Healthcare Can Be Horror: Examining Nursing Portrayals, Asylum History and Medical Phobias in Healthcare
Release Date: 10/23/2025
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Nursing is not a destination; it is a foundation. For too long, we have been told that leaving the bedside is 'leaving nursing,' but the truth is the exact opposite. By stepping into nontraditional roles—in tech, policy, research, and entrepreneurship—we aren't abandoning our profession; we are expanding its power. The future of healthcare depends on nurses who are brave enough to redefine where their expertise belongs. In this episode of the Gritty Nurse Podcast, Amie Archibald-Varley sits down with Ellie Kirkpatrick, RN, FNP, a seasoned Nurse Practitioner and the visionary creator...
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From the Frontlines of Healthcare to the JUNOS: Muscian & Mental Health Strategist Catherine Harrison on The Cost of Caring In Nursing and Entertainment Industries
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Nursing and the arts are both built on the raw, unspoken language of the human soul; one heals the body through rhythm and care, the other heals the spirit through melody and expression—but both require a radical empathy that can only be sustained when we protect our own light, because you cannot pour from an empty vessel when you’ve given the very best of yourself away to your work In this powerhouse episode of The Gritty Nurse, Host Amie Archibald-Varley sits down with Catherine Harrison, the official sponsor for mental health at the JUNOS and a renowned music industry leadership...
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Ink or Expertise: Discussing the Pardox of Professionalism With The Tattooed Nurse Jesse Barmby
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In a profession often defined by rigid standards of appearance, Jesse Barmby is rewriting the rules. A Registered Nurse with 15 years of experience, Jesse—widely known as the "Tattooed Nurse"—joins the conversation on the Gritty Nurse Podcast with Host Amie Archibald-Varley, to pull back the curtain on what it really means to be a professional in modern healthcare. Beyond the Ink: Redefining Professionalism Is a nurse defined by the starch in their scrubs or the skill in their hands? Jesse dives deep into the misconceptions surrounding body art in the hospital, challenging the outdated...
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Cluck around and find out: Why your birth plan needs more Birth Vibes and less fear with Jen Hamilton RN
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What happens when an ER nurse pivots to Labor & Delivery and accidentally becomes the internet’s most trusted voice in birth advocacy? In this episode, we’re joined by the incredible Jen Hamilton to dive deep into her journey from the bedside to the bestseller list (I am sure it will be)! We’re breaking down: The "Birth Vibes" Movement: Jen shares the heart behind her new book, Birth Vibes, a practical and empowering guide to navigating pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period without the fear-mongering. Patient Advocacy: Why the role of the nurse is changing in the age of...
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Is Education a Right? A Father's and Public Servant's Fight to Make Education and Healthcare a Constitutional Right For Children With Autism & Learning Disabilities
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Does every child in Canada truly have a right to an education? In this powerful episode on The Gritty Nurse with Host Amie Archibald-Varley, she sits down with Matthew Flagler and Richard Hackett to discuss the systemic failures within Canada’s healthcare and education systems. Spurred by the personal struggle to get adequate support for children with learning disabilities, Richard and Matthew are leading a movement to hold the government accountable. They dive deep into why the current governments education system is failing families, the dangerous creep of privatization in healthcare,...
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Dismissed and Unprotected: Nurse Danielle Gibbs Koenitzer Experinece at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital
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In this episode of The Gritty Nurse Podcast with host Amie Archibald-Varley, she interviews fellow nurse, Danielle Gibbs Koenitzer. Danielle recounts her experience presenting to the Emergency Department at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital—the very institution where she served as a nurse. Despite her clinical background as an emergency room nurse and professional ties to the facility, Danielle’s care was marked by significant gaps, dangerous dismissal of her symptoms and pain. and questions concerning racial bias and health equity. Her experience is not an anomaly, but a reflection...
