ACNL in Action: Lessons in Nursing Leadership

The Association of California Nurse Leaders
  • 4.8 (8)
  • Management
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ACNL in Action is the podcast for anyone who wants to learn more about nursing, leadership, and everything in between. Host Charlene Platon talks to healthcare leaders from the bedside to the boardroom, in service and academia, to get their perspective on issues facing nurses. Visit https://www.acnl.org to learn more.

  1. 1d ago

    Leah Gehri – Chief Nursing Officer, Providence Queen of the Valley Medical Center | Leading People, Not Just Managing Care

    Great nursing leadership isn't about having authority. It's about earning trust, empowering caregivers, and creating an environment where exceptional patient care can happen. In this episode of ACNL in Action, host Charlene Platon sits down with Leah Gehri, DNP, MHA, MN, RN, NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer at Providence Queen of the Valley Medical Center, to explore what it truly means to lead with compassion, courage, and purpose. With more than 35 years of nursing and executive leadership experience, Leah shares the lessons that shaped her journey from the emergency department to the executive level. She explains why trust must be earned, why supporting nurses should be a leader's first priority, and how small operational improvements can make a lasting difference in both caregiver well-being and patient outcomes. Through powerful personal stories, including a difficult decision during the COVID-19 pandemic, Leah reveals how empathy and human connection can guide leaders through situations where there are no easy answers. In this conversation, you'll discover: Why leadership is about influence, not titles or authority. How transparency and honest communication build trust. Why caring for nursing staff is essential to delivering exceptional patient care. How empowering frontline nurses leads to meaningful innovation and operational improvements. The importance of breaking down departmental silos and building shared accountability. How mentorship, military experience, and everyday lessons shape effective leadership. Why the next generation of nurses, technology, and AI offer hope for healthcare's future. Leah also shares practical advice for aspiring nurse leaders: become the kind of leader you would want to follow. Whether you're an experienced nursing executive, an emerging leader, or a healthcare professional passionate about improving the workplace, this conversation offers valuable insights into building stronger teams, leading meaningful change, and keeping compassion at the center of healthcare. ACNL in Action is presented by the Association of California Nurse Leaders, with new episodes every month. Learn more at https://www.acnl.org and connect with ACNL on LinkedIn and Facebook at ACNLNurse.

  2. Oct 27

    Leading Beyond Titles: Building Nursing Excellence | Dr. Rhonda Foster-Smith

    Great nursing leadership isn't defined by a title. It's built through curiosity, courage, connection, and a commitment to excellence. In this episode of ACNL in Action, host Charlene Platon sits down with Dr. Rhonda Foster-Smith, President of The Foster Smith Group, to explore what it truly takes to lead meaningful change in healthcare. Drawing from decades of experience as a nurse executive, leadership coach, and consultant, Dr. Foster-Smith shares the early lessons that shaped her leadership philosophy, the importance of maintaining high standards, and why today's nurse leaders need more than good intentions to create lasting change. Together, they discuss the challenges of leading increasingly complex healthcare teams, the role of curiosity in driving innovation, and why organizational alignment must translate into shared understanding and consistent practice. Dr. Foster-Smith also offers valuable insights into building a sustainable culture of nursing excellence beyond Magnet recognition, empowering nurses through professional governance, and developing the confidence and relationships needed to succeed in leadership. In this episode, you'll learn: How early mentors shape strong nursing leadership.Why curiosity is essential to leading organizational change.The difference between alignment and true agreement.How to build a lasting culture of nursing excellence beyond Magnet designation.Why feedback, professional governance, and collaboration matter.How mentorship, executive coaching, and trusted relationships help emerging nurse leaders grow.Whether you're an experienced nurse executive or preparing for your first leadership role, this conversation offers practical lessons on leading with purpose, investing in your growth, and creating environments where nurses and patients can thrive. Because great leadership isn't just about managing change. It's about creating a culture where excellence becomes the standard. ACNL in Action is brought to you by the Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL).

