PODCAST · health
The Self Care Unit
by Operation Happy Nurse + Don't Clock Out
Podcast exploring mental health and healthcare with nursing organizations Operation Happy Nurse and Don't Clock Out.
Episodes
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What Actually Are Safe Nursing Hours?
This week, Sibyl and Micheline explore the challenges and demands of nursing shifts, focusing on the impact of long hours on nurses' well-being and safety. The two nurses talk about staffing issues, discuss the impact on patient safety, and react to what research shows are safe hours. How do we...
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Who Cares for Caregivers? Christa Rymal on founding WeCare
This week, Christa Rymal joins Sibyl to ask and answer a deceptively simple question: Who cares for nurses? As the founder of WeCare, Christa shares her story and discusses her mission to support healthcare workers navigating burnout, compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, and PTSD. The vision?...
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The Gut Health-Mental Health Connection with Meg Allen, RDN
This week, we wanted to learn more about the role our gut health plays in our mental well-being, and Meg Allen, RDN joins us to share her expertise! Meg walks us through common disruptions to gut health and explains the influence of sleep and diet on our gut health. We also discuss the basics of...
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Nurse Wellness Starts with Community: Christine Martin's Mission with Daisy Social Club
This week, Christine Martin shares her journey as a nurse and how that shaped the founding of Daisy's Social Club, a wellness-driven community for nurses. She and Micheline discuss the challenges of new grad nursing, why community and togetherness are so important for our wellbeing, the fun…
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Water & Stress Relief: How Blue Spaces Heal and Rejuvenate Us
Beat the summer heat with us as we explore the healing power of water spaces! We know that spending time in green spaces supports our mental well-being, but research also suggests that "blue spaces" offer equally powerful benefits: quieting the mind, reducing stress, and promoting a deep sense of...
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Small Moments of Joy: What Are Glimmers and Can Noticing Them Help With Stress?
This week, we discuss glimmers, or moments of joy and hope that can be intentionally sought out and cultivated in our everyday lives. Glimmers are sensory cues, either internal or external, and their neurological impact comes from telling your nervous system, “You are safe.” Researchers and...
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How Can We Better Support LGBTQ+ Nurses?
Happy Pride! This episode is all about ways to support our LGBTQ+ colleagues. Jacob Bonnema joins us to talk about that by discussing the impact of scholarships, challenges in financing education, the influence of inspirational educators, unique challenges for LGBTQ+ healthcare workers, advocacy...
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Moral Distress
This week, Sam Calvin is back to help us dive into moral distress. We discuss why it happens, its impact on nurses, and the line between moral distress and moral injury. We also explore the distinction between guilt and moral distress, responsibility and self-blame, the influence of personal and...
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Listener Q&A
This week, Carley returns, and we take questions from you! The questions range from fun to serious, and Carley and Micheline do their best to answer them. Where do they find joy in nursing? Who would be a dream guest? What mental health or self-care strategies work to help deal with the…
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Debriefing: Why It's Needed and How It Can Be Done Well
This week, we dive into debriefing in healthcare. Sibyl and Micheline explore its purpose, how to get nurses on board, variations across different units, the impact of high-acuity environments, and the different emotional and professional goals of debriefing. It's so important to address moral...
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The Defensive Line with Chris and Martha Thomas
CW: Suicide This week, Chris and Martha Thomas, co-founders of The Defensive Line, talk with us about their work to fight the stigma of speaking about suicide. We discuss the impact of asking direct questions, the importance of listening and not judging, and the role of parents in mental health...
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Identifying Outside Nurse Stereotypes
This week, Micheline and Sibyl take a deep dive into nursing stereotypes, focusing primarily on "the mean girl to nurse pipeline" meme and "the mom" stereotypes. How do these stereotypes put nurses in boxes? What challenges exist for nurses to identify outside of said stereotypes? And how do…
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Supriya Ganesh on The Pitt's Realism
This week on the Self Care Unit, we have such an amazing guest! Supriya Ganesh, aka Dr. Samira Mohan from The Pitt, is here! Now in its second season, The Pitt continues to be a smash hit (particularly among healthcare workers) because of its realistic portrayal of work in a hospital, its...
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How and When to Defy with Dr. Sunita Sah
CW: Discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to listeners. On today's episode, we are joined by Dr. Sunita Sah to learn about her groundbreaking research on influence, authority, trust, compliance, and defiance, and discuss her bestselling book: Defy: How to Speak Up When It Matters.…
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Decision Fatigue with Sam Calvin
This week, Sam Calvin stopped by to discuss decision fatigue with us. Sam gives us the basics on how decision fatigue develops, its impact on caregivers, particularly nurses, and how it can lead to burnout. We talk about how decision fatigue is a natural and expected response to sustained…
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Introducing Sibyl (@nurse.sibyl) as Cohost!
CW: We discuss Alex Pretti's murder at the beginning of this episode For this special episode, we formally welcome Sibyl as our new cohost! Our beloved Carley has a bit too much on her plate with her job and wedding to be a full cohost, but don't worry, she will pop in still. Thankfully, Sibyl is...
