The Ambitious Nurse | Career Strategy for High-Performing Nurses Ready to Advance in Leadership

You are a high-performing nurse with experience, credentials, and a graduate degree, yet you may face barriers like visibility or self-promotion. Not because you're unqualified, but because you haven't yet learned how to position yourself as leadership-ready.

The Ambitious Nurse is the career strategy podcast for experienced nurses who are done waiting to be chosen and ready to start engineering the outcome.

Hosted by Bonnie Meadows Nursing Professional Development Specialist, Clinical Nurse Specialist, and President of the North Carolina Nurses Association this podcast gives you the strategic thinking, visibility frameworks, and identity shifts that most nurses never get access to.

If you are ready to stop being the most reliable person in the room and start being the one they actually advance this is your show.

New episodes drop weekly, providing you with ongoing strategies to elevate your leadership journey. Subscribe wherever you listen to stay ahead.

Podcasting since 2022 • 64 episodes

The Ambitious Nurse | Career Strategy for High-Performing Nurses Ready to Advance in Leadership

Latest Episodes

64// Leadership, Dialogue, and Positioning Lessons:3 Lessons From My First Year as Nurses Association President

I'm back. My last episode dropped in November 2025, right as I was stepping fresh into my presidency — and then life got busy in ways I couldn't have predicted. You don't really know the time and capacity you have until you're juggling all of i...

August 15, 2026 • Episode 64 • 23:59

63// Voting as a Nurse: A Call to Action

I recorded this one live on Election Day, and I couldn't wait to get it out. It's my unscripted call to every nurse who's ever claimed the title "patient advocate" — and then stayed silent at the ballot box. It started in the simulation lab: a ...

November 04, 2025 • 15:03

62// Why Loving Nursing Isn’t Always Enough—And What to Do About It

You love being a nurse—but lately, something feels off. Maybe your nursing job isn’t giving you the same sense of purpose it once did. In this episode, Bonnie explores why passion for nursing alone isn’t always enough to keep you fulfilled in y...

October 24, 2025 • 16:49

61// The 5-Minute Exercise That Can Change Your Nursing Career Direction

In this episode, Bonnie shares a simple 5-minute reflection exercise that helps you gain fresh perspective on your career path. Whether you’re an RN, APRN, or nurse leader, this quick practice guides you to notice the moments that bring the mos...

September 11, 2025 • 19:05

60 // Stuck, Exploring, or Growing? Discover Your Stage in the Nursing Career Journey

In this episode, I introduce the Nurse Career Growth Roadmap, a practical guide to help you identify your current stage and take the right next step.You’ll learn:The 5 stages every nurse experiencesWhy even hi...

August 28, 2025 • Episode 60 • 17:54

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