Nursing Stories from the Heart

Importance of Clinical Assessment, Observations in Patient Care.

In an era dominated by electronic monitors, relying solely on automated technology risks missing subtle, life-threatening changes in a patient's condition. In this episode, hosts Beth Matarasso and former Director of Nursing Cheryl Burns explore the critical art of comprehensive patient observations. Drawing on lessons from Florence Nightingale and a deeply personal story involving Cheryl's own 90-year-old father, they discuss why clinical curiosity, hands-on assessment, and strong advocacy are the true glue of the healthcare system.
WHY LISTEN
Learn why over-relying on electronic monitors can cause you to miss critical clinical signs and how to integrate hands-on touch back into your assessments.
Discover how to look beyond the basic 1-to-10 pain scale using specialised clinical tools like the Abbey Pain Scale for non-verbal or dementia patients.
Understand the clinical power of the pulse and how a simple physical touch can reveal complex cardiovascular conditions like aortic regurgitation.
Gain practical strategies for effectively framing and communicating your clinical opinions to doctors and senior staff to prevent patient deterioration.
Reflect on the emotional weight of transitioning from an assistant to a registered nurse, and learn how reflective journaling can ground your practice.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Look beyond the monitor: Treat electronic readings as a baseline, but always use physical touch, skin checks, and cognitive assessments to construct a holistic picture.
Challenge the "tick and flick" mentality: Expand your pain assessments beyond the standard 1-to-10 rating scale, particularly for stoic or non-verbal patients.
Utilise specialised pain tools: Adopt evidence-based tools like the Abbey Pain Scale to monitor vocalisation, facial expressions, and behavioural changes in patients with dementia.
Connect the art and the science: Combine a deep physiological understanding of the disease process with the intuitive, tactile observations built through close patient connection.
Develop a clear reporting structure: Follow Florence Nightingale’s timeless advice by backing up your clinical instincts with concise, documented physical facts when raising concerns to medical officers.
Build a clinical pocketbook: Keep a personal notebook to document new medications, pathologies, and reflective emotions to accelerate your growth and manage the anxiety of registration.
Value the family as care partners: Leverage the unique insights of family members to recognise subtle behavioural deviations from a patient's normal baseline.
BEST QUOTES
"The nurse is the constant in the care of the patient. The nurse's knowledge and skills are the key to the patient's assessment, care, planning, and discharge along that continuum." — Cheryl Burns
"I do believe that unless the nurse touches the patient and only relies on technology, bringing the special skill of the art and the science together will be challenged." — Cheryl Burns
"It's not a tick and flick. No. Definitely not. It's actually a big deal." — Beth Matarasso & Cheryl Burns
"We have only had them in our care for a very brief period, and we don't hold all the answers." — Cheryl Burns
"We are more alike than we are different. That desire to be loved, to be cared for, to have relationships... we share so much that is similar." — Beth Matarasso
"A man who really cares for his patients will soon learn to ask for and appreciate the information of a nurse who is at once a careful observer and a clear reporter." — Florence Nightingale (quoted by Cheryl Burns)
"When you think about someone's life hanging in the balance, we have to pay attention to that intuition, that inner voice." — Beth Matarasso
SHARE-WORTHY MOMENTS
The Ritual of Shaking Down Mercury: Cheryl paints a vivid picture of 1970s wards where dozens of nurses shook down mercury thermometers in unison, complete with the dramatic cleanup protocols of a dropped device. Why it works: A nostalgic, sensory hook that highlights how much clinical tools have evolved.
The Secret Language of the Pulse: Cheryl explains how her tutor sister taught her to diagnose complex cardiac issues, like aortic regurgitation, simply by feeling the character and width of a patient's pulse. Why it works: Celebrates the traditional hands-on clinical skills that are being lost to machinery.
A Matron's Father in Danger: Cheryl shares a chilling, personal story of advocating for her 90-year-old father post-hip-surgery, rescuing him from a life-threatening gut obstruction and opioid confusion that standard electronic monitors completely missed. Why it works: High-stakes drama that illustrates the dangerous blind spots of relying solely on technology.
Decoding the "Grumpy" Patient: How to spot pain in dementia patients by tracking physiological shifts like sweating, alongside behavioural cues like sudden irritability or aggression. Why it works: Practical, actionable advice for handling challenging geriatric patient care.
Florence Nightingale’s 1860 Advice for Modern Doctors: Cheryl reads a timeless passage from Notes on Nursing on how nurses must present clear, fact-backed observations to prevent doctors from dismissing their professional opinions. Why it works: Connects historical clinical wisdom with modern multidisciplinary communication struggles.
The Dual-Sided Journaling Trick: Beth shares her brilliant professional survival technique: writing raw emotional dumps on the left page of a notebook, and neat, structured clinical learning points (like refeeding syndrome) on the right. Why it works: A deeply practical, highly comforting tool for student and newly registered nurses dealing with clinical anxiety.
Whether you are a student transitioning to your registration, a seasoned clinician refining your assessment skills, or a healthcare leader championing person-centred care, this episode offers vital insights into the healing power of active observation. Reclaim the clinical art of touch and listen to Nursing Stories From the Heart on your preferred podcast app, or explore further historical lessons in Cheryl Burns' memoir, Memoirs of a Matron, available in local bookshops.
Recorded and Produced at our The Podcast Boss podcast studio in Brisbane: thepodcastboss.com
 

