Podcasts for Nurses and Student Nurses

A number of months ago, Pinoy R.N. published the article, 10 Free Nursing Apps for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. We recommended iOS-based applications like Medscape, Epocrates RX, Black Bag, Eponyms (for students), WebMD Mobile, Skyscape Medical Resources and Medical Encyclopedia so that you can access a wealth of medical information while on the go.

Those who have tried the iPhone and iPod Touch applications we recommended can vouch for the usefulness of the apps listed especially during clinicals. But Pinoy R.N. and Ward Class are going to take things a notch higher by rounding up the best nursing podcasts available.

Nursing podcasts, already popular in the U.S., are new learning tools designed to reinforce what nurses already know. It is also  useful in augmenting textbook and classroom learnings by offering great and fun ways to study for nursing exams and review on different nursing concepts and procedures.

With the help of your mobile devices such as the iPhone, iPod Touch, Zunes, Android phones, or any other MP3 device, nurses can download podcasts produced by nursing professionals and/or medical institutions and listen to them briefly at work, during study period, during a long commute, or when you're bored at home.

We searched the world wide web for the most useful ones available and here are some of the better produced nursing podcasts so far:

The Nursing Show. Hosted by medical educator Jamie Davies, this podcast has over a hundred episodes and offers timely updates on nursing news and a wealth of tips and information for nurses and student nurses. Click here for The Nursing Show's podcast.

Geriatric Nursing. Produced by the Darthmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, this podcast provides a series of lectures for nurses and student nurses interested in Geriatric Nursing. You can subscribe to the Geriatric Nursing podcast here.

Mayo Clinic - All Audio Podcast. The Mayo Clinic All Audio Podcast provides audio lectures on men's health, women's health, children's health, cancer updates as well as segments of Medical Edge Radio. Get the Mayo Clinic All Audio Podcast  here.

Johns Hopkins PodMed. The Johns Hopkins PodMed is a weekly health news podcast providing lively discussions on the latest news on health and medicine. Subscribe to Johns Hopkins PodMEd here.

Insights in Nursing. Insights in Nursing is a podcast that lets you listen to a panel of nurse leaders while they discuss nursing issues and other issues related to health care. Currently on its 17th episode, Insights in Nursing provides weekly updates to RNs, LPNs, student nurses, and even nursing educators. Subscribe to the podcast here.

Nursing podcasts are great ways of enhancing nursing education as we move towards global competitiveness. 

If you already subscribe to nursing podcasts providing well-produced and informative series of lectures and insights, drop us a line (or link) in the comments section and we'll be happy to include your picks in our list.

Nurses to Gather at Manila Hotel for Nurses Week and Founding Anniversary Celebrations

Nurses from all over the country will converge next week at the Fiesta Pavilion of the Manila Hotel for the 88th Anniversary of the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA), 53rd Nurses Week Celebration, and National Annual Convention.

As nursing stakeholders and policy-makers convene, Filipino nurses are hopeful that  issues and concerns affecting the nursing profession will be tackled specifically the unabated exploitation of volunteer nurses, the urgent need in improving the quality of the nursing education and practice, and the chronic shortage of local nursing jobs.

The PNA is the professional organization of nurses in the Philippines.

Founded on September 2, 1922 as the Filipino Nurses Association (FNA), it was conceived by Anastacia Giron-Tupas with the aim of unifying all Filipino nurses and promote and professionalize the nursing profession in the country. 

The FNA became a member of the International Council of Nurses (ICN) during the council’s congress in Montreal, Canada on July 1929.  In 1966, the organization was renamed Philippine Nurses Association (PNA).

Since then, several milestones have marked the history of nursing in the Philippines which include:

• President Carlos P. Garcia, through Presidential Proclamation No. 539, declared the last week of October as "Nurses Week.’’
• In 1997, President Fidel V. Ramos issued Presidential Proclamation No. 1060 declaring the year as "Nurses Diamond Jubilee Year.’’ 
• Congress passed Republic Act 7164, the Philippine Nursing Act of 1991 mandating the government to protect and improve the nursing profession in the country to promote a dignified existence for nurses as a guarantee for the delivery of quality health services throughout the nation.

This year's convention, scheduled on October 26-28,  focuses on the nurses' role in serving the community with the theme, “Delivering Quality, Serving Communities: The Challenge for Filipino Nurses Leading Chronic Care.”