🍔 Middle management is one of the toughest jobs in nursing... but it can also be the most influential.

Middle managers are often described as the "meat in the sandwich"—caught between the expectations of senior leaders and the realities of frontline staff. In this engaging episode of Your Nurse Voice Matters, I sit down with leadership expert Sally Foley-Lewis to explore why this often-overlooked group has the greatest potential to influence workplace culture and create meaningful change.

Drawing on her experience working alongside healthcare professionals and coaching leaders across multiple industries, Sally shares practical insights for Clinical Nurse Consultants, Nurse Unit Managers, educators, and aspiring nurse leaders. We discuss the unique pressures of leading from the middle, the importance of self-awareness, communication, problem-solving, and how trusted relationships become the foundation for influencing change both up and down an organisation.

Sally also introduces her memorable "burger" leadership framework—a practical and entertaining metaphor that makes complex leadership concepts easy to understand and apply. Whether you're already in a leadership role or hoping to step into one, this conversation is packed with practical strategies you can use immediately.

If this episode resonates with you, please share it with a colleague who may benefit. If you know a nurse with a story to tell, introduce us wendy@healthyoptionsnow.org

Connect with Sally Foley-Lewis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallyfoleylewis/

In this special solo episode of Your Nurse Voice Matters, I take you back to where it all began by reading the introduction and first chapter of my first book, MidLife Mojo: You're 50, Cut the Crap. Inspired by my own journey as a nurse, my family's experiences with illness, and my personal transformation from obesity to wellbeing, this episode explores the powerful moments that can change the direction of our lives.

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by work, family responsibilities, or the constant pressure of putting everyone else first, this conversation is for you. Together we'll explore why understanding your personal motivations is the key to lasting change, how fear often keeps us stuck, and why small, consistent steps are far more powerful than chasing perfection. This isn't about fad diets or quick fixes—it's about creating a healthier, happier future by making practical choices that fit real life.

Whether you're in midlife or simply looking for renewed purpose and direction, I hope these chapters encourage you to reflect on where you are today and where you'd like to be in the years ahead.

📖 Purchase your copy here: https://bit.ly/MidLifeMojoBook

If you know a nurse with a story to tell, introduce us: wendy@healthyoptionsnow.org

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode discusses workplace bullying, psychological injury, suicide, mental health, patient safety, whistleblowing and systemic challenges within healthcare.

In Part Two of this powerful conversation, Alicia Hyland continues sharing the deeply personal impact that followed her decision to speak up about patient safety and workplace culture.

Alicia reflects on the emotional, professional and personal consequences she experienced, describing the long road through investigations, legal processes, declining mental health and the lasting effects of workplace conflict. She also shares how these experiences led her to rethink her purpose, inspiring a vision for more compassionate models of care and renewed advocacy for healthcare reform.

Throughout the conversation, Alicia discusses the importance of psychological safety, authentic leadership, documentation, seeking support, and maintaining integrity—even when the path becomes incredibly difficult. She offers practical advice for nurses and midwives navigating challenging workplace cultures, encouraging listeners to protect themselves, remain true to their values, and continue advocating for safe patient care.

Whether or not you agree with every perspective shared, this episode raises important questions about organisational culture, leadership, accountability and the human cost when healthcare professionals feel unable to speak openly.

This is a confronting, thought-provoking conversation that many nurses and midwives may find both challenging and validating.

If this episode resonates with you, please subscribe to Your Nurse Voice Matters so you never miss a future conversation.

If you know a nurse with a story to tell, I'd love to hear from you. Contact Wendy at wendy@healthoptionsnow.org.

What shapes a healthcare professional who refuses to stay silent when patient safety and workplace culture are at stake?

In this first episode of a compelling two-part conversation, Wendy sits down with experienced midwife and healthcare leader Alicia Hyland, whose career has taken her from England to the Middle East, Papua New Guinea and Australia.

Alicia reflects on the people and experiences that influenced her leadership, including growing up around nursing education reform in the UK, working in challenging maternity environments across the world, and discovering the power of strong teams, supportive cultures and speaking up for patients.

Along the way, she shares fascinating stories from international healthcare, the lessons she learned from inspiring leaders, and why organisational culture has become one of her greatest passions.

As her career progresses, Alicia begins noticing patterns that many nurses and midwives will recognise—staffing pressures, communication breakdowns, resistance to change, and the challenges of advocating for safer systems. Determined to improve care, she continues to ask difficult questions and push for practical solutions.

But then everything changes.

Episode 34A finishes at the moment Alicia's professional life takes an unexpected turn, setting the scene for a powerful continuation in Part B.

🎧 Subscribe to Your Nurse Voice Matters so you'll be notified as soon as Episode 34B is released.

If you know a nurse with a story to tell, I'd love to hear from you. Reach out at wendy@healthoptionsnow.org.

What happens when your professional values, personal convictions, and career collide?

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Your Nurse Voice Matters, Wendy Trevarthen sits down with registered nurse Ella King to discuss her extraordinary nursing journey—from securing a graduate position at Queensland Children's Hospital to losing her nursing career during the C%$ID-19 vaccine mandates.

Ella shares her experiences as a passionate patient advocate, a nurse who wasn't afraid to question systems, challenge assumptions, and speak up when she believed something wasn't right. She reflects on the culture of nursing, the importance of critical thinking, and the difficult decisions she faced during one of the most divisive periods in modern healthcare.

