Home Podcasts The FreshRN Podcast with Kati Kleber
The FreshRN Podcast with Kati Kleber

The FreshRN Podcast with Kati Kleber

Kati Kleber, MSN RN 147 Episodes Jan 22, 2026

Your first year as a registered nurse is challenging. This podcast is hosted by Kati Kleber, MSN RN and features experienced nurses from FreshRN.com, who discuss the basics of that first year. From orientation, code blues, tricks of the trade, and personal experiences, to time management, delegation, patient deaths, and more.

Episodes

Hate the ICU but Eyeing CRNA? What It Really Takes to Get In (and Thrive)
Hate the ICU but Eyeing CRNA? What It Really Takes to Get In (and Thrive) Jan 22, 2026 49:10 Hate the ICU, but still thinking about CRNA school? You're not alone. And it might not be the dealbreaker you think. In this episode, I (Kati Kleber, MSN RN) sit down with Jenny Finnell, MSN, CRNA, to unpack what it really takes to get into CRNA school, and what life actually looks like on the other side. Jenny shares her honest experience of struggling emotionally in the ICU, why becoming a CRNA
Correctional, Home Health, and AI: Inside NSO's New Nurse Liability Data
Correctional, Home Health, and AI: Inside NSO's New Nurse Liability Data Jan 15, 2026 50:33 Correctional nursing, home health, aesthetics, nurse leaders… and now AI? NSO's newest nurse liability report highlights some surprising trends in where claims are happening (and why), and this episode breaks it all down in a way that's actually useful for real-world nurses. In this episode, I (Kati Kleber, MSN RN) sit down with Jennifer Flynn from NSO to discuss their latest nurse liability data:
Lessons From a Nurse Who Landed on Probation
Lessons From a Nurse Who Landed on Probation Jan 12, 2026 41:36 A home health nurse thought she was helping her patient, but her actions ultimately led to probation with the state board of nursing. In this episode, I (Kati Kleber, MSN RN) sit down with my husband, licensed clinical counselor John Kleber, to walk through a real NSO case study involving a nurse who crossed professional boundaries, practiced outside her scope, and failed to document critical aspe
Love Nursing, Hate People
Love Nursing, Hate People Dec 18, 2025 57:10 Being a new nurse is overwhelming enough, but what if you also feel out of sync socially with the people around you? Socially awkward. Emotionally drained. Cognitively overloaded. Loving nursing, but quietly wondering if you're doing it "wrong." In this episode, I (Kati Kleber, MSN RN) sit down with my husband, licensed clinical counselor John Kleber, to talk honestly about what it's like to be a
The Pressure to Perform: Why Nurses Feel Like They Should Know It All
The Pressure to Perform: Why Nurses Feel Like They Should Know It All Dec 11, 2025 40:05 New nurses step onto the floor with a license, but not with all the answers. Yet patients, families, and even friends often expect brand-new RNs to perform like seasoned experts. In this episode, I (Kati Kleber, MSN RN) sit down with my husband, licensed clinical counselor John Kleber, to unpack what it's like to learn under that spotlight of public expectations. Together, we explore how new nurse
Allergy Assessment for Nurses: True Allergy vs Sensitivity, IgE Testing, and Safer Care
Allergy Assessment for Nurses: True Allergy vs Sensitivity, IgE Testing, and Safer Care Dec 4, 2025 34:34 New nurses are often handed a long "allergy list" and five minutes to make sense of it. In this episode, Kati Kleber talks with Sophia L. Thomas, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, PPCNP-BC, FNAP, FAANP, former President of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and NP at DePaul Community Health Centers, about how to take a focused allergy history that actually improves patient care. What you'll learn: ✅
Feeling Valued Again: How Virtual Nursing Is Redefining Bedside Care
Feeling Valued Again: How Virtual Nursing Is Redefining Bedside Care Nov 25, 2025 43:47 Traditional nursing models are breaking under the weight of higher acuity, staffing shortages, and relentless workload. But nurse leaders aren't waiting for permission to fix it, they're redesigning care delivery right now. In this episode, Kati Kleber, MSN RN, talks with Dr. Bethany Robertson, Clinical Executive at Wolters Kluwer, Health Learning Research & Practice, about how hospitals are exper
How AI Can Transform Nursing... Without Replacing Nurses
How AI Can Transform Nursing... Without Replacing Nurses Nov 20, 2025 51:03 In this episode of The FreshRN Podcast, host Kati Kleber, MSN RN, sits down with Dr. Susan Grant, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN (Chief Clinical Officer at symplr) to talk about how AI can actually make nursing better. We focus less on "what AI is" and more on how to successfully integrate it into nursing practice. Susan will share leadership strategies for building trust, creating a culture where AI empow
Leading Better Sepsis Care: Lessons from the Frontline
Leading Better Sepsis Care: Lessons from the Frontline Nov 13, 2025 58:53 In this episode, we're talking less about what sepsis is and more about how to build systems that actually help nurses catch and treat it earlier, without overwhelming us or compromising patient safety. Instead of focusing on textbook definitions, we explore how workflow, culture, and smart (nurse-driven!) processes can radically improve outcomes. I sit down with Jaclyn Bond, MS, MBA, RN, former D
What I Would Do Differently If I  Could Go Back to Day 1 of Nursing School
What I Would Do Differently If I Could Go Back to Day 1 of Nursing School Jun 12, 2025 30:50 If I could hop in a time machine and redo my journey to becoming a nurse, knowing what I know now... I'd take a very different path (and spend a lot less money). In this episode, I'm walking you through what I actually did: From changing majors to juggling basketball and nursing school, and what I'd do differently if I could go back. We'll talk about: ✅ Why I wish I'd started as a CNA in high scho
Your Hospital Is Not Your Mom: Detaching Emotionally From Your Employer
Your Hospital Is Not Your Mom: Detaching Emotionally From Your Employer Jun 5, 2025 39:58 Ok that title might be a little spicy, but stick with me. In this episode, I discuss why so many of us over-identify with our roles, how "we're a family" culture keeps us stuck, and what learned helplessness looks like at the bedside. We'll also talk about the sneaky way suffering becomes a badge of honor, and how to step out of that martyr mindset. Sign up for my email list: https://www.freshrn.
The Identity Crisis of the People-Pleasing RN
The Identity Crisis of the People-Pleasing RN May 29, 2025 28:26 In this episode, we're diving into what happens when perfectionism collides with the messy, high-pressure reality of nursing. If you've ever felt like your entire identity is wrapped up in being the "good nurse" ... you know, the one who never messes up, never says no, and always holds it together, this conversation is for you. We'll talk about: How nursing school subtly wires us for people-pleas

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