This week on At The Nurses’ Station, we went fully off the rails, and honestly? It was perfect. What started as a rant about workplace thermostats (because somehow we are still fighting temperature wars with grown adults) turned into a full conversation about cold + flu season, kid sickness culture, and the unrealistic expectations we put on our bodies.

Inside this episode, we break down:

Why parents think kids “shouldn’t” get sick this often

Spoiler: they should. Preschoolers are cute little germ sponges. They are meant to catch things — and it doesn’t mean anything is wrong.

What “sick” actually is (…and what it isn’t)

A runny nose?A cough lingering for a month?A random toddler sneeze that makes someone cancel a whole birthday party?We talk about the difference between being ill and simply being alive with a respiratory tract.

The culture of fixing everything FAST

Why we’re obsessed with “getting unsick” as fast as possible — and why that might be making things worse.

Elderberry, zinc, fire cider… do they matter?

A discussion that manages to be both respectful and brutally practical.

The real “immune booster” most people ignore

(Not a supplement. You already know.)

RSV + newborn care

A quick, honest look at the anxiety of winter viruses (especially with tiny humans), without fear-mongering.

And of course, we sprinkle in:

* Expert-level sarcasm

* ER-nurse realism

* Several moments of “what even is happening right now?”

* A few stories featuring CT, lost labs, and IV-related nonsense that every nurse has lived through

If you’re a parent, a nurse, a human, or someone who’s ever wondered why everyone suddenly thinks sneezing is a medical emergency — this one’s for you.

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