Episodes

BEWARE: CONTAINS LIGHT, GENERAL SPOILERS What does HBO Max’s The Pitt actually get right about emergency rooms — and what does it completely miss? In this episode of *Beyond the Bedside*, hosts Betty Long, MHA, RN, Founder and CEO of Guardian Nurses Healthcare Advocates, and Rebecca Rivkin-Czarkowski, MPH, BSN, RN, nurse advocate and healthcare expert, break down the hit medical drama from the perspective of real healthcare professionals with years of ER experience. From nonstop trauma and overc...

In this encouraging episode of Beyond the Bedside, hosts Betty Long, MHA, RN — Founder and CEO of Guardian Nurses Healthcare Advocates — and Rebecca Rivkin-Czarkowski, MPH, BSN, RN — nurse advocate — focus on positive developments shaping healthcare today. From declining smoking rates and promising early detection tools for pancreatic cancer to an inspiring organ donation story and new research on teen screen time, this conversation highlights meaningful progress in public health, prevention, a...

In this episode of Beyond the Bedside, Guardian Nurses Healthcare Advocates Guardian Nurses Founder and CEO Betty Long, MHA, RN, and nurse advocate Rebecca Rivkin-Czarkowski, MPH, BSN, RN, discuss the surprising new rankings from U.S. News & World Report and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on the best healthcare jobs in 2026. While roles like nurse practitioner, physician assistant, and speech-language pathologist top the list, something shocking stands out — registered nurses (RNs) are mis...

In this episode of Beyond the Bedside with Guardian Nurses, Guardian Nurses Founder and CEO Betty Long, MHA, RN, and nurse advocate Rebecca Rivkin-Czarkowski, MPH, BSN, RN, tackle a difficult but all-too-common reality in healthcare: explosive reactions, verbal abuse, and escalating conflict from patients’ families. Drawing on decades of frontline experience, they unpack why these outbursts happen, how fear and lack of communication fuel anger, and why nurses and healthcare providers are so oft...

In this episode of Beyond the Bedside with Guardian Nurses, Guardian Nurses Founder and CEO Betty Long, MHA, RN, and nurse advocate Rebecca Rivkin-Czarkowski, MPH, BSN, RN, tackle one of the most confusing — and often frustrating — topics in modern healthcare: price transparency. Since 2021, hospitals and health systems have been legally required to publish pricing for common tests, procedures, and services. But as Betty and Rebecca explain, finding — and understanding — those prices is rarely ...

In this episode of Beyond the Bedside with Guardian Nurses, Guardian Nurses Founder and CEO Betty Long, MHA, RN, and nurse advocate Rebecca Rivkin-Czarkowski, MPH, BSN, RN, break down one of the most misunderstood — and most important — health topics: blood pressure. With more than 60 years of combined healthcare experience, Betty and Rebecca explain what blood pressure numbers actually mean, why high blood pressure is often called the “silent killer,” and how stress, anxiety, caffeine, posture,...