On the Pulse Podcast

In this episode of the Resilient Nurse podcast, Dr. Sherry Perkins joins Dr. Rushton to examine the persistent challenges and opportunities facing nursing in Maryland. The discussion emphasizes a shift from celebrating sacrificial caregiving toward protecting nurses’ wellbeing through safe staffing, supportive work environments, and stronger financial and governance structures. The conversation highlights practical actions to amplify nursing voices, and promoting resilience resources available statewide. The episode closes with an optimistic vision: better retention, improved health indicators for nurses, reduced violence in acute care (especially emergency departments), and a more sustainable nursing workforce.

In this episode of The Resilient Nurse, Dr. Cynda Rushton speaks with Dr. Theresa Di Seta, Assistant Director of Student Placements at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, This episode to explores the individual and collective value of the nursing 's voice in healthcare today. They discuss the importance of advocacy and community engagement for driving positive change in nursing, highlighting the essential role that nurses play in shaping health care environments and supporting the well-being of their colleagues and communities. Theresa, a self-proclaimed introvert, shares her journey to becoming involved, the ABCs of advocacy, and the incredible things that happened once she found her voice. Find more helpful info here: https://nursing.jhu.edu/faculty-research/research/centers/r3/step-into-your-power/

Slow Talk is a place for front-line workers to engage with peers in candid real-time conversations about vital topics that need to be discussed openly & safely. In this episode, Dr. Cynda Rushton and guest Lucas Welch discuss the impact of the Slow Talk platform, and introduce a new opportunity for nurses to get involved in a new project.

The MyPlan app began as a randomized trial before smartphones even existed, and has evolved into a fully realized tech tool that reaches more than 12,000 users a year. That’s far beyond the capacity of any single shelter or hotline.   Under the leadership of Dr. Nancy Glass, MyPlan has rigorous data showing reductions in reproductive coercion, improvements in mental health, and safer decision-making. Now the team is focused on the next frontier: dissemination. Through UX redesign, digital marketing, global partnerships, and a companion tool for teens, MyPlan is bridging a critical gap for the many survivors who never seek traditional services.

In this episode of The Resilient Nurse, we are joined by Dr. Vicki Good, a nationally recognized nurse leader and expert in organizational culture and workforce well-being, to explore what it truly takes to foster healthy work environments in today’s complex health care landscape. Dr. Good shares insights on the critical role of leadership, psychological safety, and shared accountability in shaping culture, as well as how chronic stress, burnout, and moral distress impact health care teams. Find more helpful info here: https://www.aacn.org/nursing-excellence/healthy-work-environments

Miguel Bustos Bismonte made a bold pivot —leaving a high-tech career at the center of innovation to pursue nursing. He wasn’t stepping away from progress; he was redefining it. Drawn to a field where science, systems thinking, and human connection intersect, he saw nursing as the next frontier for real-world impact.  Now a Johns Hopkins School of Nursing graduate, Miguel applies the same analytical mindset that once shaped cutting-edge technology to the complexities of health care. His story, featured on the On The Pulse podcast, explores how nurses are expanding the boundaries of innovation and shaping the future of care.

This episode digs into the disconnect between the public’s perception of nursing and the reality of what nurses know, do, and shoulder every day. Guest Sarah DeGregorio, author the books "EARLY: An Intimate History of Premature Birth and What it Teaches Us About Being Human" and "Taking Care: The Story of Nursing and Its Power to Change Our World," shares insights from her reporting on nursing, including why nurses are often left out of media conversations, how this invisibility fuels moral distress, and what happens when stories that should be told never reach the public.

In this episode of On the Pulse, Dr. Rodney discusses with Dr. Cecília Tomori the intricate dynamics of breastfeeding within the context of societal norms and healthcare. They delve into the impact of cultural expectations on breastfeeding practices, the role of media, and the importance of supportive environments for new parents. The conversation sheds light on how the narratives surrounding breastfeeding can influence personal choices and highlight the need for informed support during critical periods of parenthood. Access the full National Academies Report

School of Nursing Associate Professor, Dr. Michelle Patch, and alumna, Dr. Alainna Crotty, have both served in the military as nurses. In this episode, they share what drew them to serve, the unique challenges of their roles, and what their experience has taught them.

