Banter At The Bedside

Compassion Fatigue in Healthcare: Burnout, Trauma & Losing Your Spark

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2526729/fan_mail/new] What happens when caring for others starts to quietly wear you down? In this episode of Banter at the Bedside, the Shift Talkers sit down again with trauma and emergency medicine chaplain Linda Moore to talk about compassion fatigue in healthcare — what it is, how it differs from burnout, and why so many healthcare workers are feeling emotionally exhausted after years of repeated trauma exposure.  The conversation dives into the emotional weight healthcare workers carry, the cases that stay with us, the physical signs we ignore, and the importance of checking in on coworkers before they lose their “spark.” The team also discusses boundaries, mindfulness, wellness culture in hospitals, and why organizational support matters just as much as self-care.  From ICU stories and difficult patient outcomes to dark humor and honest reflection, this episode is a raw and relatable conversation about surviving healthcare without losing yourself in it. If you’ve ever felt emotionally numb, exhausted, irritable, disconnected, or like you’re just “running on empty,” this episode is for you.

Reel vs. Real Nursing: Reacting to Healthcare TikToks, ICU Humor & What Crosses the Line

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2526729/fan_mail/new] In this episode of Banter at the Bedside, Abby, Kaleigh, and Amanda react to healthcare TikToks, nursing memes, and viral medical reels — and the conversation quickly turns into a deeper discussion about ICU culture, dark humor in healthcare, burnout, social media, patient care, and the moments that make nurses say, “wait… was that about me?”  From hilarious charge nurse assignment chaos to questionable nursing TikToks that completely miss the mark, the team breaks down what healthcare workers relate to online, why medical humor exists, and where the line is between coping and crossing into disrespect. They also talk about Nurses Week, difficult patient assignments, safety events, social media in medicine, and why healthcare workers use humor to survive emotionally heavy jobs.  If you’ve ever doom-scrolled nurse TikTok after a shift, laughed at something only healthcare workers would understand, or wondered whether medical social media actually helps burnout — this episode is for you. These are our opinions only and do not represent any entity. This is not medical advice.

Building a Mobile Healthcare Practice in Rural North Carolina | Consult & Calling with Dr. Ivy DNP

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2526729/fan_mail/new] What happens when healthcare stops waiting for patients to come to the clinic — and starts meeting them where they are? In this episode of Banter at the Bedside, Abby (NP) and Kaleigh (RN) sit down with Dr. Ivy Bagley, family nurse practitioner, psychiatric nurse practitioner, and lactation consultant, to talk about building a mobile healthcare practice serving rural North Carolina. From driving hours between patients to integrating primary care, mental health, and lactation support into one care model, Dr. Ivy shares what it really takes to create healthcare access in underserved communities. The conversation dives into rural healthcare barriers, starting a private practice, balancing mission with business realities, mental health access, postpartum care, and the freedom — and responsibility — of becoming your own boss in medicine. This episode is part of our Consult & Calling series, where we explore the many different paths healthcare professionals take throughout their careers.

PTO, Guilt, and Patient Care: The Truth About Missing Work in Healthcare

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2526729/fan_mail/new] What happens when healthcare workers are sick—but still come to work anyway? In this episode of Banter at the Bedside, Abby (NP), Kaleigh (RN), Cody (RN), and Dr. Jeff talk honestly about the past pressures to show up when you're sick, recovering, caring for a sick child, or simply exhausted. From working through COVID policies to navigating childcare challenges, staffing shortages, PTO limitations, and guilt about leaving teammates short-handed, they explore why calling out in healthcare is never a simple decision. They also share personal stories—from working with strep throat on a hospice hallway to coming back too early after concussion, parenting decisions around daycare illness, and how hospital culture around sickness changed after COVID. If you’ve ever wondered: *  Should I call out sick?  *  Am I letting my team down?  *  Why is this so complicated?  This conversation is for you. Because the hospital never closes—but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t rest. 🎙️ Join the Shift Talkers as they unpack the reality of working while sick in healthcare. These are our opinions only, they don't represent any entity.

Cardiogenic Shock Part 2: When to Escalate Care, and Call the Shock Team

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2526729/fan_mail/new] Cardiogenic shock management doesn’t stop with recognizing preload, afterload, and contractility. The hardest decisions often come next: when to escalate care and when to activate advanced support. In Part 2 of this cardiogenic shock education series, Abby (NP) and Kaleigh (RN) continue their conversation with Dr. Michael to explore how clinicians decide when medical therapy isn’t enough—and what happens next. Together they discuss how to interpret clinical trajectory, when to escalate from vasopressors to inotropes, and how mechanical circulatory support devices fit into modern cardiogenic shock care. They also break down how cardiogenic shock teams help coordinate faster decisions and improve survival across health systems. If you work in the ICU, ED, cardiology, or critical care —or if you're learning advanced hemodynamic decision-making—this episode connects physiology to real bedside escalation strategies. This episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only and does not represent medical advice.