Journi Gillette

According to Lost on the Frontline, a project of Kaiser Health News and The Guardian, more than 3,500 health care workers had died of COVID-19 in the United States. Of the 1,693 whose occupations are known, 542 were nurses. 

Hospitals are once again at overcapacity

Learn EM is a blog that contains analytics, deep dives, and more to help those in practice about emergency medicine. Voices in EM is an ongoing project where nurses can anonymously submit their experiences with hospitals being at full capacity due to the vicious resurgence of COVID-19. One story from Voices in EM states:

I’m seeing quite a few unvaccinated people in their 30s and 40s being admitted with the variant (delta). These were previously healthy people with no co-morbidities. This demographic was not as sick with last year’s variant.

-Anonymous submission for Voices in EM

Most of these accounts from nurses highlight the difference between the COVID outbreak of last year and this current Delta outbreak. Many nurses also note how children are more affected by the Delta outbreak. Things are looking rather dismal in most ICUs, including pediatrics. 

However, there seems to be a relative trend that states with lower rates of vaccination are at higher risk. Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama are some states with the highest death rates with under 40% of the population being vaccinated. 

On the other hand, the states of Washington, Oregon, and Maine all have over a 50% vaccination rate and also have some of the lowest number of cases in the country.

Elective surgeries have been cancelled/postponed due to full capacity of COVID patients 

In an effort to preserve hospital staff and resources, states have begun to postpone and even cancel all elective surgeries. 

An elective surgery generally means an operation that is scheduled in advance and not considered an emergency procedure. The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASAHQ) suggests that daily forecasting of COVID-19 demand on all resources will determine the ability of accepting non-COVID related procedures.

Examples of elective surgery include but are not limited to: 

• removing a mole or wart
• kidney stone removal
• plastic surgery

Nursing Shortages

Nursing shortages have been predicted for years, but the effects of the pandemic have only emphasized this inevitable future. 

Diana Mason, PhD, RN, FAAN, senior policy service professor and co-director of the Center for Health Policy and Media Engagement at the George Washington University School of Nursing observes that:

“Nurses are fleeing. They are saying, ‘I’m not going to keep doing this,’ and nurses who can retire earlier are retiring early. I think we are going to have a nursing shortage that’s going to take at least a decade to reverse.”

Job Outlook:

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that there will be a 45% increase in positions for registered nurses from 2019-2029. Just for reference, the average job outlook for most fields is 4%. 

With a job outlook that is astronomical, as well as the amount of nurses leaving due to retirement and burnout, a nursing shortage is inevitable.

Nurse Burnout

Survey Information Analytics (SIA) collaborated with the Washington Center of Nursing to survey 418 nurses in the state of Washington about their nursing experiences throughout 2020. Their data concluded that:

• 51% were laid off or furloughed from one or more nursing/healthcare jobs.
• 42% thought about or made plans to leave the field of nursing.
• 69% reported moderate or extreme COVID-19 related staffing concerns.
• 61% reported moderate or extreme concern for their friends’/family’s safety.
• 42% believed their employers provided adequate quarantining for employees who may have been/were exposed to COVID-19.

The American Nurses Foundation conducted a survey on Nursing World that depicts how the pandemic has affected the mental health and well-being, financial, and work life for U.S. nurses. 

According to the survey, 47% of respondents said they are leaving their positions because work negatively affects their health and well-being. Researchers also found that insufficient staffing and lack of adequate support from employers during the pandemic were also primary reasons nurses wanted to leave their positions.

Podcasts are one of the most popular ways of consuming media. In a time where nurses are busier now more than ever, podcasts are a great way to receive information and content. With over 850,000 podcasts for people to listen to, there are many available nursing podcasts to explore.

Luckily, we’ve sorted through all those podcasts and cultivated a list of the best ones for nurses. With categories that cover nursing students, career enhancement, nursing culture, healthcare news, NCLEX prep, and ER nurses, we’re sure there will be a podcast (or a few) that will become apart of your daily routine.

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Best Podcasts for Nursing Students:

Even once nurses are certified RNs and pass the NCLEX, there are still CEU requirements. With continuous education, it’s natural to become burnt out from reading textbooks day in and day out. For this reason, nursing podcasts are a great way to review information as well as learning new things. These nursing podcasts are excellent resources to turn to for students who want to excel in nursing school and outside of it.

Fresh RN

Fresh RN is a podcast for nurses, founded by a nurse, covering topics such as personal experiences, nursing procedures, dealing with difficult patients and family members, and tons of other tips on getting you through your nurse system. There are also three bonus episodes covering the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fresh RN also has a website with a blog that is updated weekly, courses to help guide students through nursing school, and books available to purchase written by Kati Kleber herself!  With all of this expertise, insight, and additional resources, nursing students can’t go wrong by taking a look at Fresh RN.

Straight A Nursing

Straight A Nursing claims to be “Your secret weapon for nursing school awesomeness.” Their claim doesn’t seem to be too far off, as many nurses and nursing students alike can agree that Straight A Nursing is a great resource. In addition to the podcast, Maureen Osuna provides many additional resources, such as a website that features downloadable study guides, nursing school notes, two boot camps, and even a book!

