Running on Purpose, Not Empty: Fueling Mental Health and Wellness on the Front Lines (Jason Carter S7E16)

In this episode, we're joined by Jason Carter for a meaningful conversation about mental health, resilience, and sustaining purpose in the demanding world of healthcare. Jason Carter’s journey into healthcare began with six years of service in the U.S. Navy as a Hospital Corpsman and Surgical Technologist, laying a strong foundation in clinical care and leadership. After transitioning to civilian life, he worked as a paramedic before advancing to nursing through a Paramedic-to-RN bridge program, ultimately building expertise across emergency care and nursing informatics. For the past seven years, he has served as a Nurse Manager, leading with a focus on quality, safety, and operational excellence. Jason earned his MSN in 2017 and completed his Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Nurse Leadership in June 2026. He is especially passionate about addressing nurse and first responder suicide, working to educate healthcare professionals and leaders while advocating for better access to mental health resources. We discuss burnout, suicide prevention, leadership, and the power of positive energy, connection, and early intervention in helping clinicians thrive. Jason reminds us that caring for the caregiver is not a luxury but a responsibility. This episode is titled, "Running on Purpose, Not Empty: Fueling Mental Health and Wellness on the Front Lines." Jason can be contacted on LinkedIn @JasonCarter BCEN & Friends Podcast is presented by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing. Scan the QR Code to sign up for Learn Updates: We invite you to visit us online at bcen.org for additional information about emergency nursing certification, education, and much more. Episode introduction created using elevenlabs.io