5 quality podcasts every NP should listen to

girl listening to podcast outside

These days a lot of information is consumed via podcasts instead of books. Podcasts are easy to find, are often free, and they’re convenient to listen to when driving or multitasking.

When I graduated from my MSN program, there weren’t nearly as many podcasts geared towards NPs as there are now. (Even now, there are way more medical podcasts targeting physicians, but still, progress).

I recently went down a rabbit hole trying to find a quality educational podcast for myself as a nurse practitioner. I used to spend a significant amount of my time driving to work each day, and listening to podcasts was a good way to pass the time and stay updated on evidence-based information. My commutes have grown shorter working from home via telehealth, but I still wanted to stay updated on information. Listening to podcasts requires more intentionality now that I don’t have such long commutes, but they are worth finding the time to listen to keep up to date.  

I came across several great podcasts that are worth checking out. These podcasts give you an arsenal of knowledge on various topics that allow you to keep updated on best practices. New NP grads— and NPs with experience—would benefit from checking out these podcasts to build clinical competence and confidence.

I selected podcasts that aren’t hosted by physicians as there are many physician-led podcasts out there already that are pretty easy to find. This selection of podcasts is hosted by either nurse practitioners, physician assistants, or PharmDs.

NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner (AANP)

The first podcast I stumbled upon is called NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner. The podcast was developed by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), the largest professional membership organization for nurse practitioners of all specialties.  The podcast is newer, with its first episodes airing in 2020 with 30 episodes currently.

Each month, NP Pulse discusses relevant topics and issues related to NP practice, education, advocacy, and research. Their most recent episode on what you need to know about cannabinoids is a good listen for all NPs as cannabis becomes legalized for recreational use in more and more states.

NP Pulse covers various topics on conditions such as chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes. Other episodes get into NP wellness, E/M Coding, and understanding full practice authority (FPA).  

The podcast is an easy and interesting listen as you learn educational material.

Real Life Pharmacology – Pharmacology Education for Health Care Professionals

Real Life Pharmacology podcast is all about breaking down pharmacology, with each episode delving into one specific drug. The podcast is hosted by a PharmD, Eric Christianson, who knows his stuff and explains the basics like mechanism of action, side effects, and drug interactions without getting too in the weeds. He started the podcast in 2018 and has about 100 episodes.

Eric also talks about how the mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, adverse effects, and drug interactions can impact patients in both a positive and potentially negative way. He is the author of a clinical pharmacy blog, Meded101.com.

The podcast is super informative, doesn’t make you feel dumb, and empowers your clinical knowledge through learning from an experienced PharmD.

CorConsult Rx: Evidence-Based Medicine and Pharmacology

This podcast provides evidence-based drug updates for providers and students that are on the go. The podcast began in 2017 with currently 98 episodes and is hosted by two PharmDs, Mike Covino and Cole Swanson.

Episodes cover a range of important and relevant topics like hypertension management, opioid use disorder, APA schizophrenia guidelines, lifestyle changes versus medication, COPD guideline review, and the CYP450 enzyme system. Ok, I’m just listing all their episodes. Basically, this podcast covers pharmacy treatment options that are informative, concise, and memorable.  

One podcast episode topic that interested me is their episode on medication safety during pregnancy. I don’t know about you, but as a provider whose primary population is NOT pregnant women, I’m more hesitant with treating this population. Gaining more confidence in this area is important for those rare but often enough encounters with pregnant patients.

CorConsult provides descriptive overviews with great references to evidence-based practice and is pretty entertaining. The humor and banter interspersed throughout the podcast is a definite plus.

MedGeeks

MedGeeks is a podcast hosted by an emergency room Physician Assistant (PA). The focus is on providing content to help clinicians get through school, the boards and excel in clinical practice. MedGeeks focuses on acute care topics but helps you understand diseases processes. And for clinicians not working in acute care, MedGeeks provides helpful warning signs to know when to refer your patients to the ER.  The podcast also walks you through cases and gives pointers as far as how to proceed.

MedGeeks has been around for a while (since 2013) and has 254 episodes. They have many resources on their website for students (PAs, NPs) studying for boards and training/ mentorship for clinical practice.

The material is precise, easy to understand, and the episodes are relatively short, so you can take in bits of knowledge and continue in your busy day.

Just Some Podcast for Advanced Practitioners

Just Some Podcast is hosted by two Family Nurse Practitioners, Ben and Tom. They began their podcast in 2018 and have about 100 episodes currently.  This podcast covers a range of relevant topics such as billing and coding, charting tips, and general health care topics in which they interview specialists. They do occasionally swear, so if not your thing, maybe not for you. The podcast is informative and entertaining.  

So, there you have it. Five great podcasts to add to your playlist to help keep you informed as an NP. Listening to podcasts on relevant topics is especially helpful during your transition into practice, but it’s also valuable to stay updated throughout your career as well. Finding what you like and consistently listening is the best way to build confidence and supplement your clinical practice.

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