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Today’s guest is someone who beautifully bridges two worlds—science and story, medicine and meaning.

Amanda Skenandore is an award-winning author of historical fiction whose novels have been translated into multiple languages and recognized by organizations like the American Library Association, Reader’s Digest, Silicon Valley Reads, and Apple Books. In 2024, she was honored with the Nevada Arts Council Literary Fellowship for her contributions to literature and the arts.

But what makes Amanda especially fascinating to me is that before she ever became a full-time writer, she spent 16 years as a registered nurse.

And you can feel that in her work.

Her stories don’t just live in the past—they dig into the human experience of medicine, justice, and belonging… often in the overlooked corners of history where voices have been silenced or forgotten.

Today, we talk about that journey—from bedside nursing to bestselling author, how her clinical experiences shaped her storytelling, and what it means to care for people… whether through medicine or through words.

In the five-minute snippet: they are just so cute. For Amanda's bio, visit my website (link below).

Amanda's bookstore

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Philip Layog is known as the "Work From Home RN" on Instagram, where he helps fellow nurses transition from hospital roles to remote positions. But first, he had to help himself.

Philip started his nursing career in Med-Surg, moved to CVICU, then PACU, but once he started his family, he decided to explore remote nursing opportunities. With a decade of experience, he eventually landed his first remote job.

Was it easy? No. Was it worth it? Absolutely. Philip now enjoys the freedom that many nurses are seeking. He appreciates leisurely mornings with his children before daycare, takes time to work out during his lunch hour, and is fully engaged with his family because he is no longer physically, mentally, and emotionally drained.

I wanted all the deets: What kind of nursing experience do I need? What type of training will I get? And what about the pay? Philip answered all of these expertly and revealed a little-known fact about the application process which blew…my…mind.

After speaking with numerous nurses, I’ve come to realize that when nurses improve their own lives, they feel compelled to share that knowledge with others, and Philip is no exception. He co-founded nurseremotely.com, a specialized job board dedicated to connecting nurses with legitimate work-from-home opportunities. He provides nurses with what they truly want: options.

In the five-minute snippet: Hmmmm, giant alligators or Disney? It’s a toss-up. For Philip's bio, visit my website (link below).

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Website: https://theconversingnursepodcast.com
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**Hey, before we jump into today's episode, I want to give you a quick heads-up. This conversation includes a personal story about an attempted suicide and some mental health struggles.

If that's something that feels heavy or triggering for you right now, it's completely ok to skip this episode or come back to it another time. Take care of yourself first.

If you're listening and finding that this brings anything up for you, just know you're not alone. You can call or text the 988 Suicide &Crisis Lifeline anytime, or reach out to someone you trust. Support is out there, and you deserve it.

Today’s guest is the kind of educator you don’t forget.

Gwenny Winkler, or Nurse Gwenny, built her career in some of the most extreme environments in healthcare—from the emergency department to helicopter EMS—where decisions are fast, the stakes are high, and there’s no room for autopilot.

But what makes Gwenny stand out isn’t just her clinical background—it’s how she teaches.

She believes learning should be fun, engaging, and built for real life—not just for passing a test. And she’s known for creating those “aha” moments that flip a switch for her students and bring their curiosity back to life.

Often described as “intense,” Gwenny brings a fast-paced, high-energy style to everything she does—but her real superpower is knowing when to slow down, connect, and treat the human behind the condition.

In 2026, she and her husband, Mr. Nurse Gwenny, launched The Nurse Gwenny Library, a modern continuing education platform designed for today’s learner, with over 100 hours of content that actually sticks.

We talk about what’s broken in healthcare education, how to prepare clinicians for the realities of high-acuity environments, and why curiosity in the form of the question, “But, Why?” might be the most important skill Gwenny is teaching.

I’m grateful for our conversation because I’m certain someone will benefit by hearing Gwenny’s deeply personal story of a

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My guest this week, Irnise Williams, has been a nurse for 16 years. Starting with her eye on medical school, she opted for nursing school, fell in love, and never looked back. Because if you’re looking back, you can’t look forward, and forward was the direction Irnise wanted to go.
She could have advanced her degree by becoming a Nurse practitioner or a CRNA, two popular paths over a decade ago. Instead, she attended Howard University School of Law, became a lawyer, and established her law firm.
She is now in a unique position. As a healthcare and regulatory compliance lawyer with a nursing background, she has a deeper understanding of healthcare practices and patient care.
With this knowledge, she helps healthcare providers and organizations navigate federal and state regulations, as well as advising small businesses and educating nurses.
As a Top Voice on LinkedIn and a strong Instagram presence as Your Nurse Lawyer, she frequently tackles controversial topics such as documentation, AI, and affecting social change through changing health policy.
I’m so thankful to Tiffany Gibson for recommending her bestie Irnise as a guest on my podcast. Irnise has elevated nurses everywhere by using her law degree to amplify the voices of our profession.
In the five-minute snippet: I’m a big fan of the Golden Rule. For Irnise's bio, visit my website (link below).
Irnise F. Williams, Esq
Your Nurse Lawyer LinkedIn
Your Nurse Lawyer Instagram

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Website: https://theconversingnursepodcast.com
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Today’s episode is Nicole Cromwell 2.0—and trust me, a lot has happened in the last three years.

