🎙 We’re Taking a Summer Sabbatical (But Here’s What’s Coming)

This is a quick update to let you know what’s happening behind the scenes at Nursing the System and what’s coming your way this fall. After 6 months of showing up every week with new episodes, Taylor and I are taking a short sabbatical to rest, realign, and focus on some exciting projects we’re building for you. In this episode, I’m sharing why we’re pressing pause, what we’ll be working on this summer, and how you can stay connected while we’re on break.

☀️ We’ll be back July 21st with fresh new episodes

📌 The How to Be a Systems Thinker workshop returns in August

🧠 Changemaker Essentials Fall Cohort kicks off in September

📣 Nurse Leader HQ second cohort begins in December

(If you’re interested in NLHQ and haven’t taken CME, now’s your time!)

• 🎧 Catch up on past episodes from the archive
• 📥 Join the System Sunday email list for weekly summer lessons
• 🔐 Sign up for The Changemaker Case Files private podcast
• 🎓 Take Map Your Impact to discover your next best move
• 💬 Follow me on Instagram @nursing.the.system for summer updates

In this episode, I’m walking you through a pattern I’ve seen over and over again—not just in healthcare, but across all kinds of systems: the cycle of disempowerment. It’s what happens when we bring up ideas or try to push for change, and we keep hearing “no” until we eventually stop speaking up. I’ll break down why this cycle happens, how to recognize it, and what you can do to break out of it—both for yourself and the people around you.

• What the cycle of disempowerment looks like in action (and why it's so common in healthcare)
• The 5-stage framework that explains why we stop bringing ideas forward
• How our own protective responses unintentionally reinforce stagnant systems
• What to say to coworkers and leaders when you notice this pattern
• A practical, compassionate strategy to reclaim your voice—without burning out

• Repeatedly being told “no” changes our behavior—even when we care deeply.
• Emotional withdrawal is protective, but it also keeps our systems stuck.
• Sometimes the cycle isn’t a leadership issue—it’s a culture issue.
• Speaking up again requires both courage and strategy—and it's okay to start small.

If you’ve been feeling disengaged at work—or watching your team shut down—this episode might name something you’ve struggled to articulate. Listen with curiosity and self-compassion. You’re not broken. But there is a way forward.

• Ask yourself: “Where have I stopped trying—and why?”
• Share this episode with a colleague and start a real conversation about what’s keeping you stuck
• Use the scripts I share to name the pattern (with your team or your boss)
• Reframe “no” as data—not a reflection of your value
• Decide: is it time to shift your strategy… or shift your environment?

• Share this episode with a coworker and talk about where you’ve both felt shut down
• DM me on Instagram @nursing.the.system if you want help navigating this
• Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss future mindset + leadership tools
• Leave a review if this helped you—it really does help the show reach more nurse leaders

🎙 Episode Overview

Hey there, changemakers! In this episode, I’m diving into a career path that doesn’t get talked about enough for nurse leaders—working at a scale-up. If you’re feeling stuck in a bureaucratic system or frustrated by the slow pace of change in healthcare, this episode will give you a fresh perspective.

I’ll share insights from my own journey into the scale-up world, how these companies differ from startups and corporations, and why nurses who thrive on innovation can make a huge impact here.

• What a scale-up actually is and how it fits between a startup and a corporation
• Why nurses are uniquely equipped to thrive in a scale-up environment
• The types of work you’ll do—from building systems to cross-functional collaboration
• How to know if a scale-up is right for you based on your personality and work style
• My personal experience transitioning from hospital leadership to a health tech scale-up

• Scale-ups thrive on innovation—if you’re tired of hearing “That’s how we’ve always done it,” this might be the space for you
• You’ll see the impact of your work right away—no 18-month pilots or 12-person committees
• Professional development is a priority—leadership growth happens now, not five years from now
• You’re building the scaffolding for future growth—not just brainstorming ideas but making real, scalable systems
• Cross-functional influence is key—you’ll work with diverse teams like marketing, engineering, and product design

Think about your current work environment. Are you feeling stifled by red tape? Do your ideas often feel ahead of your team’s pace? Are you craving a faster, more flexible environment where you can test new ideas? This episode is all about finding the right context to match your energy and innovation mindset.

1. Self-Reflect: Ask yourself if you enjoy fast-paced environments and building something from the ground up.
2. Research Scale-Ups: Look into local and remote opportunities that align with your skills.
3. Reach Out: Connect with nurse leaders working in scale-ups to hear firsthand what it’s like.
4. Explore Professional Development: Seek out companies that actively invest in leadership and innovation training.
5. Take the Leap: If a scale-up sounds like your jam, don’t be afraid to make a bold career move.

💡 Got questions about working at a scale-up or navigating your own career path?

I’d love to hear from you! Fill out the Google form linked in the show notes to share your thoughts or ask questions. Your input helps shape future episodes!

• DM me on Instagram at @nursing.the.system with your thoughts on today’s episode.
• Join my Systems Sunday email list for your weekly dose of strategy and sanity for nurses leading change in healthcare.
• Subscribe, Rate & Review the podcast—it helps me reach more nurse changemakers.
• Explore the Map Your Impact Mini-Course: Use code MYI10Off to get it for just $29.

• Map Your Impact Mini-Course: Get it here
• Follow me on Instagram: @nursing.the.system
• System Sunday Newsletter: Sign up here
• Google Form for Questions: Submit here

Today, we’re talking about one of my favorite strategies for avoiding burnout and sustaining long-term productivity: the Deload Week. Borrowed from the world of weightlifting, this concept has become a core part of how I structure my work and energy throughout the year.

Whether you’re juggling multiple roles, running a business, or just feeling like you never get a true breather—this episode will help you rethink how (and when) to pause without losing momentum.

• What a Deload Week is and why it’s essential for long-term sustainability
• How I structure mine around my business and corporate work
• Ways to tailor this concept to your unique life and energy cycles
• Why rest doesn’t mean disengagement—and how to make space for creativity, reflection, and deep learning
• When not to use this practice (yes, there are times it's not the move)

• Rest is productive when it’s intentional.
• You don’t need a full week—even 1–2 days of strategic, structured rest can spark clarity and momentum.
• Bored brains birth good ideas. Giving your brain space helps creativity and innovation thrive.
• Structure + flexibility is the sweet spot. Guardrails help, but so does room to play.
• Deloading ≠ procrastination. Know when you're resting and when you're avoiding.

As you listen, think about the natural cycles in your work or personal life. When could you plan a “pullback” period that would set you up for a stronger push forward? If you’re feeling exhausted, uncreative, or like you’re constantly in output mode, this episode will help you recalibrate.

1. Reflect: Where in your year could a deload week (or days) help you recharge?
2. Plan: Choose a period post-deadline, post-launch, or pre-push to give yourself intentional breathing room.
3. Define your guardrails: What are your non-negotiables (email, podcast, client care)? What can you pause?
4. Make it restorative: Use the time to play, read, think, journal, or explore new ideas.
5. Test and tweak: Try a mini deload and take notes on what helped. Adjust for next time.

💡 Have a question or a workplace challenge you want me to unpack on the pod?

Send me a DM on Instagram or reply to one of my System Sunday emails—I’d love to turn your Q into a full episode.

• DM me on Instagram with your Deload Week idea or takeaway.
• Share this episode with a friend who’s overdue for a break.
• Rate & review the podcast—it helps more changemakers find this content!
• Subscribe so you never miss a new episode.

⁉️ Want me to answer your question or scenario on the podcast?

I just opened a new form where you can anonymously submit:

• A leadership or systems challenge you’re facing
• A scenario you want me to walk through
• A question that’s been stuck in your head about your role, team, or impact

I'll be selecting a few to feature in upcoming episodes.

Submit your Q here!

• Follow on Instagram: @nursing.the.system
• Join my System Sunday email list for your weekly dose of strategy and sanity for nurses leading change in healthcare.

Today’s episode is a little different—I’m recording straight from my bed, under the covers, because inspiration struck and I had to get this out of my brain.

I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes look at preparing for and delivering my first big keynote—to an audience of 2,000 at a national nurse practitioner conference. From pre-speech jitters to the moment I walked off stage, I’m unpacking what worked, what surprised me, and the mental strategies I used to keep my nerves in check.

If you’ve ever had to speak in front of a group, pitch an idea, or step into a high-pressure leadership role, this episode is for you.

• How I managed my nerves leading up to my biggest keynote yet
• The "it’s not a big deal" mindset hack I use to keep calm under pressure
• My dad’s genius storytelling trick for instantly connecting with an audience
• Why making friends with your audience in advance is a game-changer for confidence

• Confidence isn’t about eliminating nerves—it’s about managing them.
• Your audience wants you to succeed. Humanize them, and you’ll feel less pressure.
• Stories create connection. A well-placed personal story makes your talk instantly more engaging.
• Growth often feels uncomfortable. The nerves mean you're stepping into something bigger.

