This episode of Radical Nurse Talk features Dr. Aric Rankin sharing his nearly 20 years of experience working in Indigenous health care across remote and urban settings. The conversation explores building trust and therapeutic relationships with Indigenous patients through humility, cultural respect, and ongoing learning. Dr. Rankin highlights the influence of place and history on care delivery and stresses the importance of supporting Indigenous self-determination and health equity. This episode offers valuable insights for health professionals seeking to enhance their practice and meaningful connections in Indigenous contexts. Visit radicalnursetalk.com for more information and to access resources.

In this episode, we explore the sensitive and complex topic of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) in Canada, a legal medical procedure that can raise profound questions for nurses, health professionals, and the public alike. Our guests, Paul Magennis, RN and Kim Carlson, RN, are experienced registered nurses and educators from British Columbia who bring years of expertise in palliative care and MAiD education. Together, they share their insights on navigating conversations about MAiD within a nurse’s scope of practice, understanding the legal and ethical dimensions, and providing compassionate, evidence-informed support to patients and families. As co-authors of the MAiD in Canada Substack newsletter, Paul and Kim combine factual knowledge with mentorship and empathy, helping to foster open dialogue and professional understanding around one of modern healthcare’s most challenging topics. For more information and to access resources visit: radicalnursetalk.com  

In this episode of Radical Nurse Talk, Patricia Strachan is joined by Jennifer Campagnolo and Mallory Peters to discuss the “Be Prepared Guides”, a practical resource designed to help family caregivers recognize and respond to palliative care emergencies. They share how these tools can reduce unwanted hospital visits, ease suffering, and empower caregivers to provide compassionate support at home. Listeners will hear insights on integrating emergency planning with palliative care and the impact this approach has on patients, families, and the nurses who care for them. For more information visit: radicalnursetalk.com  

In this episode, Dr. Connie Schumacher, RN, PhD and Associate Professor at Brock University, explores how nurse-led conversations can support people with chronic illness to manage their health, avoid emergency department visits, and live well at home. Drawing on over 25 years of clinical experience and current research into caregiver burden and chronic disease, Dr. Schumacher offers practical insights into relational nursing, mutual care planning, and why communication is a radical act of care. For more information visit: radicalnursetalk.com

In this thought-provoking episode, Dr. Elise Tarbi invites us to move beyond traditional models of clinical communication and explore the deeper, more human side of nursing. Rather than focusing solely on information delivery, Dr. Tarbi emphasizes the relational and existential aspects of serious illness conversations — the kind of dialogue that helps patients and families feel truly seen and heard. A board-certified Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner with advanced expertise in hospice and palliative care, Dr. Tarbi is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at the University of Vermont and Associate Director of the Vermont Conversation Lab. Her research centers on improving the quality of communication in serious illness care, with the aim of reshaping healthcare to prioritize connection and meaning. This episode is a powerful call to embrace high-quality, human-centred conversations in our practice — and to rethink what it really means to care. Prepare to be inspired. For more information visit radicalnursetalk.com

How do you effectively communicate with people who require prolonged mechanical ventilation and thus cannot vocalize? How can we better connect with people who cannot speak for themselves? What assumptions do we have that need to be challenged? What practical tips and tools could improve and humanize communication and therefore patient safety - for you, the nurse and for patients and their families? In this episode we hear how curiosity about these questions and others compelled Dr. Laura Istanboulian to explore interventions to support adult patient communication in the intensive care unit during and beyond. She eloquently describes patient, family and nursing perspectives that can deepen our understanding and praxis in important ways. For more information visit radicalnursetalk.com  

For generations, people have been judged, shamed, and blamed for their weight-by families, friends, healthcare practitioners, and society at large. These messages become so deeply internalized that many of us don’t even recognize when we’re turning that judgment inward. Why do so many patients describe themselves as “bad” for what they eat? How did food choices become a moral issue? In this episode of Radical Nurse Talk, Nurse Practitioner Heather Watson, an expert in obesity medicine, invites us to rethink the language we use about body size, health, and care. Heather explores how terms like “obesity” are often misunderstood and misused, and how negative stereotypes and moral judgments can do real harm, especially for those living with serious illnesses like cancer or organ failure alongside obesity. Drawing from her clinical experience and her passion for advocacy, Heather challenges listeners to consider: How does our language, intended to care, sometimes cause harm? What would it mean to communicate with patients about weight in ways that are truly supportive, evidence-based, and free from stigma? Join us as we unpack the complexities of weight, health, and communication, and discover how nurses and healthcare professionals can lead the way in creating more compassionate, equitable care for all. For more information and to access resources, visit radicalnursetalk.com.  