Reclaiming the Human Side of Healthcare: How to Connect Deeply with Patients in a Busy Ward

In an increasingly complex and fast-paced healthcare environment, busy hospital wards risk institutionalising clinicians and stripping away the vital human connection required for genuine healing. In this episode, hosts Beth Matarasso and former Director of Nursing Cheryl Burns discuss how simple acts of basic care—like a patient wash—serve as the ultimate diagnostic and comforting tool. Through a heartwarming recollection from her memoir, Memoirs of a Matron, Cheryl shares how she challenged the rigid hospital system of the 1970s to bring joy and profound healing to a recovering cardiac patient.
 
WHY LISTEN
Discover why basic hygiene care is not a mundane chore but a powerful diagnostic window to assess patient fears, skin integrity, and clinical treatments.
Learn how to navigate and challenge rigid institutional policies as a patient advocate, even early in your nursing career.
Understand the physiological and emotional healing power of human touch, and how taking it away impacts patient recovery negatively.
Master the ability to stay fully present and engage with patients and families during routine clinical tasks like measuring blood pressure.
Gain insight into "Lipstick Leadership" and how finding your personal psychological anchor can help you command difficult multi-disciplinary meetings.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Maximise routine tasks for assessment: Utilise the time spent washing or freshening up patients to unearth hidden fears, examine skin integrity, and monitor treatment responses.
Champion patient advocacy through persistence: When confronting restrictive policies, channel your heart and head to ask questions, escalate requests up the leadership line, and stand firm as an advocate.
Integrate touch safely and purposefully: Use consensual touch—such as holding a hand during difficult situations or soaking a hand in a washbasin—to comfort and heal institutionalised patients.
Balance the art and science of nursing: Recognise that while technical knowledge of pathophysiology is essential, the artistic delivery of compassionate, person-centred connection is equally critical.
Refuse to let busyness compromise humanity: Make a conscious, active commitment to slow down, look patients in the eye, and listen to their broader life context rather than racing through tasks.
Lead with visibility and active listening: Foster a trustful environment by conducting regular morning ward rounds that actively encourage nurses to hear their patients' stories.
BEST QUOTES
"We cannot lose these basics of part, as part of our nursing care. I say they are important things. It's part of connecting to our patients and comforting them." — Cheryl Burns
"This was the start of me challenging the system, I guess. I believe in ruling from one's heart and head..." — Cheryl Burns
"To take touch away from the human being... is actually, um, something that's very negative... 'Cause touch heals people." — Cheryl Burns
"See, yeah, and I think we talk about the art and the science of nursing. This is the art. The art of nursing." — Cheryl Burns
"You're there anyway. You're standing there. You are doing what you are doing. So you can actually engage with your patient... You can choose how to be in that time." — Beth Matarasso & Cheryl Burns
"I don't think you can stay human without a conscious commitment." — Beth Matarasso
"Hospitals are... for healing, and laughter actually is the best medicine." — Cheryl Burns
SHARE-WORTHY MOMENTS
The Power of the Patient Sponge: Cheryl explains why basic hygiene routines provide an indispensable, intimate opportunity to unearth a patient's secret fears and clinical condition. Why it works: It reframes a mundane task into a highly strategic clinical tool.
Smuggling a Dog Into Coronary Care: Cheryl recalls her 1970s battle up the hospital management hierarchy to grant a recovering elderly lady a visit from her beloved dog. Why it works: It is a dramatic, heartfelt example of early career rebellion and fierce patient advocacy.
The Heartbreaking Reality of a Touchless Life: The hosts discuss the profound, visceral impact of human touch and the tragedy of patients who go months without experiencing it. Why it works: Deeply emotional hook that taps directly into core human empathy.
The Sixty-Second Blood Pressure Choice: Beth points out that nurses are standing there anyway during vitals, so they might as well actively choose to be present and inclusive with families. Why it works: Provides an immediate, practical workflow hack that requires zero extra time.
Introducing Lipstick Leadership: Cheryl reveals how her simple routine of putting on lipstick gave her the psychological armour needed to command hostile multi-disciplinary meetings. Why it works: Quirky, memorable leadership concept that balances humour with authority.
Getting Reprimanded for Laughter: Cheryl fondly looks back at getting into trouble with the Matron for laughing too much and sitting on patients' beds to hold their hands. Why it works: Shows relatable clinical struggles and breaks down the rigid, outdated barriers of institutionalisation.
TIME-STAMPED RUN-DOWN
Introduction and Acknowledgement: Beth and Cheryl welcome listeners from the traditional lands of the Turrbal and Jagera peoples.
The Sacred Value of Basic Care: Why a post-operative wash and a cup of tea hold immense healing power.
The Diagnostic Potential of Hygiene Routines: How to check skin integrity and uncover patient fears during a sponge bath.
The Coronary Care Unit Incident: Cheryl details advocating for an elderly heart-attack patient who missed her dog.
Challenging the 1970s Hospital System: Navigating the hierarchy as a mature-age student nurse to break rigid rules.
The Healing Anatomy of Touch: Exploring the profound physical and psychological effects of safe clinical touch.
The Art vs. Science of Nursing: Striking the perfect balance between understanding pathophysiology and delivering intimate care.
Making a Choice in Time: How to maximise brief clinical interactions like taking blood pressure.
Lipstick Leadership: The psychological anchor behind facing difficult meetings and hospital walks.
The Fight Against Institutionalisation: What it takes to maintain a conscious commitment to staying human in busy wards.
The Best Medicine: Breaking standard protocols by bringing laughter and bedside comfort to patients.
Wrap-Up and Teaser: A preview of the next episode focusing on nursing observations and care planning.
Whether you are a seasoned clinical leader, a newly qualified nurse, or a healthcare student navigating the complexities of modern hospital wards, this episode serves as a powerful reminder of why your humanity is your greatest clinical asset. Reclaim the heart of your practice and listen to Nursing Stories From the Heart on your favourite podcast platform, or pick up a copy of Cheryl Burns' Memoirs of a Matron at your local bookshop.
Recorded and Produced at our The Podcast Boss podcast studio in Brisbane: thepodcastboss.com

