Nursing Stories from the Heart

About Nursing Stories from the Heart

From our hearts to yours through wisdom, knowledge, and experience. Every nurse has a story, and every story shared strengthens our profession. We believe the quiet moments of care and the difficult decisions made at the bedside hold the true power of our calling. Nursing Stories from the Heart is a dedicated space for shared lessons, professional legacy, and collective wisdom. Hosted by Cheryl Burns, author of Memoirs of a Matron, and Beth Matarasso RN, this series bridges the gap between traditional nursing wisdom and the practical realities of modern healthcare practice. In each episode, we journey through the wisdom of the past to inspire the care of the future. By revisiting the moments and heart-led decisions that shaped a lifetime of service, we explore what it truly means to lead with a nursing heart in today’s world. Whether you are a student just beginning your journey or a seasoned professional, we invite you to join us as we honour the legacy of our vocation. Recorded and Produced at The Podcast Boss (https://thepodcastboss.com/) podcast studio in Brisbane

Publisher

Cheryl Burns & Beth Matarasso

Category

education · health & fitness · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

11 May 2026

Latest episode

2 Jun 2026

Latest episodes

5 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   2 Jun 2026

   The Gift of Hope, Holding the Burden, and the Future of Nursing

   What does it mean to "hold hope" for someone when their diagnosis is devastating and the clinical path forward is dark? In the final episode of our pilot series, retired senior nursing leader Cheryl Burns and Beth Matarasso RN sit down for a deeply personal, clinical, and inspiring conversation about the nature of hope, professional courage, and the future of healthcare. We begin with Cheryl reflecting on her days as a second-year student nurse. Acting as a primary nurse, she stood by a patient who received the news of an inoperable, metastatic diagnosis. Cheryl details the moment she stepped into the hospital corridor to advocate directly to a prominent, busy surgeon—prompting an unforgettable act of bedside compassion that changed her perspective on medical-nursing collaboration forever. Beth shares a parallel reflection from her early graduate year in mental health, sharing a powerful lesson taught to her by a wise nurse unit manager: when hope becomes too heavy a burden for a patient to carry, a nurse's greatest gift is the willingness to gently hold that hope for them. Cheryl also shares a second clinical story from her time as an ICU and ward team leader, detailing how she paused the chaos of a busy afternoon shift to sit in silence and hold the hand of a terrified international traveller diagnosed with a football-sized mediastinal tumour. Finally, Cheryl and Beth look forward, sharing their shared, hopeful vision for the nursing profession in Australia, advocating for advanced practice, nurse-led community care for our ageing population, and empowering every registered nurse to practise at the absolute top of their clinical scope. Key Discussion Points:• Understanding hope as an active, changing clinical tool rather than a passive emotion.• The courage required to advocate to senior medical specialists on behalf of vulnerable patients.• Sitting in silence: Why physical presence and "slowing down" matters in crisis care.• The professional dilemma of balancing administrative team leader duties with human connection.• Reimagining the Australian healthcare landscape through empowered nurse practitioners and community care. About Your Hosts:Cheryl Burns is a retired Queensland nursing leader with a forty-year legacy in clinical practice, administration, and advocacy. As the author of Memoirs of a Matron, she is dedicated to preserving the rich history of the nursing vocation.Beth Matarasso RN is an experienced registered nurse who brings contemporary clinical insights, warmth, and peer-to-peer curiosity, translating Cheryl’s historical wisdom into actionable lessons for today’s wards. Support the Vocation:If you are touched by these stories and want to explore the history of Cheryl's journey, pick up your copy of "Memoirs of a Matron" on Amazon or at major book retailers. Nursing from the heart always provides safe quality care. Recorded and Produced at ⁠The Podcast Boss⁠ podcast studio in Brisbane #NursingStoriesFromTheHeart #ClinicalAdvocacy #NursePractitioner #NursingHistory #GraduateNurse #FutureOfNursing #BedsideCompassion #AgedCareAustralia #registerednurse

2. 

   26 May 2026

   The Circle of Life, Advanced Practice, and Dignity in End-of-Life Care

   How do we preserve dignity in the final moments of a patient’s life when the healthcare system is pushing us to move faster? In this deeply moving episode of Nursing Stories from the Heart, retired senior nursing leader Cheryl Burns and Beth Matarasso RN share a vital conversation surrounding end-of-life care, clinical advocacy, and the rise of advanced practice nursing in Australia. We begin with Cheryl reflecting on her own family’s palliative care journey, witnessing firsthand the clinical leadership and compassion of a Nurse Practitioner. This sparks an inspiring retrospective on Cheryl’s time serving on the pioneering Queensland committee that campaigned at a federal level to establish the credentialed Nurse Practitioner role we know today. Cheryl and Beth break down the significance of this role, highlighting how advanced practice acts as a compassionate "single point of contact" that spares vulnerable families the exhausting burden of repeatedly retelling their clinical trauma. We also journey through two powerful, historical clinical accounts. Cheryl shares the reality of standing in the high-stakes tension of a cardiac arrest to advocate for a dying mother’s final wish to see her children, and the profound moral courage required to slow down the modern hospital system in the ICU to protect a grieving family’s right to an unhurried farewell. Finally, Cheryl shares invaluable practical guidance on post-mortem care as a sacred ritual, explaining how paying meticulous attention to a patient's physical presentation shapes the lifelong memories of those they leave behind. This episode is an essential, heart-led guide for student nurses, early-career registered nurses, and anyone passionate about preserving the true dignity of clinical practice. Key Discussion Points:• The pivotal role of Nurse Practitioners and advanced practice in Australian healthcare.• Standing up as a clinical advocate during high-pressure resuscitations.• Slowing down systemic bed pressures to protect families in their grief.• Post-mortem care as a sacred, respectful nursing ritual.• Mentoring and supporting early-career nurses facing clinical death for the first time. About Your Hosts:Cheryl Burns is a retired Queensland nursing leader with a forty-year legacy in clinical practice, administration, and advocacy. As the author of Memoirs of a Matron, she is dedicated to preserving the rich history of the nursing vocation.Beth Matarasso RN is an experienced registered nurse who brings contemporary clinical insights, warmth, and peer-to-peer curiosity, translating Cheryl’s historical wisdom into actionable lessons for today’s wards. Support the Vocation:If you are touched by these stories and want to explore the history of Cheryl's journey, pick up your copy of "Memoirs of a Matron" on Amazon or at major book retailers. Nursing from the heart always provides safe quality care.

3. 

   20 May 2026

   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.

4. 

   17 May 2026

   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 exampl

5. 

   11 May 2026

   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.

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Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.