Radio nurses
Pulse editor
Sunday, February 15, 2009
How far would you go to promote your profession? Two nurses — with 60 years of experience between them — have taken their message to the airwaves and are broadcasting a weekly nursing show on Radio Sandy Springs, outside of Atlanta.
“My partner and I often laugh and ask how we got ourselves into this? But we are having so much fun with it,” said Jennifer Scully, president and CEO of Clinical Resources, a nationwide health care staffing company.
Photos by BARRY WILLIAMS / AJC Special
Nurses Jennifer Scully (left) and Crystal Chin co-host Nurse View on Radio Sandy Springs.
Co-hosts Jennifer Scully (left) and Crystal Chin interview attorney Larry Brock about important aspects of charting for employees of assisted-living facilities.
Scully and Crystal Chin, vice president of operations, started the staffing company three years ago, after long careers in nursing and hospital and long-term care-facility management.
Last August, the Sandy Springs Business Association asked Scully if she would be interested in appearing on Radio Sandy Springs and talking about the nursing shortage and its impact on the public. Scully agreed, and the show got such a good response that the station asked her to create a weekly nurse radio show.
“I’m dedicated to promoting nursing, but I didn’t want to duplicate what anyone else was doing, so we did a search to find other nursing shows,” said Scully, RN, BSN, CCM, CHRM, NHA. “We couldn’t find any and think we may be the first radio program by nurses, for nurses and about nursing.”
Nurse View, a name selected by an audience contest, airs Tuesdays from 4 to 5 p.m. on 1620 AM. Archived shows can be heard on the Clinical Resources Web site.
Unlike the popular TV show, “The View,” the atmosphere is always relaxed and friendly on Nurse View. Each week, co-hosts Scully and Chin invite a guest to talk about nursing.
They began with a series about the many faces of nursing, focusing on the many specialties and practice settings in the field. In another program, they discussed the many levels of nursing and the education required for each one. Scully and Chin also have invited guests who aren’t nurses to talk about litigation in health care and electronic documentation.
“We’ve found that the public doesn’t know the difference between an LPN, RN or NP,” Scully said.
“The show is such a great way to promote the nursing profession, outside of our jobs, that we just jumped into it together,” said Chin, RN, NHA. “We research our own topics and are always looking for new guests.
“A show that revolves around nursing is valuable for nurses, who are so busy taking care of others that they don’t always take care of themselves. It’s a great resource for them.”
Initially, Scully thought nurses would be hesitant to come on the radio, but she’s found that 90 percent are excited to talk about what they do.
“We tell them it’s just going to be fun conversation,” Scully said.
As nurses, Scully and Chin have discovered their ability to ask open-ended, therapeutic questions translates well to talk radio.
“Guests are a little concerned when they enter the booth, but then we just get them talking,” Scully said. “Later, they tell me that an hour wasn’t enough time, and they’d love to come back.”
“The hour goes so quickly that we’ve usually finished before we’ve asked all our questions,” Chin said.
A favorite question is, “What is one of the most rewarding times you had as a nurse?”
“I love hearing nurses tell their stories and, apparently, so do others,” Chin said. “We’re still learning who our listeners are.”
The hosts expected that nurses would listen, but they also hear regularly from the general public.
“We don’t take calls during the program, but we give out our number on every show and we return listener calls, or e-mail them,” Chin said.
Most callers have been touched by health care in some way. Sometimes, people who want advice about caring for elderly parents. Other times, high school students want to know more about nursing school.
“As long as we can make a difference by encouraging young people to come into nursing, or get a veteran nurse to practice again, we’ll continue the show,” Scully said.
But the two aren’t quitting their day jobs. Their expertise and dedication help match providers with health care professionals.
“The providers are happy, because they don’t have to spell out what is needed for an oncology floor; I can talk the language,” Scully said. “And nurses are happier because we actually try to help them in their careers.”
“We’ll keep on doing it and see where it takes us,” Chin added.
“I’m waiting for Oprah to call,” Scully said with a laugh.