Although much of the conversation around health focuses on illness, this episode takes a different path—delving into the complex realities faced by pregnant individuals navigating socioeconomic vulnerabilities. We explore how precarious housing, mental health crises, substance use, past trauma, and intimate partner violence can intersect to put both mother and baby at risk before and after birth. Our guest, Lindsay Croswell, Nursing Practice Lead for the Nurse-Family Partnership ® (NFP) Program in Ontario, Canada, shares her extensive experience working with first-time parents in challenging circumstances. Lindsay was among the first public health nurses to implement NFP in Canada 17 years ago and has since played a pivotal role in shaping the program nationally and internationally. Listeners will hear how nurses, through skilled therapeutic communication, provide vital antenatal and postnatal care in the community—building trusting relationships that transform lives and outcomes for vulnerable families. Lindsay discusses the evidence-based NFP model, where the nurse is the intervention, and how this approach supports young, first-time parents to achieve healthier pregnancies, stronger parenting skills, and brighter futures for their children. Tune in to discover how compassionate, evidence-informed nursing can make a profound difference when pregnancy and parenting are complicated by social and economic adversity. For more information and to access resources, visit radicalnursetalk.com.  

Throughout any given shift, regardless of the practice setting, nurses regularly provide care to individuals who are grieving or have experienced various forms of loss. But what about the nurses themselves? How are they coping? Nurses grieve too. In this episode, Cory Burdock shines a light on the often-overlooked reality of nurses’ grief, acknowledging it as a normal and genuine part of the healthcare profession. For too long, this aspect of practice has been dismissed, suppressed, or even pathologized. Through an open and thoughtful discussion, Cory urges both individuals and organizations to recognize and reframe the grief paradigm, ultimately bringing the experience of nurses’ grief and its impact out of the shadows. Cory Burdock is a registered nurse with a certification in Hospice Palliative Care Nursing from the Canadian Nurses Association. She is the president-elect of the Canadian Palliative Care Nurses Association and is deeply committed to the need for a wider recognition of nurses’ grief. Following graduate studies in Palliative Care Education and nurses' grief, Cory works as a Clinical Nurse Specialist specializing in Pain and Symptom management in Alberta, Canada. She also focuses on quality improvement, policy development, and program planning for palliative care, while serving as an educator and mentor for advanced practice nurses. For more information and to access resources, visit radicalnursetalk.com.

Birgit Umaigba is a registered nurse and PhD student at Queen's University's School of Nursing. She is also a thought leader, speaker, health equity advocate, nurse educator, and consultant. At the heart of her work is a commitment to integrating an equity-focused perspective into nursing, particularly in addressing the needs of Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities. Patricia Strachan, host of Radical Nurse Talk, first learned of Birgit’s advocacy through an article in The Canadian Nurse in 2024. The article highlighted Birgit's efforts to push for the collection and publication of race-based data in Canadian healthcare—a critical step toward identifying and addressing systemic racism. Racism and inequality remain pervasive challenges in Canadian healthcare, affecting patients, families, and nurses alike. In this conversation, Birgit shares her insights on how we can all be part of the solution, advocating for a shift toward a more inclusive society and nursing practice. She explores how our everyday interactions—our language, attitudes, and actions—can foster inclusivity, allowing both healthcare providers and patients to show up authentically. These principles are vital not just in nursing, but in all healthcare conversations, particularly when caring for people facing serious illness. For more information and to access resources visit: radicalnursetalk.com

In this heartfelt episode, Mahoganie Hines delves into the critical role of nurses in advocating for patient-centred care at the end of life. With passion and expertise, Mahoganie highlights how nurses serve as the steady presence—the calm in the storm—when patients are facing decline and when families are overwhelmed by difficult decisions. She passionately argues that advocacy is not just a role, but a cornerstone of nursing care during this sensitive time. As a clinical nurse specialist on the palliative care unit at St. Peter’s Hospital in Hamilton, Ontario, Mahoganie shares invaluable, evidence-based insights and practical strategies for nurses—both generalists and specialists—on how to effectively communicate with patients and their families. She offers guidance on how to navigate common questions and challenges that often arise at the end of life. Mahoganie’s wealth of experience includes not only her clinical work but also her leadership in bioethics, education, and palliative care advocacy. She has held numerous roles, including educator, palliative pain and symptom management consultant, and hospice nurse. Her expertise has been recognized with multiple awards, and she has become a well-respected voice in promoting a palliative approach to care across healthcare organizations. Beyond her clinical and academic work, Mahoganie is the president of the Canadian Palliative Care Nursing Association, and she is a certified specialist in palliative care nursing. With a Master’s in Health Science and Bioethics, Mahoganie’s impact extends across various levels—from the bedside to boardrooms, from clinical settings to guideline groups. She remains a passionate advocate for both patients and nurses, ensuring that compassionate care is always at the forefront of palliative practice. Tune in for this enlightening conversation about the essential role of nurses in end-of-life care, and the powerful difference advocacy can make in providing comfort and clarity during one of life’s most challenging times. For more information visit: radicalnursetalk.com

