Leading with Hearts and Minds

About Leading with Hearts and Minds

"Leading with Hearts & Minds" Discover the untold stories behind the leaders shaping the future of healthcare. In "Leading with Hearts & Minds, "We bring you intimate, one-to-one conversations with healthcare professionals who have navigated extraordinary challenges and triumphs. Each episode reveals the personal journeys, hard-earned lessons, and human moments that define leadership in one of the world's most demanding fields. Whether you're a healthcare professional, a leader, or simply curious about the heart and mind behind outstanding leadership, this podcast offers inspiration and insight with every story.

Publisher

National Clinical Leadership Centre for Nursing and Midwifery

Category

business · education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

25 Feb 2025

Latest episode

28 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

29 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Sept 2026

   Professor Fintan Sheeran: Leadership begins as an undergraduate Nursing or Midwifery student.

   To date, the NCLC podcast series Leading with Hearts and Minds has given listeners worldwide the chance to hear personal and professional leadership experiences from people working in healthcare and other sectors. This episode argues that professional leadership begins earlier than many assume — not in a first management role, but in undergraduate education, as students learn to lead themselves, lead others, and shape their organisation's culture. Marie Kilduff met with Professor Fintan Sheeran, Professor of Nursing and Founding Head of the School at Maynooth University, for a wide-ranging conversation that moves from that educational argument into something more personal: Sheeran's own account of a late diagnosis, and what it took to be seen and understood. Support Information: HSE Alcohol and Drugs Helpline Freephone 1800 459 459, Monday to Friday from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm, or email helpline@hse.ie (mailto:helpline@hse.ie). The helpline offers support, information, guidance and referral on anything related to drugs and alcohol.  Visit www.drugs .ie (http://www.drugs.ie/) for information on drugs, harm reduction and information on support services. Your Mental Health Freephone 1800 111 888 for information on services and how to access them. Visit www.yourmentalhealth.ie (http://www.yourmentalhealth.ie/) for information about when to get support, organisations providing mental health services and specialist services available.

2. 

   31 Aug 2026

   The Greenhouse — Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital's Pathway to Excellence

   Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda became the second hospital in Ireland to achieve Pathway to Excellence — the international accreditation recognising nursing excellence, workplace culture, and shared decision-making. In this episode, Director of Nursing Adrian Cleary and Assistant Director of Nursing Áine Davern describe how the pursuit of Pathway helped their teams move beyond the fatigue of the pandemic and build something lasting — from a council structure Adrian calls "a greenhouse for new ideas" to a wellbeing programme that has changed the face of staff support at Lourdes. They talk about what it takes to lift nursing leadership out of the daily operational role and back to the strategic responsibilities their colleagues need from them. Four members of the nursing team — Cathy Clarke, Bijily Joseph, Nena Evalaroza, and Aoife O'Neil — share their own experiences of the journey, from the ward councils that gave frontline nurses a voice, to the day the hospital received the news. Credits: Adrian Cleary, Director of Nursing, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Áine Davern, Assistant Director of Nursing, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Cathy Clarke, RANP Bijily Joseph, CNM2 Nena Evalaroza, CNM2 Aoife O'Neil, Clinical Skills Facilitator Interviewer: Marie Kilduff, National Clinical Leadership Centre for Nursing and Midwifery

3. 

   10 Aug 2026

   Pathway to Excellence: The St James's Story

   St James's Hospital became the first hospital in Ireland to achieve Pathway to Excellence — an international accreditation from the American Nurses Credentialing Centre that recognises a genuinely positive working environment for nurses. This episode is the story of how a nursing team got it over the line, in their own words. Marie Kilduff talks to some of the people behind the success — from the Director of Nursing to the staff nurses on the wards — about what Pathway actually asks of a hospital, why the staff survey was the hardest part, and how link-nurse meetings, ward competitions and even a viral video helped bring more than 2,000 nurses with them. It's a candid conversation about culture, voice and what respect looks like in daily practice — including the moments when the effort dipped, and the day, right before St Patrick's weekend, when they finally heard the result. In this episode: What Pathway to Excellence is, and the six standards behind it The submission, and the staff survey that had to clear a high bar Making it stick: link nurses, competitions and the ward trolleys The honest part — when momentum dipped, and what carried them through The nursing councils, and what an equal voice looks like in practice Hearing the result, and what changes once you have it Featuring from St James's Hospital: Sharon Slattery, Director of Nursing Charlotte Stuart, Assistant Director of Nursing Marian Broderick, CNM 3 Anne-Marie McKenna, CNM 2 Ajin Ragavan Selvi, CNM 2 Maria Begley, Staff Nurse Credits: Presented by Marie Kilduff Guests: Sharon Slattery, Charlotte Stuart, Marian Broderick, Anne-Marie McKenna, Ajin Ragavan Selvi and Maria Begley, St James's Hospital

Who has been a guest on Leading with Hearts and Minds

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Dr Pádraic Dunne
• Amy Carroll
• Professor Áine Carroll
• Caroline O’Regan
• Claire Zangerle

Podcast Authority Score: 2 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

4

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

0