Let's Get Ethical ™

Michael Sheahan and Robert Fishwick
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Medicine
  • Updated Biweekly

The podcast for respiratory therapists and the future of the RT profession. Hosts Mike Sheahan and Rob Fishwick — bioethics experts and lifelong RTs — break down the real ethical, professional, and licensure battles shaping respiratory care today. Honest conversations, live conference episodes, and the field's leading voices, from APRT pioneers to state board directors. Whether you're a student, a 20-year bedside vet, or a leader fighting for the profession, pull up a chair. New episodes every two weeks. Join the conversation. Let's Get Ethical!

  1. 1d ago

    Leadership Ethics: Integrity, Accountability & Just Culture | Melissa Walsh, RT Director

    Great leaders aren't born knowing how to handle a team that turns on them — they learn it in the trenches. This week, Rob and Mike sit down with Meliza Walsh, Director of Respiratory Care at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center, co-host of Sis, Let's Talk Leadership, and a rising voice in respiratory therapy leadership.Meliza opens up about the core values that anchor her (integrity, faith, and family), the year of leadership so brutal she cried the whole drive home, and the "leadership buddy" advice that changed everything. The conversation goes deep on accountability without cruelty, why she refuses to correct staff who mistake her for a new grad, and how "just culture" really works when you're troubleshooting a failing device at 3 AM.Then things get real: Mike shares actual social-media posts from RTs bragging about skipping treatments, faking respiratory rates, and charting therapy they never did — and Meliza explains how a leader should respond when the person misrepresenting the profession is on your own team.Honest, funny, and full of hard-won wisdom on what ethical leadership actually looks like in respiratory care.Join the conversation. Let's get ethical.

  2. Jun 30

    Mayo Clinic's Overnight RT Cuts, Revisited: Who's There at 3 AM? | Jill Wolber, RRT

    Mayo Clinic is replacing overnight respiratory therapists with telehealth in its critical access hospitals — so Rob and Mike revisit the decision with someone who's lived it. Jill Wolber, an RT with nearly 30 years in critical care and a year as the lone night RT at a rural critical access hospital, takes the conversation into the trenches: running from ER codes to deliveries, managing near-sentinel events, and feeling like her license was on the line every shift. Having done telehealth herself, she explains why Mayo's "quality of care" framing crosses a line — and the critical difference between telehealth as a backup versus a replacement. A candid look at staffing, ethics, and what rural communities stand to lose. Plus: a birthday shout-out to the U.S. Navy Hospital Corps. New here? Start with our first conversation on the Mayo decision: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3IfjcHYfTodvjtPXV9Eqrv?si=PQImJiX7SeCTLByrxPE6_g Join the conversation. Let's get ethical.

  3. Jun 16

    Live from CSRC 2026: Good Friends, Great Stories

    Recorded live at the California Society for Respiratory Care conference, We are joined by crew from RT Sidebar for a special crossover edition with the Let's Get Ethical crew. And if that wasn't enough, a familiar face makes his long-awaited return — the one and only JB is back in the house. The crew gets candid about how podcasting has transformed respiratory therapy education, reaching listeners across 14+ countries and platforms like Spotify, YouTube, iHeart, and Amazon Music. They share their funniest, most cringe-worthy podcast memories — from garage recordings about meat marinades to one unforgettable bedside moment involving a bassinet and a very awkward congratulations. Plus, hear how this unlikely group of friends found each other through webinars, word of mouth, and a little bit of fate. It's laughs, love, and a whole lot of respiratory therapy energy — straight from sunny California.

  4. Jun 9

    Episode 12 - If Another Pandemic Hits, Will You Be There?

    Is the next pandemic already here, or is it just social media noise? In this episode of Let's Get Ethical, Rob and Mike welcome back Mindy Conklin to discuss the ethical implications of healthcare professionals venting on social media while in uniform. We break down the reality of the Hantavirus "scare," address the toxic culture of negativity facing students and new grads, and discuss what it truly means to uphold the oath in a post-COVID world. If you are feeling burned out, or if you're tired of the bedside "venting" culture, this conversation is for you.