If you’ve got a presentation, pitch, or public speaking moment coming up, listen to this episode with that in mind. Think about how you can apply these strategies to show up with more confidence and own the room.

1. Test the “it’s not a big deal” mindset—see if downplaying the pressure helps calm your nerves.
2. Start with a story. Next time you speak, open with something relatable to set the tone.
3. Make audience connections before you speak—introduce yourself, chat with people, and anchor yourself to familiar faces.
4. Reframe nerves as proof of growth. If something makes you nervous, it’s probably pushing you to a new level.

⁉️ Want me to answer your question or scenario on the podcast?

I just opened a new form where you can anonymously submit:

• A leadership or systems challenge you’re facing
• A scenario you want me to walk through
• A question that’s been stuck in your head about your role, team, or impact

I'll be selecting a few to feature in upcoming episodes.

Submit your Q here!

• DM me on Instagram (@nursing.the.system) with your biggest public speaking challenge!
• Share this episode with a friend who needs a confidence boost before their next big talk.
• Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes!
• Join my System Sunday email list for your weekly dose of strategy and sanity for nurses leading change in healthcare.

Today’s episode is a special sneak peek from my private podcast series: The Changemaker Case Files. This private series takes you behind the scenes into real coaching conversations with nurse changemakers — nurses just like you — who are navigating career pivots, leadership challenges, and everything in between.

In this episode, I’m sharing the 8-step process I personally use to navigate roadblocks in my own change work — including the very real tech disaster that almost derailed this entire podcast project. Whether you’re leading a project, navigating a career transition, or just trying to stay afloat in a constantly shifting healthcare system, these steps will help you stay grounded and move forward with confidence.

If you love this episode, you’ll love the full Changemaker Case Files series — and you can access it for free by subscribing at the link in the show notes.

• Why roadblocks are inevitable in any change project (and why that’s not a bad thing)
• The exact 8-step process for handling setbacks without spiraling
• How to emotionally discharge frustration so you can problem-solve effectively
• Why transparency builds trust — and how to share setbacks with your team the right way

• Roadblocks aren’t proof you’re failing — they’re part of the process.
• Emotional regulation comes before problem-solving — always.
• Resilient leaders communicate transparently, even when things go wrong.
• Every challenge is an opportunity to build creative problem-solving skills.
• 
  

Listen with a recent or current challenge in mind, and think about how you can apply the 8-step process to your own situation. Even if you’re not leading a big project right now, this framework will serve you in any season of your career — from day-to-day work frustrations to major career pivots.

1. Save the 8-Step Process — write it down or save it somewhere you can easily access when things go sideways.
2. Practice emotional discharge intentionally the next time you hit a snag — avoid jumping straight into problem-solving mode.
3. Reflect on a past project that hit a roadblock — how would this process have helped you navigate it differently?
4. Subscribe to The Changemaker Case Files to hear even more real conversations and coaching moments — the private podcast is free and linked in the show notes.

• Subscribe to The Changemaker Case Files for free
• Join Changemaker Essentials Waitlist if you’re ready to invest in your future
• DM me on Instagram with your thoughts, feedback, or how you’re using the 8-step process in your own work
• Join my System Sunday email list for your weekly dose of strategy and sanity for nurses leading change in healthcare.

The healthcare landscape is evolving at breakneck speed—but the career advice nurses are still being given is stuck in the past. In this episode, we’re getting brutally honest about why the “stable job, climb the ladder, collect degrees” mindset is no longer enough—and how it’s actively hurting your ability to build a career that lasts.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything “right” but still feel stuck, burned out, or unsure what’s next, this episode will help you understand why—and what to do instead.

Most importantly, you’ll learn why becoming a systems thinker and building a changemaker skill set is the ultimate form of career insurance in today’s healthcare world.

• Why traditional career advice for nurses is outdated—and dangerous in 2025.
• The three biggest career myths keeping nurses stuck (and what to believe instead).
• How the most successful nurse leaders think differently about their careers and impact.
• Why “stability” is a myth—and adaptability is your real superpower.
• How to future-proof your nursing career with a portable, powerful skill set you can apply anywhere.

• There is no such thing as a “stable” nursing career anymore.
• Degrees alone won’t save you—but strategic skills, relationships, and systems thinking will.
• You can’t afford to wait for permission—the nurses who thrive create their own opportunities.
• Change leadership isn’t a title—it’s a mindset and a set of tools you can use anywhere.
• Your best career insurance plan is becoming someone who understands how systems work and how to change them.

As you listen, take note of the career advice you’ve been following—where does it come from? Is it aligned with the realities of healthcare today, or are you still clinging to outdated ideas that no longer serve you? Reflect on what being a changemaker could look like for you, no matter where you work today.

✔ Stop chasing stability and start building adaptability—become someone who can thrive in any setting.

✔ Audit your career mindset—are you waiting for a seat at the table, or learning how to build your own?

✔ Start thinking like a systems thinker—practice seeing the big picture, not just your daily tasks.

✔ Explore Changemaker Essentials—Claire’s 12-week program to help you build the strategic skills, influence, and confidence to create a career that works for YOU, not just the system.

🚨 Changemaker Essentials enrollment is OPEN!

This 12-week program is designed for nurses who are ready to:

• Stop feeling stuck and start driving change in their careers and workplaces.
• Build systems thinking, influence, and problem-solving skills that work in any setting.
• Create a career path that’s aligned with their values and future-proofed against industry shifts.

Enrollment is only open March 3-6, 2025, so head to the link in the below to save your spot.

🔗 Visit here to enroll in Change Maker Essentials before doors close on March 6th.

📩 DM Claire on Instagram @nursing.the.system with any questions—or just to share your biggest takeaway from today’s episode.

📤 Know a nurse who feels stuck in their career? Send them this episode!

⁉️ Want me to answer your question or scenario on the podcast?

I just opened a new form where you can anonymously submit:

• A leadership or systems challenge you’re facing
• A scenario you want me to walk through
• A question that’s been stuck in your head about your role, team, or impact

I'll be selecting a few to feature in upcoming episodes.

Submit your Q here!

• 📚 Changemaker Essentials Enrollment Page – Enrollment Closes March 6th
• Join my System Sunday email list for your weekly dose of strategy and sanity for nurses leading change in healthcare.
• 📲 Follow Claire on Instagram: @nursing.the.system

Stepping into a leadership role—whether you’re new to an organization, promoted within your unit, or stepping up as a charge nurse—can feel like drinking from a firehose. You’re excited, a little overwhelmed, and wondering, Where do I even start?

The truth? New leaders often feel like they’re failing before they’ve even begun. But leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about learning how to ask the right questions. In this episode, we’re breaking down the mindset shifts, first steps, and success tools you need to transition into leadership with confidence.

• The biggest mindset traps that new leaders fall into (and how to avoid them).
• Why you don’t need to prove yourself right away—and how pacing yourself sets you up for long-term success.
• The first steps every new leader should take to earn trust and build momentum.
• How to clarify your team’s challenges and goals before making big decisions.
• Three practical tools to help you stay organized, build relationships, and find early wins in your role.

• Leadership transitions take time—you don’t have to prove yourself in the first month.
• Your first job as a leader is to listen, learn, and observe.
• Small, strategic wins are more impactful than rushing to fix everything at once.
• Trust isn’t built by doing everything—it’s built by doing the right things well.
• You don’t need to have all the answers—great leaders know how to ask the right questions.

Reflect on where you’re at in your leadership journey—are you feeling pressure to over-perform, or are you focusing on learning first? Take notes on the success tools shared in this episode and pick one or two to start implementing this week.

✔ Shift Your Mindset: Give yourself permission to be a learner first, not a fixer.

✔ Set Up 1:1 Conversations with key team members to understand what’s working and where support is needed.

✔ Start Your Orientation Manual: Document important systems, processes, and stakeholder insights.

✔ Use the Map Your Impact Mini-Course to identify key players and how to strategically build relationships.

✔ Find an Early Win: Look for a small, meaningful improvement to build credibility with your team.

📌 Navigating a new leadership role? My Map Your Impact Mini-Course will help you cut through the noise, identify your strategic position, and make an impact—without feeling overwhelmed. Find it in the show notes!

📌 Want a clear strategy for leading with confidence? Join the waitlist for Changemaker Essentials—my leadership coaching program designed to help you step into your role with clarity and purpose.

⁉️ Want me to answer your question or scenario on the podcast?

I just opened a new form where you can anonymously submit:

• A leadership or systems challenge you’re facing
• A scenario you want me to walk through
• A question that’s been stuck in your head about your role, team, or impact

I'll be selecting a few to feature in upcoming episodes.

Submit your Q here!

📩 DM me on Instagram @nursing.the.system to share your biggest leadership challenge—I’d love to hear from you!

Join my System Sunday email list for your weekly dose of strategy and sanity for nurses leading change in healthcare.

🎧 If this episode resonated with you, send it to a fellow nurse leader or tag me on Instagram with your takeaways.

