Wakanda's Wrld

Wakanda RN

This channel is primarily informative within the weird and wonderful world of healthcare. I discuss how to improve the wide world of healthcare along with up to date information. I love to have different guest from different walks of life within healthcare. For podcast guest inquires reach me at shanklindj@yahoo.com 

  1. JAN 10

    No, We’re Not Here To Chase Baddies

    Send us a text A joke about “grown male nurses” lit the fuse—and we decided to take it all the way. We start by dismantling the tired myths around male nurses and talk honestly about why many of us chose this career: purpose, skill, and the privilege of helping people face to face. From there, we dig into the economics shaping the bedside today, including why Kansas spent $61 million on travel nurses at state psychiatric hospitals and why permanent roles still struggle to compete on pay and flexibility. We open the books on what really keeps nurses moving: better hourly rates, schedule control, and the option to leave toxic cultures behind. That leads us into burnout—short staffing, workplace violence, and management failures—and the practical fixes that actually work, from safer ratios and predictable assignments to debt relief and real break protection. A recent settlement over unpaid meal breaks shows how auto-deductions and off-the-clock work erode trust and violate wage law. We share clear steps employers should take, plus the self-advocacy every clinician needs to protect time, pay, and safety. The conversation shifts to maternal health with a heartfelt tribute to Dr. Janelle Green Smith, a respected midwife and DNP who died after childbirth. Her life’s work—safer pregnancies, better postpartum care, and evidence-based practice—frames a candid look at preventable complications and persistent racial disparities. We talk early warning signs, standardized protocols for hypertension and hemorrhage, telehealth check-ins, and building systems that listen to patients without bias. Through it all runs a simple theme: respect the people who deliver care, and outcomes improve for everyone. If this resonated, tap follow, share it with a friend in healthcare, and leave a review telling us what topic you want us to tackle next. Your feedback shapes the next conversation. Support the show https://linktr.ee/WakandaRN

    26 min
  2. 12/29/2025

    A Nursing School Hired An Unlicensed Instructor, Pay Is Shifting To Leaders, And Cannabis Is Reclassified For Research

    Send us a text A nursing program let an unlicensed instructor teach fundamentals and lead clinicals for nearly a year—and the fallout exposes a deeper question: who is minding the gate in healthcare education? We break down what went wrong, why oversight failed, and how students and nurses can protect themselves with simple checks that keep patients safe and careers intact. From there, we follow the money. A 2025 compensation report shows leadership roles scoring the biggest gains, with solid movement in critical care, anesthesia, oncology, and emergency nursing. We compare hourly rates across regions, weigh cost of living, and look at turnover trends that suggest a slightly steadier labor market for RNs even as LPN turnover rises. If you’re deciding between the specialty track or the leadership ladder, we map the signals to help you make informed moves. Policy shifts add another layer. With cannabis moving to Schedule III and major nursing associations voicing support for research, we outline what this means at the bedside: documentation standards, dosing guidelines, risk communication, and interprofessional workflows that balance access with safety. Finally, we examine a high-stakes lawsuit over federal pediatric grants that fund newborn screenings, SUID reduction, FASD prevention, and rural training—programs that quietly safeguard child health every day. It’s a full-spectrum look at trust, pay, policy, and public health. Listen for practical steps: how to verify credentials, track pay trends that matter, prepare for cannabis-related practice changes, and advocate for programs that keep families safe. If this resonated, subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a quick review—what topic should we tackle next? Support the show https://linktr.ee/WakandaRN

    24 min
  3. 12/20/2025

    What Happens When You Work While On Sick Leave, Cheer New Grads, Debate Youth Gender Care, And Ask Why Educators Earn Less

    Send us a text A nurse collects sick leave pay from one employer while working shifts at another and ends up sentenced, repaying funds, and suspended from practice. We open with that case not to sensationalize it, but to draw a clean line on ethics, policy, and why the short-term gains never outweigh the long-term damage to your license and your livelihood. From there we shift into something brighter: a big salute to new grads gearing up for the NCLEX and the first year on the floor. We talk about choosing units that want you as much as you want them, why a great preceptor is worth gold, and how to handle that swirl of early questions—scope, documentation, provider calls, and team dynamics. If your dream specialty says no today, we map the “nearby path” that gets you there in a year, with less stress and more skill. We also wade into one of the most charged policy fights of the moment: proposed federal moves affecting gender-affirming care for minors and the knock-on effects for hospitals participating in Medicare and Medicaid. You’ll hear a clear personal stance on minors, plus how bedside teams can stay patient-centered, law-abiding, and cohesive when values collide. No shouting, just straight talk about consent, standards, and protecting vulnerable patients while supporting staff through moral distress. Finally, we hit the workforce choke point almost no one wants to fund: nurse educators. The numbers are blunt—faculty earn far less than bedside and management, programs turn away qualified applicants, and shortages deepen. We connect the dots on why pay parity, funded clinical faculty lines, and real preceptor support aren’t luxuries; they’re the only way to expand capacity and stabilize staffing. If you care about safer ratios and better care, you care about who teaches the next class. If this conversation hits home, tap follow, share with a colleague, and drop your take in the comments—what change would make the biggest difference where you work? Support the show https://linktr.ee/WakandaRN

