Breaking Down the Myths About Online Nursing Degrees: An Interview With Chamberlain University's President
The FreshRN Podcast with Kati Kleber
Release Date: 04/24/2025
Hate the ICU but Eyeing CRNA? What It Really Takes to Get In (and Thrive)
The FreshRN Podcast with Kati Kleber
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 felt completely different, and how many nurses misunderstand what this career path truly demands. Instead of glamorizing CRNA school, we break down the realities: who’s a good fit, who might not...
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Correctional, Home Health, and AI: Inside NSO’s New Nurse Liability Data
The FreshRN Podcast with Kati Kleber
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: what’s increasing, what’s getting more expensive, and what nurses can do today to reduce risk without practicing scared. What you’ll learn: ✅ Why correctional nursing is showing up more...
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Lessons From a Nurse Who Landed on Probation
The FreshRN Podcast with Kati Kleber
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 aspects of care. Step by step, we break down what happened, where the nurse’s intentions and actions diverged, and how small decisions compounded into some serious professional consequences. We talk:...
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Love Nursing, Hate People
The FreshRN Podcast with Kati Kleber
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 new nurse who doesn’t feel like they fit the mold. Together, we unpack how neurodivergence, social anxiety, uneven emotional skill sets, and public expectations can collide during the...
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The Pressure to Perform: Why Nurses Feel Like They Should Know It All
The FreshRN Podcast with Kati Kleber
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 nurses can manage the gap between what people expect of you, and what you realistically know as you grow into the role. What you’ll learn: ✅ Why people assume you “know everything now” the second...
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Allergy Assessment for Nurses: True Allergy vs Sensitivity, IgE Testing, and Safer Care
The FreshRN Podcast with Kati Kleber
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: ✅ A fast framework to separate side effect vs intolerance vs sensitivity vs true allergy ✅ The exact questions to verify things like “penicillin allergy” and when to consider delabeling...
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Feeling Valued Again: How Virtual Nursing Is Redefining Bedside Care
The FreshRN Podcast with Kati Kleber
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 experimenting with new care models that actually work. From team-based care to virtual nursing, Bethany explains how leaders are offloading cognitive overload, improving patient flow, and helping...
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How AI Can Transform Nursing... Without Replacing Nurses
The FreshRN Podcast with Kati Kleber
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 empowers rather than intimidates, and ensuring nurses are part of decision-making from the very beginning. We’ll also talk about practical ways to prepare both seasoned nurses and new grads for the...
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Leading Better Sepsis Care: Lessons from the Frontline
The FreshRN Podcast with Kati Kleber
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 Director of Nursing and an innovative leader known for transforming rapid response workflows, developing a nurse-consult activation process, and championing nurse-driven sepsis care. With a...
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What I Would Do Differently If I Could Go Back to Day 1 of Nursing School
The FreshRN Podcast with Kati Kleber
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 school ✅ How going the ADN route first could’ve saved me thousands ✅ What I learned about tuition reimbursement and scholarships the hard way ✅ The importance of progress over...
info_outlineAre online nursing degrees respected? Do employers take them seriously? What about clinicals and accreditation? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Karen Cox, President of Chamberlain University—the largest nursing school in the U.S.—to tackle the most common misconceptions about online nursing education.
We cover things like:
- The evolution of online RN, BSN, and grad programs
- How online clinicals actually work
- What accreditation means and why it’s non-negotiable
- How employers view online degrees
- Confidence-building advice for nurses at every career stage
We even discuss her career path from LPN to PhD! (Yes, just took every step in between: LPN, ADN, BSN, MSN, and finally PhD!) So, if you're interested in an online program or if you're curious about the path of a PhD-prepared RN, this episode is for you.
Link to the article on social determinants of learning that we mentioned: https://www.chamberlain.edu/about/social-determinants-of-learning
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