If you’re thinking about grad school—or you’re already in the thick of it—there’s a lot you probably wish someone had told you. Many nurses see grad school as the natural next step for career growth, but without a clear “why,” they often end up burned out, frustrated, or questioning if it was worth it.

In this episode, I’m breaking down the six biggest mistakes nurses make when choosing, applying to, and navigating grad school—so you can make the most of your experience.

• The biggest misconceptions about grad school (and why it won’t automatically fix burnout).
• Why using grad school as an escape route can backfire—and what to do instead.
• How to avoid underestimating the financial, time, and mental investment that grad school requires.
• Why not all schools are created equal (and how to find a program that actually fits your career goals).
• How to be strategic in your applications instead of telling admissions committees what you think they want to hear.
• The number one way to find mentorship during grad school—and why it’s your responsibility to seek it out.

• Grad school should be a strategic choice, not an emotional escape route.
• If you’re struggling with lack of structure, grad school won’t fix that—you have to build systems that work for you.
• The true cost of grad school goes beyond tuition—it affects your time, opportunities, and mental capacity.
• A “top-ranked” school isn’t always the best fit—your personal vision matters more than prestige.
• Professors and advisors won’t automatically check in on you—mentorship is something you have to create for yourself.

Take a moment to reflect on why you’re considering grad school. Are you running toward something or just running away? Listen with a critical and open mind—this episode will help you get clear on whether grad school is the right move for you right now.

✔ Get clear on your "why" before applying—ask yourself what long-term impact you want to have.

✔ Assess whether you need grad school or just a better structure for career growth.

✔ Do the math—look at the true financial, time, and energy cost before enrolling.

✔ Research schools intentionally—find a program that aligns with your career goals, not just the most prestigious name.

✔ Seek mentorship proactively—connect with faculty, peers, or professional groups to support your journey.

📌 Thinking about grad school? My Personal Statement Writing Guide is your roadmap to crafting an authentic, standout application.

⁉️ Want me to answer your question or scenario on the podcast?

I just opened a new form where you can anonymously submit:

• A leadership or systems challenge you’re facing
• A scenario you want me to walk through
• A question that’s been stuck in your head about your role, team, or impact

I'll be selecting a few to feature in upcoming episodes.

Submit your Q here!



📩 DM me on Instagram @nursing.the.system to share your thoughts on this episode or ask any questions!

Join my System Sunday email list for your weekly dose of strategy and sanity for nurses leading change in healthcare.

🎧 If you found this episode helpful, share it with a fellow nurse who’s considering grad school!

🎙 Episode Overview:

In this episode I discuss how I am stepping into a leadership role where I was hired for my leadership skills—not my subject matter expertise. In this episode, I’m sharing how I prepared for my new role and the seven things I did six weeks before my first day to set myself up for success. If you’re navigating a leadership transition, this episode will give you tangible strategies to help you feel more confident, clear, and prepared.

🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why preparing for a transition isn’t about control—it’s about resilience.
• The mindset shift that makes stepping into leadership feel less overwhelming.
• How to create structure before day one to reduce stress and decision fatigue.
• The importance of observing, listening, and connecting in your first few weeks.
• How setting expectations with your team and loved ones makes the transition smoother.

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:

• Leadership transitions aren’t just about learning the job—they’re about designing systems that support you through the change.
• You don’t need to have all the answers on day one—your job is to listen, observe, and build trust.
• Setting up your home life and routines in advance creates more mental space to focus at work.
• Every system—from your calendar to your relationships—affects your success in a new role.

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode:

If you’re stepping into leadership, about to start a new job, or feeling overwhelmed by a transition, use this episode as a checklist. Pick one or two strategies that resonate and implement them now—you’ll thank yourself later.

🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take:

1. Rehearse Your New Routine: Start practicing your new schedule before day one—wake up at the same time, test your commute, and fine-tune your workflow.
2. Declutter Your Physical & Digital Spaces: Clear out distractions so your home and workspace feel supportive.
3. Prioritize Observation & Connection: Spend your first weeks listening, asking questions, and learning the dynamics of your team.
4. Set Expectations With Loved Ones: Be upfront about how your schedule is changing and what you’ll need during the transition.
5. Identify Your Leadership Priorities: Define how you want to show up each day, even before you start making changes.

📣 Special Announcements:

🚨 The Map Your Impact Mini-Course is here! This course helps you map out your role, focus your energy, and start driving meaningful change from day one—without feeling overwhelmed.

As a podcast listener, you can use the code MYI10OFF for $10 off your enrollment. Find the link in the show notes!

⁉️ Want me to answer your question or scenario on the podcast?

I just opened a new form where you can anonymously submit:

• A leadership or systems challenge you’re facing
• A scenario you want me to walk through
• A question that’s been stuck in your head about your role, team, or impact

I'll be selecting a few to feature in upcoming episodes.

Submit your Q here!

👉 Resources Mentioned:

• Map Your Impact Mini-Course (Code: MYI10OFF)
• Connect with me: @nursing.the.system

🎙 Episode Overview:

Silos in healthcare are everywhere, from departments that don’t communicate to shifts operating in isolation. 

In this episode, I’m diving into why breaking down these barriers is critical for collaboration, patient care, and building a healthier workplace culture. 

I’ll walk you through practical steps to start dissolving silos at your level—whether that’s with your coworkers, managers, or other departments—so we can create an interconnected web of trust and teamwork.

🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why silos limit collaboration and delay patient care—and how to recognize them in your workplace.
• Practical ways to connect with your coworkers and reduce the “us vs. them” mindset.
• How building trust with your manager strengthens team dynamics and problem-solving.
• Strategies to go beyond surface-level niceties with other departments.
• How to become a connector and foster collaboration across your organization.

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:

• Silos limit communication, delay care, and create an “us vs. them” culture.
• Collaboration starts with empathy and understanding others’ perspectives, no matter their role.
• Strong workplace connections create a “web” of trust that helps solve problems faster.
• You don’t need authority to make an impact—small actions can create ripple effects across your team.

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode:

Come ready to reflect on how you interact with others at work. Pay attention to the practical examples I share and think about how you can apply them to build stronger connections in your organization.

🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take:

1. Ask a coworker a meaningful question, like, “What’s one thing making your shift harder today?”
2. Have a quick, intentional check-in with your manager to better understand their perspective.
3. Break the ice with other departments by asking a thoughtful question, like, “What drew you to this role?”
4. Introduce two people who could collaborate better and watch how that connection drives teamwork.

📣 Special Announcements:

🚨 I’m so excited to announce the launch of the Map Your Impact Mini-Course! In this course, I’ll guide you through creating a personalized impact map to help you identify your role, focus your energy, and start driving meaningful change without feeling overwhelmed.

As a podcast listener, you can use the code MYI10OFF for $10 off your enrollment.

📲 Call to Action:

• Enroll in the Map Your Impact Mini-Course with code MYI10OFF.
• Follow me on Instagram @nursing.the.system for more tools and tips on breaking silos.
• Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to make their workplace stronger.
• Join the CME Waitlist
• Join my System Sunday email list for your weekly dose of strategy and sanity for nurses leading change in healthcare.



⁉️ Want me to answer your question or scenario on the podcast?

I just opened a new form where you can anonymously submit:

• A leadership or systems challenge you’re facing
• A scenario you want me to walk through
• A question that’s been stuck in your head about your role, team, or impact

I'll be selecting a few to feature in upcoming episodes.

Submit your Q here!

👉 Resources Mentioned:

• Map Your Impact Mini-Course (Code: MYI10OFF)
• Connect with me: @nursing.the.system

🎙 Episode Overview: 

When you're in a meeting discussing a complex problem, have you ever wondered how everyone can be looking at the same issue but seeing it completely differently? 

In this episode, we dive into systems mapping—a powerful visual tool that helps get your entire team on the same page. You'll learn how to use this approach to break down complex problems, create shared understanding, and move toward meaningful solutions together.

🔑 In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• How to use systems mapping to visualize relationships between different parts of your healthcare system—from staffing patterns to communication breakdowns
• Why creating a shared mental model is crucial for solving complex problems (and how systems mapping makes this possible)
• The key difference between systems mapping and workflow mapping, and when to use each
• A step-by-step approach to facilitate your first systems mapping session with your team

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:

• Systems mapping isn't about controlling the system—it's about understanding it so we can move with it more effectively
• The act of mapping together is often just as valuable as the final map itself
• You're already familiar with systems mapping through things like org charts and anatomy diagrams—now it's about applying this skill intentionally
• When diverse stakeholders map together, you get a more complete picture of what's really happening

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode

Take notes on the 4-step process for facilitating a systems mapping session. Think about a current challenge in your workplace that could benefit from getting everyone's perspective visually mapped out.

🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take:

• Choose a specific problem or process in your unit that would benefit from shared understanding
• Gather your team and use sticky notes or a whiteboard to map out the current system together
• Ask "what might be happening?" instead of "what is happening?" to encourage more open discussion
• Use the bathtub analogy (inflows, stock, outflows) to analyze staffing or resource challenges

📣 Special Announcements:

Stay tuned for a special surprise in the next episode! Make sure you've collected all the secret code letters from the past few episodes. Collect this episode's secret code letters: "O F F"

👉 Call to Action:

• Share this episode
• Connect with Claire on Instagram @nursing.the.system to share your feedback
• Subscribe, rate, and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts
• Join my System Sunday email list for your weekly dose of strategy and sanity for nurses leading change in healthcare.

⁉️ Want me to answer your question or scenario on the podcast?

I just opened a new form where you can anonymously submit:

• A leadership or systems challenge you’re facing
• A scenario you want me to walk through
• A question that’s been stuck in your head about your role, team, or impact

I'll be selecting a few to feature in upcoming episodes.

Submit your Q here!



📲 Links & Resources:

• Instagram
• Systems Sunday Newsletter

If you've ever felt like you were handed the keys to a leadership role and left to figure it out on your own—this one's for you. In today’s episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on the making of Nurse Leader HQ, a brand new 6-month mentorship and mastermind for nurse leaders who are done winging it and ready to lead with clarity, strategy, and support. You’ll hear why I built this, what makes it different, and what you can expect inside this high-touch container.

• The real gap in leadership support that Nurse Leader HQ is designed to fill
• Why private coaching alone isn’t enough to meet the growing needs of nurse leaders
• The 3-part structure of the program: private coaching, mastermind community, and leadership lab
• What’s included inside the program—and who it’s built for
• A behind-the-scenes coaching conversation with a graduating client (that might just make you cry)

• Being a great nurse doesn’t automatically prepare you to lead in complex systems.
• You’re not behind—you just haven’t had the right support yet.
• Leadership growth takes time, but you shouldn’t have to figure it out alone.
• The best leaders build their systems before they burn out.

Whether you're already in a formal role or you’re preparing to step into one, listen with an open mind to what kind of support you actually need—not just what you’ve been offered. Ask yourself: what would be different in your workday if you had a space to process, strategize, and grow?

• Join the Waitlist for Nurse Leader HQ: Applications open June 2 at 8am PT—waitlist members get first access
• Assess Your Leadership Support: Are you being mentored, or are you just managing?
• Block Time for Strategic Work: Start practicing what we teach inside NLHQ now—set aside calendar space for long-term thinking
• Reflect: What would your future self thank you for learning now?

🚨 Nurse Leader HQ Applications Open June 2

This is a small, high-touch cohort (only 5–7 spots). If you're even considering applying, get on the waitlist now so you can review all the details and be ready when the link goes live.

• ✅ Join the Nurse Leader HQ Waitlist
• 📩 DM me on Instagram @nursing.the.system with any questions

In this deeply personal episode, I share how an unexpected pull toward living in the Netherlands challenged my carefully planned life path—and what that taught me about navigating vision shifts. Whether you're feeling a tug toward something new or wrestling with seemingly conflicting goals, this episode offers a framework for aligning your shifting vision with your life and career.

• How to recognize and sit with the discomfort of a shifting vision instead of immediately trying to "fix" it
• A practical framework for integrating seemingly conflicting personal and professional goals
• Why "irrational" pulls toward new directions might hold important clues about your future path
• How to take small, exploratory steps toward a new vision while maintaining your current commitments

• Your vision naturally evolves—this isn't a failure of planning but an invitation to grow
• Being stuck is always a feeling, never a fact. It's an invitation to think differently about your situation
• Being a changemaker isn't about becoming a strategic robot. It's about asking: Who do I want to be? What do I love to do? And how can I integrate that into my life?
• Clarity comes from action, not endless analysis

Take time to reflect on your own experiences with shifting visions or conflicting goals as you listen. Consider grabbing a journal to work through the reflection prompts shared in the episode, especially if you're currently feeling a "tug" toward something new in your life or career.

1. Sit with the discomfort: Journal about where you're feeling a "tug" toward something new or unexpected
2. Map your intersections: Write down your seemingly conflicting goals side by side and look for creative overlaps
3. Take small, exploratory steps: Choose one low-stakes way to explore your new vision this week
4. Ask yourself: "What parts of my current life feel out of alignment? What is this new vision trying to tell me about who I'm becoming?"

• Keep collecting for the secret code! This episode's numbers: 1 and 0

• Share this episode with someone wrestling with a shifting vision
• Connect with Claire on Instagram @nursing.the.system to share your feedback
• Subscribe, rate, and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts
• Join my System Sunday email list for your weekly dose of strategy and sanity for nurses leading change in healthcare.

⁉️ Want me to answer your question or scenario on the podcast?

I just opened a new form where you can anonymously submit:

• A leadership or systems challenge you’re facing
• A scenario you want me to walk through
• A question that’s been stuck in your head about your role, team, or impact

I'll be selecting a few to feature in upcoming episodes.

Submit your Q here!

• Book: "Curbing Traffic” by Melissa and Chris Bruntlett
• Claire's Systems Thinking Reading List
• Not Just Bikes YouTube Channel
• Change Maker Essentials Program
• Innovative Career Coaching Program
• Instagram
• Systems Sunday Newsletter

🎙 Episode Overview:

When you hear the word “resilience” paired with “nurses,” how does it make you feel? Frustrated? Defensive? Just plain tired? You’re not alone.

In this episode, we’re breaking down one of the biggest myths about burnout: it’s not a personal problem—it’s a systems problem.

Bubble baths and yoga might offer momentary relief, but they won’t fix the core issue: healthcare systems built for maximum efficiency, not long-term resilience.

It’s time to stop blaming individuals for systemic failures and start building systems that can actually absorb shocks and adapt to challenges without burning out their people.

• Why burnout feels so personal—and why it’s actually a systems-level issue.
• The difference between resilience and efficiency in healthcare systems and why they need balance.
• How healthcare systems excel at acute crises but fail at addressing slow-burning, chronic problems.
• Practical strategies for nurses to reframe personal complaints as systemic observations.
• How to advocate for changes using systems language that leaders understand.

• Burnout isn’t a personal failure—it’s a symptom of an overstretched system.
• Resilience and efficiency exist on a seesaw: Too much focus on one will destabilize the other.
• Slow-burn problems (like chronic understaffing) often go unnoticed until they become full-blown crises.
• Observation beats complaint: Framing problems as system patterns (e.g., “Our system is over-relying on overtime”) shifts the conversation to solutions.
• True resilience means absorbing shocks while maintaining core functions.

• Listen with a systems mindset: Notice patterns, not just problems.
• Reflect on where you’ve seen the efficiency vs. resilience seesaw tilt too far in either direction.
• Share this episode with colleagues—it’s a conversation that needs to happen across teams, not just in leadership meetings.

1. Reframe Complaints → System Observations: For example, replace “I’m exhausted” with “Our system relies too heavily on overtime to meet basic needs”.
2. Spot Patterns of Over-Efficiency: Where are resources maxed out? Where is there no room for error?
3. Raise Awareness of Slow-Burn Issues: Identify trends like turnover or increased workloads before they snowball.
4. Speak Systems Language to Leaders: Highlight systemic solutions like better staffing models, flexible workflows, and improved resource allocation.

📣 Heads Up: Something’s Coming!

I’ll be dropping an Easter egg at the end of the next few episodes. Today’s letters are “Y” and “I”. Keep listening—you’ll want to collect them all! 

• Subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes.
• Share this episode with your team or a leader who needs to hear it.
• DM Claire on Instagram with your thoughts or follow-up questions.
• Leave a review to help other healthcare professionals find this podcast.
• Join my System Sunday email list for your weekly dose of strategy and sanity for nurses leading change in healthcare.

⁉️ Want me to answer your question or scenario on the podcast?

I just opened a new form where you can anonymously submit:

• A leadership or systems challenge you’re facing
• A scenario you want me to walk through
• A question that’s been stuck in your head about your role, team, or impact

I'll be selecting a few to feature in upcoming episodes.

Submit your Q here!

Let’s stop putting burnout on individual shoulders and start redesigning the systems we work in.

🎧 Hit play and let’s get into it.

👉 Resources Mentioned:

• Instagram
• Systems Sunday Newsletter

🎙 Episode Overview:

Season 2 is here—and we’re taking this podcast public. In this kickoff episode, we’re tackling one of the most frustrating dynamics in healthcare: the “Us vs. Them” mindset.

Whether it’s staff vs. leadership, nursing vs. admin, or bedside vs. boardroom—it’s a pattern that keeps teams stuck, burned out, and spinning their wheels. But it doesn’t have to.

This episode is about adopting a systems-thinking approach to shift from blame to collaboration, so we can actually make progress on the problems we care about most.

🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why the “Us vs. Them” mindset is so common—and so limiting.
• How to use a two-step systems thinking approach to break out of the cycle:

1. Look at Yourself: How are you contributing to the dynamic?
2. Look at Others: What pressures, incentives, and beliefs are shaping their decisions?

• Why relationships are systems too—and how strengthening them makes every change effort easier.
• How to ask better questions, understand what drives other people, and build trust without over-explaining or overextending yourself.

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:

• Every relationship is a system. And when relationships work better, everything works better.
• Shift from frustration to curiosity. Ask yourself: What assumptions am I making? What might I not understand about their perspective?
• Find the overlap. Even when priorities differ, shared goals like better patient outcomes or team well-being can bring people together.
• Stop seeing people as obstacles. See them as part of the solution.

🎧 How to Listen to This Season:

This podcast isn’t just a place to tune in—it’s a place to learn. And here’s the thing:

• Every episode will add something to your toolkit, even if it doesn’t seem directly relevant to your role.
• The best changemakers are the ones who understand the bigger picture, not just their own corner of the system.

So stick around.

📣 Heads Up: Something’s Coming!

And I’ll be dropping an Easter egg at the end of the next few episodes. Today’s letter to collect is “M”. Keep listening—you’ll want to collect them all! 

📲 Call to Action:

• Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!
• DM me on Instagram with your thoughts or questions—I’d love to hear from you.
• Join my System Sunday email list for your weekly dose of strategy and sanity for nurses leading change in healthcare.

⁉️ Want me to answer your question or scenario on the podcast?

I just opened a new form where you can anonymously submit:

• A leadership or systems challenge you’re facing
• A scenario you want me to walk through
• A question that’s been stuck in your head about your role, team, or impact

I'll be selecting a few to feature in upcoming episodes.

Submit your Q here!

👉 Links & Resources:

• Instagram
• Systems Sunday Newsletter

🎙 Episode Overview: In this season finale, I tackle the false choice between self-care and systems change, sharing why becoming a systems thinker is actually the ultimate form of both personal and organizational care.

🔑 In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why separating self-care from systems work creates unnecessary tension
• How systems thinking benefits both personal wellbeing and organizational change
• My perspective on why personal development is crucial for effective change making

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:

• The self work IS the systems work - they're inseparable
• Compartmentalizing our work lives from personal lives often backfires
• Becoming a systems thinker brings more peace, not less

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode: Reflect on how you might be creating false binaries between caring for yourself and working for change. Consider how these aspects of your life might actually support each other.

🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take:

• Notice where you're putting off self-work in service of systems change (or vice versa)
• Examine how your personal development connects to your change making goals
• Ask yourself: "How are my needs and system needs interconnected?"
• Consider how becoming a systems thinker could serve both you and your goals

📲 Call to Action:

• Follow me on Instagram

🎙 Episode Overview: I share my apartment-hunting story in the Netherlands to illustrate how shifting from competition to collaboration can unlock unexpected solutions and build meaningful connections.

🔑 In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• How competitive mindsets shape healthcare, education, and organizations
• Why partnership often yields better results than competition
• My approach to finding collaborative solutions in challenging situations

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:

• Competition isn't always natural - it's often a cultural narrative we can rewrite
• Most "competitors" are potential collaborators facing similar challenges
• Partnership mindset opens possibilities that competition obscures

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode: Notice where competitive thinking might be limiting your perspective, and consider how reframing situations through a collaboration lens could reveal new opportunities.

🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take:

• Identify one competitive situation you could reframe as collaborative
• Look for "unlikely partners" in your change efforts
• Ask: "How can we build community around this shared challenge?"
• Examine where militaristic or competitive language might be hindering progress

📲 Call to Action:

• Share this partnership mindset with your healthcare colleagues
• Join Changemaker Essentials to explore collaboration-based change
• DM me your experiences with turning competition into partnership

🎙 Episode Overview: I share my personal composting story to explore why we sometimes act against our values, and how environmental design impacts our ability to do what we believe is right.

🔑 In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why good intentions often aren't enough to drive lasting change
• How to identify environmental barriers blocking desired behaviors
• My framework for making positive changes easier to implement

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:

• The gap between values and actions often comes from environmental barriers, not lack of motivation
• As leaders, our job is to remove obstacles, not just inspire better behavior
• Simple environmental changes can have more impact than willpower alone

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode: Reflect on areas where you or your team struggle to act on good intentions, and consider how you might redesign the environment to make the right choices easier.

🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take:

• Identify one behavior you want to change but find difficult
• List the environmental barriers in your way
• Ask yourself: "How can I make this easy?"
• Look for simple system changes that could remove obstacles

📲 Call to Action:

• Share this systems thinking approach with other healthcare leaders
• Join Changemaker Essentials for deeper insights into these concepts
• DM me your thoughts on making positive change easier

🎙 Episode Overview: In this episode, I share a vulnerable story from my early days as an ER nurse that taught me a crucial lesson about capacity and burnout. Through what seemed like a simple incident with my car mirror, I discovered important insights about recognizing and managing our limits as healthcare leaders.

🔑 In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• My perspective on identifying warning signs before hitting your capacity limits
• How I use systems thinking to understand personal and organizational resilience
• The framework I developed for finding your sustainable "green zone" of operation

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:

• Think of your capacity like an oxygen tank - it needs to stay in the "green zone" for sustainability
• Expanding system capacity requires structural adjustments, not just working harder
• True sustainability requires both engagement and reasonable boundaries

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode: Listen to my journey from an overwhelmed new nurse to a systems thinker. Consider how my realizations about capacity might parallel your own leadership challenges.

🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take:

• Use my oxygen tank analogy to assess your current capacity percentage
• Follow my approach of setting clear boundary cutoff times for high-intensity periods
• Apply my framework to evaluate if your current pace is both sustainable and engaging
• Look for areas where structural changes could expand your capacity

📲 Call to Action:

• Share this episode with your fellow nurse leaders who are navigating capacity challenges
• DM me with your own experiences and insights about managing capacity
• Subscribe to The Change Channel for more leadership insights

🎙 Episode Overview: In this episode, I share a crucial lesson learned during a 2021 ER triage redesign project: the importance of identifying and including all stakeholders in system changes. Through my experience of forgetting to include the CT department in our communications, I explore why asking "who's missing?" is vital for successful change implementation in healthcare.

🔑 In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• How my ER navigated the challenging surge of 2021 with creative solutions
• Why we needed to redesign our triage process during crisis conditions
• What happened when we accidentally left out the CT department from our communications
• How to recover and learn from stakeholder oversight in change projects

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:

• System changes affect more people than we initially realize
• Early stakeholder identification prevents costly backtracking
• Recovery from oversight is possible with humility and proactive communication
• Complex systems require balance between inclusion and scope management

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode: Consider your own change initiatives and use this story to reflect on stakeholders you might have overlooked. Remember that mistakes in change management are normal—it's how we recover and learn from them that matters.

🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take:

• Start asking "who's missing?" in every meeting about change
• Create stakeholder maps before implementing new processes
• Develop communication plans that include all affected parties
• Build feedback loops to catch oversights early

📲 Call to Action:

• DM me onInstagram with your thoughts on stakeholder inclusion
• Share this episode with someone leading organizational change
• Think about who might be missing from your current projects

🎙 Episode Overview: In this episode, I dive into a challenging truth: while it's easy to blame "the system," we're actually part of it. Through stories and examples, I explore how healthcare professionals often distance themselves from system problems, and why reclaiming our power and responsibility is crucial for creating real change.

🔑 In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why the "big, bad system" narrative actually diminishes our power to create change
• How the "I'm just a nurse" mindset connects to broader system challenges
• What my quality improvement leader client taught me about underestimating nurses' capabilities
• Why understanding our role in the system is the first step to becoming an effective changemaker

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:

• You're not separate from the system—you're an active participant in it
• Having less power than others doesn't mean you have no power
• When we underestimate ourselves or our colleagues, we perpetuate system problems
• Real change starts with acknowledging our own agency and responsibility

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode: Take time to reflect honestly on where you might be distancing yourself from system problems or underestimating your power to influence change. This isn't about blame—it's about recognizing your capacity for impact.

🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take:

• Identify where you might be selling yourself short in your change-making capacity
• Notice when you're using "the system" as a way to avoid responsibility
• Challenge situations where you or others are underestimating healthcare professionals
• Look for small ways to exercise your agency within your current role

📲 Call to Action:

• DM me on Instagram with your thoughts on where you see your power and responsibility
• Share this episode with someone who needs to recognize their change-making potential
• Think critically about where you might be perpetuating limiting beliefs about nurses

🎙 Episode Overview: In this episode, I'm breaking down an important way to think about your professional experience in healthcare: the deep and wide framework. Through stories of my clients and my own career journey, I explore how understanding your experience makeup can help shape your professional growth and decision-making.

