Critical Chats

Today we are joined by Dr. Raphael Carandang, a neurocritical care physician who cares for patients facing life-altering neurological emergencies — from severe strokes to traumatic brain injuries — where minutes matter and decisions can define outcomes.In this episode, we break down what really happens after a traumatic brain injury, how critical care teams monitor and protect the brain in real time, and why individualized, data-driven treatment is reshaping outcomes. We’ll also explore the BOOST protocol — what it is, how it guides brain oxygen monitoring, and how it’s changing the way clinicians approach secondary brain injury.

As a level 1 trauma center we are lucky enough to have some of the best trauma surgeons taking care of our population here in Worcester. Today we chat with Dr. Michael Iannamorelli - he works on the front lines of emergency and trauma care, treating patients on what is often the worst day of their lives. His work goes far beyond the operating room—it requires calm under pressure, teamwork across disciplines, and a deep commitment to patient care when the stakes couldn’t be higher.In this episode, we talk about what it’s really like to be a trauma surgeon, what Dr. Iannamorelli does outside of work, and we have a special segment on something that is becoming increasingly common - rib plating.

We are very excited to introduce Dr. Jared Mickelson, a critical care pulmonologist whose work lives at the intersection of innovation, advocacy, and lifesaving medicine. As an active member of the hospital’s ECMO committee, he is advocating for advanced cardiopulmonary support here at UMass — pushing beyond the status quo to expand what’s possible for patients with severe respiratory failure. This episode has everything from clinical pearls to behind the scenes insight into what it takes to run ECMO.

In the final episode of 2025, Katie and Sheila sit down with a very special guest, Carolann Monopoli - a recently retired critical care nurse practitioner. She reflects on a career spent at the bedside during the most intense and meaningful moments of patient care.From early days as a bedside nurse in critical care to the challenges of advanced practice, Carol shares honest stories about life in the ICU, the emotional highs and lows of caring for the sickest patients, and how the role of the nurse practitioner has evolved over the years. We talk about burnout, resilience, mentorship, and the moments that made it all worth it—along with what retirement really feels like after decades in healthcare.Whether you’re a bedside nurse, NP, PA, student, or someone curious about life behind the scenes in critical care, this conversation offers wisdom, perspective, and a few laughs along the way.

Dr. Bazzone - from the rink to the ICU! In episode 5 we explore Dr. Bazzone as a D1 hockey player and powerhouse in the ICU and in the lab. Her career both pursuing clinical medicine and research is impressive and we delve into how hockey has shaped her practice as a MICU intensivist. We explore everything from bias and equity as a female in hockey to how she tackles, sometimes literally, the ever growing issue of burnout.Catch us on spotify, apple podcasts, amazon music, castbox, and anywhere you enjoy listening to podcasts!

In the fourth episode of Critical Chats we are joined by guest host, Johnny Isenberger, DNP, ACNP-BC, CCRN who speaks with Dawn Carpenter, DNP, ACNP-BC, CCRN, FAANP about what the AACN has to offer and how to pursue leadership at your institution. Dawn is a nurse practitioner at Guthrie Clinic in Sayre, Pennsylvania, and an associate professor at the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing. As the author of several books and publications, Dawn has established herself as a distinguished advocate for nurses and advanced practice providers in critical care and is here to share her wealth of knowledge with us!

Join us for a very special episode with our very own Dr. Toomey who is quadruple board certified in critical care, pulmonary medicine, hospice and palliative medicine, and palliative care. He is known to be one of the most down to earth and level headed physicians and is dedicated to patients and familys well being both in sickness and in end of life. We take a deep dive into his life as a new father and how he has managed to be there for his growing family but also for his patients and their families in some of the worst days of their lives.

The host becomes the guest! Join us for a discussion about sleep and delirium with our very own Dr. Sheila Bilica, DMSc, MPAS. Sheila is known for her excellence in clinical care and well rounded background in cardiology, cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, outpatient internal medicine, urgent care and of course critical care. Aside from her work life, she is a wife, mother of two, and just an overall wonderful human being. As a Green Belt Quality Scholar, Sheila lead a quality improvement project with the goal of ensuring our patients achieve one of our most basic needs: sleep. In conjunction with nurses, PCAs, providers, and DNP students she launched the LabELS protocol in order to shift the culture around sleep and delirium prevention in our ICUs. Tune in to learn more about Sheila and the Quality Scholars program!

In our first episode of Critical Chats we talk with Dr. Mullen who is quadruple board certified in Emergency Medicine, Critical Care, Pulmonary Medicine, AND Internal Medicine. We discuss Dr. Mullens favorite topic - sepsis - including new developments and common pitfalls. Below you will find the resources mentioned in the podcast: 2016 Rivers et al Early Liberal Fluid Therapy2005 Fall et al Lactic Acidosis: From Sour Milk to Septic Shock2016 VANISH: Early Vasopressin2008 VAST Vaso v Levo2025 OVISS Vaso in Sepsis2019 ANDROMEDA-SHOCK2019 Premorbid Metformin Exposure2023 Methylene Blue Septic Shock2023 High Dose Hydroxycobalamin in Septic Shock2024 Mortality in septic patients treated with short-acting beta-blockers2022 Statin Use and Mortality among Patients Hospitalized with Sepsis2024 Host gene expression signatures to identify infection type and organ dysfunction in children evaluated for sepsis