This year marks 25 years since the creation of the Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute (UHI). To help recognize and celebrate this milestone, Dr. Lisa Cooper, MD, MPH, MACP, and UHI Director, joins the podcast to reflect on UHI’s legacy and what’s ahead as UHI continues its mission of advancing health equity locally and nationally. Links to UHI Resources: Baltimore Health Equity Impact Grants (BHEIG) Bunting Neighborhood Leadership Program (BNLP) Speakers Bureau Henrietta Lacks Memorial Award (HLMA) Social Determinants of Health Symposium (SDOH) Nobody Asked Me Campaign

Dr. Sharon Pappas, Chief Nurse Executive at Emory Healthcare, returns to the podcast to discuss how creating a healthy practice environment fosters nurse retention.

Criminalizing homelessness doesn’t solve it. In this episode, we talk with experts about why forced treatment and punishment fail—and what real solutions, like Housing First, actually look like.

In this episode, Dr. Cynda Rushton sits down with Dr. Christine Pabico, Sr. Director of the Pathway to Excellence and Well-being Excellence Programs at the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to talk about the incredible impact these programs have had on healthcare organizations. These programs provide evidence-based standards to evaluate and enhance well-being efforts. This credential builds upon ANCC's legacy of recognizing healthcare organizations that prioritize their workforce's well-being and foster a culture of safety and health. Learn more about the program: https://www.nursingworld.org/organizational-programs/well-being-excellence/

During Disability Pride Month, Dr. Bonnie Swenor, founder and director of the Johns Hopkins Disability Health Research Center (DHRC) and inaugural Endowed Professor of Disability Health and Justice at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, shares her personal experience living with a disability and how she and her team utilize data to inform their research.

How can nurse leaders go beyond inclusion and build an environment where everyone feels like they belong? In this episode, Dr. Cynda Rushton is joined by Dr. Deborah Stamps, a former CNO herself, to talk about how belonging boosts retention and resilience. Dr. Stamps also shares insights on a new toolkit developed by AARP, which offers resources and strategies for nurse recruitment and retention, along with ways to foster a sense of belonging among nurse teams and address gaps in current approaches to diversity and inclusion. Check out the toolkit here: campaignforaction.org/resource/recruitment-and-retention-toolkit/

Evan LaChance and Emma McWaid, students in the MSN (Entry Into Nursing) program, are the president and vice president of the LGBTQ+ Health Curriculum Initiative student group at the School of Nursing. In this episode, they share the origins of the group, the importance of LGBTQ+ education in healthcare, and what they hope to achieve as leaders of this initiative.

In this episode, Dr. Rushton talks with Dr. Rose O. Sherman about how nurses in the workforce can frame professionalism and professional identity through the lens of professional branding. https://emergingrnleader.com/framing-professionalism-and-professional-identity-through-the-lens-of-professional-branding/

Dr. Laura Samuel, Associate Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, and PhD student, Fernando Mena-Carrasco discuss the implications and impacts surrounding budget cuts to programs like SNAP, Medicaid, and more. Editor's Note: Mena-Carrasco states that Medicaid covers 60-70% of births by Latina Women. This figure is actually for Black mothers. For Latina mothers, it is 59%.

This episode features a conversation between Dr. Cynda Rushton, Lauren Geiling, BS, ADN, RN, and Rachel Robinson, BSN, RN, CCM, DNP-S, about the recently released film project, "Harnessing the Promise of Nursing." Both Lauren and Rachel participated in the film and shared their takeaways from the experience and what they hope nurses and health care workers take away from it. "Harnessing the Promise of Nursing" is a short film that promotes a new narrative about nursing, builds community and support networks, and invites nurses to rekindle a sense of joy and fulfillment that is an integral part of their irreplaceable work, created by Dr. Cynda Rushton and the R3: Resilient Nurses Initiative team, in conjunction with the iDeas Lab at the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics. Watch the full film here: https://nursing.jhu.edu/faculty-research/research/centers/r3/harnessing-the-promise-of-nursing-film/

Dr. Jason Farley and his team of researchers have spent years working to find solutions to treating tuberculosis (TB) among South African populations. In this episode, Dr. Farley explains how he and his team have developed nurse-led models of care to make treatment for TB accessible and affordable throughout South Africa.

In this conversation, Dr. Cynda Rushton and Dr. Allison Pugh, Professor of Sociology at Johns Hopkins University, investigate key insights from Dr. Pugh's new book, "The Last Human Job." The discussion centers on how new technology is integrated into the nursing field and what this means for the future of healthcare.

