Designing Care On-Air

Elizabeth Johnson, PhD
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Health & Fitness

Designing Care On-Air invites listeners to deconstruct the healthcare environments that influence our quest for wellness. Architects, engineers, interior designers, and providers share their powerful insights and perspectives on how healthcare facilities and the systems they held within affect our daily lives. Deepen your curiosity about the framework of our systems of healthcare with host Elizabeth Johnson, an Assistant Professor at the Montana State University Mark & Robyn Jones College of Nursing. 

  1. Jun 4 ·  Bonus

    NOVA: Making Space for Innovation through Academic and Healthcare System Partnerships

    Ready for your creativity to take flight? This initial overview of design thinking will propel you to take the lead on the big ideas that will move healthcare forward.

    35 min

  2. May 18

    When Research Becomes Care: Clinical Research Nursing in a Changing Trial Landscape

    Clinical research depends on more than protocols. It depends on people, places, communication pathways, and the systems that support participant safety and trial integrity. In this episode, Dr. Gordon Hill joins Designing Care On-Air to discuss the evolving role of clinical research nursing and midwifery, the importance of professional visibility, and the clinical voices that help design safer, more connected research environments around the globe.

    30 min

  3. May 4

    Permission to Daydream: Reflections from Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Survivors

    In this episode of Designing Care On-Air, we’re joined by Alex and Bri, both two-time cancer survivors, as they reflect on what it felt like to navigate cancer at an age when they were often told, “You’re too young to be here.” Together, we explore the unique needs of AYA cancer patients, the search for community and belonging, and the ways healthcare environments can either deepen isolation or help hold hope. This is a conversation about survivorship, design, and the radical importance of giving young people facing cancer permission to still imagine a life ahead.

    42 min

  4. Feb 20

    Climate Is Care: A Conversation on Advocating Sustainable Change

    Climate change is no longer a background condition; it is actively shaping patient outcomes, workforce resilience, and the environments where care is delivered. In this episode of Designing Care On-Air, we speak with Grace Kistner about why climate health is a frontline healthcare issue and how nurses are uniquely positioned to lead advocacy and systems change. From translating climate data into clinical realities to influencing policy, design, and organizational decision-making, this conversation centers advocacy as a professional responsibility and a powerful lever for transformation. Whether you work in healthcare, design, or policy, this episode challenges you to move beyond awareness and into action. Protecting and championing good health means advocating for the environments that sustain it.

    26 min

  5. Feb 3

    Designing Forward: Legacy, Risk, and the Stories That Shape Healthcare

    This episode explores legacy mapping, risk-taking, and the lessons we borrow from those who came before us to shape the future of healthcare design. A reflective conversation with changemakers on courage, continuity, and lighting the path forward for the industry.

    1h 21m

  6. 09/25/2025

    Not Us Versus Them: Building a Culture of Care in Mental Health Design | Stephen Parker

    Join architect and mental & behavioral health planner Stephen Parker as we explore trauma-informed design, crisis center planning, and policy that supports mental health across generations. Stephen offers insights on peer support integration, reimbursement strategies, and the cultural influences shaping responsive spaces. Whether you're a planner, provider, or policy advocate, this conversation reveals how thoughtful architecture can create orientation in patient journey, foster community healing, and inspire the next generation of designers.

    31 min

  7. 09/19/2025

    From Open Heart to Open Doors: Building the Next Era of Texas Healthcare | Jessica Gutierrez-Rodriguez

    Two-step into the heart of Texas with Jessica Gutierrez-Rodriguez, Senior Executive Director of Clinical Facilities at University of Texas Health San Antonio, as she shares how her journey as a mother to a child with congenital heart disease shapes her bold vision for healthcare spaces. In this episode of Designing Care On-Air, Jessica opens up about balancing cutting-edge design with deeply human experiences by crafting environments that heal, connect, and transform care for patients and their families.

    42 min

  8. 08/28/2025

    The Art of the Move: Staff-Centric Strategies for Healthcare Construction

    Christina Olivarria and Jhiah Chang unpack the high-pressure work of orchestrating over 100 projects in just 18 months on a busy academic medical center campus. They’ll reveal the pitfalls that nearly derailed progress, how staff-centric strategies turned resistance into collaboration, and the creative space modifications (yes, even furniture hacks) that kept care flowing while construction loomed. If you think enabling projects are just a logistical checkbox, think again. Learn how thoughtful planning, staff-focused strategies, and streamlined communication can turn logistical hurdles into opportunities for innovation.

    37 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Designing Care On-Air invites listeners to deconstruct the healthcare environments that influence our quest for wellness. Architects, engineers, interior designers, and providers share their powerful insights and perspectives on how healthcare facilities and the systems they held within affect our daily lives. Deepen your curiosity about the framework of our systems of healthcare with host Elizabeth Johnson, an Assistant Professor at the Montana State University Mark & Robyn Jones College of Nursing. 

Information

  • Creator
    Elizabeth Johnson, PhD
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Designing Care On-Air
  • Show Website
    Designing Care On-Air