In this episode of Nursing the Nation, co-hosts Jamie Bourgeois and Melissa Anne DuBois share their personal journeys into nursing and why they launched a podcast at the intersection of nursing, policy, and current events. From psych nursing to perinatal care, they reveal how nursing is far more than bedside work; it’s advocacy, holistic care, and a political force shaping everyday life.

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Today we’re launching Shout Out Saturday, a segment dedicated to celebrating nurses who live out the ethical core of nursing. This is a space to spotlight a fellow nurse who is truly living out the Nursing Code of Ethics. These are the nurses who remind us that our work doesn’t end at the bedside because nursing is also about advocacy, equity, and making an impact on the communities we serve.

Our listeners know that Melissa Anne and Jamie are passionate about ensuring that every person has the opportunity to live a healthy, fulfilling life and to reach their best possible self. But we also know the realities: nursing is demanding, both physically and emotionally. That’s why when a nurse goes above and beyond, such as championing social justice, advancing equity, and embodying the values of our profession, we want to lift them up and give them the recognition they deserve.

The inaugural Shout Out goes to Amanda Trebach. Amanda is an ICU nurse in California who recently was held for 36 hours by federal agents for engaging in the protected right to protest government actions and treatment of detained individuals without due process.

If you would like us to shout out a nurse holding up the ethical tenets of the profession, please let us know by contacting us at nursing.nation.voice@gmail.com or message us through nursingthenation.substack.com.

Jamie and Melissa Anne take on the Medicare changes in The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBBA), signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025. OBBBA makes significant (although less extensive than Medicaid) changes to Medicare that could still have major impacts on seniors and people with disabilities. While core benefits remain intact for those who still qualify, the law tightens eligibility for legal immigrants, excluding many who have paid into the system but lack green cards. It halts planned reforms that would have streamlined enrollment for low-income assistance programs, potentially leaving 1.4 million seniors without help paying premiums or co-pays. OBBBA also triggers up to 4% annual Medicare provider payment cuts starting in FY2026 under PAYGO rules, which may lead some clinicians and hospitals, especially in rural areas, to limit Medicare patients or close services. Indirectly, massive Medicaid cuts will harm dual-eligible citizens who rely on Medicaid to cover out-of-pocket Medicare costs and long-term care. The bill also expands exemptions in Medicare’s prescription drug price negotiation program, reducing the number of drugs subject to negotiation and likely keeping premiums and co-pays higher. While supporters say the law strengthens Medicare’s finances and targets waste, critics argue it erodes access, affordability, and fairness, disproportionately harming vulnerable populations like low-income seniors, rural residents, and legal immigrants who have worked and paid taxes for decades.

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