Podcasts can help broaden your outlook on the world and develop you professionally. Student nurse Kendal Moran shares her top five
Retaining the Passion: Journeys through nursing
An excellent and engaging new podcast hosted by newly qualified nurses Craig Davidson and Clare Manley who approach interviews in a down-to-earth, open and often humorous way. They aim to retain the passion that got them into nursing by exploring the nursing journeys of their guests. Every two weeks episodes are released featuring nurses from all disciplines and UK countries which shine a light on issues impacting the profession and wider society. One of their recent episodes, “Raising your voice”, was an inspiring call for nurses to speak up and really struck a chord with me.
The Doctor’s Kitchen
Hosted by Dr Rupy Aujla, this podcast has helped me explore both the holistic nature of health and the idea of using food as medicine (alongside conventional medical interventions where necessary, of course). Each week Dr Rupy cooks a healthy meal for his guests who are often eminent researchers or practitioners in their field, while discussing recent research and providing tips on how to improve health and wellbeing. If you are new to the idea of food as medicine, I recommend starting with Dr Rupy’s first season which explores the pillars of healthy eating. Or, if you want to head into an episode directly linked to nursing, look out for his episode with author and nurse Christie Watson.
Feel Better, Live More
Dr Chatterjee is a general practice doctor who aims to simplify the world of health, interviewing leading experts and exciting personalities in the field of lifestyle medicine along the way. His ethos is simple: if you feel better, you live more – and he seeks to empower listeners with the tools to help you do just this. Episodes which stand out include episode 77 on the importance of sunlight, episode 74 which talks about the link between diet and mental health, and episode 70 all about the importance of sleep – something we, as nurses, could learn a lot from.
The King’s Fund Podcast
The King’s Fund release a monthly podcast talking about big ideas in health and care as well as health policy and leadership. I recommend starting with an interview with the RCN’s very own Dame Donna Kinnair which discusses pressures on the nursing workforce and Dame Donna’s leadership journey.
Outrage + Optimism
Climate change is everyone’s business and particularly for those of us working in health care as it is intrinsically linked to population health. The hosts discuss all things climate change with their incredible guests who are chosen for their efforts to save our planet. They range from Sir David Attenborough to Ellie Goulding to NASA Astronaut Jessica Meir to Greta Thunberg. Their interviews explore emerging issues in climate change in the hope that spreading the word will help us collectively face the climate crisis head on and understand that we have the power to solve it.