Dr. Jessica Gill, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, discusses her groundbreaking research on traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). She explores the advances in technology revolutionizing TBI detection and treatment and the unique challenges of treating brain injuries in military personnel and communities.

Dr. Cynda Rushton is joined by Dr. Joyce Batcheller, President of The Nurse Legacy Institute, to discuss how the relationships between nurses, supervisors, and leadership build the foundations of trust, creativity, and collaboration.

Nurse Supervisor, Christal White, BSN, shares the challenges and highlights from the first year of the School Health Nursing program.

In this episode, Dr. Cynda Rushton is joined by Dr. Deb Zimmermann, Chief Executive Officer at The DAISY Foundation, to discuss workplace violence's effects on our nursing workforce and what changes are being implemented to increase safety.

In this episode, Dr. Olga Yakusheva, an economist and professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, helps us understand how current economic models view the value of nurses and how her work is shifting that view to center on nurses as the human capital of health care.

In this episode, Dr. Cynda Rushton is joined by Dr. Olga Yakusheva, an economist and a Professor of Nursing at JHSON, to examine the economic value of nurses and the need for a shift in how we view nurses as part of the health care workforce.

In this episode, Dr. Cynda Rushton and guest, Dr. Sharon Pappas, Chief Nurse Executive, Emory Healthcare, discuss how nurse leaders can use the Magnet Model to enhance the care that nurses are providing and identify gaps in their respective systems. The Magnet Model is a list of standards that experts use to evaluate facilities where nurses work and determine whether they qualify for Magnet status. Magnet status is a credential that identifies an organization as providing excellent nursing care of the highest quality. If you work in the medical field, it can be beneficial to learn how the Magnet model works to assess the level of quality a certain facility might offer.

In this episode, Dr. Allison Kelliher, the first and only physician trained as a Traditional Healer in a Tribal Health setting, discusses her research and what it is to be a traditional healer in and out of Indigenous communities.

In this episode, we are joined by Katie Boston Leary, PhD, MBA, MHA, RN, NEA-BC, CCT, Director of Nursing Programs at the American Nurses Association, to reflect on key findings from the "Slow Talk" report. Drs. Rushton and Boston Leary touch on ways nursing professionals can unite and use their collective power to advocate for themselves and fellow nursing professionals.

Earlier this week, Bunmi Ogungbe, PhD, MPH, RN, held the "Food as Medicine in the Black Community" summit at the Institute for Policy Solutions at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. The summit convened over 150 thought leaders and changemakers to catalyze conversations around integrating the cultural diets of African diaspora foods and promoting Black-owned businesses within the growing “Food as Medicine” movement. In this episode, Dr. Ogungbe discusses some of the key outcomes from the summit, her involvement in the movement, and future goals. Dr. Ogungbe is a cardiovascular epidemiologist dedicated to using her clinical, research, and public health expertise to improve cardiometabolic outcomes among populations experiencing social marginalization. She collaborates on several community-engaged multi-level interventions leveraging digital technologies to improve hypertension control and management of chronic conditions. She is an emerging leader in community-engaged research seeking to advance cardiovascular health equity, both locally in the US and globally.

In this episode, Dr. Cynda Rushton talks with Karen Doyle, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at the University of Maryland Medical Center, and Robin Price, MSN, RN, Manager of the New Nurse Residency Program at the University of Maryland Medical Center, about how nurses of different generations find balance working with one another and build relationships off of each others experience.

Dr. Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, Executive Director of The Institute for Policy Solutions at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, details some of the findings, key points, and what nurses need to know from the recent National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine "Ending Unequal Treatment Revisited: The Current State of Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Healthcare" report. Access the full report here: https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27820/ending-unequal-treatment-strategies-to-achieve-equitable-health-care-and

The Resilient Nurse Podcast returns with a conversation between host, Cynda Rushton, and Rosanne Raso, DNP, RN, CENP, NEA-BC, FAAN, FAONL, on the role nurse leaders have in building and maintaining positive and meaningful relationships with the nurses under their management. This episode looks at key takeaways from the Slow Talk platform in which nurses are encouraged to speak freely about their feelings towards their respective nursing environments. Dr. Raso is the Editor-in-Chief of "Nursing Management," an adjunct professor at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, and the At Large Director of the American Organization for Nurse Leadership.

