Afleveringen
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Season 2 is here, and we're opening with a topic that has been a frequent flyer: the MAHA Strategy Report. If you followed our MOCHA series in Season 1, you already know the diagnosis — poor diet, chemical exposures, physical inactivity, and overmedicalization. Now the MAHA Commission is back with their so-called playbook. Today we're putting Pillar One — Advancing Research — under the nursing microscope.
Spoiler: "gold standard science" is doing a lot of heavy lifting for a document with little meat and zero citations.
We break down the 14 research priorities the Commission laid out, explain why several of them function as dog whistles for the health freedom crowd, and track what has actually happened since the Strategy dropped. From the reinstatement of a long-disbanded vaccine safety task force to the quiet dismantling of the very agencies designed to protect us from chemical exposures, the gap between the promise and the reality is… wide.
We also introduce you to Andrew Downing — and no, he is not from Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill.
This is Part 1 of a multi-part series. Subscribe to our show so you don't miss what comes next.
Subscribe to our Substack for more content from the nurses you trust.
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The Department of Education just finalized the RISE Rule — and graduate nursing still isn't a "professional degree." What does that mean? It means nursing students starting after July 1, 2026 can borrow less than half of what med students, law students, and even chiropractic students can access in federal loans. The Department says it's just a classification issue. Jamie says it's misogyny in a bureaucratic hat.
Jamie breaks down what the RISE Rule actually does, why the CIP code defense doesn't hold up, why "just get a private loan" is not the answer anyone thinks it is, and what this means for a nursing workforce that's already short 264,000 nurses — with 40% of current nurses planning to leave within five years. Plus: what you can do about it, and why your legislators need to hear from you yesterday.
Stay tuned after the Soapbox for our conversation with Dr. Victoria Soltis-Jarrett of UNC on what "professional" status really means for the nurses doing this work every day.
See more on our Substack.
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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The U.S. and Israel have launched massive strikes against Iran. Cable news is debating carrier groups and regime change. We're checking the vitals of the people right here at home.
War doesn't just happen "over there." In this bonus episode, Jamie and Melissa Anne apply the nursing lens to the Third Gulf War's homefront realities — from a spike in oil prices and the financial toxicity hitting American households, to the cortisol-soaked "Headline Stress Disorder" disrupting sleep, relationships, and mental health across the country.
We also offer a four-step Nursing Care Plan for surviving a nation on a war footing — because you can't put a bandage on collective anxiety, but you can titrate media intake, add fact based journalism, and [Jamie's go to] contact your Congressional representatives.
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Today's bonus episode features a discussion based on the Department of Education's final proposed rule that will EXCLUDE graduate level nursing education from the professional federal student loan limits. Jamie and Melissa Anne discuss how this impacts nurses, patients, and the healthcare system at large with Dr. Victoria Soltis-Jarrett, while providing context to what exactly graduate level nursing is.
Get more info, show notes, and follow us on Substack: https://nursingthenation.substack.com/
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Jamie and Melissa Anne address the escalating violence and the tragic loss of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a VA ICU nurse who was killed by ICE agents on Saturday, January 24, 2026, in Minnesota. Speaking not just as nurses, but as witnesses to the "best and worst of humanity," they deliver an urgent message to those who have previously remained silent or supported the current administration’s immigration policies.
Get more info, show notes, and follow us on Substack: https://nursingthenation.substack.com/
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In this episode, Jamie and Melissa Anne unpack reports of a CDC-funded study in Guinea-Bissau that would randomize newborns to receive the Hepatitis B vaccine at birth versus a delayed dose, which is framed by RFK Jr. as “gold standard science.” They break down what decades of evidence say about Hep B transmission and why the birth dose matters, then dig into the ethical red flags of testing delayed protection in a hyper-endemic setting, including concerns about vulnerable populations, justice, and preventable harm. We also connect the this "gold standard science" experiment to research ethics frameworks and discuss potential investigator bias and “cronyism” concerns. We also ask why this story hasn’t gotten more mainstream attention?
For more head to Nursingthenation.substack.com.
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We’re excited to share a special bonus episode today. Jamie and Melissa recently joined host James Hodgson on Humanism Now, a podcast that explores how compassion, curiosity, equality, and freedom can help us build a fairer and more humane world. The show showcases the values and applications of a Humanist worldview. It's not anti-religion — it’s pro-human — and each week James speaks with thinkers, community leaders, and everyday people about how humanist values shape their lives and work.
