FAQ By Nurse Jessi Podcast

Jessica Tonia, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, FNE-CSA

Have questions about healthcare that no one seems to answer clearly? FAQ By Nurse Jessi is a podcast where a real nurse practitioner breaks down the questions patients and families ask every day. Hosted by Jessica Tonia, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, the show explores topics like vaccines, infectious diseases, patient advocacy, medical malpractice, and how the healthcare system really works. With honest conversations and easy-to-understand explanations, Nurse Jessi helps listeners separate medical facts from internet myths. If you want trustworthy healthcare information from someone working on the front lines of medicine, this podcast is for you.

  1. Jul 16

    Plan Now, Breathe Later: A Nurse's Guide to Advance Care Planning

    Advance care planning often sounds heavy, confusing, or only for the elderly. In this episode Nurse Jessi walks listeners through clear, practical steps to make and document healthcare wishes so families and clinicians can honor them. You’ll learn the difference between advance directives, medical power of attorney, POLST/DNR orders, and informal notes; when each is used; and simple scripts to start conversations with loved ones and your care team. I’ll share common legal pitfalls, what nurses actually look for during admissions, and exactly where and how to store forms so they’re available when needed. By the end you’ll have a 3-step action plan you can complete this week and confidence to update these documents over time. This episode is designed for anyone who wants to regain control over future healthcare decisions without legalese or judgment.

    Plan Now, Breathe Later: A Nurse's Guide to Advance Care Planning

  2. 23h ago

    What Your Medical Chart Is Really Saying: A Patient's Guide to Reading Clinical Notes

    Medical charts and clinical notes look like a different language to most patients — but they shape diagnoses, treatment plans, and even insurance decisions. In this episode Nurse Jessi decodes the typical structure of inpatient and outpatient notes, explains common shorthand and phrases that cause anxiety, and highlights how entries affect follow-up care and billing. Listeners will learn concrete steps to access their records, read key sections without getting overwhelmed, and safely request corrections. Jessi uses realistic, anonymized examples to show how small wording differences change clinical thinking, then offers scripts you can use to ask clinicians or medical records staff for clarification. This episode equips listeners with clear, practical tools to turn confusing notes into actionable information and stronger advocacy during care transitions.

    What Your Medical Chart Is Really Saying: A Patient's Guide to Reading Clinical Notes

  3. 1d ago

    How to Ask for a Second Opinion: A Nurse's Guide to Safer Decisions

    When a diagnosis, surgery recommendation, or major treatment feels uncertain, a second opinion can protect your health and peace of mind—but many people don't know when or how to ask. In this episode Nurse Jessi walks listeners through clear, practical steps for recognizing when a second opinion is appropriate, how to request one from your care team, scripts to use with clinics and insurers, what medical records and questions to bring, and how to compare differing expert opinions without getting overwhelmed. With real-world examples and an emphasis on respectful, effective patient advocacy, you'll finish the episode knowing exactly how to pursue a second opinion and make a confident, informed choice. The episode closes with at least three concrete takeaways you can use immediately.

    How to Ask for a Second Opinion: A Nurse's Guide to Safer Decisions

  4. 2d ago

    When Your Prescription Changes: A Nurse's Guide to Safe Medication Transitions

    Medication changes are one of the most confusing moments patients face: new names, different doses, unfamiliar side effects, and questions about how this fits with the rest of your care. In this episode Nurse Jessi breaks down medication transitions into a clear, usable plan you can follow the moment a prescription changes. You’ll learn why clinicians change medicines, how to decode a prescription label, which side effects are common versus urgent, how to spot interactions with OTCs and supplements, and exact scripts to use when talking to your prescriber or pharmacist. The episode ends with a concise, nurse-approved checklist to use at home and three practical takeaways that make the transition safer and less scary. This one-voice, actionable episode is designed for patients and family caregivers who want confidence and clarity when meds change.

