In this episode of The Nursing Strategies for Success Podcast, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Jody Long, MSN, MBA, RN, CEN, a Nurse with over 30 years of experience, to have a powerful and honest conversation about what it truly takes for Nurses to earn a seat at the decision-making table.

Throughout our discussion, Jody shared real-world strategies that helped her successfully pivot into roles that expanded her influence, visibility, and impact — including corporate leadership positions, education roles, regulatory work with a State Board of Nursing, and her experience working with a major EHR technology company, PointClickCare.

We talked candidly about the reality many Nurses face: working within broken systems, overly burdened workflows, and environments where control often feels out of reach. Jody emphasized that while we may not always control the system, we can control our strategic career moves. By intentionally stepping into roles that add knowledge, insight, and systems-level perspective, Nurses can position themselves as indispensable voices in healthcare decision-making.

This episode highlights the importance of being strategic, adaptable, and proactive — seeking opportunities that broaden your understanding of operations, policy, education, and technology, while leveraging your clinical expertise to influence meaningful change for patients and nursing teams alike.

If you’re a Nurse at any level who wants to move beyond simply reacting to the system and start shaping it, this conversation is filled with insight, encouragement, and actionable strategies you won’t want to miss. 🎧

Ways to Connect with Jody:

LinkedIn: Jody Long, MSN, MBA, RN, CEN

Resources Shared in this episode:

KAIZEN Methodology: https://kaizen.com/what-is-kaizen/

LEAN Methodology: https://www.lean.org/explore-lean/what-is-lean/

PointClickCare: https://pointclickcare.com/

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In this episode of the Nursing Strategies for Success Podcast, I decided to come on and discuss how each one of us are in FULL CONTROL of our Nursing Career Trajectories - and I share valuable tips & strategies on just how to do that!

So whether you are a CNA, LPN, RN, RN Supervisor, Unit Manager, Educator, Nurse Leader, Nurse Policy Maker, Nurse Lawyer, or Nurse Business Owner - this podcast episode is for YOU and for YOU TO SHARE with all of your colleagues, and those who may be just starting out, or who want to level up.

For those individuals that I mentioned in this episode, here are the ways that you can connect with all of them:

Damion Jenkins, MSN, RN - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damionjenkins/

Renee Thompson, DNP, RN, FAAN - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rtconnections/

Donna Cardillo, RN, MA, CSP, FAAN - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnawilkcardillo/

Keith Carlson, BSN, RN, NC-BC - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithallancarlson/

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In episode 7 of season 4 of the Nursing Strategies for Success Podcast, I had the ABSOLUTE PLEASURE of having another amazing conversation with Maggie Ortiz of advocatesfornurses.com - She was a guest on Season 2 - where we discuss just how little education is being done to prepare Nurses for just how serious it can be if Nurses do not effectively leverage their licenses and the regulations that are placed against them to advocate for safe and effective care - despite the pressures of an increasingly difficult healthcare system. This is a CALL TO ACTION for Nursing Programs of Study to really beef up the education that Nurses need to protect their patients/residents, themselves, their licenses and the organizations in which they work! From the CEO all the way down to the CNA - following scope of practice and ensuring that others are doing the same is EVERYONE's Responsibility, and in today's healthcare industry - it's more important than ever! ⚖️

YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS EPISODE! 🎧

Ways to connect with Maggie:

E-Book: Help! I'm a Nurse Being Deposed

Website: https://www.advocatesfornurses.com/

E-Course: Charting to Protect Your Livelihood

LinkedIn: Maggie Ortiz, MSN, RN

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To every Nurse Leader out there: Are your team members being heard, valued, and invested in - or are they just being managed?🏢

My conversation with Christopher Norman, MSN, APRN, AGPCNP-BC, APHN-BC, GNP-BC on episode 6 of season 4 of the Nursing Strategies for Success Podcast digs into what it actually takes to unify nursing teams - and spoiler alert, it starts with nurturing the human beings behind the badges! ✨

Some Food For Thought Before Listening:

✅ When a patient/resident or family member gets upset - we lay on the customer service and conflict resolution strategies with great effort...

✅ When a patient/resident of family member displays unprofessional, inappropriate or rude behaviors - we understand that they are going through stress and they are having a difficult time coping and we implement therapeutic communication strategies to deescalate tensions...