This podcast highlights various conversations that align with a shared mission of Nursing the Nation: from science and education to ethics, the arts, and social care, Humanism Now celebrates the one life we have and the responsibility we share to leave a better world for those who follow.
If you enjoy this conversation, you can find Humanism Now on all major podcast platforms and on social media at @HumanismNowPod — links are in the show notes. James also runs Humanise Live, a production team helping charities and purpose-driven organizations start podcasts with heart, so do reach out if you’ve ever wanted to share your mission through podcasting. James was wonderful to work with!
Here’s our conversation with Humanism Now. Remember to head to Nursingthenation.substack.com.
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As Season One of Nursing the Nation wraps up, Jamie and Melissa Anne sit down for a lighter, reflective conversation about the surprises, challenges, and insights that shaped their first year behind the mic. From discovering that both the Senate and House have nursing caucuses (who knew?) to unexpected twists in health policy history, the season taught them just as much as it informed listeners. They also share personal updates,(Melissa entering the dissertation phase of her PhD and Jamie following close behind) and how their doctoral work and nursing practice continue to guide the show’s direction.
Looking ahead to Season Two, they preview deep dives into the MAHA strategy plan, a behind-the-scenes look at the business of health care with an industry insider, and a multifaceted series on the U.S. maternal health crisis. Expect even more evidence-based policy analysis, nursing-centered perspectives, and conversations that highlight just how political, expansive, and essential nursing truly is.
Season Two will continue the ethical obligation nurses have to advocate for safety, dignity, equity, and just health policy. Until then, Jamie will still be active on Substack reading, writing, and keeping the conversation going. Thanks to everyone who joined us this season for a nurse’s take on the nation.
For more head to Nursingthenation.substack.com.
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Our last Shout Out this season is to the esteemed nurse Ann Burgess. Ann Burgess is a doctorally prepared nurse scientist that is internationally recognized for her pioneering work in forensic science. Even if you have not heard her by name, you are likely to have known of her work. Did you watch the Netflix series Mindhunter? She is depicted as Dr. Wendy Carr (and we explain why). Dr. Burgess also has a fascinating 3-part documentary, Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer, on her work that is a must watch on Hulu. If you wanted further proof that nurses have engaged with all aspects of life and death, this episode will make the case.
For further information, visit Nursingthenation.substack.com
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In the final installment of our MOCHA REDUX series, Jamie and Melissa Anne break down one of the most contentious sections of the MAHA report: gender-affirming care. This episode explores how the Trump administration and MAHA frame gender-affirming care as “child chemical and surgical mutilation”. This is a phrase echoed in a 2025 CMS press release that warned hospitals about “irreversible” interventions for gender dysphoria. We provide an update to this section of the MAHA report in light of their MAHA Strategy report released in September 2025, and reiterate that this rhetoric misrepresents transgender healthcare and ignores both medical and nursing guidelines and clinical realities.
For more information, visit Nursingthenation.substack.com
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In this episode, Jamie and Melissa Anne revisit MAHA's claim that American children are dangerously overmedicalized. While acknowledging real problems like antibiotic overuse and chronic illness, we argue that the MAHA report manipulates data and misses the bigger picture. We debunk misleading claims about ear tube surgeries, ADHD treatment, and psychiatric medication use in children and adolescents, and call out how evidence is selectively used to fit an ideological narrative.
Ultimately, Jamie and Melissa Anne emphasize that improving children’s health requires more than cutting prescriptions or regulating drug ads. It all comes back to social determinants of health like addressing housing, food access, insurance barriers, and other inequities. We also highlight what’s missing from MAHA’s plan: any mention of the leading causes of child death in the U.S., like firearms and motor vehicle accidents. This episode urges listeners to look beyond oversimplified solutions and engage in real, evidence-based dialogue about what children need to thrive.
Remember to take a look at our companion Substack notes on this updated episode. Nursingthenation.substack.com
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Today's Soapbox, Jamie talks about one of the most misunderstood issues in public health: vaccine exemptions. With vaccination rates slipping below herd-immunity thresholds in several states, and outbreaks making a comeback, we break down what religious, medical, and philosophical exemptions actually mean, and why the “religious objection” argument doesn’t hold up under scrutiny.
Despite rising claims of faith-based exemptions, major religious authorities across the world, including the Vatican, leading Jewish organizations, Islamic juristic bodies, and the Dalai Lama, all support vaccination as a moral responsibility that protects life and community. So where is the resistance coming from?
