This episode is sponsored by Lightstone Direct LLC. Lightstone DIRECT invites you to partner with a $12B AUM real estate institution as you grow your portfolio. Access the same single-asset multifamily and industrial deals Lightstone pursues with its own capital – Lightstone co-invests a minimum of 20% in each deal alongside individual investors like you. You’re an institution. Time to invest like one.

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What if a nurse’s positivity could calm a chaotic ER night and reshape physician behavior?

In this episode of Scalpel and Sword, Dr. Lee Sharma sits down with Pooie Cantrell, a retired nurse whose 33-year career at East Alabama Medical Center transformed high-stakes CVICU and recovery room settings. A Daisy Award winner, Pooie’s infectious positivity created a tight-knit team atmosphere, uplifting colleagues and patients during chaotic nights. She shares bold stories of confronting disruptive physician behavior with professional “reality checks,” fostering mutual respect and reflection. Pooie highlights the shift toward humble, team-oriented younger doctors and the power of pausing in crises to leverage team expertise, like Dr. Sharma’s husband calming a code blue. Now cancer-free, thanks to Dr. Sharma’s care, Pooie enjoys retirement adventures in Alaska and Maine. This episode offers healthcare professionals tools to build collaborative, patient-centered environments, emphasizing joy, teamwork, and resilience to combat burnout and elevate care.

Three Actionable Takeaways:

• Positivity Transforms Teams: Pooie’s intentional joy, even after grueling 12-hour shifts, created a supportive community in recovery, uplifting both staff and patients. Try smiling through one tough shift to see its impact on your team’s morale.
• Respect Earns Respect: Pooie stood up to disruptive physicians by emphasizing mutual expertise, fostering reflection without shame. Practice respectfully addressing one unprofessional interaction this week, focusing on teamwork for patient outcomes.
• Pause for Better Outcomes: Effective physicians take a moment to assess and trust their team during crises, leading to calmer, more effective care. Next time chaos hits, pause for 10 seconds to survey your team’s strengths before acting.

About the Show:

Behind every procedure, every patient encounter, lies an untold story of conflict and negotiation. Scalpel and Sword, hosted by Dr. Lee Sharma—physician, mediator, and guide—invites listeners into the unseen battles and breakthroughs of modern medicine. With real conversations, human stories, and practical tools, this podcast empowers physicians to reclaim their voices, sharpen their skills, and wield their healing power with both precision and purpose.

About the Guest

Pooie Cantrell, a retired nurse with over 32 years at East Alabama Medical Center, graduated from Southern Union in 1993. She served 17 years in CVICU and later in the recovery room, fostering a tight-knit team with her infectious positivity. A Daisy Award recipient,Pooie’s joy uplifted colleagues and patients, even during grueling shifts. She confronted disruptive physician behavior professionally, advocating for mutual respect and teamwork. Now cancer-free alongside her friend Belinda, Pooie enjoys retirement, traveling to Alaska and Maine. Her legacy highlights the power of positivity, collaboration, and patient-centered care in high-stakes healthcare settings.

LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/pooie-cantrell-8b432269

About the Host:
Dr. Lee Sharma is a gynecologist based in Auburn, AL, with over 30 years of clinical experience. She holds a Master’s in Conflict Resolution and is passionate about helping colleagues navigate workplace challenges and thrive through open conversations and practical tools.

• Connect with Dr. Lee Sharma:
  📧 Email: scalpelandsword@gmail.com
  🌐 Website: East Alabama Health - Dr. Sharma

The Scalpel and Sword Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional regarding your specific situation.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode is sponsored by Lightstone Direct LLC. Lightstone Direct LLC connects you to institutional-quality real estate investments backed by a $12-billion AUM firm that co-invests alongside you—your partner in building lasting wealth. All investments involve risk.

Please visit LightstoneDirect.com for a full list of disclosures.

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How can we heal the healers?

In this heartfelt conversation on Scalpel and Sword, host Dr. Lee Sharma welcomes Kim Downey, After surviving three cancer diagnoses and losing her trusted physician to suicide, Kim felt called to advocate for physician well-being and culture change in medicine. She shares her journey from patient to advocate, revealing how her personal health challenges awakened her to the silent suffering of doctors. As an ambassador for both the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation and Medicine Forward, Kim works tirelessly to raise awareness around physician burnout, moral injury, and the urgent need for compassion within healthcare.

Dr. Sharma and Kim discuss the toxic culture of perfectionism and depersonalization in medicine, the importance of acknowledging trauma among healthcare workers, and the healing power of vulnerability. They emphasize how meaningful change begins not just in policies, but in everyday acts of empathy—asking your doctor how they’re doing, saying thank you, or simply holding space for one another.

1. Humanize Healthcare:
Recognize that physicians and patients share the same vulnerabilities. Asking your doctor, “How are you?” can begin a ripple of compassion that strengthens the system.

2. Heal Through Connection:
Foster community among colleagues and patients. Break the silence around burnout and trauma by creating safe spaces for honest conversations.

3. Practice Self-Compassion:
Doctors must extend to themselves the same empathy they offer others. Make time for joy, reflection, and rest—small steps that sustain long-term well-being.

About the Show:

Behind every procedure, every patient encounter, lies an untold story of conflict and negotiation. Scalpel and Sword, hosted by Dr. Lee Sharma—physician, mediator, and guide—invites listeners into the unseen battles and breakthroughs of modern medicine. With real conversations, human stories, and practical tools, this podcast empowers physicians to reclaim their voices, sharpen their skills, and wield their healing power with both precision and purpose.

Kim Downey is a physical therapist, three-time cancer survivor, author, and the founder of Stand Up for Doctors—a platform dedicated to physician well-being and systemic change in medicine. She is an ambassador for the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation and Medicine Forward, organizations that advocate for safer, more compassionate healthcare environments.

Through her book White Coats, Courageous Hearts, her podcast, and upcoming retreat, Kim champions trauma-informed care, physician connection, and the belief that everyone wins when physicians are well. Her work bridges patients and doctors through storytelling, empathy, and shared humanity.

🔗 Connect with Kim Downey:

Website: standupfordoctors.org

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-downey-a9307b72/
Book: White Coats, Courageous Hearts (available on Amazon)

About the Host:
Dr. Lee Sharma is a gynecologist based in Auburn, AL, with over 30 years of clinical experience. She holds a Master’s in Conflict Resolution and is passionate about helping colleagues navigate workplace challenges and thrive through open conversations and practical tools.

• Connect with Dr. Lee Sharma:
  📧 Email: scalpelandsword@gmail.com
  🌐 Website: East Alabama Health - Dr. Sharma

The Scalpel and Sword Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional regarding your specific situation.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.