The healthcare industry is constantly changing. Best nursing practices, new treatments, new illnesses, and new regulations are always popping up. As a nursing student or nursing professional, you need to know what's going on. But keeping up with the latest news in healthcare can be time-consuming, which is a problem when you're trying to juggle school, work and taking care of your family. A great way to stay up-to-date with healthcare and nursing news is to subscribe to podcasts that will provide you with the information you need to know.
Listen to Podcasts Anywhere
Podcasts can be downloaded to your smartphone, iPod/MP3 player, tablet, or computer. You can listen to podcasts any time during the day and even while you are doing normal activities, such as driving, going for your daily walk/run, or grocery shopping. Many students like to have some type of background noise while they go to sleep or while studying.
Using What You Hear
The knowledge you can learn from listening to podcasts can help you learn more about some of the topics you may be learning in nursing school. Some podcasts have actually been created by experienced nurses who offer insight into the life of a nurse — with a humorous spin, of course.
While you may not be able to devote your full attention to the podcast you listen to, it's very likely that you will absorb and retain some of what you hear. The knowledge you retain may not be immediately apparent, but you may find yourself in a situation one day where suddenly you recall what you have heard on a podcast.
Top Podcasts to Check Out
- The Nursing Show — This weekly podcast provides helpful educational resources for nurses and nursing students. Some of the topics that have been covered in the past include opiate addiction, managing diabetes, and different nursing positions, including being a nurse practitioner.
- Nurse Talk Site — This podcast for nurses and student nurses is by nurses who have been there, done that, and have the T-shirt to prove it. Learn about what goes on while nurses are on the job with a side of humor.
- The Nurses State — Hear about issues that are affecting today’s nurses from two nurses who will tell you how it is in a no–holds–barred manner. This podcast comes out twice a month.
- NPR – Your Health Podcast — While the focus of this podcast is not on the healthcare community, it covers various personal stories regarding health. You can learn about various topics, such as alternatives for medication, testing for cancer or healthy diets.
- Johns Hopkins Medicine Podcasts — As one of the leading medical schools, Johns Hopkins presents two podcasts: PodMed and the HealthNews Feed. PodMed is released on a weekly basis and discusses various timely healthcare topics. The HealthNews Feed is released when breaking news healthcare information is available.
- BBC World Service Health Check — This weekly podcast from the BBC provides its listeners with a weekly recap of global health news.
- Insights in Nursing — Stay up-to-date in the latest technologies in healthcare and ethical issues that healthcare workers face on a constant basis.
- FDA Drug Safety Podcasts — Be in the know about the latest drug recalls, side effects and warnings to keep your patients safe. This podcast also keeps listeners updated on the latest drug research and approvals.
- Medscape Nurses Podcast — Listen to the latest healthcare news on a weekly basis presented by Medscape, a healthcare publishing company, and experienced nurses.
- CME Podcasting – Expand your learning by searching through this extensive library of podcasts of all types of medical topics.
Take a little time and try a few of these podcasts. You have nothing to lose and much to gain by expanding your learning opportunities!