  3. May 1

    How to Build a Culture Nurses Don't Want to Leave

    Nurse turnover is one of the most persistent challenges in healthcare leadership, and one of the clearest signals an organization sends about its culture. So how do you build a culture nurses don't want to leave? In this episode, Charlene talks with Cheryl Reinking, Chief Nursing Officer at El Camino Health, which recently earned its fifth Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, placing it among fewer than 2% of hospitals nationwide. Cheryl has spent nearly four decades at El Camino, and she walks through what 20 years of sustained Magnet excellence actually looks like at the manager and frontline level, including how the organization brought its post-COVID turnover rate from a peak of 12.7% back below 5%. We also get into the business case: how Cheryl uses her hospital foundation to fund retention pilots, what she puts in an ROI plan, and what kinds of recognition actually move the needle versus the kinds that don't. What's covered: (00:58) What it takes to sustain Magnet designation over 20 years (02:59) What Magnet looks like in practice at the manager and frontline level (07:30) A nurse manager's typical Tuesday morning at El Camino (09:25) Software platforms and the role of a dedicated nurse retention specialist (14:00) How El Camino brought turnover back below 5% after the pandemic (17:15) Building the business case for retention investments (21:18) Recognition that moves the needle vs. recognition that doesn't (23:30) What Cheryl wishes she'd known earlier about retention Host: Charlene Platon, MS, RN, FNP-BC (@charleneplaton) Guest: Cheryl Reinking, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, DipACLM — Chief Nursing Officer, El Camino Health https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylreinking/ About the show: ACNL in Action is a production of the Association of California Nurse Leaders, the professional organization for nurse leaders. New episodes come out on the first Friday of every month. Want to support ACNL? Consider making a donation: https://www.acnl.org/circleofgiving. Learn more about ACNL, including how to become a member, at acnl.org. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at @acnlnurse.

  4. Apr 3

    APRNs Are Ready to Fill the Gaps. Are Health Systems Ready for Them?

    Advanced practice nurses are trained to fill critical gaps in care, from rural surgery to behavioral health to primary care. But many health systems don't fully understand what APRNs can do, where they can practice, or how to support them effectively. In this episode, Charlene talks with Surani Hayre-Kwan, Sheree Scott, and Elizabeth Pulatie, three advanced practice nurses from across different specialties. They talk about what APRNs actually do, the barriers limiting their practice, what's in the legislative pipeline, and what nurse leaders can do right now to better support their APRN colleagues. Host: Charlene Platon, MS, RN, FNP-BC (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@charleneplaton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) Guests: Surani Hayre-Kwan, DNP, MBA, FNP-BC, FACHE, FAANP Sheree Scott, PhD, RN, AGCNS-BC, CMSRN Elizabeth Pulatie, DHA, MSN, BSN, CRNA About the show: ACNL in Action is a production of the Association of California Nurse Leaders, the professional organization for nurse leaders. New episodes come out on the first Friday of every month. Want to support ACNL? Consider making a donation: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.acnl.org/circleofgiving⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about ACNL, including how to become a member, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠acnl.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at @acnlnurse.

  5. Mar 6

    AI Won’t Replace Nurses, But It Will Change Their Work w/Nerissa Ambers & Carlene Lugtu

    Artificial intelligence is already changing nursing workflows, but many healthcare systems are making decisions without nursing leadership at the table. In this episode, Charlene talks with Nerissa Ambers and Carlene Lugtu, Director and Manager, respectively, of the Health Informatics Transformation Team at Stanford Medicine. They talk about why nursing leadership matters in the AI space and how nurses can help shape technology that supports patient care. Host: Charlene Platon, MS, RN, FNP-BC (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@charleneplaton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) Guests: Nerissa Ambers (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nerissa-ambers-0510486/) Carlene Lugtu MCiM, RN (https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlene-lugtu/) About the show: ACNL in Action is a production of the Association of California Nurse Leaders, the professional organization for nurse leaders. New episodes come out on the first Friday of every month. Want to support ACNL? Consider making a donation: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.acnl.org/circleofgiving⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about ACNL, including how to become a member, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠acnl.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at @acnlnurse.