What started as a creative outlet has grown into something much bigger. In fact, Nicole’s life as an artist might just be giving her full-time nursing career a run for its money.

Since we last talked in episode 46, she hasn’t just been creating beautiful art—she’s been building pathways for others to reconnect with their own creativity. Her Brave Beginner Art course has expanded, and she’s added Creative Thinking in Nursing, both offering continuing education units. I’ve taken her Brave Beginner course myself, and I can tell you—it’s not just about art. It’s about rediscovering a part of yourself you may have forgotten was there.

And Nicole hasn’t lost sight of the bedside. As a former ICU nurse, she’s created two powerful resources—The ICU Diary and The Hospital Wellness Journal—designed to support patients and families as they navigate some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.

You’ve heard me say it before—I deeply admire nurses who lift up other nurses. Nicole has experienced firsthand the impact of creativity: less stress, less anxiety, more joy, and a deeper connection to emotion. And now, she’s on a mission to make sure other healthcare professionals can experience that too.

If that’s not altruism, I don’t know what is.

Enjoy Nicole Cromwell 2.0. For Nicole's bio, visit my website (link below).

Be sure to get 25% of Nicole's courses by using coupon code: CONVERSING NURSE

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If you're my age and can remember over 50 years ago, you might recall those lazy Saturday mornings spent watching Schoolhouse Rock. There was a clever cartoon skit called, “I’m Just A Bill” where we’d learn how a bill becomes law. This three-minute video was responsible for teaching an entire generation of kids about Civics.
Enter Gilanie De Castro, also known as Citizen Nurse on social media, who through her bite-sized lessons titled Civics 101 for Healthcare highlights topics such as how nurses can shape government, how a bill becomes law, how to find your congressperson, and how to use your vote as your voice.
Gilanie shared with us how nurses can get involved at the grassroots level of current movements affecting nurses such as the Nursing is STEM movement and the Commission for Nurse Reimbursement.
Gilanie's strong passion for advocacy was born out of the moral distress she felt during the pandemic when she realized that the agencies she thought had nurses’ backs, did not. Nurses often complain they are not asked for valuable input on health policy decisions. Gilanie’s message? Don’t wait to be asked for your input, take the initiative and give it!
In the five-minute snippet: she’s got a new lease on life. For Gilanie's bio, please visit my website (link below).
Citizen Nurse Instagram
CitizenNurse YouTube
Nurse Gilanie TikTok

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Website: https://theconversingnursepodcast.com
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Today, we’re talking about something that most nurses have felt — but few organizations are willing to name honestly.

Burnout.

But what if burnout isn’t about resilience?
What if it isn’t about self-care?
What if it’s actually an ethical issue?

My guest today is Aimee Ellis, nurse executive and author of Flatline Ethics. Aimee argues that when nurses are chronically overwhelmed, morally distressed, and unsupported, that’s not a staffing inconvenience.

That’s an ethical breakdown.

Recently debuting as a Top 10 New Release in Health Policy on Amazon, the book argues that nurse burnout is not a personal weakness — it’s a leadership failure.

If you’ve ever felt moral distress, invisible, or asked to carry the weight of a broken system — this conversation is for you.

In the five-minute snippet: Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, Aimee is comin’ for you.

For Aimee's bio, visit my website (link below).

TAE Associates and Co.

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I've often said on this podcast that many nurses choose this profession for reasons that aren't noble or lofty. Alisha Sandidge-Renteria changed that for me. As a teenager, she witnessed the economic disparity in healthcare after seeing her mother, who was fighting cancer, be forced to choose a cheaper, experimental, and less effective regimen which ultimately ended her life. Since then, Alisha has embodied the words of Gandhi, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." And as a nurse practitioner, she can do just that. Of course, we talked about the particulars of the job, the schooling, the patient population, work settings, diagnosing, and, you know, me, we also discussed professional organizations and board certification. There was some heavy lifting as well. We talked about broken systems and broken people. But through it all, there was one common thread evident in our discussion: connection, with our patients, our communities, each other, and ourselves. In the five-minute snippet, I see a commune in her future. For Alisha's bio, visit my website (link below).
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners
California Association for Nurse Practitioners
American Association of Critical Care Nurses
New California Rule AB-890
The Daily Dad

Contact The Conversing Nurse podcast
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Website: https://theconversingnursepodcast.com
Your review is so important to this Indie podcaster! You can leave one here! https://theconversingnursepodcast.com/leave-me-a-review
Would you like to be a guest on my podcast? Pitch me! https://theconversingnursepodcast.com/intake-form
Check out my guests' book recommendations! https://bookshop.org/shop/theconversingnursepodcast

I've partnered with RNegade.pro! You can earn CE's just by listening to my podcast episodes! Check out my CE library here: https://rnegade.thinkific.com/collections/conversing-nurse-podcast

Thanks for listening!