Cynda Rushton, PhD, RN, FAAN discusses her new book, "Moral Resilience: Transforming Moral Suffering in Healthcare." It promotes moral resilience as a pathway to transform the effects of moral suffering among nurses. Order a copy of the book: https://www.amazon.com/Moral-Resilience-Second-Transforming-Healthcare/dp/0197667147 The Rushton Moral Resilience Scale: https://nursing.jhu.edu/faculty-research/research/projects/rushton-moral-resilience-scale/ R3 Website: https://nursing.jhu.edu/faculty-research/research/centers/r3/

Dr. Angela Chang Chiu is an instructor and leads service-based learning trips with the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing Center for Global Initiatives. These trips are designed to give students real-world experience and provide valuable lessons about what nursing looks like from a global perspective.

Adam Bocek, a Community Outreach Specialist with the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing Center for Infectious Disease and Nursing Innovation (CIDNI), shares his personal experiences providing testing for HIV and STDs in the Baltimore Community.

Listen in as Host Dr. Cynda Rushton and guests Charlaine Lass, MSN, RN, RNC-NIC, and Brian Doerries, Artistic Director of "Theatre of War Productions," discuss the creation, implementation, and outcomes of "The Nurse Antigone." The Nurse Antigone presents dramatic readings of Sophocles’ Antigone, featuring professional actors and a chorus of frontline nurses to help frame powerful, guided discussions about the unique challenges faced by nurses before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more about "The Nurse Antigone" and Theatre of War Productions: https://ajnoffthecharts.com/a-chorus-of-nursing-voices-and-the-timeless-truths-of-ancient-tragedy/

Drs. Laura Samuel and Lucine Francis explain the implications of the competing Farm Bills on the House floor on food assistance programs like SNAP and WIC and why nurses' voices are important in these discussions.

In this episode, Dr. Cynda Rushton and guest, Lucas Welch, discuss the Slow Talk platform. Slow Talk is a place for front-line workers to engage with peers in candid real-time conversations about vital topics that need to be discussed openly & safely.

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Noelene K. Jeffers, Assistant Professor and Certified Nurse Midwife, to discuss her work addressing the Black Maternal Health Crisis. Dr. Jeffers examines the structural and social determinants of Black maternal and perinatal health and currently leads studies to integrate community-based doulas into the health care setting.

In recognition of Women's History Month, we’re discussing chronic pain and pain management in older women. Chronic pain is something that many older adults deal with, particularly women and people of color. Guest Janiece Taylor, PhD, RN, FAAN, Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, dedicates her research to addressing the social determinants of health that lead to these disparities. Dr. Taylor discusses the driving force for her research and the interventions she is developing to improve the quality of life and health outcomes for those living with chronic pain in Baltimore, and beyond.

While nursing is one of the most rewarding professions, it is also one of the most challenging, which can lead nurses to feel underappreciated and resentful. Practicing meaningful recognition in the workplace creates a greater sense of fulfillment, retention, and resilience. Guest Dr. Cynthia Sweeney, Vice President Emeritus for Nursing at the DAISY Foundation, and Dr. Cynda Rushton talk about it in the latest episode of the Resilient Nurse podcast. The Resilient Nurse is a special series within the On the Pulse podcast. This podcast discusses the complexities, misconceptions, and pathways toward keeping a resilient workforce; and shares tools and practices nurses can use to renew and amplify their resilience.

Nurse practitioners are the fastest growing occupation in the U.S., and will be for the next decade.  They represent the highest median salary among the other top 10 fastest-growing professions, and are in such high demand in part because of the shortage of physicians and the aging baby boomer population. Nurse practitioners are able to fill many gaps in care, like mental health and primary care, and also represent a very accessible health care career path.  Host Tamar Rodney is a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and today’s guest, Danielle McCamey, is an acute care nurse practitioner. Dr. McCamey is the Assistant Dean for Strategic Partnerships at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, as well as the founder of DNPs of Color, a networking, mentorship, and advocacy organization for DNP-prepared nurses of color.  Listen as they dig into all the best things about the profession, and since it’s also black history month, into how the profession uniquely serves multicultural communities as well.

Burnout is pervasive today, not just among nurses but among health care executives as well. Guest Liz Boehm, executive strategist at Stryker, and Dr. Cynda Rushton talk about it in the latest episode of the Resilient Nurse podcast. The Resilient Nurse is a special series within the On the Pulse podcast. This podcast discusses the complexities, misconceptions, and pathways toward keeping a resilient workforce; and shares tools and practices nurses can use to renew and amplify their resilience.

