The Heartbeat Debrief

In this episode of Heartbeat Debrief , Devin sits down with nurse mentor Bree to talk about the lessons that come with experience, the mistakes that shape us, and the advice early-career nurses need most. Bree shares her journey through nursing, from mom-baby and veteran care to the NICU, and reflects on how much she has learned not just from mentors, but also from the newer nurses she has taught...

In this episode of Heartbeat Debrief , Devin sits down with Devon Dean Snow to talk honestly about work-life balance in healthcare and why it is so hard to maintain. Devon shares how her career has evolved from EMT work to nursing and now to leadership in festival medicine, all while trying to protect her mental health, relationships, and personal time. They discuss how COVID changed the pace and...

In this episode of Heartbeat Debrief , Devin sits down with Zane Atencio, an educator and flight clinician in Texas, to talk through one of the biggest crossroads in EMS: whether to pursue nursing school. Zane shares his path from EMT to paramedic, then to RN, and explains how each step expanded his knowledge, flexibility, and career options. They discuss the reality of working in EMS, the strengt...

In this episode of The Heartbeat Debrief , Devin breaks down one of the most important skills in healthcare: crisis management. From the bedside to the ambulance to the ICU, crisis can show up in many forms, and learning how to stay calm when things get chaotic is key to responding well. Devin shares practical strategies for handling high-pressure moments, including tactical breathing, pausing to...

In this episode of The Heartbeat Debrief , Devin is joined by a guest clinician to talk about humor in healthcare—what it is, why we use it, and where the line is. In this episode, we cover: Why humor becomes a coping mechanism in high-stress environments The difference between good humor, dark humor, and crossing the line How laughter helps build connection with patients and coworkers Knowing you...

In this guest episode of The Heartbeat Debrief , Devin sits down with a colleague from the mobile stroke world to talk about something that doesn’t get nearly enough attention in healthcare — morale. From working in tight-knit transport crews to larger hospital units, this conversation breaks down how team dynamics, communication, and small everyday actions directly impact not only workplace cultu...

Conflict is an unavoidable part of working in healthcare—but how we handle it can make or break both patient outcomes and team dynamics. In this episode of Heartbeat Debrief , Devin is joined by Diego, who brings a diverse background in behavioral health, military service, and healthcare policy. Together, they break down the different types of conflict healthcare workers face every day—from disagr...

Burnout in healthcare gets talked about a lot — but rarely in a way that actually helps. In this guest episode, we sit down with Jonna from the Station 10 Foundation to have a real conversation about what burnout actually looks like, why it’s so often misunderstood, and why so many healthcare workers don’t recognize it until they’re already deep in it. This isn’t about surface-level fixes or “just...

In this episode of The Heartbeat Debrief , we explore the real differences between EMS and nursing — not which one is better, but how each profession shapes the clinicians inside it. After transitioning from prehospital care into the NICU, I realized the biggest shift wasn’t the medicine — it was identity, autonomy, time, and emotional responsibility. We discuss: Why EMS can become an identity, wh...

Violence in healthcare is no longer something we can quietly accept as “part of the job.” In this episode of Heartbeat Debrief , we sit down with firefighter/paramedic Jame, founder of the Station 10 Foundation, to talk about the reality of violence in healthcare — and what it will actually take to change it. After the tragic death of Kansas City firefighter/paramedic Graham Hoffman, Jame turned g...

There’s a moment in healthcare no one prepares you for. It’s not the failed skill check-off. It’s not the exam you didn’t study enough for. It’s the moment when someone is waiting for your answer… and your brain pauses. In this episode of Heartbeat Debrief , we talk about uncertainty — what it feels like when you genuinely don’t know, even after years of experience. We explore the difference betwe...

In this episode of The Heartbeat Debrief , we talk openly about something most healthcare workers experience but rarely admit: breaking down at work. From crying at the nurses’ station to holding it together for patients while everything inside feels heavy, this conversation names the emotional reality of the job. Joined by a guest clinician, we explore what it’s like to compartmentalize grief, mo...

If you feel like everyone else knows what they’re doing and you’re just trying not to mess up—this episode is for you. In this episode of The Heartbeat Debrief , we talk about the pressure to know everything in healthcare, why that expectation is impossible, and how real learning actually happens—on the job, over time, and sometimes through mistakes. We break down imposter syndrome, how it sneaks...

In today's episode of the Heartbeat Debrief , the host reflects on a career shaped by EMS, military service, humanitarian work, and the transition into nursing and the NICU. This episode explores the emotional weight healthcare workers carry long after the shift ends—how dark humor, silence, and “pushing through” become survival tools, and why that culture often leaves little room for vulnerabilit...

Heartbeat Debrief was created to offer the kind of space most healthcare workers never get — one where it’s safe to talk about what we carry.