Michael Bloom is a registered nurse (BSN, RN) with a deep commitment to whole-person, culturally competent care. A summa cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, he also earned a minor in Hispanic Studies, combining his passion for language and equity with evidence-based clinical practice. Michael’s training spans trauma ICU, orthopedic and neurologic med/surg, and lifespan wellness, and he has also served as a teaching assistant in anatomy and physiology at Penn.
Raised in North Jersey, Michael brings a unique blend of creativity, compassion, and advocacy to his work. His background in theater and photography sharpened his emotional intelligence and ability to connect with people, while his experiences in public health outreach—such as training students to administer Narcan—deepened his dedication to harm reduction and accessibility.
Michael is currently focused on using his voice to mentor and support the next generation of healthcare providers through writing, storytelling, and digital outreach. He is a strong advocate for language access, inclusive care, and mental health in nursing. When he’s not writing or reflecting on healthcare systems, he enjoys reading, visiting museums, playing card games with friends, and continuing to learn about the human experience from all angles.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
Right now, I’m preparing to start working clinically, and I treat each day as an opportunity to stay engaged, reflective, and ready. A typical day starts with reading—usually something related to healthcare, public health, or philosophy. I journal frequently and spend time developing material for my website. Productivity for me isn’t about checking boxes—it’s about emotional clarity and alignment. If I’ve connected with someone meaningfully, learned something new, or written something honest, that’s a productive day.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I start by observing and reflecting. A lot of my ideas come from real patient stories, from things I notice in the healthcare system that aren’t working. I write them down, let them simmer, and revisit them when I have clarity. Then I share them—on my website, in conversations, or through content I develop for students and young professionals. Writing is how I shape and share my ideas most effectively.
What’s one trend that excites you?
The increasing emphasis on cultural competence in healthcare. It’s still evolving, but the fact that we’re even having these conversations—about language access, spiritual care, systemic bias—is encouraging. The more we move toward truly inclusive care, the better outcomes we’ll see. Patient outcomes are always improved when a patient feels seen and understood, and improve further when treatment plans are tailored to their beliefs, needs, and cultural practices.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Pausing. As strange as it sounds, intentionally pausing during my day keeps me centered. It might be five minutes of quiet, stepping outside, or reviewing the importance of what I’m doing. That pause gives me time to reset and prevents exhaustion, especially in emotionally demanding work.
What advice would you give your younger self?
take a moment to reset, get organized, and focus on one thing at a time. Stepping back helps me move forward more clearly. I also use reflexive practice, such as journaling to help me to understand what, specifically, has me overwhelmed. If it’s work-related, I ask my colleagues if they have any tips to manage what’s stressing me, and if it’s personal, I work through it on my own or with my personal connections.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
That emotional presence matters just as much as technical expertise in nursing. Of course, you need to be clinically competent, but what stays with a patient isn’t how perfectly you inserted an IV—it’s whether they felt safe and understood. Many practitioners still undervalue that, which then contributes to mistrust of the medical system and patient resistance to seeking care.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Learn another language—at least the basics. Especially in healthcare. Even just learning how to greet someone or ask how they’re feeling in their native language can change the entire dynamic of a patient interaction. That being said, I highly encourage using translator resources whenever possible. Many healthcare systems are transitioning from in-person or phone-based services to videochat services, which are often more personal and easier to understand for patients. Use the resources that are available to you, and if you’re not sure what they are, ask your supervisors or peers.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I write. Whether it’s a journal entry, a list, or a free-flowing reflection, getting my thoughts out on paper helps to get it out of my head. I also lean into my support system—playing cards with friends, walking through a museum, or just sitting in quiet helps a lot.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Leading with vulnerability. Whether it’s during a patient interaction, in an academic setting, or building my personal website, being real about my struggles, including academic and career setbacks, has opened doors and built trust in ways that overpolished professionalism never could.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
I once struggled with a patient handoff and realized how critical communication is in nursing. It taught me to slow down, stay organized, and always prioritize clarity. I kept calm, remembered to use my patient information sheet and the SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) method, and made sure to answer any questions that came up- after professionally reminding the next nurse that she was welcome to ask about anything I wasn’t clear enough about.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
A culturally informative nursing app, kind of like a cultural Physician Desk Reference. It should be something simple and accessible that gives nurses quick insights into common health beliefs, family dynamics, or language considerations by cultural background. Not stereotyping, just context. Having more information at our fingertips
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
GoodNotes. I use it to organize everything—ideas for blog posts, to-do lists, reading notes, and even reflections on clinical experiences. It allows me to create notebooks, folders, and even download and mark documents, such as forms or lecture outlines. I actually still have all of my notes and most of my assignments from nursing school, and I reference them frequently! Plus, because I can separate by category, I have an E-Journal in it in addition to my paper journal that’s been around the world with me.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
Yes—The Plague by Albert Camus. It’s a beautifully atmospheric tale that starts as medical mystery, and quickly moves into a philosophical piece that explores the motivation and effects of human behavior. It explores the us/them dichotomy beautifully, and, incidentally, helped me to understand what healthcare looked like (and in many places, still looks like) without advanced antibiotics.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
The Midnight Gospel. It’s weird, beautiful, and deeply philosophical. It blends absurd animation with real, reflective conversations about death, purpose, and presence. As a nurse, it hit something deep in me—it made me think about the spiritual side of care that we often neglect to talk about.
Key learnings
- Language and cultural competence are essential tools in nursing
- Vulnerability and reflection drive authentic growth
- Whole-person care begins with presence and empathy