Nursing Standard Podcasts

Are you missing out on money that you could reclaim from the tax office? Employed nurses and other members of the nursing team can claim a refund from HM Revenue and Customs on many work-related expenses. This includes for costs around washing uniforms if employers don’t offer this service, for professional fees, union subscriptions and for journal…

What do nurses need to know about tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), which has recently arrived in the UK? Spread by the bite of an infected tick, TBEV can lead to a spectrum of illness including meningitis and encephalitis (swelling of the brain) and is potentially lethal. This episode hears from Sylviane Defres, a consultant in infectious dise…

What are the signs and symptoms of dementia and how can nursing staff best support people with the condition and their loved ones? By 2025, over one million people in the UK will likely have a diagnosis of dementia, making it even more likely that nurses in all settings will encounter someone with the condition and or their family. This episode of …

How do you recognise the signs of sepsis? And how should you respond when you suspect the patient in front of you is at risk? The latest episode of the podcast examines what nursing staff need to know about this life-threatening condition. Our guest, Sian Annakin, is deteriorating patient lead at the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, and a sepsis …

How can you make your money stretch a bit further, plan for retirement and feel in control of your finances? Times are tough financially for many nurses at the moment, with pay not rising as fast as the rocketing cost of living. This episode hears from money mentor for women and NHS GP Nikki Ramskill who shares information on how nurses can get to …

At the end of a shift, many nurses find it a challenge to leave the day behind. You may find yourself constantly going over events that happened at work, or wondering how a patient is faring. This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast will provide the tips and tricks you need to switch off after your shift. Our guest is RCN Nurse of the Year Ana …

Using Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter and other social media platforms are part of many nurses’ day-to-day lives. Getting the most out of social media accounts as a nurse, while avoiding the potential pitfalls, is the topic of this episode. We explore the positives of these online tools that can bring members of the profession together. Our gu…

How does kindness – and also unkindness – affect working relationships and patient care? Kindness is fundamental to nursing practice and the quality patients most value in their experience of care. Whereas unkind behaviour can impact on a nursing professional’s ability to respond effectively and learn – and, also, affects patient outcomes. This epi…

What does it mean to be a ‘silent companion’ and how does this help to build trust at the end of a patient’s life? Find out more in this episode of the Nursing Standard podcast, which explores the challenges that nurses face when providing person-centred end of life care. Other topics addressed include effective communication, building authentic an…

In January thousands of nurses in the NHS staged a two-day strike across England over pay, as members of the RCN continue their historic walkouts. But what were the real reasons for nursing staff voting for industrial action? In the latest episode of the Nursing Standard podcast we hear from nurses on the picket lines in South Yorkshire, Derbyshire…

How do you reduce imposter syndrome and make changes at work? This episode’s guest is no stranger to change, having revolutionised sexual health care in Northern Ireland by setting up an early medical abortion service. Sexual and reproductive healthcare nurse Nicola Bailey established the Rose Clinic providing terminations up to the tenth week of p…

Christmas may be a time for giving but accepting a gift from a patient could land you in hot water. While patient’s have the best intentions of thanking nurses at Christmas, or any other time of the year, accepting a gift could be in breach of the Nursing and Midwifery Council code. The Code clearly states that nurses must refuse ‘all but the most …

Preparing for your first night shift can be a daunting experience. So many questions cross your mind. Will I be able to stay awake? What should I eat? And what should I bring with me? This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast answers all those questions and more. Podcast guests Molly Kiltie, senior mental health practitioner at Leicestershire Pa…

How are nursing students preparing for the health challenges of climate change? This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast explores how students and universities are ensuring their courses cover this vital topic. Nursing student Leonie Harrison and lecturer Alison Taylor discuss the proactive approach they are involved with to make their course a…

What is it with nurses and ghost stories? Why does every hospital seem to be ‘haunted’ by a past patient or long-dead matron? This Halloween episode of the Nursing Standard podcast explores why so many nurses have a spooky story to tell. Our podcast guest Ciaran O’Keeffe is head of the School of Human and Social Sciences and associate professor of …

What is it like to be a newly registered nurse? Making the transition from nursing student to newly registered nurse is exciting, but it can also be nerve-wracking. Securing a role that is the right fit for you – with the right support at the right time – is crucial if you are to thrive in your new career. But how do you go about getting your first…

The emotional distress of caring for seriously ill and dying patients can take its toll on nurses who may struggle with feelings of unresolved grief. If it is not recognised and dealt with issues can build up that can lead to burn out, compassion fatigue, inadequate care for patients and nurses leaving the profession. So, what can nurses do to prot…