Nursing Stories from the Heart: The Power of Storytelling and Reflective Practice

Retired Chief Nurse Cheryl Burns joins Beth Matarasso to discuss her book, Memoirs of a Matron, and the "sacred" responsibility of the nursing profession. They explore why storytelling is the essential "glue" of healthcare and how embracing intimacy—rather than pulling back—is the key to both patient safety and professional resilience.
WHY LISTEN
Redefine Professional Intimacy: Understand why being permitted into a patient’s vulnerability is a sacred art, not just a job.
Practical Advocacy Tools: Learn the simple questions that can rebalance power and reveal a patient’s true needs.
Nurture Your Intuition: Discover how to articulate "gut feelings" in a clinical environment dominated by objective data.
Build Lasting Resilience: See how sharing "difficult" stories with colleagues creates a protective layer against burnout.
Legacy and Wisdom: Gain insights from a 40-year career that spanned from student training to the role of Chief Nurse.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Recognise the "Glue": View nursing as the constant, empathetic force that holds a fragmented health system together.
Ask the Narrative Question: Use "Tell me what is worrying you today?" to inform your clinical assessment and care planning.
Trust the Subjective: Do not ignore your "gut feelings"; learn to think aloud with mentors to prevent patient deterioration.
Prioritise Reflective Practice: Use clinical supervision to process the "intimate stuff" and ensure you never feel alone in your practice.
Involve the Patient: Practise "nothing about me without me" by bringing the patient's voice into ward rounds and handover.
Combat Busyness with Presence: Be aware that stories are unfolding while you perform tasks like observations or clinical cares.
ABOUT THE GUESTS
Cheryl Burns
Cheryl is a retired Matron, Executive Director of Nursing, and Chief Nurse with a distinguished 40-year career. She is the author of Memoirs of a Matron, a book written to give back to the nursing and midwifery community. What you’ll learn from her today: How to maintain curiosity and creativity while navigating the complexities of healthcare leadership.
Beth Matarasso
Beth is a nursing colleague and friend of Cheryl, with extensive experience in clinical supervision and community nursing. What you’ll learn from her today: The importance of "soaking up" the wisdom of mentors to inform your own professional identity.
Nursing is more than a series of tasks; it is a collection of lives intertwined in moments of profound vulnerability. Whether you are a student just starting or a veteran nurse, this episode is an invitation to recognise the stories unfolding around you every day. Join Beth and Cheryl for a conversation that celebrates the grit and grace of the profession. Listen to Nursing Stories from the Heart wherever you get your podcasts.
 
Memoirs of a Matron by Cheryl Burns – A professional memoir and collection of nursing stories available on bookstores.
Recorded and Produced at The Podcast Boss podcast studio in Brisbane