  5. Jun 2

    Special Episode LIVE From the MSRC: Planting Seeds: Legacy, Mentorship, and the Duty to Give Back

    Recorded live at the Missouri Society Respiratory Care Conference with RT Sidebar, this episode features respiratory therapist, educator, and provost Dr. Aaron Light. He opens up about failing algebra twice, landing on academic probation, and ultimately graduating as class valedictorian. But the real heart of this conversation is legacy. Dr. Light reflects on what it means to train students who go on to care for thousands of patients, help champion compact licensure across 11 states, and build a "coaching tree" of educators who are now shaping the next generation themselves. He also makes a passionate case for why senior therapists have an absolute obligation to mentor those coming up behind them. A must-listen for anyone who wants to make a bigger impact than just the patients in front of them.

  6. May 30

    SPECIAL EPISODE: The Mayo Clinic Decision: Precedent, Policy, and the Path Forward

    In this special, collaborative episode of Let's Get Ethical , Mike and Rob are joined by the team from RT Sidebar—Matt, JJ, and Mindy—to tackle a pressing and controversial issue in the healthcare industry: the recent announcement by the Mayo Clinic to eliminate overnight respiratory therapist (RT) coverage at three of its smaller facilities. Coming together to unpack the complex, emotional, and systemic implications of this decision, the panel discusses the reality of the evolving healthcare landscape, the potential for a "trickle-down" effect on other hospital systems, and the urgent need for the profession to define its own value.

  7. May 26

    Episode 11 - Do Ethics Courses Actually Work?

    In this podcast episode of Let's Get Ethical, hosts Rob and Mike interview Dr. William Croft, the Executive Director of the North Carolina Respiratory Care Board, to discuss the intersection of professional ethics and licensing. Dr. Croft details his multifaceted role, which includes overseeing background checks, lobbying for legislation, and conducting investigations into practitioner misconduct. The conversation focuses on the central question of whether mandatory ethics courses actually improve professional behavior, with the participants suggesting that case studies and active engagement are more effective than passive lectures. They examine common ethical breaches, such as pre-charting and falsifying records, attributing these actions to poor time management, insecurity, or a "monkey see, monkey do" culture. Ultimately, the source emphasizes that maintaining integrity and a patient-first mentality are essential for navigating the complex legal and moral challenges of the respiratory care profession.

  8. May 12

    Episode 10 - Mindy Conklin "The Taylor Swift of Respiratory Therapy"

    In this live episode recorded at the California Society for Respiratory Care (CSRC) 2026 conference in Temecula, hosts Rob and Mike sit down with a trailblazing guest — Mindy Conklin! One of the first seven Advanced Practice Respiratory Therapists (APRTs) in the country. Mindy shares her remarkable journey from a non-traditional student at 31 who stumbled into respiratory therapy, to becoming a pioneer in an entirely new clinical profession. She opens up about the moment a chance encounter sparked a vision that would reshape her entire career — and eventually lead her to pack up her life and move to Baltimore for the very first APRT job posting. The conversation dives into what APRTs actually are — think nurse practitioners or physician assistants, but exclusively in the cardiopulmonary space — and why the profession is poised to transform how patients with COPD, asthma, and critical illness receive care. Mindy also discusses the very real challenges of building a new profession from scratch: skepticism from colleagues, lack of legislation, and the long road to CMS reimbursement. Beyond the professional, listeners get a glimpse of the person behind the pioneer — a proud Swifty, Peloton enthusiast, new grandmother, and self-described loud singer whose husband has reluctantly become a Taylor Swift fan. A must-listen for anyone in respiratory care who wants to understand where the profession is headed and how to get involved.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The podcast for respiratory therapists and the future of the RT profession. Hosts Mike Sheahan and Rob Fishwick — bioethics experts and lifelong RTs — break down the real ethical, professional, and licensure battles shaping respiratory care today. Honest conversations, live conference episodes, and the field's leading voices, from APRT pioneers to state board directors. Whether you're a student, a 20-year bedside vet, or a leader fighting for the profession, pull up a chair. New episodes every two weeks. Join the conversation. Let's Get Ethical!

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Sheahan and Robert Fishwick
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Michael Sheahan and Robert Fishwick
  • Show Website
    Let's Get Ethical ™

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