    When Your Prescription Changes: A Nurse's Guide to Safe Medication Transitions

  5. 3d ago

    ER, Urgent Care, or Wait? A Nurse's Decision Flow for When to Seek In-Person Care

    Deciding where to seek care when someone is sick or injured is confusing and stressful. In this episode Nurse Jessi breaks down a simple, clinically informed decision flow you can use the next time you face that choice. You’ll hear how clinicians think about triage, a clear list of red flags that require emergency care, realistic examples of conditions suited to urgent care versus primary care, and concrete phone scripts for calling 911, your clinic triage line, or an urgent care. I’ll also cover practical logistics—what to bring, cost considerations, and how to document the visit—so you get faster, safer care. This episode is focused on actionable guidance you can use immediately, and it closes with at least three takeaways that summarize the safest next steps for common situations.

    ER, Urgent Care, or Wait? A Nurse's Decision Flow for When to Seek In-Person Care

  6. 4d ago

    Spot the Signal: A Nurse's Checklist for Evaluating Health Advice Online

    Information overload makes it hard to tell helpful health advice from harmful noise. In this monologue Nurse Jessi walks listeners through a concise, practical checklist used in clinical practice to evaluate articles, social posts, videos, and forwarded messages. You’ll learn simple credibility signals (who wrote it, funding and conflicts), how to spot weak evidence versus meaningful studies, quick ways to verify claims using trustworthy resources, and exact phrases to use when you bring a questionable claim to your provider. Two short real-world examples demonstrate the checklist in action so you can apply it immediately. The episode closes with at least three clear takeaways you can use today and a short script for having fact-based conversations with clinicians and family. This episode is for anyone tired of internet myths and looking for a reliable, repeatable method to protect their health decisions.

    Spot the Signal: A Nurse's Checklist for Evaluating Health Advice Online

  7. 5d ago

    Understanding Clinical Trials: A Patient's Guide to Participation, Safety, and Rights

    Clinical trials can feel like a different language—phases, placebos, informed consent, eligibility—and it's hard to know whether participating is safe or right for you. In this episode Nurse Jessi walks listeners through what clinical trials actually are, how phases work, who qualifies, and what protections are in place to keep participants safe. You'll learn practical steps to evaluate a trial's risks and benefits, simple questions to ask researchers and your clinician, how to read a consent form without being overwhelmed, and when participation may be a sensible option versus when to wait. This monologue is built for patients and family members who want clear, actionable information—no jargon, just a clinician's perspective from the front lines. By the end you'll have at least three concrete takeaways and a checklist you can use the next time you find a trial that might fit you or a loved one.

    Understanding Clinical Trials: A Patient's Guide to Participation, Safety, and Rights

  8. 6d ago

    How to Read Your Lab Results: A Nurse's Guide to Understanding Blood Work

    You get an email: your lab results are ready — and the numbers look like a foreign language. In this episode Nurse Jessi walks listeners step-by-step through how to read common blood tests so results stop feeling mysterious and start helping your care. She explains what reference ranges mean and why they vary, breaks down common panels (CBC, basic metabolic panel, liver tests, lipids, A1C, thyroid, inflammatory markers), and highlights simple patterns that suggest urgent concern versus routine follow-up. Expect concrete, usable scripts for calling your clinic, tips for organizing and tracking results over time, and clear warnings about the pitfalls of internet self-interpretation. This episode arms patients and families with the questions to ask and the context to partner with clinicians confidently — turning raw numbers into safer, clearer healthcare decisions.

    How to Read Your Lab Results: A Nurse's Guide to Understanding Blood Work
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About

Have questions about healthcare that no one seems to answer clearly? FAQ By Nurse Jessi is a podcast where a real nurse practitioner breaks down the questions patients and families ask every day. Hosted by Jessica Tonia, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, the show explores topics like vaccines, infectious diseases, patient advocacy, medical malpractice, and how the healthcare system really works. With honest conversations and easy-to-understand explanations, Nurse Jessi helps listeners separate medical facts from internet myths. If you want trustworthy healthcare information from someone working on the front lines of medicine, this podcast is for you.

Information

  • Creator
    Jessica Tonia, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, FNE-CSA
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    109
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    FAQ By Nurse Jessi Podcast