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Legal Nursing with Dr. Cambria Nwosu
This week, we are joined by Dr. Cambria Nwosu! Dr. Nwosu is a Legal Nurse Consultant with over 15 years of experience across clinical practice, healthcare administration, and medical-legal analysis. For those interested in a similar journey from bedside nursing to legal nursing, Dr. Nwosu…
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New Year's Resolutions: Are They Worth It?
Happy New Year! On today's episode of The Self Care Unit, we discuss New Year's resolutions, exploring the real psychological impact they can have, whether it is worth it for nurses to use them as a method to care for themselves, and the mechanisms behind the "fresh start" effect. We also talk...
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Handle the Night Shift with Ashleigh Small
This week, we are focused on the night shift! Carley and Micheline are joined by Ashleigh Small, AKA, That Night Shift Nurse. As the mentor behind Flip the Shift, Ashleigh is a certified NICU nurse who has developed her own method to make working the night shift work for you. We talk about the...
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Navigating the Holiday Season as a Nurse
This week, Carley and Micheline discuss the challenges and the joys of the holiday season as nurses. They reflect on what they are grateful for in their personal and professional lives, share stories of finding purpose in nursing, and offer coping strategies for those nurses who are spending the...
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Drew Robinson on Sharing Your Struggles
CW: Suicide/Suicide Ideation This week, Carley and Shannon are joined by Drew Robinson! Drew is a former MLB player, mental health advocate, and professional speaker who miraculously survived a suicide attempt, resulting in a newfound purpose of helping others and de-stigmatizing mental health.…
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Colton Lord on Navigating the Complexities of Nursing
This week, Shannon speaks with Colton Lord about his life as a nurse, advocate, and content creator. They discuss navigating transitions, the importance of community and support systems to take on burnout, and the complexities of finding purpose in nursing. Colton also shares his thoughts on the...
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Nurse Sibyl for Hispanic Heritage Month
Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! We were thrilled to have Nurse Sibyl join us this week to discuss the importance of her cultural heritage in shaping her nursing journey — from the bedside to social media. We also talk about what representation means in healthcare and the challenges and rewards of...
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Anxiety Medication
CW: This podcast contains discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to some listeners. This week, the conversation gets personal, as Micheline discusses her decision to start anxiety medication, specifically Lexapro. Micheline talks about her history with anxiety, her experiences having...
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Nurses Review The Pitt, St. Denis Medical, and Doctor Odyssey
This week, Carley and Micheline review The Pitt, Doctor Odyssey, and St. Denis Medical. All three TV shows portray healthcare and nursing, but how do they actually resonate with nurses? We discuss the ways they depict work at the bedside, laugh at some of the accuracies and inaccuracies, and...
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Crisis Text Line with Dr. Shairi Turner
CW: This podcast contains discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to some listeners. Suicide "I’m not a therapist, but I know you." September is National Suicide Prevention Month. We were honored to have Dr. Shairi Turner, Chief Health Officer at Crisis Text Line, to learn about their...
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Integrative Health with Emily Gardner
This week, we learn more about Integrative Health from RN and Integrative Health Practitioner, Emily Gardner! Emily walks us through how balancing conventional and complementary methods can help tackle the root causes of the most stubborn chronic conditions, such as acne, gut issues, and/or...
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The 2025 State of Nursing
This week on The Self Care Unit, we dive into the 2025 State of the World's Nursing Report and discuss the challenges faced by the nursing profession. We cover the causes and impacts of staffing shortages, the gender dynamics of the profession, and what mental health support really looks like.…
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Emergency Preparedness with Sarah Lorenzini
This week, Sarah Lorenzini — Rapid Response nurse, host of the RapidResponseRN podcast, and nurse educator — talks with us about rapid response nursing and how to prepare yourself to succeed during emergencies. We discuss what makes her love nursing, how to develop the critical thinking and...
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Book Club: Talking BookTok, Escapism, and Why Nurses Read
This week, Micheline, and Carley delve into the world of books, relaying their personal journeys into reading, the influence of social media on reading habits, and why nurses read. They talk about when and why they're drawn to certain genres, how books can impact a nurse’s perspective of themself...
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Cold Therapy Explained with Aryan Davani
This week, The Self Care Unit explores the world of cold therapy with guest Aryan Davani, founder of IcePass, a community wellness club in LA. Focusing primarily on the mental health benefits of cold plunging, we get the details from Aryan on why this practice has exploded in popularity in recent...
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Nursing Journeys for Nurses Week 2025
For this past Nurses Week, our goal was to showcase the nursing community by hearing from nurses directly. So for this episode of the Self Care Unit, nurses generously share their stories on the podcast, including what they love about the job, what motivates them, the challenges they face, and...
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The Pitt's Katherine LaNasa
CW: This podcast may contain discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to listeners. This week, we are thrilled to have The Pitt’s Katherine LaNasa on the show! Earning praise from healthcare workers for its accuracy and realism, The Pitt does not shy away from showing the everyday...