All over the world nurses work with seriously ill patients and their families, often in significantly under resourced conditions, difficult geographies, and within diverse cultural contexts. How can these nurses be supported to optimize their relational work in serious illness? In this episode, Erin Das, a Canadian-trained advanced practice nurse based in Nairobi, Kenya, explores the challenges and strategies for supporting nurses and healthcare workers who care for seriously ill patients in under-resourced, geographically challenging, and culturally diverse settings. Erin’s work is deeply rooted in palliative care, drawing from her experience in pediatric palliative care, pain and symptom management, cancer care, kidney support, health education, and community development. As the practice head at the Global Treehouse Foundation, Erin focuses on improving access to care for seriously ill children and their families. She is also the supportive care lead at Africa Healthcare Network, the leading dialysis organization in sub-Saharan Africa, and an Executive Member of PallCHASE (Palliative Care in Humanitarian Aid Situations and Emergencies). Currently, she coordinates a Project ECHO Community of Practice program that provides palliative care training for humanitarian healthcare workers in East Africa. With experience in Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea, and Kenya, Erin provides valuable insights into the importance of communication training and support for healthcare workers, emphasizing how these efforts must respect the cultural beliefs, languages, and practices of both health workers and the communities they serve. For more information visit: radicalnursetalk.com

Have you ever asked a patient about their resuscitation preferences? Or what we refer to as code status—whether they would want their heart restarted if it stopped? Most nurses have asked this question in some form during various practice encounters. While it might seem like a straightforward inquiry, there is much more beneath the surface. In this episode, Dr. Sharyn Milnes, an Australian critical care nurse, scholar, and educator, offers valuable insights and practical guidance that will resonate with nurses everywhere. Sharyn is currently the Manager of Communication and Education for the iValidate program's clinical education and training at Barwon Health in Geelong, Australia. iValidate ("Identifying Values, Listening, and Advising High-risk Patients in Acute Care") is a unique and evidence-based Australian communication program designed to enhance conversations between healthcare teams, seriously ill patients, and their families. In our discussion, Sharyn explores how questions about code status intersect with or can complicate efforts around advanced care planning, which is being increasingly promoted in healthcare settings. With a strong foundation in ethics and shared decision-making, Sharyn examines the language commonly used in healthcare settings—language that we often assume patients understand. She explains how important conversations can be inadvertently shut down and how treatment momentum can unintentionally send messages, shape patients' and families' understanding, and influence the decisions they make. Throughout it all, Sharyn emphasizes the profound impact that nursing communication can have, particularly through a technique she calls "a circuit breaker." For more information and to access resources visit: radicalnursetalk.com

In this episode, we explore the intersection of nursing and the arts—a rare but powerful combination in healthcare. In January 2024, The Telegraph, a renowned UK news outlet, featured an article titled "The Nurse Who Helps Dying Patients Write Poetry." The nurse at the centre of this story is Rekha Vijayshankar, a trailblazer in the field of palliative care. Rekha joins us to share poignant stories that highlight the transformative and diverse ways nurses can connect with dying patients, offering new perspectives on relational care. Through these reflections, she invites us to challenge our assumptions and rethink our roles in the healthcare process, especially in unconventional practices. Rekha is a Queen's nurse, Winston Churchill fellow, and a leader in frailty and palliative care. She currently serves as Deputy Head of Quality and Clinical Governance at Marie Curie, UK. With a deep background in palliative care, public health nursing, and as a nurse prescriber, Rekha’s work is grounded in social justice and equity. Drawing from her own experiences as a family caregiver and her lived reality of social isolation and health challenges, she uses a public health lens to empower those facing adversity, particularly in navigating end-of-life decisions. A mindfulness practitioner, Rekha’s insights offer a profound and compassionate look at nursing and caregiving. For more information and to access resources visit: radicalnursetalk.com    