✅ When a patient/resident or family member makes a complaint or accusation of being mistreated - we send out our best leaders to investigate, mitigate and find resolution immediately...

✅ Despite how difficult it may be to manage the care of our patients/residents and their family members... we always lean into empathy, compassion and a desire to help them through the difficulties they are experiencing...

Are you and your Nursing Team Leaders responding to your colleagues, co-workers and direct care Nursing staff in the same ways....? 🤔

You DO NOT want to miss this episode! 🎧

Connect with Christopher here:

LinkedIn: Christopher Norman, MSN, APRN, AGPCNP-BC, APHN-BC, GNP-BC

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I had the pleasure of speaking with Jasmin Waterman-Parris MS, NPD-BC, RN on the Nursing Strategies for Success Podcast and all I can say is WOW!!!

What a true inspiration, gift and irreplaceable talent to the Nursing Profession! Jasmin shares some real practical strategies for Nurse Leaders to step up and step into their power to make transformational positive change and influence - and I am so very grateful that she has taken the time to share her wisdom with all of us! You don't want to miss this episode! 🎧✨✅

Ways you can connect with Jasmin:

LinkedIn: Jasmin Waterman-Parris, MS, NPD-BC, RN

Website: https://nurturednovice.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Nurturednovice

Facebook: Nurtured Novice FB Page

Nurtured Novice Conversation Cards: https://nurturednovice.com/shop

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In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Karen O'Donnell, BSN, RN, CEN, TCRN where we discussed how limiting beliefs, stressors of traditional nursing roles and always being told "NO" gave fuel to a desire to step into entrepreneurship as a means to gain freedom to create the nursing career that allows for the creativity and flexibility that Karen truly wanted and deserved! ✨

We both agreed that the glass ceiling is very low in traditional institutional nursing roles, so instead of just accepting the status quo - Karen put systems into place and she eventually broke through that glass ceiling and is now helping other nurses reclaim their autonomy to raise the ceiling to new heights through entrepreneurship and emotional freedom techniques (EFT)! 📈

You don't want to miss this episode! 🎧

Ways you can connect with Karen:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-o-donnell-2b175458/

Website #1: Caring Nurses Staffing Agency

Website #2: ImperfectEFT

YouTube: ImperfectEFT YouTube Channel

TikTok: ImperfectEFT TikTok Page

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In episode 3 of season 4 of the Nursing Strategies for Success Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Julian Moreno MSN, RN, MEDSURG-BC, CRRN, CDP on episode 3 of season 4 of the Nursing Strategies for Success Podcast where we discussed how diversifying your clinical experience, knowledge and skill can help to improve interdisciplinary communication, collaboration and career satisfaction!

Julian has spent the past 20+ years developing himself as an expert clinician and interdisciplinary advocate to bridge the gap and help others enhance their skill, collaborative effort and improve outcomes across many disciplines in healthcare. By Diversifying his experiences, starting in the military as a medic, and now working as a Master's prepared Registered Nurse, he has leveraged his knowledge and skill to positively impact many, and he is on a mission to continue leveling up to make even more positive impact! You don't want to miss this episode! 🎧

You can connect with Julian here:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julian-moreno-rn-b7041429/

Clarification: I said Nursing has more regulations than "Nuclear Medicine, but I meant to say Nuclear Power'.

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During episode 2 of season 4 of the Nursing Strategies for Success Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Kristen Gutierrez, MSN, RN, CNL, CNRN, SCRN - a Nurse Career Coach who specializes in helping Nurse discover their strengths, passion, and purpose so they can find jobs that they love and that they can THRIVE within! 🥰

Even in the face of adversity with personal health challenges that moved Kristen away from her Nurse Manager role - Kristen knew the power of her Nursing experience, knowledge and skill and began a new career journey where she leveraged her talents to help fellow Nurses navigate their career through a personalized 1-to-1 career coaching program! ✨

I am always AMAZED at how much Nurses are making positive impact and change within the profession, and Kristen is no exception! ✅

You don't want to miss this episode! 🎧

If you want to connect with Kristen (which I highly recommend) - you can connect with her in the following ways:

Website: https://nurse-potential.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kmgutierr

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nurse.potential/