National Nurses United

NurseTalk_Temp 12/30/09 2:08 PM Page 11 Unfortunately, working full time can really put a damper on launching a brand new radio show. A licensed vocational nurse for 10 years, and an RN for more than 20 years, Hobbs, 53, currently works as a hospice nurse but has spent time in a wide variety of settings, from hospitals to mental health wards to disease management by phone. Meanwhile, Lockard was also busy with her career in marketing and the entertainment production industry. In the late 1990s, Hobbs met her cohost while working at San Francisco General Hospital. Today, McDermott, 70, still works 32 COLIN ANDERSON/BRAND X/CORBIS Maggie McDermott, RN hours a week in home care. Hobbs claims that the first time she saw her, McDermott was telling off a difficult doctor in her Irish brogue, "Do you want me to stick a broom up my arse and mop the floor with it, too?" Hobbs told Lockard that if they ever carried through on Nurse Talk, "I should do it with Maggie because it would be dang funny." In 2007, the stars aligned and Nurse Talk was finally born. Lockard was in between jobs and finally had the time to research how to go about starting a radio show. They refined the concept and created a demo tape that Lockard shopped around to stations and satellite radio. Like many such shows, they found a station that they could pay to broadcast Nurse Talk. The team gradually recorded more episodes, built up a body of work, and is now into its second season. Lockard estimates that 75,000 to 100,000 listeners tune in each weekend. The number of callers is increasing. Meanwhile, she continues to pitch the show to stations, with the goal to syndicate Nurse Talk and broadcast the show on national radio and on subscription satellite stations such as Sirius and XM. "We want to reach as many people as possible," said Lockard. Better move over Click and Clack. Here come Maggie and Casey. NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2009 O ne recent saturday afternoon, Hobbs and McDermott have taken their places behind the microphones in Miller's sound booth at their studio in Corte Madera, Calif. to tape an upcoming episode of Nurse Talk. Hobbs is full of nervous energy, tapping away on her script stand with a ballpoint pen, while McDermott concentrates quietly, sitting bolt upright in her chair as if praying. It's clear they bring very different, but complementary personalities to the show. As soon as the musical intro fades, the two nurses launch right into their snappy repartee. "So Maggie, what happened at the White House? I understand you're now a senior adviser on healthcare reform," teased Hobbs, setting up the joke. "Oh, Barack and Michelle, I Listen to Nurse Talk Sundays have dinner with them every at 2 p.m. PST on Green 960 night," lied McDermott with a AM in the San Francisco remarkably straight face. Bay Area or on the Internet "I heard your single most at www.green960.com. important issue was convincing You can also find it at him that red wine should be a www.energytalkradio.com, an Internet radio station. prescription for good health Visit the show's website at covered by Medicare." www.nursetalksite.com to "A little bit of port, too, I download podcasts, hear presaid, increases the appetite." vious episodes, and get more "So you had a little bit of information about the show. glass of wine with him?" "He likes beer!" exclaimed McDermott mischievously, referring to the "beer summit" the president held this summer to smooth over racial tensions after the controversial arrest of a famous black Harvard professor. Over the next hour, the two registered nurses made irreverent commentary about health news, gave their weekly "Square Needle" award to Sen. Joe Lieberman for siding with Republicans to block healthcare reform, interviewed a proponent of single-payer healthcare and a man who made a miraculous recovery from HIV and AIDS, held their "phobia of the week" contest, answered calls from listeners, and cracked jokes (complete with wacky sound effects) the entire time. One of the callers actually didn't have a medical question, but wanted to request a photo of McDermott and invite her out for a Guinness. But it's not all just laughs. Hobbs, Lockard, and McDermott have taken advantage of the national healthcare crisis and reform debate to demystify for listeners some of the intricacies of the proposed legislation, such as what a public option is, and about better alternatives, such as expanding Medicare for all. It's the solution they support. "I've always been political in my profession, so I thought all along that the show would have some politics," said Hobbs. "I would like the show to be a conversation place. I come from a large family and my two brothers are Republican. One doesn't like the public option, but he loves our show." The Nurse Talk team clearly has high hopes for the show. And it's clear that the nurses are enjoying moonlighting in show business. Hobbs, for one, is glad to finally have a forum to be herself. "I've been funny my whole life!" she declared. "When I was in fourth grade, I went to my mom and complained that I didn't have a talent; all my siblings had these great talents. And she told me, 'You're funny. And that goes a long way.'" n Lucia Hwang is editor of Registered Nurse. W W W. C A L N U R S E S . O R G REGISTERED NURSE 11

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