🔑 In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• How I define "deep" experience (like my client who's worked her way up from CNA to educator in one organization) versus "wide" experience (like my client who's tried almost every nursing specialty)
• Why both types of experience bring unique value to healthcare organizations
• How I've balanced deep clinical experience in the ER with wide transdisciplinary experience
• What your experience makeup tells you about your potential growth edges

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:

• Most of us don't have purely deep or purely wide experience—it's usually a mix
• Neither type is inherently better—they just offer different advantages
• Understanding your experience makeup can help you identify blind spots
• Your growth edge often lies in moving toward whichever type you have less of

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode: Take some time to reflect on your own career path and map out where your experience falls on the deep-wide spectrum. Consider how this awareness might influence your next career move.

🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take:

• Map out your own deep and wide experiences in healthcare
• Identify opportunities in your current role to gain the type of experience you have less of
• Use this framework to enhance how you present yourself in interviews or cover letters
• Consider seeking mentors who have the type of experience you'd like to develop

📲 Call to Action:

• Send me a DM on Instagram sharing your thoughts about your own deep/wide experience mix
• Share this episode with someone planning their next career move
• Think about how this framework might inform your next professional step

If you are curious how I juggle a corporate leadership role and run Nursing the System, this episode is for you!

In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain and walking you through exactly how I structure my week—day by day, hour by hour. This is the behind-the-scenes of how I balance strategic leadership, client coaching, content creation, and actual human needs like sleep, fitness, and friendship.

Whether you’re in a high-capacity season yourself or just craving more intention in how you manage your energy and calendar, this episode is a deep dive into systems-thinking for your life.

• My full weekly routine—from Monday meetings to weekend voice notes and podcasting
• How I break down work by energy level and environment (and why that matters)
• Why I’m intentionally not aiming for balance in 2025—and what I’m optimizing for instead
• The 3 types of work nurse leaders must design for: Recurring, Reactive, and Strategic
• How I protect space for long-term planning while still staying responsive

• Systems thinking isn’t just for patient care—it works for time management, too.
• If your calendar doesn’t reflect your goals, your weeks won’t produce the life you want.
• Nurse leaders often spend too much time in reactive mode. Carve out time for strategic work on purpose.
• Your week doesn’t have to be “balanced”—it has to be aligned with your season, values, and vision.
• Calendaring is leadership. And you can design your calendar to work with your energy instead of against it.

Start with these reflection questions:

• What’s recurring in your work and life? What days/times are best for those tasks?
• What’s strategic and needs deep thinking time? Where can you protect space for that?
• What’s reactive, and how can you buffer time to handle it without derailing everything else?

Then ask:

• When is my energy highest for focused work?
• Where do I need community, rest, or creative time to feel like a human?

Design around your own data—not someone else’s ideal week.

📝 Nurse Leader Headquarters – Join the Waitlist

• A high-touch, small-cohort leadership program for nurse managers who are ready to lead with clarity, strategy, and confidence. Applications open June 2.

📥 System Sunday Email List

• Weekly voice notes turned into grounded, honest emails—designed to help you reset and reorient each week as a nurse changemaker.

• Follow Claire on IG: @nursing.the.system

🎙 Episode Overview: In this episode, I'm sharing a personal story about how I nearly lost sight of my original healthcare mission while following the "expected" path in nursing school. Through this story, I explore how social narratives and expectations shape our choices—both in our personal lives and in healthcare systems—and why sometimes taking the path of more resistance leads to our most meaningful growth.

🔑 In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• How I discovered the difference between challenging paths and meaningful paths in my nursing journey
• Why I believe questioning "expected" career trajectories in healthcare is so powerful
• How my experience as an ER nurse ultimately aligned with my systems-change goals, despite not being my original plan
• What happened when I recently chose to break from convention and move across the world

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:

• The path of least resistance isn't necessarily easy—but it is expected
• Social narratives shape our choices more than we realize
• Challenging conventions in our personal lives builds our capacity to create systemic change
• Having a healthcare license today means you have options—you can always pivot

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode: Take time to reflect on your own path in healthcare. Where might you be following expectations rather than your genuine interests? Consider this episode an invitation to question your current trajectory with curiosity and openness.

🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take:

• Examine where you might be on a "path of least resistance" in your career or life
• Ask yourself: "Am I heading where I want to go, or where others expect me to go?"
• Look for opportunities to challenge conventional narratives in your workplace
• Consider how your personal choices might inspire others to think differently about what's possible

📲 Call to Action:

• DM me on Instagram to share your reflections on your own path
• Share this episode with someone questioning their healthcare career trajectory

🎙 Episode Overview:

 Can transforming healthcare actually be enjoyable? In this episode, Claire shares a personal story about a disappointing leadership training experience and explains why making change initiatives fun isn't just nice to have—it's essential for success. Through her journey from bored participant to engaging facilitator, she explores how bringing joy into change work can transform outcomes.

🔑 In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why even the most well-intentioned training programs can fall flat without engagement
• How making change initiatives fun leads to better participation and results
• What differentiates engaging learning experiences from dry, corporate presentations
• Practical ways to bring joy into your change projects without spending money

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:

• Being an expert in your field doesn't automatically make you great at teaching or engaging others
• You can be passionate about a topic and still be turned off by dry, corporate delivery
• Joy and learning aren't mutually exclusive—they actually enhance each other
• Making change fun isn't just about entertainment—it's about creating sustainable engagement

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode: Listen for the contrast between Claire's experience with the engaging pharmacist versus the dry presenters. Consider how you might apply these insights to make your own change initiatives more engaging and enjoyable.

🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take:

• Ask your team directly: "What would make our work more enjoyable?"
• Look for opportunities to add elements of fun to your next project or meeting
• Consider how you're presenting ideas—could you make them more engaging?
• Experiment with different ways to bring joy into challenging work

📣 Special Announcements: Claire shares why she started this podcast—to make learning about healthcare change more personal and enjoyable. Stay tuned for more episodes that blend important insights with engaging storytelling.

👉 Call to Action:

• Reflect on how you could make your current work more fun
• Share your thoughts with Claire via DM on Instagram 
• Think about one way you could make your next team meeting more engaging

🎙 Episode Overview:

 Meet Claire Phillips, a nurse with a unique perspective shaped by sociology, emergency medicine, and systems thinking. In this introductory episode, Claire shares her journey from sociology student to ER nurse to healthcare change specialist, and explains why she's passionate about helping healthcare professionals understand and transform the systems they work in.

🔑 In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• How Claire's background in sociology and anthropology shapes her unique approach to healthcare transformation
• Why the emergency department serves as a perfect microcosm for understanding healthcare system challenges
• The story behind Nursing the System and its mission to prepare 10,000 nurses to lead systems change
• How the pandemic became a catalyst for focusing on systems-level healthcare transformation

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:

• Understanding systems is crucial for creating meaningful change in healthcare
• The gap between healthcare's potential and actual outcomes reveals opportunities for improvement
• Change starts with seeing the invisible systems and cultural narratives that shape our work
• Every healthcare professional has the potential to become a changemaker

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode: Listen with an open mind to how sociology and systems thinking can provide new perspectives on the challenges you face in healthcare. Consider how your own journey and experiences have shaped your view of healthcare systems.

🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take:

• Start observing your workplace through a systems lens - what patterns do you notice?
• Reflect on the gap between your organization's potential and current outcomes
• Challenge yourself to think beyond individual behaviors to understand systemic influences
• Consider how you might contribute to healthcare transformation in your role

📣 Special Announcements: Join Claire in upcoming episodes to explore stories from healthcare changemakers, analyze system dynamics, and develop practical tools for leading change in your organization.

👉 Call to Action:

• Follow Claire on Instagram @nursing.the.system
• Share your thoughts and feedback about the episode via DM
• Stay tuned for future episodes diving deeper into systems change

📲 Resources Mentioned:

• Nursing the System blog
• University of Minnesota DNP program in Health Innovation and Leadership
• Claire's Instagram: @nursing.the.system

Episode Overview:

Today’s episode is personal and powerful. After a string of frustrating public encounters in my (usually peaceful!) Dutch city, I started thinking about bullies—and how very present they are in nursing and healthcare.

If you’ve ever been bullied, witnessed it, or had to manage someone who bullies others, this episode is for you.

We’re talking about:

• Why bullies act the way they do
• What bullying looks like in a professional setting
• How to hold the line (without losing yourself)
• Why rooting it out early matters—for the health of your team, culture, and leadership

• Why bullying is a reflection of their wounds, not your worth
• What workplace bullying looks like (hint: it’s not just “being mean”)
• How a zero-tolerance approach protects your team from dysfunction and disrepair
• What to say in the moment to shut it down with composure
• How to lead through bullying—whether you’re the manager or a team member

• Bullies thrive in silence. Speaking up is a service to your team.
• You don’t need to “fix” a bully—but you do need to hold your dignity and the line.
• You can feel empathy without excusing behavior.
• Boundaries are leadership tools, not just personal preferences.
• Culture is shaped by what we tolerate. If we don't stop bullying, it spreads.