  6. Feb 6

    LGBTQ+ Health Equity 101 w/Shannon Whittington

    Charlene talks with Dr. Shannon Whittington, a nurse consultant and LGBTQ+ expert who helps educate healthcare organizations to better understand their patients and employees. They discuss some of the invisible barriers to healthcare that LGBTQ+ folks face, how lack of LGBTQ+ competence on the part of healthcare workers can affect patient trust, disclosure, and ultimately health outcomes, and what nurse leaders can do to create healthy environments for LGBTQ+ patients and staff. Host: Charlene Platon, MS, RN, FNP-BC (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@charleneplaton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) Guest: Dr. Shannon Whittington, DNP, MSN, RN, CCM (https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonwhittington/) About the show: ACNL in Action is a production of the Association of California Nurse Leaders, the professional organization for nurse leaders. New episodes come out on the first Friday of every month. Want to support ACNL? Consider making a donation: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.acnl.org/circleofgiving⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about ACNL, including how to become a member, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠acnl.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at @acnlnurse.

  7. 12/30/2025

    The Biggest Healthcare Legislation in 2025 w/Surani Hayre-Kwan & Alice Martanegara

    Charlene talks with Drs. Surani Hayre-Kwan and Alice Martanegara, members of ACNL's Health Policy Committee. They've been following all the most important healthcare legislation this year, both at the state level in California as well as nationally, and to give an update on what's been happening and what to keep an eye on in 2026. Host: Charlene Platon, MS, RN, FNP-BC (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@charleneplaton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) Guests: Surani Hayre-Kwan, DNP, MBA, FNP-BC, FAANP, FACHE (https://www.suranihayrekwan.com/) Alice Martanegara, DNP, RN (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-martanegara-3b586216/) About the show: ACNL in Action is a production of the Association of California Nurse Leaders, the professional organization for nurse leaders. New episodes come out on the first Friday of every month. Want to support ACNL? Consider making a donation: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.acnl.org/circleofgiving⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about ACNL, including how to become a member, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠acnl.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at @acnlnurse.

  8. 11/07/2025

    Gun Safety in Healthcare w/Jessica Cheverie & Mark Reed

    Charlene talks with Jessica Cheverie, MSN, RN, and Mark Reed, MBA, CHPA. Jessica is Director of Clinical Services at TRL Systems, a leading fire and life safety and security systems integrator in Southern California. Mark is Executive Director of Campus Support Operations at City of Hope, responsible for the planning, direction, and coordination of support activities, including security, all throughout the hospital campus. Mark was previously the Senior Manager of Enterprise Security Operations at City of Hope. Jessica and Mark are both uniquely knowledgeable about hospital security operations, making them the perfect people to talk to about the different facets of gun safety in healthcare settings. Host: Charlene Platon, MS, RN, FNP-BC (⁠⁠⁠⁠@charleneplaton⁠⁠⁠⁠) Guests: Jessica Cheverie, MSN, RN (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicacheverie/) Mark Reed, MBA, CHPA (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-t-reed/) About the show: ACNL in Action is a production of the Association of California Nurse Leaders, the professional organization for nurse leaders. New episodes come out on the first Friday of every month. Want to support ACNL? Consider making a donation: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.acnl.org/circleofgiving⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about ACNL, including how to become a member, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠acnl.org⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at @acnlnurse.

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4.8
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

ACNL in Action is the podcast for anyone who wants to learn more about nursing, leadership, and everything in between. Host Charlene Platon talks to healthcare leaders from the bedside to the boardroom, in service and academia, to get their perspective on issues facing nurses. Visit https://www.acnl.org to learn more.

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