Advertise on podcast: First Best Nurse

Host Stephanie McDonald welcomes Dr. Luci New, a seasonednurse and educator, to discuss the critical topics of second victim phenomenon, workplace violence, bullying, and the power of peer support in healthcare.  Dr. New shared her journey from the OR to academia, her research on peer support programs, and actionable strategies for supporting colleagues after adverse events.  Special thanks to Dr. New for her insights and dedication toadvancing nurse well-being.  If you’re passionate about creating ahealthier, more supportive workplace, this episode is a must-listen!

Meet Tracy Breece, RN and VP of Innovation, AI and Emerging Technology at Advocate Health. She is pure inspiration and motivation. In this episode, Carmen and Stephanie dig into who she is, how she got here, and what she is focused on. It is a great episode for all. We would also like to thank our editor for the past year, Marcus Booth. Marcus is moving on in his career journey, but left his fingerprints on this show. Thank you, Marcus!

A first impression is usually formed within the first 7 secondsof an interaction (Harvard Study of Communication); it takes as little as 56 seconds to make a meaningful connection (Christina Dempsey, the former Chief Nursing Officer of Press Ganey); providers usually interrupt a patient within11-30 seconds of when they start speaking (2018 study published in the Journalof General Internal Medicine). In this episode, Dr. Stephanie McDonald meets with Michelle Lundy, a nurse practitioner at Atrium Health Wake Forest Brenner Children's Emergency Department, about her sit and hear project.

This engaging episode features a conversation with Renee Thompson, Founder of the Healthy Workforce Institute.

Amy Peterson and Leeann Smith won the blue ribbon at the 2025 ANCC Magnet and Pathways Conference for the work they presented - hear all about it here!

Dr. Patricia Spada shares her DNP project aimed at improving maternal health through structured communication

Carmen and Stephanie presented at the 2025 NCNA convention on the topic of podcasting, and took the opportunity to record a conversation with the audience about AI. You get to listen in and hear from some wise nurses in North Carolina!

Our series concludes with Cathy Carson sharing about energy medicine, and specifically, things that you could do for self or others.

Touch therapy? What is that? Cathy Carson brings another episode showcasing touch therapy - what it is, how you can do it and what is the benefit.

Carmen and Stephanie chat with conference attendees about their experience.

Cathy Carson joins us again to discuss mindful practices.

Dive into holistic nursing with a 4-part series featuring certified holistic nurse, Cathy Carson.

In this episode, students from the Wake Forest School of Medicine Doctor or Nursing program asked leadership questions, and Giancarlo Lyle-Edrosolo, RN answered.

Are You Doing Bedside Reports Right? Hear from Victoria Cabasares, nurse manager at Atrium Health Peach, as she describes how she implemented I-PASS in her emergency department.

Join Stephanie in a conversation with a team from Atrium Health's Capacity Command Center. They highlight a position being trialed - the Universal Acceptor Nurse. This role is helping gain efficiencies while allowing nurses to work at top of license.