Banter At The Bedside

Send us Fan Mail Why does it sometimes take hours—or even days—to get a hospital bed? In this episode of Banter at the Bedside , we pull back the curtain on one of the biggest challenges facing modern healthcare: there simply isn't enough room. From ICU beds and emergency department boarding to staffing shortages, difficult discharge decisions, and rural healthcare challenges, we discuss what...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when three seasoned ICU nurses and a Nurse Practitioner sit down to react to healthcare TikToks, viral nurse songs, and the realities behind social media healthcare content? In this episode of Banter at the Bedside , Abby and Kaleigh are joined by Amanda, and returning fan-favorite Ava for another installment of Real vs. Real . Together, they break down healthcare-the...

Send us Fan Mail Septic shock treatment has evolved dramatically, but why do we give fluids, start vasopressors, and use steroids? In Part 2 of our septic shock series, Dr. Michael joins Banter at the Bedside to break down the physiology behind modern sepsis care. Rather than memorizing guidelines, we explore the "why" behind them. From cytokines and nitric oxide to vascular leak, venous...

Send us Fan Mail Sepsis remains one of the most common and deadly conditions healthcare providers encounter, but do how much of the evidence do you know? In Part 1 of our sepsis series, critical care physician Dr. Michael joins Abby and Kaleigh to break down the history of sepsis management, the rise of Early Goal Directed Therapy, and how decades of research have shaped modern septic shock treatm...

Send us Fan Mail Some patients never leave you. Some coworkers, mentors, and moments quietly change the way you practice medicine forever. In this episode of Banter at the Bedside , the Shift Talkers share the stories that shaped them as healthcare workers — from unforgettable patients and life-changing preceptors to heartbreaking COVID moments, difficult lessons, and the small acts of kindness th...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever left a doctor’s appointment or hospital stay feeling unheard, brushed off, or dismissed? In this episode of Banter at the Bedside , Abby, Kaleigh, and Amanda have an honest conversation about what happens when patients, families, and even healthcare workers feel ignored or misunderstood. From being told “it’s just anxiety” to struggling to get answers for a loved one...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when caring for others starts to quietly wear you down? In this episode of Banter at the Bedside , the Shift Talkers sit down again with trauma and emergency medicine chaplain Linda Moore to talk about compassion fatigue in healthcare — what it is, how it differs from burnout, and why so many healthcare workers are feeling emotionally exhausted after years of repeated...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Banter at the Bedside , Abby, Kaleigh, and Amanda react to healthcare TikToks, nursing memes, and viral medical reels — and the conversation quickly turns into a deeper discussion about ICU culture, dark humor in healthcare, burnout, social media, patient care, and the moments that make nurses say, “wait… was that about me?”  From hilarious charge nurse assignme...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when healthcare stops waiting for patients to come to the clinic — and starts meeting them where they are? In this episode of Banter at the Bedside, Abby (NP) and Kaleigh (RN) sit down with Dr. Ivy Bagley, family nurse practitioner, psychiatric nurse practitioner, and lactation consultant, to talk about building a mobile healthcare practice serving rural North Carolin...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when healthcare workers are sick—but still come to work anyway? In this episode of Banter at the Bedside , Abby (NP), Kaleigh (RN), Cody (RN), and Dr. Jeff talk honestly about the past pressures to show up when you're sick, recovering, caring for a sick child, or simply exhausted. From working through COVID policies to navigating childcare challenges, staffing sh...

Send us Fan Mail Cardiogenic shock management doesn’t stop with recognizing preload, afterload, and contractility. The hardest decisions often come next: when to escalate care and when to activate advanced support. In Part 2 of this cardiogenic shock education series, Abby (NP) and Kaleigh (RN) continue their conversation with Dr. Michael to explore how clinicians decide when medical therapy isn’t...

Send us Fan Mail Cardiogenic shock remains a high-mortality emergency in critical care—but survival is improving as clinicians better understand shock physiology and adopt cardiogenic shock team models. In this episode of Banter at the Bedside , Abby and Kaleigh are joined by returning guest Dr. Michael for a practical bedside breakdown of cardiogenic shock recognition and management. Together the...

