Experienced ICU Nurse Discusses Balancing Work at the Hospital, Motherhood and Always Being the Strong One

Send us Fan MailIn this Consult & Calling episode of Banter at the Bedside, we sit down with longtime cardiac ICU nurse and co-host Kaleigh for a raw, honest conversation about what it really means to be “the strong one” at work and at home.With over 17 years in nursing and 15 in the CICU, Kaleigh reflects on how healthcare has shaped her identity, her boundaries, and her perspective on life. The conversation dives into the emotional and physical toll of bedside nursing, the invisible weight carried by working parents in healthcare, and the guilt that comes with leaving home to go and take care of others. Together, they talk about burnout, compartmentalization, empathy fatigue, motherhood in the hospital setting, and much more. This episode is a reminder that while healthcare workers are often seen as resilient and unshakable, they’re also human. Often navigating seasons of life, exhaustion, and growth just like everyone else.Whether you’re a nurse, APP, physician, parent, or simply someone trying to balance caring for others while caring for yourself, this episode is for you.