Jamie goes deeper, sharing her own early-2000s brush with vaccine skepticism, the impact of misinformation, and what she learned as a CDC public health nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also look at how state laws shape vaccination rates and how nurses end up stuck in the middle of a highly politicized debate.
Most importantly: how do we talk about vaccines in ways that actually reach people? How do we respond to concerns without pushing families further away? And what happens when national leaders use their platforms to undermine trust in science?
Join the conversation on our Substack: Nursingthenation.substack.com
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In this episode, we revisit the MOCHA report and unpack major updates in the U.S. vaccine landscape. Since July, ACIP has begun implementing MAHA’s “risk-benefit recalibration” of the childhood vaccine schedule, while a growing national lawsuit argues the administration is violating federal public-health mandates. Several states warn these changes could destabilize school-entry vaccine laws and access to care. Jamie and Melissa Anne also break down early insurance shifts, rising vaccine misinformation, and the growing patchwork of state-by-state immunization policies. Nurses and major medical organizations are speaking out and we’re here to explain what it all means for families and children’s health.
Make sure to head to Nursingthenation.substack.com for more information.
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On September 9, 2025, the MAHA commission released their strategic plan as the expected follow up for their initial report Make Our Children Healthy Again back in May of this year. Today, Jamie reminds us that much like the MOCHA report, the MAHA strategy is full of plans that contradict each other when examined under a nursing lens.
Whether you want to review the topic with our experienced nurse perspective or if you are new to us and want to catch up to speed- we hope you will find our REDUX MOCHA series informative.
Further information and resources can be found at Nursingthenation.substack.com
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On September 9, 2025 the MAHA commission released their strategic plan as the expected follow up for their initial report Make Our Children Healthy Again back in May of this year. Jamie provides a short intro of this episode's topic in light of the strategic plan and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Jamie and Melissa Anne are working on the nursing analysis of this strategic plan and will have an episode covering this in the near future. In the meantime, we thought it would be a great opportunity for us to revisit the series that launched our podcast in the summer of 2025. Whether you want to review the topic with our experienced nurse perspective or if you are new to us and want to catch up to speed- we hope you will find our REDUX MOCHA series informative.
Visit our Substack at Nursingthenation.substack.com.
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On September 9, 2025 the MAHA commission released their strategic plan as the expected follow up for their initial report Make Our Children Healthy Again back in May of this year. Jamie and Melissa Anne are working on the nursing analysis of this strategic plan and will have an episode covering this in the near future. In the meantime, we thought it would be a great opportunity for us to revisit the series that launched our podcast in the summer of 2025. Whether you want to review the topic with our experienced nurse perspective or if you are new to us and want to catch up to speed- we hope you will find our REDUX MOCHA series informative.
Visit our Substack at Nursingthenation.substack.com.
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In this episode, Jamie and Melissa Anne speak with nurse scholar Dr. Donna Perry about the war in Gaza, the resulting famine, and why we must view war as a public health crisis. Dr. Perry shares her peace work with Israelis and Palestinians, reframes the conflict through human dignity, and offers ways everyone can advocate for nonviolence and solidarity.
For more information and resources, check out Nursingthenation.substack.com
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In this episode, Jamie and Melissa Anne look beyond the Tylenol–autism headlines to explore how autism is framed in society, from “cure” narratives to the neurodiversity movement. They unpack RFK Jr.’s rhetoric, the history of medical misogyny, and why autistic voices and women’s autonomy must be at the center of the conversation.
For more information, please visit Nursingthenation.substack.com
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RFK Jr. loves to tout “gold standard science,” but his definition twists real research into dangerous rhetoric. From Jonas Salk’s polio trial to today’s vaccines, true gold-standard studies have already saved millions of lives. Now, political power is being used to dismantle that legacy. It’s up to us to push back.
Head over to nursingthenation.substack.com for more info, resources, and more.
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In this episode of Nursing the Nation, Jamie and Melissa Anne break down the recent claims about Tylenol use in pregnancy and autism. They explore the history of acetaminophen, the evolution of autism research, and why the difference between correlation and causation matters. The hosts unpack how misleading headlines spread misinformation, highlight the strongest science we have to date, and share why Tylenol remains the safest option for fever and pain in pregnancy. This is part 1 of a two-part series.
For more information, visit Nursingthenation.substack.com
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