Why do I work here?

Strange and Unusual

Nursing school teaches you a lot. But it does not always prepare you for the truly strange things you might see at the bedside. In this episode of At the Nurses’ Station, Kelly and Sam dive into some of the odd, rare, and sometimes bizarre diagnoses nurses encounter in real clinical practice. From massive cysts to rare congenital conditions, the stories highlight just how unpredictable healthcare can be. The conversation explores cases like pilonidal cysts, AV malformations, other unusual medical conditions that can leave even experienced nurses saying, “I have never seen that before.” Some of the cases are fascinating from a medical perspective, others are gross in the way only healthcare workers truly appreciate, and a few are simply unforgettable moments from years working at the bedside. But beyond the shock factor, the episode is also about the curiosity that keeps nurses learning. Medicine is full of surprises, and sometimes the strangest diagnoses become the most memorable teaching moments. If you are a nurse, nursing student, or someone fascinated by the unusual side of medicine, this episode offers a glimpse into the kinds of cases that make healthcare both challenging and endlessly interesting. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit atthenursesstation.substack.com [https://atthenursesstation.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Why do I work here?

Why do nurses stay at one hospital over another? It is not just about salary. In this episode of At The Nurses’ Station, we talk about union contract negotiations, nurse pay raises, health insurance changes, PTO policies, and what really impacts nurse retention. We also dive into VIP patients in the emergency department, hospital leadership decisions, and the reality of working in a competitive healthcare market. If you are navigating a union hospital job, questioning your benefits, or wondering what truly matters beyond hourly wage, this episode is for you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit atthenursesstation.substack.com [https://atthenursesstation.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The Next Generation

Are We Teaching Nurses to Pass the NCLEX… or to Survive a Trauma? A pediatric ICU nurse educator gets real about simulation labs, bedside chaos, and what nursing school is really preparing students for. If you’ve ever precepted a new grad and thought,“Okay… but what do I actually do right now?” This episode is for you. On this week’s At the Nurses’ Station, Kelly and Sam sit down with Jameson — pediatric ICU charge nurse, clinical instructor, and master’s-in-nursing-education student — to talk about what’s changed in nursing education, what COVID did to clinical training, and why simulation labs can only take you so far. Spoiler: mannequins don’t curse at you, kick you, or ignore your plan of care. What We’re Talking About This episode dives into: * The impact of COVID-19 on nursing clinical hours * Simulation-based learning vs real bedside experience * Concept-based nursing curriculum * Teaching to the NCLEX vs teaching clinical judgment * Why new grad nurses sometimes struggle with prioritization * Generational differences in resilience and accountability * The gap between academia and real-world nursing Jameson shares how watching students graduate during the pandemic, many with heavily simulation-based clinical experiences pushed him toward teaching. And he’s on a mission: bring reality back into nursing education. Because running a trauma isn’t multiple choice. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit atthenursesstation.substack.com [https://atthenursesstation.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Dear Mr. Maslow,

This week on At the Nurses’ Station, we break down Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in nursing and why understanding it might be the key to supporting new nurses, preventing nurse burnout, and building stronger emergency room teams. From brand new grads who don’t yet know where the IV tubing is, to experienced nurses navigating safety and workplace stress, we explore how physiological needs, belonging, and esteem show up in real hospital life. If basic needs like knowing where supplies are or feeling supported during a critical patient aren’t met, it’s nearly impossible to grow into a confident, competent nurse. We talk about what it really takes to move from “baby nurse survival mode” to respected, steady team member and why belonging and professional confidence can’t happen before safety and foundational skills are secure. Whether you’re a new grad nurse, travel nurse, charge nurse, or healthcare leader, this episode reframes nurse development through the lens of Maslow’s hierarchy and challenges us to ask: are we expecting self-actualization from nurses who don’t know where US is? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit atthenursesstation.substack.com [https://atthenursesstation.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Workplace Violence ... Exception or Expectation?

In this episode of At the Nurses’ Station, Kelly and Sam dive headfirst into workplace violence in healthcare, focusing on the daily reality of patient and visitor aggression toward nurses and hospital staff. From verbal threats and intimidation, to physical assault, they examine why so many healthcare workers are told this behavior is “not tolerated”, yet continue to experience it shift after shift. They discuss how nurse safety is often deprioritized in the name of patient satisfaction, why hospitals rely heavily on de-escalation training instead of real security support, and how repeated exposure to violence leads to normalization and burnout. The episode also explores the legal and ethical gray areas surrounding assault on healthcare workers, including intoxicated, psychiatric, or cognitively impaired patients and why meaningful change in hospital workplace safety won’t happen until violence against nurses is treated as unacceptable, not inevitable. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit atthenursesstation.substack.com [https://atthenursesstation.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]