One year later: burnout, the healthcare system, and the reality of continuing to believe in nursing

About this episode

In this episode, Daniel Robles once again welcomes Iván de la Paz, a registered nurse who had previously participated in Enfermería Ahora to discuss the reality of being a nurse. A year later, they return to do something rarely done in the profession: honestly reflect on what has changed and what remains the same.

The conversation addresses professional burnout, and the frustrations of wanting to do things correctly within institutions where the system often doesn't allow it. They also discuss uncomfortable but necessary topics: resistance to change within the profession itself, the clash between scientific evidence and the "this is how it's always been done" culture, the impact of misinformation on social media, and public pressure on nursing when situations go viral without context.

About Iván de la Paz

Iván de la Paz is a registered nurse and a recurring voice on Enfermería Ahora. His participation in this episode is not as a guest presenting achievements, but as a professional returning to speak honestly about his own journey: career changes, professional growth, and the moment one understands that they cannot change the system alone.

From this position, Iván represents many nurses who continue to believe in the profession despite the conditions, and who find critical reflection a way to move forward without losing sight of what they do.

Main topics

• Burnout and professional exhaustion in the current healthcare system.
• Resistance to change within healthcare personnel itself.
• Hand hygiene and basic practices as a battleground for cultural conflict.
• Scientific evidence vs. the "this is how it's always been done" culture.
• Misinformation on social media and its impact on the patient-professional relationship.
• Public pressure and virality of situations without context.
• Primary care and career changes in nursing.
• The line between wanting to transform the system and accepting what cannot be changed alone.

Key questions from the episode

• What has changed in nursing in a year... and what remains exactly the same?
• Why can healthcare personnel themselves become an obstacle to change?
• How does misinformation on social media affect the credibility and daily work of nursing?
• At what point does a professional understand that they cannot change the system alone?
• How do you continue to believe in nursing when the environment seems to be against it?

Summary

This episode presents a direct, unfiltered, and deeply honest conversation about what it means to practice nursing within a system that often doesn't provide support. Through the return of Iván de la Paz, they reflect on burnout, resistance to change, misinformation, and professional growth from a perspective that doesn't seek easy answers.

More than a balance of achievements, this chapter is a critical review of the journey taken: what was learned, what continues to be frustrating, and what is still worth upholding. If you are a nurse or healthcare professional, many of these experiences will likely feel all too familiar.