Marcus welcomes Barb to the podcast. Yes, the one and only Barb!
Barb shares her journey into nursing that came from an experience with her father when she was still in high school and then shares stories from her 42 years of bedside nursing. You’ll hear some stories from “I’m Here” and “The Other End of the Stethoscope”…but from Barb’s perspective.
Nurse and patient, in conversation about loss, struggles, strength and love. This is an extra-long (and extra special) episode for the ages.
Key topics:
•[2:50] Barb’s early years and the exact moment she knew she’d become a nurse
•[5:17] Barb’s education and intro into nursing
•[7:04] Barb’s 42 year nursing career: June 6, 1977 - April 15, 2019
•[9:35] What were some of the biggest changes Barb saw during her 42 years as a floor nurse?
•[11:27] Barb’s love of connecting with her patients
•[12:52] Barb’s respect for the amazingly resilient stories and histories of her patients
•[14:35] Barb shares her perspective of how she and Marcus met and the start of their relationship
•[19:04] Barb saw and treated Marcus for more than just his physical injuries
•[20:15] Barb intentionally saved all of Marcus’ notes to share with his parents so they could have a better idea of his thoughts and mindset
•[21:40] Barb worked on her patients’ schedules, not her own
•[24:08] Barb’s main goal was always to make her patients feel safe and secure
•[25:20] The moment Barb knew Marcus was going to be okay
•[26:38] Barb shares with us that Jenny came to see Marcus one day and was turned away
•[28:14] Barb’s advice to newer nurses on the idea of “I don’t want to get too close to patients”
•[31:34] Making patients feel safe
•[34:29] The beautiful life and legacy of Barb’s son, Mark
•[40:22] Who was the person there for Barb the most during Mark’s battle with cancer?
•[44:45] The strength of a parent
•[52:35] If Barb could tell the world anything, this is the message she would send…
Resources for you:
•Read the first chapter of “I’m Here”, the book that is dedicated to Mark DeWalle: https://bit.ly/Chap1-ImHere
•Connect with Marcus on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarcusEngelSpeaker/
•Connect with Marcus on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blindguypictures/
•Subscribe to the podcast through Apple: https://bit.ly/MarcusEngelPodcast
Date: 11/16/2021
Name of show: Compassion & Courage: Conversations in Healthcare
Episode title and number: Episode 15 – The One & Only Barb DeWalle: 42 Years of Bedside Nursing Insights