Bek Woodbine on Nurse Burnout, Boundaries & the Culture We Need to Change
What does it take to recover from nurse burnout and shift the culture that causes it?
In this powerful episode of It Takes Heart, we sit down with Bek Woodbine: Nurse Practitioner, founder of Perfectly Smooth, and host of the much-loved Tenderness for Nurses podcast. Bek’s story is a deeply personal one, shaped by her own experience with burnout, depression, and the slow realisation that something had to give.
“I had no boundaries. I said yes to everybody. And then one day, I physically couldn’t inject a patient because I was shaking so much. That was my moment.”
Bek’s openness about nurse burnout, anxiety and her journey to sobriety strikes a chord with healthcare professionals across the country. Her decision to speak out (both in this interview and on Tenderness for Nurses) is part of a bigger mission: to change nurse culture for the better.
“We eat our own, that has to change. There’s too much judgment, too little support.”
Through Tenderness for Nurses, Bek has built a space where nurses can speak honestly, without fear. Stories of exhaustion, resilience and recovery aren’t just welcomed, they’re celebrated. The response? Overwhelming. Bek recalls the copious amounts of messages she receives from people saying how much a certain episode has helped them leave a toxic workplace, or recounting that they’ve felt the exact same way.
Her insights don’t stop at burnout. Bek also calls for stronger ethical standards in the aesthetics industry, pushing back against influencer-led wellness trends and clinics that market to vulnerable young people.
“I say no a lot. I won’t treat someone just because they saw it on Instagram.”
At the heart of Bek’s message is a call to lead with compassion – for patients, for colleagues, and for ourselves. That includes saying no, setting limits, and checking in when something feels off. Bek explains that leadership is about care. If someone’s struggling, ask them: ‘Are you okay?’ And hold space if they need it.
Bek’s own journey through nurse burnout has given her a renewed sense of purpose, one she’s now pouring into her work, her clinic, and Tenderness for Nurses.
“There is so much you can do in nursing, but we need to support each other to keep going. Otherwise, we lose good people to a broken culture.”
This conversation is for anyone feeling stretched thin, silenced, or on the edge of burnout. It’s a reminder that change is possible and that kindness can be a powerful force in rebuilding nurse culture.
Watch Season 2, Episode 29 of It Takes Heart with Nurse Bek Woodbine.
More about Bek’s organisation of choice, Fare
The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) is a not-for-profit organisation with a vision for an Australia free from alcohol harms – where communities are healthy and well, and where laws, policies and programs are fair, equitable and just.
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