What began as a heart failure lecture during orientation week ended up shifting my entire perspective on patient care. In this episode, Dr. Haunnah Rheault returns-not just to a closed group of students, but back into my life, and now into yours-for anyone to experience the inspiring and knowledgeable human she is.

We reflect on the moment she was told, “You’re not on it at all,” by an Aboriginal health worker in Mount Isa, and how that experience inspired her research into health literacy and culturally safe care. Haunnah explores how we communicate-our language, our assumptions, and how we check understanding-and how that can deeply impact whether care is truly received, not just delivered.

She also shares openly about a clinical error, showing the kind of vulnerability and reflection that turns a mistake into meaningful growth. We break down heart failure red flags, diagnostic blind spots, and her unforgettable approach to teaching students to “get into the ventricle” to truly understand disease. This conversation goes beyond the textbook-covering clinical reasoning, mentorship, NP-led care models, and the kind of learning that stays with you long after the podcast ends.

Websites discussed in episode: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jocn.15757 https://www.radcliffe-group.com/learning-page https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/your-heart/medical-tests-coronary-artery-calcium-score