Real Talk School of Nursing

Real Talk School of Nursing is focused on building a community of supportive nurses and nursing students. This podcast centers around sharing experiences rather than content that is taught in nursing school. Real Talk School of Nursing encourages all listeners to share their stories and experiences with them via email, Facebook messenger, Instagram, and even Twitter, so it’s like an open forum for all to be able to share!

Best Podcasts for Career Enhancement:

Whether you are a new nurse searching for your first nursing job, transitioning to a new facility, or even looking for a new job, it’s essential to Make Sure Your Next Job is the Right Job. Along with our tips, these podcasts provide great insight on what to consider when exploring different nursing career options.

The Nurse Keith Show

If you’re looking for career management and development, multidisciplinary collaboration, and personal growth, The Nurse Keith Show is the perfect podcast to invest some time into!  The podcast’s mission statement is: “helping you create the most satisfying nursing career and life possible.”

The Happy Traveler

The Happy Traveler is a podcast provided by Wanderly. The Wanderly website itself is an ultimate Lifestyle blog for nurses, covering traveling, health, family, education, and money.

The Happy Traveler podcast focuses on traveling nurses. What makes The Happy Traveler’s podcast stand out is the engaging guests.

Your Next Shift

Your Next Shift takes a different approach to the nursing career and aims to “present listeners with mindset shifts to be themselves and entrepreneurial tools to do their best.” The podcast features many guests who all have inspiring stories to offer about the career path and why they love it. The podcast host, Elizabeth Scala, has her website to expand on her podcast’s goal by offering books, a blog, and even a free 3 part video seminar!

Best Podcasts for Nursing Experiences & Culture:

Being a new nurse can be overwhelming with all these new things to learn in a new and fast-paced environment. Even seasoned nurses can experience “Nurse Burnout” and need a fresh perspective for approaching the daily duties or even just a reminder of why nursing is their passion. Fortunately, these nursing podcasts are available to give new nurses insight into experiences and practices they are likely to experience and motivate experienced nurses.

NurseSpeak

Boasting stellar reviews and a solid 5-star rating, listeners love NurseSpeak. NurseSpeak offers a more lighthearted, fun approach to nursing podcasts. The podcast features nurses sharing their relatable stories. NurseSpeak is open for anyone to submit a story on their website, so it’s a fantastic community for nurses to laugh and find someone they relate to before a shift or after a long day.  

The WoMed

Nurse Danielle Maltby hosts The Womed. Danielle approaches her episodes with humor and discusses self-care self-care, mental health, emerging healthcare trends, and education. With Danielle’s passion and her amazing guests, this podcast is worth taking a listen to.

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Best Podcasts for Healthcare News:

As professionals in the medical field, nurses need to keep up with current healthcare news and practices! These podcasts will help keep you in the loop of what’s new and what you can expect in healthcare.

Public Health on Call

Current healthcare news explained by evidence, and health experts are this podcast’s strength. Public Health on Call breaks down recent news within 15 minutes is exactly the type of efficiency listeners seek.

Healthcare Happy Hour 

Healthcare Happy Hour covers relevant topics on a weekly basis. This podcast aims to give a quick recap of the top issues concerning healthcare politics and policy. Due to its straightforward approach, this podcast is perfect when you have 30 minutes to spare.

Best Podcasts for NCLEX Prep

After all the late nights and long days of studying, nursing students must take the NCLEX. The NCLEX is one of the final things a student nurse must overcome before being deemed an entry-level nurse. With all the stress with nursing school and life in general, it can be hard to retain and keep up with your studies. These podcasts specifically cover tips for passing the NCLEX and content found on it. 

Nursing Podcast (by NURSING)

The Nursing Podcast (NRSING) is to help nurses and nursing students prepare for the NCLEX. This podcast stems from their actual website, nursing, which specializes in NCLEX prep material and courses.

The Nursing podcast updates with new episodes 2-3 times per week. The Nursing Podcast features questions from students, such as tips on being an exceptional nurse, as well as guest speakers.

My Nursing Mastery

My Nursing Mastery is a podcast that discusses NCLEX exam strategies and pointers from guests who have succeeded in passing the NCLEX. The NCLEX exam isn’t the only thing that My Nursing Mastery covers. The most recent podcast is about the Transition to Real Practice.

Best Podcasts for ER Nurses

Typically, Emergency Room Nurses are always in fast-paced, highly tense environments, as well as often overnight shifts. ER nurses are exposed to trauma patients and have to face these patients’ frantic families. These podcasts provide great tips and stories to uplift a highly likely overwhelmed nurse’s mood.

The Q Word

“The Q Word” refers to a saying that is essentially taboo in the emergency room! Any nurse will tell you that if you mention “It’s quiet,” the ER is bound to get flooded with patients.

The Q Word podcast focuses on Emergency Nurses and gives listeners a look at the culture of being an  Emergency Nurse. Listeners love The Q Word and value the information that is provided in this podcast.

Art of Emergency Nursing:

Kevin McFarlane is an Emergency Room nurse with 15 years of experience and is the Art of Emergency Nursing host. Kevin strives for Art of Emergency Nursing to “be the voice and the heart of the emergency nursing community.” The podcast features weekly guests from around the world to discuss their experiences and practices.