Send us Fan Mail In healthcare, when a code ends and time of death is called, the room usually moves on fast. But what if we didn’t? In this episode of Banter at the Bedside , we sit down with a hospital chaplain to talk about “The Pause” — a simple 45-second moment of silence after a patient dies that helps teams honor the patient, recognize the effort of the staff, and begin processing what just...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Banter at the Bedside , we dive into what it really means to be the “town healer” — the nurse, doctor, or healthcare worker everyone turns to for medical advice outside the hospital. From group chats and family texts to strangers at restaurants and TikTok DMs, we share real stories about the pressure of being “on” all the time, the awkward situations that come w...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Banter at the Bedside , Abby and Kaleigh kick off a new mini-series on patient advocacy — inspired by a listener question. As healthcare professionals who have also been patients themselves, they break down why so many people hesitate to speak up during medical visits and hospital stays. From feeling like you might be “difficult” to worrying that providers are t...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Banter at the Bedside , we dive into one of the most relatable topics in healthcare: relationships. Healthcare workers spend 12+ hours together in high-stress environments, forming friendships that can feel deeper than most relationships outside the hospital. But what happens when those trauma-bonded friendships struggle to exist outside of work? We talk about:...

Send us Fan Mail In this inaugural episode of 'Banter at the Bedside', hosts Abby, Kaitlyn, Kaleigh, and Hass introduce their podcast, emphasizing the importance of healthy disagreement in healthcare. They discuss their goals of fostering a community where diverse perspectives are welcomed and explored. The hosts share their backgrounds and the unique dynamics they bring to the conversat...

Send us Fan Mail In this laugh-out-loud episode, the Shift Talkers dive into one of the most universal yet unspoken parts of healthcare — poop (or as we call it, “Code Brown”). From code brown emergencies to unforgettable GI mishaps, the team shares hilarious, honest stories that every healthcare worker — and anyone who’s ever been human — can relate to. Between bowel regimens, bedside disasters,...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Banter at the Bedside , the hosts scratch the surface of what it’s really like to work in healthcare — from post-COVID challenges and shifting patient expectations to the emotional toll of the job. They discuss the impact of media, the importance of teamwork, and the need for stronger communication and training for the next generation of healthcare workers. This...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, the Shift Talkers dive into the messy overlap of social media and working in healthcare . From viral TikTok trends to nurses getting fired over one risky post, the crew breaks down the real-life consequences of posting while in scrubs . They share personal stories, talk about the pressure to stay "professional" online, and get honest about how easy it is...

Send us Fan Mail How a passion for physiology shaped a career in the most unforgiving corners of medicine—that’s where this episode of Banter at the Bedside begins. Host Abby puts co-host Hass in the hot seat for a deep, honest conversation about his path into medicine. Hass shares how his love for physiology influenced his journey through training, the challenges he faced, and the mentors who hel...

Send us Fan Mail In this festive (and slightly chaotic) episode of Banter at the Bedside , Abby, Hass, Kaitlyn, and Kaleigh dive into what the holidays really look like for healthcare workers. From Christmas shifts in the CICU to wild Med-Onc float stories, smuggled Budweisers, unit potlucks, Mariah Carey debates, and the Great Hawaiian Slider Shortage of 2023—this one has everything. If you’ve ev...

Send us Fan Mail How much does working in healthcare change you over time? In this episode of Banter at the Bedside , hosts are joined with seasoned ICU staff to reflect on the “then vs now”. Speaking on the moments that shape healthcare professionals—from early career expectations to the reality of growth, leadership, burnout, confidence, and finding your voice. This conversation explores how per...

Send us Fan Mail Are hospital superstitions real — or are they just how healthcare workers survive the chaos? In this episode of Banter at the Bedside , the team dives into hospital superstitions we all believe are real: the full moon shift, cursed rooms, black clouds, banned words like “quiet,” and why certain shoes, scrubs, or shirts get permanently retired after a bad night. What starts as humo...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Banter at the Bedside , we talk about one of the most misunderstood parts of working in healthcare: how grief and dark humor often exist side by side . Healthcare providers meet people on the worst days of their lives — moments filled with loss, anger, shock, and heartbreak. In those spaces, laughter sometimes shows up too. Not because the pain isn’t real, but b...