• Where are you tolerating disrespect because it feels easier than confronting it?
• What’s one small boundary you can reinforce this week to flex that leadership muscle?
• How can you be part of a culture where bullies lose their power?

• “It seems like you’re having a rough day. I’m going to need you to handle that elsewhere.”
• “I’m surprised you felt comfortable saying that out loud.”
• “I understand you’re frustrated, but I will not allow you to speak to me like that.”

(These are calm. Direct. Non-negotiable.)

My new program Nurse Leader Headquarters is opening for applications in June! This is a high-impact program designed to give nurse leaders the strategic tools, support, and confidence you should have gotten when you first stepped into your role.

🎯 Get on the waitlist now to:

• Be the first to hear details
• Secure first dibs on limited seats
• Get insider-only updates and early access

👉 JOIN NOW

• Follow me on IG: @nursing.the.system
• Join the System Sunday email crew: For real talk, mindset shifts, and system-savvy strategy delivered weekly.

Welcome back! This week we’re diving into something that high achievers (like me and probably you) struggle with: saying no. If you’ve ever found yourself overcommitted, running on empty, or constantly feeling like the "go-to person," this episode is for you.

We’re unpacking why we struggle to say no, how to filter what you say yes to, and why setting boundaries isn’t selfish—it’s strategic leadership. If you’ve been stuck in overcommitment mode, let’s shift into something more sustainable.

• The cultural stories that make us feel like we have to say yes—and why they’re holding you back.
• A 3-part filter to help you decide what’s worth your time, energy, and attention.
• Why being overcommitted actually dilutes your impact (and how to stop it).
• How to use the Value Add Spectrum to figure out what’s no longer serving you.
• Real-life examples of how I’ve set (and held) boundaries—yes, even with the COO.
• How boundaries help you shift from a reactive leader to a proactive one who leads with intention.

• Saying no is not selfish—it’s a leadership skill that protects your capacity to lead well.
• If everything’s important, nothing is. You have to filter and prioritize to show up fully.
• Boundaries don’t just happen—you build the muscle by practicing (yes, even when it’s uncomfortable).
• You are your best systems change asset—don’t dilute your power with misaligned yeses.

1. Mission Fit: Does this align with where you’re headed?
2. Capacity Check: Can you do this well without draining yourself or hurting your bigger goals?
3. Fun Factor: Will this bring meaning, satisfaction, or joy to your life? (Not everything has to be a grind.)

• Rate your current commitments from -10 to +10 based on how much value you actually bring.
• Anything below a +5? Reevaluate.
• Anything at 0 or negative? Let it go.

Use this episode as a gut check. What are you holding onto out of guilt, fear, or habit? Grab a notebook, list your current commitments, and run them through the filter. You’ll walk away with more clarity—and maybe fewer things on your plate.

• Professional Mission Clarity: Download my free Professional Mission Statement Blueprint to get laser-focused on where you’re headed.
• New Program Alert: A leadership program for nurse leaders is coming soon. If you want to build boundaries, lead strategically, and stop drowning in everyone else’s priorities—join the interest list now to get first access.

• Follow on Instagram: @nursing.the.system
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• DM Me: What’s something you’re saying no to this week? Let me know how this landed for you.

Welcome back to the pod! Today’s episode is for nurse leaders who’ve ever felt like they’ve lost themselves in the demands of leadership. Whether you're burning out trying to fill every gap for your team, or you’ve drifted too far from the bedside and feel disconnected from why you started—this is for you.

I’m walking you through why this happens and how to get back to yourself, without stepping away from your role. You’ll learn how to realign your personal priorities with your organization’s mission, so you can lead with clarity, purpose, and energy again.

We’ll get practical with two reflection questions you can use today, plus I’m sharing a sneak peek into something special I’ve got brewing for nurse leaders like you.

• Why so many nurse leaders feel like they’ve lost themselves in the role—and how to tell if you’re one of them
• The difference between being dedicated and being depleted, and how to stop sacrificing your own needs for the team
• How to reconnect with why you became a leader in the first place, even in a high-pressure environment
• Two powerful questions to help you realign your personal goals with your leadership responsibilities
• What it means to be a systems thinking leader—and how to show up for your team and yourself at the same time

• Leadership without self-connection leads to burnout. You matter in the equation too.
• You can care deeply about your team and still have personal goals that fuel your work.
• Aligning your organization’s mission with your own priorities will center you and help you lead sustainably.
• Leadership isn’t about losing yourself—it’s about bringing your whole self to the role, strategically and intentionally.

1. What is the primary organizational priority that your team needs to focus on right now?
2. How does this organizational priority connect to a personal priority you have as a professional?

Start here. Get honest. Then build your leadership plan around BOTH.

This isn’t just something to listen to passively. Grab a notebook or open your notes app and answer those two questions. Come back to them weekly if you need to. When your goals and your organization’s goals are running parallel, you don’t lose yourself—you grow.

If this episode resonated with you, and you’ve been craving more support as a nurse leader, I’ve got something exciting on the horizon. A new program just for nurse leaders is in the works. If you want to be the first to hear about it (and get your first clue), join the super secret nurse leader waitlist.

• Follow on Instagram: @nursing.the.system
• Subscribe to System Sunday: Sign Up Here

🎙 Episode Overview:

This episode started with a Free Advice Friday question about time management—but the real issue? A much deeper systems problem. I take you through a real-world case study of an ICU nurse floated to an ED observation unit with a 1:7 ratio, and use it as a launch point to unpack the real layers behind “not enough time.” This one’s for the nurses doing their best inside broken systems—and for the leaders ready to do better.

🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why time management strategies won’t fix a misaligned workload
• How to differentiate between sufficient and optimal care
• Practical mindset shifts and strategies for overwhelmed nurses
• What nurse leaders can do right now to reduce team burnout
• The 3 levels every sustainable staffing strategy needs to address

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:

• You are not failing—your system might just be misaligned.
• Sufficient care isn’t substandard care. It’s the right care for right now.
• Managing stress is a clinical skill, not just self-care.
• Leaders need to define, communicate, and defend realistic standards.
• Sustainable systems are designed. They don’t happen by accident.

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Podcast:

If you’ve ever left a shift feeling like you barely kept your head above water, this episode is for you. Listen with curiosity—not self-blame—and take note of which level (nurse, unit leader, or system leader) you have influence over. Spoiler: it’s probably more than you think.

📣 Special Announcement:

If you’re not already getting my System Sunday emails, make sure to sign up. Each week I send out quick, actionable insights to help nurse leaders and changemakers lead with strategy, clarity, and a little bit more calm.

📲 Call to Action:

• Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review—it helps other nurses find this free resource.
• Share this episode with a colleague or leader who needs to hear it.
• DM me on Instagram with your own workplace challenge—I might feature it in a future episode. You can also fill out the form here to have you question featured on the pod!
• Sign up for System Sunday to get weekly tips and stories straight to your inbox.

🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take:

1. Reframe your shift with the “Sufficient vs. Optimal” lens

Before beating yourself up for not doing more, ask: What does sufficient look like today? Did I hit that bar? Great—job done.

2. Take a two-minute reset mid-shift

Stress compounds. Set a reminder to hydrate, breathe, and check in with your thinking. Ask: Am I moving fast… but thinking less clearly?

3. Identify your guilt voice—and challenge it

If you’re expecting inpatient-level care on a transitional unit with no tech support… that guilt isn’t yours to carry. Write it down. Release it.

4. Ask leadership-level questions (even if you’re not in leadership)

Is this unit designed for sufficiency? Are expectations aligned with reality? Am I intervening where I have influence?

5. If you’re a nurse leader: get clear, get vocal, and get upstream

Define sufficiency for your team. Monitor the signs of burnout. Coach your people through the hard days—and advocate where you can make change.

🎙 Episode Overview:

In this episode, I’m diving into one of my favorite (and most important) topics: workplace conflict. Whether you’re in healthcare or corporate, conflict is inevitable—and yet most of us never learned how to handle it well. I’ll walk you through a simple framework I use to navigate and coach others through conflict, the hidden trap of triangulation, and how leaders can shift from emotional labor to real coaching.

🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How to recognize the difference between indirect and direct repair—and why it matters.
• What triangulation looks like in real life and how it quietly erodes trust and team culture.
• Scripts and strategies you can use to navigate hard conversations with more clarity and confidence.
• Why conflict avoidance creates more stress (not less), and what to do instead.
• How to coach your team through conflict without carrying it for them.

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You:

• Indirect repair might feel easier in the moment, but it weakens relationships over time.
• Triangulation often looks like “processing,” but it’s really avoidance in disguise.
• Direct repair doesn’t have to be aggressive—it’s often soft, grounded, and kind.
• As a leader, your ability to model and coach conflict resolution sets the tone for your entire team.

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Podcast:

Think back to a recent moment of tension at work. As you listen, reflect on how you typically handle conflict—then ask yourself what it would look like to try a different approach. If you lead a team, keep your coaching hat on.