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Nursing Voice is CRITICAL in AI and HealthTech: Why Tech Giants Can’t Disrupt Healthcare Without Us with Rebecca Love RN, BS, MSN, FIEL
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Can an algorithm truly care for a patient? As we move further into 2026, the healthcare industry is being flooded with AI tools promising to automate everything from charting to triage. But there’s a massive problem: most of these tools are being built by engineers who have never spent a 12-hour shift on a med-surg floor. In this high-stakes conversation, Rebecca Love, RN, joins us to explain why the "Nursing Voice" is the most valuable asset in the 2026 tech landscape. We discuss the recent surge in ambient clinical scribes and the ethical "black boxes" of agentic AI—and why tech giants...
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A Historic Seat at the Table... In this landmark episode of the Gritty Nurse Podcast, we sit down with a true trailblazer: The Honorable Marjorie Michel, Canada’s first Black Minister of Health. The Canadian healthcare system is at a critical crossroads, and Minister Mitchell is leading the charge toward a more modern, equitable, and efficient future. We dive deep into the "gritty" realities of reform, from the essential—yet often undervalued—role of nurses to the technological frontier of AI in clinical settings. Inside the Episode: The Modernization Mandate: How Canada is pivoting to...
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From Surviving Nursing To Thriving In Nursing! Driving Change Through Oppurunity and Impact with Dr. Katie Boston-Leary
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In this episode of the Gritty Nurse podcast with Amie Archibald-Varley, Dr. Katie Boston-Leary shares her journey from an accidental entry into nursing to becoming the Senior VP of Equity and Engagement at the American Nurses Association. She discusses the importance of equity in nursing, overcoming imposter syndrome, and the systemic barriers that exist within the profession. Dr. Boston-Leary also addresses the current crises in healthcare, the significance of the racial reckoning statement, and the upcoming Opportunity and Impact in Nursing Summit from Feb 12-Feb 14 in Washignton, DC. She...
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Sonographers have feelings too! Beyond the Screen & Compassionate Conversations with Expert Ultrasound Jessi Dressler
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What happens when high-stakes clinical expertise meets a heart for patient advocacy? Join us as we sit down with Jessi Dressler, a veteran registered OB-GYN sonographer and the founder of New Life Imaging Ultrasound. After years of navigating the high-pressure environment of emergency rooms and hospitals, Jessie recognized a glaring gap in the healthcare system: the need for emotional support and personalized care during the most vulnerable moments of pregnancy. Today, she’s bridging that gap by bringing high-quality 3D and 4D mobile ultrasound technology directly to expectant mothers across...
info_outlineWhy are nurses a favorite target for horror movie villains?
Why are nurses seen in movies as either sexy, satanic or dieties?
In this spine-chilling episode of The Gritty Nurse, Amie Archibald-Varley and Guest Host Jordan Varley discuss the dark side of cinema's obsession with healthcare horror and nursing horror tropes. We cover everything from the psychological weight of nurse stereotypes and the real-world terror of nurse killers, to the unsettling history of asylums and our ingrained fears of medical procedures. Get ready for a thought-provoking analysis of horror film tropes and cultural perceptions of mental health. Tune in for expert commentary and find out which horror movies you must watch next. Ideal for fans of psychological thrillers and medical horror.
Takeaways
Horror films often reflect societal fears about vulnerability in healthcare.
Nurses are frequently depicted as villainous in horror, which can perpetuate harmful stereotypes.
Real-life cases of nurse killers highlight the darker side of the profession.
The portrayal of asylums in horror films often exaggerates historical realities.
Fear of medical procedures is a common theme in horror, tapping into real anxieties.
Cultural perceptions of mental health are often shaped by horror narratives.
The sexy nurse trope undermines the professionalism of nursing.
Horror can serve as a lens to examine deeper psychological issues.
The evolution of horror tropes reflects changing societal attitudes towards healthcare.
Personal experiences with horror films can reveal underlying fears and anxieties.
Chapters
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Thank you to Hospital News for being a collaborative partner with the Gritty Nurse!
Where to Listen / Watch
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