CE library here: https://rnegade.thinkific.com/collections/conversing-nurse-podcast

Thanks for listening!