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Healing, Art, and Connection with Minaa B.
CW: This podcast contains discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to listeners. On this week’s episode of The Self Care Unit Podcast, Micheline and Carley had the pleasure of chatting with @minaa_b . Minaa is a social worker, the author of Owning Our Struggles: A Path to Healing and...
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Nurse Bullying
CW: This podcast may contain discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to some listeners. This week, we tackle the complex issue of bullying within the nursing profession. Carley and Micheline share some personal experiences, discuss how bullying behavior emerges, and give listeners some...
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Collective Wellness
CW: This podcast may contain discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to some listeners. This week, Sarah and Micheline explore the concept of wellness through a collective lens, emphasizing the importance of community and relationships in achieving overall well-being. We particularly...
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Rebuilding Confidence after Being Fired
CW: This podcast may contain discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to some listeners. This week, we discuss nurses getting “fired” by patients and how to build back your confidence! There are many reasons behind these firings, so we need compassion and understanding for ourselves and...
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Recognizing Triggers as Nurses
CW: This podcast contains discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to some listeners. This week, in response to recent events, Carley and Shannon speak with licensed psychotherapist Sam Calvin about recognizing triggers that may emerge from work in healthcare. They explore how workplace...
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Overcoming Self-Doubt
CW: This podcast may contain discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to some listeners. This week, we discuss the all too prevalent issue of self-doubt among nurses and how it often stems from the rigorous demands and high-pressure of healthcare. Micheline and Carley share their…
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Financial Boundaries with April Waddell
April Waddell, the founder of NurseMoneyDate, is back to talk with us about financial boundaries! How do we set them? How can we build self-trust in our decisions? What is the significance of specific financial goals? April answers all these questions and more, offering practical tips, a real...
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Breaking the Cynicism Cycle
CW: This podcast may contain discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to some listeners. This week, Joe and Micheline talk about the pervasive issue of cynicism in healthcare. Micheline shares her personal experiences with cynicism and emphasizes the importance of hope and self-care.…
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Beauty and Wellness with Tim Quinn
Start the New Year with this incredible episode! Tim Quinn, a celebrity makeup artist and cancer survivor, discusses the profound impact that nurses had during his treatment and the annual Nurse Appreciation makeover event he founded to give back to those who cared for him. Tim also explores the...
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Mental Health Facilities with Bridget Alley
CW: This podcast contains discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to listeners. Our guest this week, Bridget Alley, is a fourth-year medical student and the co-founder of Propagations, a non-profit dedicated to improving the conditions of mental healthcare by connecting resources to...
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Setting Boundaries, at Work and at Home
CW: This podcast contains discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to listeners. This week, Carley and Micheline have a conversation on boundaries! Guided by input from Yolanda Renteria, Trauma Therapist and LPC, we tackle how boundaries help people break generational cycles and unlock...
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Better Training for Nurses
CW: This podcast contains discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to listeners. This week on the Self Care Unit, Micheline and Carley discuss how we educate and train nurses and where change might be needed. Should there be more hands-on training? How do research skills translate to…
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A Haunted Hospital
CW: This podcast contains discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to listeners. What's that behind you? It's a haunted Halloween episode of the Self Care Unit! Join us as we take a deep dive into a well-known haunted hospital, Linda Vista Hospital in Los Angeles. From ghostly sightings...
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Caring for Healthcare Workers with Dr. Jessi Gold
CW: This podcast contains discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to listeners. This week, Dr. Jessi Gold is on the pod! The author of How Do You Feel? One Doctor's Search for Humanity in Medicine, Dr. Gold talks with us about workplace mental health, wellness, and burnout among...
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Applying for Jobs
CW: This podcast contains discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to some listeners. This week, Carley and Micheline discuss applying for nursing jobs. What are the essentials you need to prepare yourself? What did the process feel like for them? When do you know an opportunity is…
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Pre-Shift Anxiety
CW: This podcast contains discussions of mental health that may be sensitive to listeners. This week, Carley and Micheline tackle a persistent problem facing healthcare workers: pre-shift anxiety. They share their personal experience with pre-shift anxiety and explain how it can come about at any...
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Nurse Leadership with Tauqilla Manning
This week, Tauqilla Manning is back! The founder and CEO of Black Nurses Week joins us to talk about nurse leadership and how leaders impact our job satisfaction, retention rates, quality of care, and patient outcomes. What makes a good leader? How are we encouraging nurses to develop as leaders?...
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Self Care Unit have?
The Self Care Unit currently has 120 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Self Care Unit about?
Podcast exploring mental health and healthcare with nursing organizations Operation Happy Nurse and Don't Clock Out.
How often does The Self Care Unit release new episodes?
The Self Care Unit publishes regularly with 120 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to The Self Care Unit?
You can listen to The Self Care Unit on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Self Care Unit?
The Self Care Unit is created and hosted by Operation Happy Nurse + Don't Clock Out.
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