National Emergency Podcast with Nashia Williams, Kate O'Connell cover art

National Emergency

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National Emergency

By: Kate O'Connell, Nashia Williams
Narrated by: Nashia Williams, Kate O'Connell
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About this listen

 Nashia Williams and Kate O’Connell have been ER nurses (and best friends!) in New York City for over a decade — and since every nursing year in the trenches equals 10 regular years, they’ve got a lot of battle stories to tell. They’ve learned that the ER is often the last stop for those who've been failed by America’s systems. In fact, if the United States itself walked into Kate and Nashia’s ER, they’d rush the country straight into Trauma 1. Racism. Violence. Poverty. Poor sex education. The mental health crisis. What happens when these issues walk in through the ER doors? And what could have been done to prevent it? Nashia and Kate investigate. They speak candidly with a different guest — patients, medical professionals and experts alike — each episode. They talk with people who understand these issues first-hand, and learn how we can each do our part to prevent these systemic problems from claiming more lives. Through it all — their uniquely dark nurses-station humor keeps us all from crying at the dire state of our country’s health. Join us, as our fed-up and faithful nurses do a head to toe examination of the United States. Many of these episodes contain mature content, and listener discretion is advised. This project is presented solely for entertainment purposes, and it not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist or other qualified professional. All the views expressed are either ours or our guests’, and don’t necessarily reflect the views of Audible and its affiliates.©2023 Pizza Shark Productions LLC (P)2023 Audible Originals LLC Medicine & Health Care Industry
Episodes
  • Trailer

    Trailer
    May 9 2023
    Nashia Williams and Kate O’Connell have been ER nurses (and best friends!) in New York City for over a decade — and since every nursing year in the trenches equals 10 regular years, they’ve got a lot of battle stories to tell. They’ve learned that the ER is often the last stop for those who've been failed by America’s systems. In fact, if the United States itself walked into Kate and Nashia’s ER, they’d rush the country straight into Trauma 1. Racism. Violence. Poverty. Poor sex education. The mental health crisis. What happens when these issues walk in through the ER doors? And what could have been done to prevent it? Nashia and Kate investigate. They speak candidly with a different guest — patients, medical professionals and experts alike — each episode. They talk with people who understand these issues first-hand, and learn how we can each do our part to prevent these systemic problems from claiming more lives. Through it all — their uniquely dark nurses-station humor keeps us all from crying at the dire state of our country’s health. Join us, as our fed-up and faithful nurses do a head to toe examination of the United States. Many of these episodes contain mature content, and listener discretion is advised. This project is presented solely for entertainment purposes, and it not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist or other qualified professional. All the views expressed are either ours or our guests’, and don’t necessarily reflect the views of Audible and its affiliates.
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    2 mins
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  • Episode 1: The American Violence Emergency

    Episode 1: The American Violence Emergency
    May 11 2023
    School nurse Robin Cogan’s father lost his entire family to a shooting in 1949 in Camden, NJ. Decades later, her niece Carly survived the Parkland, Florida school shooting. Kate and Nashia describe the terrible feeling of the red phone going off in the ER — and knowing it may mean that victims of a “mass casualty incident” are approaching their doors. They talk with Robin about the root causes of mass violence in America, and Kate is surprised by Robin’s framework.
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    32 mins
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  • Episode 2: When the Storm Hits: "Bubblegum, Prayer, and Band-Aids"

    Episode 2: When the Storm Hits: "Bubblegum, Prayer, and Band-Aids"
    May 11 2023
    We are living in an age of increasingly frequent storms, floods, and fires, but our country treats each one almost like it’s a surprise — cobbling together a response without a robust national infrastructure in place. Kate and Nashia discuss their experiences with disaster relief and storms in the ER — on the homefront and abroad. They chat with Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez, former president of the New York Nurses Association, about how she makes health care accessible in the aftermath of a disaster. By the end of the episode, Kate and Nashia sign up to save the world.
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    26 mins
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About the Creator and Performer - Nashia Williams

About the Creator and Performer

Nashia Williams is a writer, podcast producer, and ER nurse in hospitals across the NYC metropolitan area, serving the most culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse population in the country. She works in correctional nursing, and has worked as a set nurse on large scale film productions in NYC. After Hurricane Maria, Nashia traveled to Caguas, Puerto Rico, as part of a 27-person medical rescue team, and has traveled to Durgapur, India, leading an educational training exchange with Indian nurses.
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About the Creator and Performer - Kate O’Connell

About the Creator and Performer

Kate O’Connell is a writer, audio producer, and ER nurse in Queens, NYC. She has worked as an employee health nurse at NBCUniversal at 30 Rock, volunteered with the Red Cross at shelters in Queens after Hurricane Sandy, and volunteered throughout 2021 to administer COVID vaccines for the NYC Department of Health. Kate’s work can be heard on WHYY’s The Pulse and at Transom.org, where she wrote and co-produced with Samantha Broun the audio series Pandemic ER: Notes from a Nurse in Queens in 2020.
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Isis Madrid
Carolina Murriel
Ann Marie
Erin Allen
Marina Peña
Credits and Thanks

Meet The Executive Producer

Isis Madrid is a first generation journalist, writer, artist and audio producer currently based in Los Angeles. She is co-founder of Pizza Shark, an award-winning podcast studio and consulting shop working toward radical inclusivity in media. In the past, Isis edited an alt-weekly in Texas, wrote for outlets like VICE, GOOD and The Village Voice, made documentaries in NYC, and worked in The World/BBC’s bustling international newsroom, reporting around the world for them.