In today’s show, we’re talking about School Health Nursing, a new initiative that is bridging the gap in care for school-age children. The Johns Hopkins School of Nursing is collaborating with Coppin State University and Morgan State University Schools of Nursing to provide a partnership model that creates a system of care that works with the family and school communities to support health and optimal learning. Today’s guests are Lisa Stambolis, MSN, CRNP and Dr. Catherine Ling. Lisa is senior advisor to the program and a pediatric nurse practitioner with over 30 years of experience working in Baltimore City neighborhoods. Most recently she was the inaugural Director of the Pediatric and Family Medicine Clinic at Health Care for the Homeless. Dr. Catherine Ling is faculty at the School of Nursing and chief nursing officer for COMPASS Center that School Health Nursing falls under.  Learn about School Health Nursing

Guest Michelle Reina, PhD, co-founder and chief trust building officer of Reina Trust Building and Dr. Cynda Rushton talk about how trust with nurses is built or broken. They make the unconscious elements of trust... conscious. The Resilient Nurse is a special series within the On the Pulse podcast. This podcast discusses the complexities, misconceptions, and pathways toward keeping a resilient workforce; and shares tools and practices nurses can use to renew and amplify their resilience.

It’s palliative care month, and in today’s show, we’re talking about death and dying with dignity with Dr. Rebecca Wright, an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Dr. Danetta Sloan, an associate professor at the School of Public Health, and Dr. David Wu, an associate professor at the School of Medicine. Dr. Wu is also the director of the palliative care program at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. In 2018, Dr. Wright, Dr. Wu, and Dr. Sloan founded the Palliative Interprofessional Collaborative for Action Research, or PICAR. It’s an interprofessional team of clinicians and researchers that spans Bayview and the schools of Nursing, Public Health and Medicine; they conduct research to respond to challenges that arise in practice for Bayview’s Palliative Care Program. So, although there is usually a 15–17-year delay in getting research into practice, PICAR is able to answer real questions in real time, with evidence-based solutions. This year, PICAR even helped the Palliative Care Program earn the highest honor a palliative care program can win in the U.S., the Circle of Life Award from the American Hospital Association. So today we’re going to talk about the incredible work PICAR and the Palliative Care Program are doing turning research into practice, including real people in research design, and how their work improves disparities in care for people with serious chronic illness. Read more about their work in “Helpful, Powerful, Kind Palliative Care.”

Guest Susan C. Reinhard, PhD, RN, FAAN, Senior Vice President and Director of the AARP Public Policy Institute and Dr. Cynda Rushton talk about how we can support nurses at a challenging moment. Nurses across the country are exhausted, discouraged and are leaving their roles or the profession in droves. We can show nurses we appreciate them. The Resilient Nurse is a special series within the On the Pulse podcast. This podcast discusses the complexities, misconceptions, and pathways toward keeping a resilient workforce; and shares tools and practices nurses can use to renew and amplify their resilience. Read more: Ten Things You Can Do to Support Nurses

In today’s show, we’re talking about missing and murdered black women and girls with Dr. Kamila Alexander, associate professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, and Dr. Tiara Willie, assistant professor at the School of Public Health and Bloomberg American Health Initiative. This is a critical issue because 40 percent of all missing women and girls who disappeared in the U.S. in 2022 were Black, and murder was their second leading cause of death. October is also domestic violence awareness month, so the topic couldn’t be more timely. Dr. Alexander and Dr. Willie recently championed their cause through policy at “From Erasure to Empowerment: A Call to Action for Missing and Murdered Black Women,” an educational briefing and policy discussion featuring panelists Representative Ilhan Omar [D-MN] and Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls Representative Bonnie Watson-Coleman [D-NJ]. The event was hosted with the Congressional Black Caucus, and sponsored in partnership with Research in Action, the Brittany Clardy Foundation, the National Council of Negro Women, the National Organization for Women, and Ujima, the National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community. Learn more about the topic with Black women researchers Dr. Tamar Rodney, Dr. Kamila Alexander, and Dr. Tiara Willie.   Podcast References and Resources: From Erasure to Empowerment: A Call to Action for Missing and Murdered Black Women An epidemic of missing Black women has been ignored for too long