    22 min
  4. 11/16/2025

    Why Cutting Nursing From “Professional Degrees” Risks Patient Care

    Send us a text Headlines say “policy change,” but the real story is what happens at the bedside when nursing is cut out of “professional degree” status. We dig into how limiting loan access for graduate nursing threatens the workforce pipeline, from advanced practice roles in rural clinics to educators who train the next generation. When funding disappears, access shrinks, burnout accelerates, and patients wait longer for the care they deserve. From there, we turn to a gut-punch: a laboring mother delayed at triage. Minutes matter in labor and delivery, and slow intake mixed with dismissive listening puts families at risk. We talk candidly about maternal health disparities faced by Black women—higher mortality, undertreated postpartum depression, and the harm of not being believed. The fix starts with fast-track triage, standardized escalation, bias-aware practice, and strong aftercare that screens and supports beyond discharge. We also tackle a perennial debate: should nurses wake sleeping patients for pain meds? The answer lives in nursing judgment. Staying ahead of pain often shortens recovery and length of stay, but sedation risk is real. We share a practical framework for safe dosing, clear protocols, and the difference between sleep and concerning lethargy. Finally, we call out a policy that requires three CNAs for a Hoyer lift—safer on paper, unworkable on short-staffed floors. Real safety means staffing that matches policy, reliable equipment, and a culture that protects backs and careers. If you care about stronger staffing, safer births, and humane pain control, you’re in the right place. Listen, share with a colleague who needs this conversation, and drop your stories or solutions in the comments. Subscribe and leave a review to help more clinicians find the show. Support the show https://linktr.ee/WakandaRN

    19 min
  5. 11/08/2025

    Why I Won’t Be A DON And What Patients Teach Me About Care

    Send us a text A nurse filming herself while eating in a patient’s room sparked a bigger conversation than a single clip could hold. We dig into the ethics and optics of eating at the bedside—how small choices shape trust, how infection control and dignity intersect, and why the “do what you must” survival mindset can still cross a line. It’s not about shaming staff who are stretched thin; it’s about naming the tension and protecting patients while we protect ourselves. From there we zoom out to leadership and ask a question many nurses quietly consider: is becoming a Director of Nursing worth it? I share what I’ve seen across long-term care facilities—the constant calls, the responsibility that never clocks out, and the pressure of state surveys—and why a bigger paycheck can cost a life you actually want to live. We talk candidly about who thrives in that seat, who shouldn’t take it, and alternative paths to strong income and impact without 24/7 duty. Trust shows up again in the creator economy. When nurse-led brands fail to deliver products or repackage cheap goods at high markups, the damage is more than financial. It erodes faith in a community built on credibility. We walk through simple buyer protections and creator best practices so the side hustles we build reflect the values we bring to the bedside. In the ER, pain management gets real. We unpack fentanyl fear fueled by headlines and explain how hospital dosing, pharmacist oversight, and protocols differ from street use. At the same time, we address drug-seeking behavior and how specific requests can raise flags. The throughline is communication: educate with clarity, offer appropriate options, and hold boundaries with empathy. To ground it all, I share two patient moments that kept my purpose steady—a heart failure veteran who lit up talking Air Force life, and a patient with end-stage COPD who found joy in baseball highlights. Those conversations reminded me why I started and how a single connection can change a hard day. If this resonates, subscribe, share with a nurse who needs a lift, and leave a review with your own moment that kept you going. Your story might be the spark someone needs. Support the show https://linktr.ee/WakandaRN

    22 min

About

This channel is primarily informative within the weird and wonderful world of healthcare. I discuss how to improve the wide world of healthcare along with up to date information. I love to have different guest from different walks of life within healthcare. For podcast guest inquires reach me at shanklindj@yahoo.com