Radical Nurse Talk

What do you think of when you hear the word “palliative”? In this final episode of season one of Radical Nurse Talk, Kath Murray discusses the importance of words in serious illness. Words such as "palliative" that we use – or avoid using - can invoke fear, "giving up" and also, hope, support and quality of life. Listen while Kath, an exemplary nurse, author, entrepreneur and international educato...

In this episode, Matthieu Payette, Clinical Nurse Specialist at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton and Adjunct Lecturer/Clinical Instructor McMaster University School of Nursing, describes his experiences in various contexts in which people require help in a mental health crisis. He shares some possibilities for others who must respond to people in crisis and step into the moment to make a connectio...

In this episode, Dr. Erin Ziegler, champion and advocate for inclusive and dignified care of people who identify as LGBTQ2SA describes how words, and the assumptions that are behind them, can build or destroy the trust that is so integral to building therapeutic relationships especially in serious illness. To learn more and access resources visit: radicalnursetalk.com

Has a patient or family member ever asked you about medical assistance in dying (MAiD)? If someone did ask you, what would you say in this conversation? In this episode, I explore that situation with Jane Slemon, a director of care at a hospice in British Columbia. We discuss her work with individuals who are navigating the end of life and who sometimes want to talk with nurses about MAiD. We disc...

What does a trauma-and-violence informed approach mean for communicating in serious health situations? Dr. Susan Jack, a champion of and advocate for the training of health care professionals on trauma-and violence-informed approaches to care, shares the ways we can incorporate this into our communication praxis, and thereby promote health equity and avoid the re-traumatization of individuals with...

How can we talk with children about grief, about losses of any kind, dying and death? Drawing from years of experience as a registered nurse and psychotherapist, Andrea Warnick inspires us to learn how best to communicate with grieving children and families. She has inspired, taught and counselled interprofessional audiences from around the world including her work with the Canadian Virtual Hospic...

What are the lessons learned when nurse becomes patient? In this episode, best-selling author, nurse and advocate, Theresa Brown shares reflections on communication following her diagnosis of and treatment for breast cancer and in the context of her own nursing work. Her book, The Shift: One Nurse, Twelve Hours, Four Patients' Lives, was a New York Times Bestseller. To learn more visit: radicalnur...

Sarah Crowe, a critical care nurse practitioner and Vice-President of the Canadian Association of Critical Care Nurses discusses nurses' communication in critical care settings, particularly the difficult and challenging conversations with families. More of Sarah’s work can be found at: radicalnursetalk.com

How can we talk with patients and their families about a future that includes living with advancing illness, dying and death? In this episode with Sandra Andreychuk, N.P., Healthcare Ethicist, Advocate/Coach and Navigator we explore how to talk about the future and advance care planning with patients and families. To learn more about Sandy's work visit: radicalnursetalk.com

How do nurses build relationships and talk with families when serious illness hits? In this inaugural episode, communication scholar and champion of nurses Elaine Wittenberg shines a light on the essential communication work nurses do with families in the face of serious illness. We explore what works and doesn’t – for nurses and families. She inspires and offers possibilities for making communica...

This is Radical Nurse Talk, a podcast about nurses’ communication in serious situations and illness as a radical act of care. Join Dr. Patricia Strachan as she talks with nurses and others about nurses’ expertise, experience, courage, joys and frustrations in having conversations that involve serious situations and illness, loss, life-altering and unwanted change, living in uncertainty, declining...