How asking "Why?" can lead you to career alignment, purpose & satisfaction!

In this episode of the Nursing Strategies for Success podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Maria Jasanya MSN, RNC, CNM, CLC, CNE — a nurse midwife, nurse educator, adjunct professor, and freelance writer whose nursing journey started at 15 years old at Clara Barton High School in New York City. Maria's path is a testament to what happens when passion meets purpose, and this conversation did not disappoint.

We unpacked one of the most underrated — and most dangerous — habits in nursing: not asking why.

Maria shared how her curiosity as a new nurse — asking "why do we do it this way?" — sparked her entire nursing education journey and even led to her contributing to policy updates at her hospital. We got real about why nurses hesitate to ask why in the first place: fear of more work, survival mode, being dismissed by leadership, and a culture that still lives by the phrase "this is the way we've always done it." Spoiler alert — that phrase has no place in a profession built on evidence-based practice.

We also got into some hard truths about the current state of nursing education. New grads are entering the workforce without foundational clinical skills, without a clear understanding of their scope of practice, and without anyone drilling into them that a nursing license is borrowed, not owned. The disconnect between academia and the bedside is real, and both Maria and I agree — it starts with collaboration, and it starts with asking why.

From the bedside nurse questioning a medication order to the nurse leader challenging a broken system, the power of why runs through every level of this profession. It protects patients. It opens doors. And it forces the people running these healthcare businesses to be accountable too — because nurses shouldn't be the only ones asking the hard questions.

Key takeaways from this episode:

• Asking why is a patient safety issue, a professional development tool, and a career accelerator — all at the same time
• "I'm just following doctor's orders" is not an acceptable mindset for a licensed nurse
• New nurses need to be taught to ask why from day one — in the classroom, in clinicals, and at the bedside
• Healthcare facilities and academic institutions need to be in active conversation — not just for clinical placements, but for curriculum alignment
• If you want better outcomes, better working conditions, and a better career — you have to ask why!

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