New Jersey Nursing Insights
The New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing (NJCCN)—the nursing workforce center for NJ—presents the New Jersey Nursing Insights Podcast. Now hosted by Drs. Susan Weaver and Daria Waszak, the program features conversations with nurses from a wide range of professional and personal backgrounds, each discussing the nature of their profession. Nursing Insights was originally hosted by Stephanie Olaso, MHCI, BSN, RN, who led the program through its first 30 episodes.
New Jersey Nursing Insights
34 | When the Healer Is Wounded – A Nurse’s Story from the California Wildfires
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Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of trauma, disaster, displacement, survivor’s guilt, and medical distress, including descriptions related to wildfire evacuation, loss, and a medical emergency involving a child. Some listeners may find these topics emotionally difficult. Please listen with care and take a pause if needed.
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What happens when the trauma expert becomes the trauma survivor?
In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Nursing Insights, psychotherapist and psychiatric mental health clinical nurse specialist Donna Gaffney shares her experience living through the January 7, 2025 California wildfires in Pacific Palisades.
For decades, Donna has supported children, families, nurses, and communities through some of the most devastating crises in recent history – from 9/11 to Hurricane Katrina to COVID-19. But this time was different.
This time, she was in the middle of it.
Donna takes us through the moment she realized she had to evacuate, the shock of displacement, the heavy weight of survivor’s guilt, and the emotional toll of returning to a neighborhood reduced to ash. She introduces the concept of “shared traumatic reality” – when healthcare providers are living through the very same disaster as the people they serve.
Key Takeaways
- Trauma feels different when you are inside it, not observing it.
- “Shared traumatic reality” occurs when healthcare providers and patients experience the same crisis.
- Survivor’s guilt can surface even when you did not lose everything.
- Healthcare professionals are not immune to destabilization during disasters.
- Being called “strong” is not always helpful – vulnerability matters.
- Community, storytelling, and meaning-making are essential for healing.
- Self-compassion is not optional – it is necessary.
- Recovery is not a return to what was, but a movement forward.
Relevant Links
- New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing (NJCCN): https://www.njccn.org
- Kristin Neff – Self-Compassion Research: https://self-compassion.org
- Vivek Murthy – “My Parting Prescription for America”: https://fcsinterventions.com/resources/my-parting-prescription-for-america/
- Suleika Jaouad: https://suleikajaouad.com
- Murthy, V. H. (2022). Confronting health worker burnout and well-being. https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/health-worker-wellbeing-advisory.pdfand https://www.vivekmurthy.com/partingprescription
- NJ-NEW https://njnew.org/programs/virtual-schwartz-rounds/
- Meaningful Work Matters Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/7FCvG2GBgVA66PhCks0g4r
- Don’t Clock Out https://www.dontclockout.org/
- Introspective Spaces https://www.introspectivespaces.com/
- The Relentless School Nurse https://relentlessschoolnurse.com/
- Courageous Well-Being for Nurses: Strategies for Renewal https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/12847/courageous-well-being-nurses