Meet the Executive Editor

Carolina Murriel is a journalist, educator, artist and storyteller in New Orleans. She’s co-founder of Pizza Shark, an award-winning podcast studio working toward radical inclusivity in media. Carolina has trained as an end-of-life doula and is pursuing a graduate certificate from the Trauma Research Foundation. She teaches trauma-informed storytelling and works with the personal essay as a healing practice.

Meet the Producer, Reporter

Ann Marie Awad is an independent journalist and podcast creator based in Denver, CO. From 2019-2021, Ann hosted the award-winning podcast On Something, all about life after cannabis legalization. Ann has also produced podcasts in partnership with organizations such as PRX, Sonos, WAMU, WUNC and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, in addition to airing original reported stories on NPR.

Meet the Associate Producer

Erin Allen is an artist and communicator, driven by her curiosity about people’s stories. In addition to working on National Emergency, she hosts WBEZ’s The Rundown podcast. In the past, she’s produced multimedia work at Michigan Radio and WDET and directed live, audio-based events, like Radio Campfire. Her passion for social justice with her communications skills have led her to spaces like Allied Media Projects. With spare time, Erin dances her heart out at music festivals.

Meet the Fact Checker

Marina Peña is a writer and producer whose work has appeared in the LA Times, Yahoo! Finance and LAist, among other outlets. She has produced podcasts such as Imperfect Paradise, Wild, Snooze, Take Two with A Martinez, and The Times with Gustavo Arellano. Marina is passionate about covering the socioeconomic issues that affect underrepresented communities.

All stars
Most relevant  
Katie and Nashia, former colleagues and nurses I worked with during my residency, have truly created something special. This informative and engaging podcast sheds light on the realities of emergency medicine, showcasing their expertise and dedication. I couldn't be prouder of them! Keep up the excellent work, Kate and Nashia. Your podcast is a must-listen for any and everyone!!

Powerful and Informative

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Wow, Kate and Nashia (two real ER nurses) have done a fantastic job telling us what is happening in our country's medical system. The stories are shocking and the guests are amazing! Bravo.

An amazing and important podcast. Give a listen.

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Loved this platform, narration, and nursing reality view. The hosts are informative and inspiring when sharing their backgrounds, coupled with finding like-minded nurses and topics to discuss issues and concerns. Positivity breeds more positivity! Thank you for bringing these important conversations from the dark to the light with grace and humor. The provoking thoughts and insight to finding the YES in each of us could just be the change this world needs.

Motivational and Thought Provoking

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I am an ER nurse as well, and listening to real issues that we are faced with on a daily basis and never addressed on a larger scale was truly refreshing. Hearing people who live my experiences come together to disseminate factual information and provide resources is inspiring. This podcast has Givin me a sense of rejuvenation. Thank you ladies look forward to season 2!

Relatable and inspiring!

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A fantastic, deeply thoughtful podcast from two experienced E.R. nurses who've been through the wars and still refuse to leave anyone hurting on the field. Should be essential listening for the HHS, NHS, and every state and local health department. And for anyone who cares about their kids, their parents, their neighbors -- those they know and those they don't.

Authentic, practical, provocative. And essential.

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This podcast was equal parts entertaining, informative, relatable (as a professional nurse for over 26 years) and funny. It also touches on topics I have lived through behind the glitz of the media headlines and buzzwords. Some of the topics hit incredibly close to home and the frankness of Nashia and Katie as they shared their experiences; both professional and personal bring the relatability to a whole new level. I highly recommend this podcast to anyone from all professions and walks of life. There is a little bit of education, entertainment and the validation of hearing people say out loud what you may have been thinking in your head. There are also sobering moments that call into question the hypocrisy of some of our leaders attitudes towards healthcare. On the technical side, the production values are impressive if not amazing and definitely up there with some of the best as far as I am concened. Gold Star, A plus, First rate and any applicable accolade one can think of.

Where do I begin?

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Nashia and Kate truly speak from the heart and from experience throughout this series. They give amazing insight to how our national medical system works/doesn’t work. This is beyond relatable as a healthcare provider. And if you’re in emergency medicine, you MUST LISTEN! Cheers to these two and their brave guests for sharing and exploring traumatic events.

A MUST LISTEN!

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Overall a riveting snapshot of our ER and its challenges Can't wait to see the next episodes. Proud of you Birthday twin and work sis.❤️

informative ,Riveting ..

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These are nurses who walk the walk and talk the talk. Their honest insights into the crazy field we have chosen to participate in is affirming.

I hope they continue the podcasts.

I would be very interested in their take on what I think is the wholly dysfunctional system of educating nurses. Hard to get into, many cost big bucks to attend and most are doing a very poor job of preparing students for the realities of nursing. Underpaid instructors many of whom work other jobs to support themselves, are stressed. Though a masters is required to teach most have very poor teaching skills. They instruct like they would their patients - all nurses have been frustrated with the poor education patients and families get upon discharge 80-90%of the time. And like admin in all aspects of nursing, often the people with the poorest management skills are in charge.

Thank you for putting in the work to create this podcast.

Nurses Doing Good Work

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This is my 1st review ever that's how good this podcast is. if you know you know working in Healthcare care is a roller-coaster of emotions and very hard work. This podcasts is a must for everyone healthcare or not. This will open your eyes to what is going on.

MUST LISTEN LOVE IT!

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