Together, Wendy and Ella explore:

• Ella's path into nursing and her early career in paediatric healthcare
• The importance of patient advocacy and trusting your clinical instincts
• The challenges of speaking up in healthcare environments
• The impact of C%$ID-19 on nurses and healthcare systems
• Her personal experience navigating vaccine mandates and employment consequences
• The emotional toll of professional uncertainty
• Workforce shortages and lessons healthcare leaders can learn from the pandemic
• Why communication, transparency, and respect for nurses matter more than ever

Throughout the conversation, Ella offers a candid reflection on resilience, integrity, and staying true to your values—even when the personal cost is high.

Key Takeaway

"Be the nurse that you want looking after you. Be the nurse you would want caring for your family. Have the courage to speak up, trust your judgment, and act with integrity."

About Our Guest

Ella King is a registered nurse with nine years of experience in paediatric healthcare. Passionate about patient advocacy and seeking truth, she spent nearly five years at Queensland Children's Hospital before her employment was impacted by the C%$ID-19 vaccine mandates. Today, she works with the Nurses Professional Association of Australia and continues to advocate for nurses and healthcare professionals across the country.

Listen If You Want To:

✅ Learn about the importance of patient advocacy ✅ Hear a firsthand account of nursing during the C%$ID era ✅ Understand the challenges faced by healthcare workers during times of crisis ✅ Explore the role of integrity, courage, and critical thinking in nursing ✅ Be inspired by a story of resilience and standing firm in your convictions

Quote of the Episode

"The nurses you want in your health system are the ones who ask questions, who challenge what doesn't make sense, and who will stand up for patients when something isn't right."

Connect With Wendy

If you enjoyed this episode of Your Nurse Voice Matters, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a nurse who needs to hear this conversation.

If you know a nurse with a story to tell, contact wendy at wendy@healthyoptionsnow.org

Because every nurse's voice matters. 🎙️💙

In this powerful episode of Your Nurse Voice Matters, Wendy Trevarthen sits down with emergency nurse, paramedic, humanitarian volunteer, and PhD candidate Helen Zahos to explore what it truly means to serve on the front line of global disasters and humanitarian crises.

From the Bali bombings and the Nepal earthquake to refugee camps in Greece, Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, and conflict zones in Ukraine and Iraq, Helen shares the raw realities of nursing in some of the world’s most challenging environments. She opens up about the emotional toll of disaster response, the lessons learned from working alongside international teams, and the importance of compassion, cultural respect, and emotional intelligence in nursing practice.

This conversation is both inspiring and eye-opening for nurses at every stage of their career—whether you’re considering humanitarian work, beginning your nursing journey, or reflecting on the impact you want to leave in healthcare.

Helen also discusses her current PhD research focusing on the mental health outcomes of disaster medical teams and offers practical advice for nurses interested in volunteering overseas.

A moving conversation about courage, kindness, resilience, and why every nurse’s voice truly matters.

To contact Helen –

Instagram - Helen_Zahos

LinkedIn www.helenzahos.com

If you know a nurse who has a story to tell, wendy@healthyoptionsnow.org

In this powerful episode of Your Nurse Voice Matters, Wendy sits down with nurse academic, researcher, and advocate Alan Ramsay for a confronting and deeply honest conversation about the realities of modern nursing.

Alan challenges the idea that nurses need more resilience training, wellness workshops, or moral distress lectures to survive healthcare, arguing instead that the real problem is the system itself.

Drawing on decades of experience in trauma, cardiology, education, advocacy, and research, he explores the power imbalances, workplace cultures, and silence that continue to impact nurses and patient safety across the profession.

Together, Wendy and Alan discuss why nurses are often discouraged from speaking up, the emotional toll of unsafe workplaces, the hidden culture of lateral violence and bullying, and why near misses, advocacy, and open conversations matter more than ever.

Alan also shares practical insights for early career nurses on finding their voice, navigating difficult workplace situations, and standing firm in their professional standards.

This episode is thought-provoking, validating, and essential listening for nurses at every stage of their career. And somewhere within this conversation lies a golden nugget about courage, advocacy, and the quiet power of standing beside someone who chooses to speak up.

To contact Alan alan.ramsay@jcu.edu.au

If you know a nurse with a story to tell, contact Wendy wendy@healthoptionsnow.org

Some nursing experiences aren’t just experiences… they’re wake-up calls.

⚠️ (Warning: this may trigger some listeners. If this affects you, seek trusted, professional support.)

What happens when a nurse does the right thing—and everything falls apart? When speaking up leads to isolation, investigations, and a system that turns its back?

This powerful, confronting conversation with Anne Jones is about courage, bullying, and what it really costs to stand up for patients, colleagues, and integrity. It’s about persistent ‘resilience’ in the face of relentless pressure—and the strength it takes to keep going when everything is stacked against you. Surviving, for self and others.

These are the voices that need to be heard. Not just to share experiences, but to create awareness, spark change, and remind every nurse: you are not alone, others walk alongside you.

Because behind every headline or “incident” is a human being, a career, a family—and a story that matters.

🎙️ If you know a story like this—one that needs to be heard, one that could make a difference—introduce us in a 3-way chat. 💬🤝

wendy@healthyoptionsnow.org

To contact Anne email anniej1801@internode.on.net

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-jones-75410145/