Nurse News: Nurses Mourn Dr. Janell Green Smith, The Pitt Wins Awards + Season 2 Launch, Nurse Brings HIV Care to Drag Race, 21K NYC Nurses Near Strike, and Flu Surge Hits Hospitals

Besties, we’re so back! After a little holiday break, Colton’s kicking off 2026 with a fresh Nurse News drop — and honestly? This week is packed.

We’re talking:

• The heartbreaking loss of certified nurse-midwife & DNP Dr. Janelle Green Smith after childbirth — and why this tragedy is a painful reminder that Black maternal health disparities are still VERY real (even for healthcare leaders).
• “The Pitt” winning big at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards and actually getting hospital life right (aka finally not cringe medical TV). 
• A literal HIV nurse competing on RuPaul’s Drag Race??? Mandy Mango is serving care + charisma and we are OBSESSED. 
• 21,000 NYC nurses voting 97% yes to authorize a strike — safe staffing ratios, wages, and union power are the main character energy here. 
• And yes… the flu is going absolutely feral this year. Like, hospitals bringing masks back feral.

This episode is your reminder that staying informed = staying empowered. So grab your coffee, your scrubs, or your emotional support water bottle… and let’s get into it.

>>Nurses Mourn Midwife and Leader Dr. Janell Green Smith, Who Died After Childbirth

>>'The Pitt' Wins Big at the Critics Choice Awards + Season 2 Launch!

>>Meet Mandy Mango: The Nurse Bringing HIV Care to ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’

>>21,000 NYC Nurses on the Brink of a Strike After 97% Vote—What To Know

>>Flu Surge 2026: Record Hospitalizations — What Nurses Need to Know

Jump Ahead to Listen:

[00:02:34] A Heartbreaking Loss
[00:06:07] 'The Pitt' Wins Big
[00:08:18] Nurse Competes on Drag Race 
[00:10:06] NYC Nurses Near Strike
[00:13:23] Flu Surge Hits Hospitals

Connect with Colton on social media:
Instagram: @coltonalanlord, @club.nurse
TikTok: @nursecolton

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