How can a Chief Nursing Officer influence conversations about serious illness? In this episode, Patricia Strachan explores this question with Dr. Leigh Chapman, a dedicated nurse and leader who is advocating at the highest levels across Canada to improve working conditions for nurses—helping them not only stay in the profession but thrive. And when nurses thrive, patients benefit too. Leigh Chapman was appointed Canada’s Chief Nursing Officer in 2022, a positive outcome from the challenges posed by the pandemic, which caused severe nursing shortages and burnout. Since her appointment, Leigh has travelled across Canada—coast to coast—listening to nurses and using her platform to advocate for meaningful change. Her leadership is inspiring. In this wide-ranging conversation, Leigh shares insights from her diverse clinical experience, including her recent work in supervised injection sites, as well as her ongoing nursing advocacy efforts at the national level. She reflects on her work to create and sustain workplaces where therapeutic nursing relationships can develop and flourish. Leigh’s message is one of hope and inspiration, and we believe it will resonate with nurses both in Canada and beyond. For more information and to access resources visit: radicalnursetalk.com

How can nurses be involved in decisions that patients make about innovative heart valve interventions for which they may be eligible? In this episode Dr. Sandra Lauck thoughtfully describes her work and that of others in supporting nurses to have opportunities and language that open spaces for patients to question, understand and consider possible therapies. In this way she offers radical possibilities for all nurses to transform patient experience, not only in cardiac care, but in any practice setting.For more information visit: radicalnursetalk.com

How can we show up in our relational work with seriously ill patients, and for ourselves as nurses in the moments that are available to us? Grounded in professional and personal experience and yes, even the theoretical, Marie Cooper calls on each of us to stand up, use language and claim the relational work that makes what we do, nursing. Her passionate and articulate commitment to that effort will inspire nurses everywhere and help patients feel safe in our care. For more information and to access resources visit radicalnursetalk.com

It is well known that despite our best intentions preventable harm continues to happen to patients in healthcare systems. Further harm to patients, their families and to healthcare professionals, including nurses, can be made worse by the ways we then handle and/or talk about this unintentional harm. How can we talk about it in a way that doesn't incur further harm? In this episode, Jo Wailling invites us to advocate for a restorative versus punitive lens, so that learning and healing can occur for everyone involved. Jo is a nurse, clinician researcher, qualified human factors professional, and accredited mediator. Her career spans 30 years in critical care, patient safety, and clinical leadership. She currently advises international government agencies, researchers and advocacy groups on restorative initiatives, system safety and human centered design. For more information and to access resources visit radicalnursetalk.com

What do we mean when we talk about a good death? How can we describe the meaningful communicative work that nurses can do with dying patients and their families? In this episode, Patricia Strachan welcomes Dr. David Wright, a registered nurse, educator, and researcher. Dr. Wright is an Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa, and academic lead for Palliative Care and Nursing Ethics within its Centre for Research on Health and Nursing. Dr. Wright describes in passionate detail the many ways in which nurses help seriously ill patients and families craft stories in the liminal spaces of care that exist outside of treatments procedures. He invites and inspires us to recognize the great depth and complexity of nursing practice done well, and to name and claim the relational work that's so needed in the intimate spaces of advanced illness and end of life care. For more information and to access resources visit radicalnursetalk.com.

As a practicing Registered Nurse with extensive experience working in acute, critical, and community care settings, Janet Lovegrove has heard many caregivers' stories about feeling alone, overwhelmed, or invisible when providing care to people living with dementia or other progressive life-limiting illnesses. Sensing a real need that what most of them wanted was to be heard, to belong, and to be appreciated, Janet found creative ways and practical solutions for helping them to tell their stories while building a base of resilience and support in themselves. In this episode, we explore that work. Janet shares practice tips and language we can use across practice settings to support caregivers of people living with serious life-limiting illnesses.In particular, Janet has facilitated the Life Process Transformation (TM) (LPT) program created by Viola Fodor, M.Ed., that invites caregivers to learn more about how to take care of themselves - in body, mind, and spirit. To that end, she has led a long standing project in Ontario, Canada funded by the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Home and Community Care Support Services and in collaboration with the Alzheimer Society of Brant, Haldimand Norfolk Hamilton Halton chapters.For more information and to access resources visit radicalnursetalk.com.