📲 Call to Action:

• Subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode.
• DM me on Instagram and tell me what this episode brought up for you—I’d love to hear it.
• Share this episode with a teammate or leader who needs a fresh perspective on handling conflict.
• Sign up for System Sunday for more tools, stories, and strategies each week.

👉 Resources Mentioned:

• System Sunday Newsletter – Your weekly dose of strategy and sanity for leading change
• Changemaker Essentials – Learn foundational leadership skills, including conflict resolution
• Map Your Impact Mini Course – Reflective tools for building your leadership identity

Hey friends, welcome back to Nursing the System. Today’s episode is a bit different. Instead of my usual deep dive into leadership frameworks or strategies, I’m sharing something more personal—a real talk moment from my System Sunday email series.

This week, I’m reflecting on my worst week at work so far—one where I dropped balls, struggled to communicate clearly, and just didn’t feel like I was on my game. I’ll read you the email I sent to my list, and then share some insights on why giving yourself grace during tough weeks is essential for long-term resilience as a leader.

• How to recover from a rough week at work without spiraling
• The importance of self-compassion when you care deeply about doing good work
• Why taking one small action to repair a mistake can make a big difference
• How to reframe failure and move forward with confidence
• Three reflection questions to help you reset after a tough week

• You don’t have to be perfect to be impactful—own your mistakes, repair what you can, and keep moving forward
• Self-compassion is essential for anyone doing hard work and leading change
• One small act of repair can stop an imposter spiral and help you end your week on a more grounded note
• Reflect and reset—don’t let one bad week make you question your entire professional journey

Think about a time when you had an off week. How did you handle it? Did you give yourself grace, or did you let guilt linger? As you listen, reflect on how you can practice self-compassion the next time things don’t go as planned.

1. Acknowledge the Mistake: Own it without over-apologizing.
2. Repair and Move On: Take one small action to make amends and reduce your mental load.
3. Reflect Without Judging: Ask yourself what you learned from the experience rather than dwelling on what went wrong.
4. Reset for the Week Ahead: Treat Monday as a fresh start—leave last week’s guilt behind.
5. Use Self-Compassion Questions:

• What would it look like to give yourself grace for how you showed up?
• What’s one lesson you can take from the hard moments?
• If you walked into tomorrow guilt-free, how would that change your day?

💌 If this episode resonated, make sure you’re subscribed to my System Sunday emails. They’re short, honest reflections designed to give you clarity and energy for the week ahead. Sign up via the link in the show notes!

• Follow me on Instagram: @nursing.the.system
• Subscribe to System Sunday: Sign up here
• Share Your Story or Ask a Question: DM me or fill out the Google form if you want to share your own tough week story or as a question for a chance to be featured on the pod!

We’re back—and not exactly how I imagined. My summer sabbatical didn’t go the way I planned. I got sick, lost energy, and had to put a lot of things on pause. But the time away gave me unexpected clarity. In this episode, I’m reflecting on a post I shared at the start of the yearand I’m revisiting what’s held true, what’s shifted, and how I’m applying (or re-learning) those lessons now.

This is a vulnerable one. If you’ve been navigating your own version of plans-gone-sideways, I hope it offers something grounding and real.

• How I’m still learning to hold my vision tightly but my plans loosely
• The way illness forced me to rethink productivity and capacity
• Why I believe in piloting—even when things don’t go the way I hoped
• What actually happened with Nurse Leader HQ (and why we pushed the launch)
• How I think about investing in support—and why sometimes not hiring help is the right move

• A clear vision doesn’t need a rigid plan.
• Just because an opportunity is exciting doesn’t mean it’s sustainable.
• Your gut is a valid data source—especially when it comes to collaborators.
• Piloting is not a failure. It’s a wise way forward.
• Growth doesn’t always require new investments—it sometimes looks like honoring past ones.

Treat this episode like a check-in—with me, and maybe with yourself too. What intentions did you set at the beginning of the year? What’s changed? What do you want the rest of 2025 to feel like?

• Revisit your goals: Are you being flexible with the how?
• Scan your calendar: Are your “yeses” energizing you—or draining you?
• If you’re stuck waiting for perfect conditions, could you try piloting instead?
• Ask yourself: Am I listening to my gut—or trying to be liked?
• Have you already invested in support? Are you actually using it?

Nurse Leader HQ is still coming—just not on the original timeline. We’re pushing the launch to December so we can build something even stronger. If you want to be the first to know when applications reopen, the link will be in the show notes soon.

• Loved this reflection? Send it to a friend who needs to hear it.
• Leave a quick review to help other nurse leaders find the show.
• Want to read the original Instagram post I reflect on in this episode? Click here.
• DM me your thoughts—I’m back online and I’ve missed chatting with you!

This week’s episode is inspired by a DM I received from a nursing faculty member who said, “I want to set the nursing world on fire—but I don’t know where to start.” If that resonates with you, you’re not alone.

Whether you’re a student, an educator, or a practicing nurse, if you know you want to make change but don’t yet know what your contribution will look like—this episode is for you. I’m walking you through why you don’t need a perfectly defined mission to get started, and I’m offering real, strategic steps you can take today to begin building your changemaker skillset.

Oh—and if you hear some rustling or meowing in the background, that’s Poppy the cat. She’s joining us for this episode too.

• Why clarity comes after action—not before it
• How to use your current job as your changemaker training ground
• The personal story behind my own uncertain beginnings in nursing and systems work
• Why building skills (not chasing credentials) is the fastest path to clarity
• How to choose a first change project that’s motivating and manageable
• A behind-the-scenes look at how I approach leadership, personal mastery, and team development

• You feel permission to start before you’re ready
• You see your current role—whatever it is—as fertile ground for change
• You understand the power of starting small and learning as you go
• You’re reminded that your energy, interests, and growth matter just as much as the outcomes you’re driving

• Make a list of “things that tug at your heart” at work—then look for patterns
• Set up one conversation this week with a colleague to learn more about their challenges
• Reflect on what kind of changemaker you want to be—not just what you want to fix
• Identify one tiny process, frustration, or pattern you can explore more deeply
• Don’t default into another degree or certification out of uncertainty—build real skills instead

✨ Map Your Impact is my actionable mini-course designed to help you identify where you sit in your organization's change ecosystem—and exactly what behaviors to focus on to build momentum.

🎧 As a podcast listener, use code MYI10OFF to get $10 off:

👉 Enroll in Map Your Impact

If you're ready for 12 weeks of strategic skill building, professional growth, and systems-level thinking, check out Changemaker Essentials. It’s my foundational program for nurses who want to lead change with clarity and confidence. Applications open again soon!

• DM me on Instagram @nursingthe.system and tell me:
• 👉 What’s one small step you’re taking this week to get in the sandbox?
• Enjoying the podcast? Leave a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen. It helps more nurses find this work and start their own changemaker journey.
• Have an idea or question for a future episode? Send me a message—I love hearing from you.

This episode is a little different. I didn’t plan it. I didn’t prep it. I sat down on my lunch break in the middle of a very real, very messy Tuesday and hit record. Because I was overwhelmed and I remembered that I built a tool inside Changemaker Essentials specifically for moments like this.

So I decided to walk myself through the framework I teach for navigating overwhelm and regaining clarity when your brain feels like it’s short-circuiting. I talk through the mental chatter, the reality of my workload, and what it looks like to pause, reassess, and make a plan that actually feels doable.

If you’re juggling a lot and feel like you might snap, this one’s for you.

• What overwhelm really is (and why it’s not just about time)
• The three levers we can pull to manage it: raise resources, reduce demands, or reassess reality
• Why I treat my own brain like a system to be supported
• The real difference between perception and reality when we’re maxed out
• How I used a 4-step tool from Changemaker Essentials to go from spiraling to grounded in 30 minutes

• Overwhelm isn’t always a problem to fix—sometimes it’s a cue to pause and assess
• Resilience means working with your limits, not pretending you don’t have any
• The project plan didn’t fail—you just didn’t know what life was going to throw at you
• There’s no shame in revising timelines when your circumstances change
• Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is admit: “I need to stop and re-plan”

• Do a commitment audit: What can you pause, delegate, or deprioritize right now?
• Try a brain dump and organize your tasks by priority and dependency
• Time block the rest of your week based on what’s truly essential
• Communicate your capacity clearly to others—whether that’s your team or your friends
• Protect your restorative routines (like workouts or quiet time), especially during crunch seasons

The 4-step overwhelm activity I walked through is straight from the Change Maker Essentials curriculum. It’s a framework I return to over and over again—and if you found it helpful, you’ll love the rest of the program.

✨ Join the waitlist here: Change Maker Essentials Waitlist

Enrollment opens in September—and you’ll be the first to know when it does.

• Feeling overwhelmed right now? DM me and let me know what your first next step is
• Love this kind of behind-the-scenes honesty? Let me know in a podcast review, your words help the show reach more nurse change-makers like you