Major changes are afoot to advanced community nursing qualifications. So, what do they mean for nurses’ careers? And what do employers, universities and other providers delivering education and training need to do? This episode explores the new standards for specialist community public health nursing (SCPHN) and specialist practice qualifications (…

Starting a nursing degree is exciting … but can also be overwhelming. So, where do you start? How can you prepare for academic study? What books should you buy (if any … yet) - and what are the best shoes to walk the wards in? This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast answers all these questions and more on how to navigate those first weeks, mon…

Managing the continence care of patients with dementia in hospital can be a challenge for time-pressed staff. This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast explores this nursing practice which is little discussed yet vital to patient dignity and care outcomes. Katie Featherstone, director of the Geller Institute of Ageing and Memory at the Universit…

Is your workplace missing some nurses? Is there a perpetual struggle to fill rota gaps? This isn’t just a UK problem but one that is reflected across the world, impacting global health in the most significant way. In this episode, International Council of Nurses chief executive Howard Catton talks about the issues with recruiting staff from oversea…

How do you spot and treat monkeypox? And how concerned should nurses be about the UK outbreak of this relatively rare virus? This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast examines what nursing staff need to know about the condition. Our guest is Belinda Loftus, a sexual health nurse and a manager at the Spectrum Community Health social enterprise, w…

How can the nursing regulator be fair to the professionals on its register while protecting the public? The Nursing and Midwifery Council’s ability to remove a registrant’s licence to practise – their livelihood – understandably makes some nursing staff fearful of the regulator. Research has also shown inequalities for certain groups of nurses, mid…

Dysphagia describes eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties in an individual of any age. This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast explores this complex and potentially life-threatening problem, what nurses need to be looking out for, and how and when it should be escalated. Guest Rachael Jones, senior advanced nurse practitioner in stroke …

As days get longer and people spend more time outdoors, the risk of contracting Lyme disease from infected ticks increases. The latest episode of the Nursing Standard podcast explores what nurses need to know about this condition. Podcast guest is Nick Beeching, a professor in tropical and infectious diseases from the Liverpool School of Tropical M…

Nurses encounter many different wounds in their practice. These range from lower limb leg ulcers – including venous leg ulcers and diabetes-related foot ulcers - to surgical wounds, pressure ulcers and those caused by trauma. Wounds can be distressing, painful and debilitating for the person as well as affecting body image. They are also costly and…

The link between nurse staffing levels and patient outcomes has been proven time and again – so why does the UK have a persistent shortage of nurses? Is it all financial? And do, or should, nurses have a role in calling this out and finding solutions? This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast hears from Jane Ball, professor of nursing workforce …

Are you being held back in your career by self-limiting beliefs? These are those nagging thoughts that you’re not quite good enough or an imposter in your nursing role. Such anxieties can hamper professional development, discouraging nurses from stepping forward for new opportunities and job promotion. So how do you overcome these doubts? Gemma Sta…

Do you know your emotional triggers, those particular situations that cause a surge of stress or anger? Feeling overwhelmed is a common response in times of high pressure, and the pandemic has brought even more challenges for healthcare staff. Yet self-care can appear a self-indulgence practised by people with time and energy. But does it have to b…

How can you make revalidation a straightforward task? The process can feel like a mammoth task to many nurses and nursing associates when faced with their deadline to revalidate with the Nursing and Midwifery Council every three years. There can also be confusion about what can be included as continuing professional development (CPD). Do you need a…

What makes a good leader and how can every nurse demonstrate these skills whatever their seniority or setting? This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast examines the topic of leadership and how all nursing staff and other healthcare workers can find and develop their own style. Guest Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust chief nurse Karen Bonner …

Do you find it hard to eat well amid the pressures and demands of your nursing job? Perhaps you find yourself skipping meals during long shifts, grabbing a takeaway on the way home or craving sugary treats to combat exhaustion? You are not alone. A recent survey by Nursing Standard found almost six in ten respondents are turning to unhealthy and di…

Are you looking to change direction in your career? You are not alone. The pandemic has made many nurses rethink – or at least review – their career pathway. So what do you do? Do you need to spend a lot of time retraining – or could you use your transferable skills to secure that new job? This episode of the podcast hears from former associate dir…

Many women experience heavy and painful periods which have a significant impact on their personal and professional lives. While 10 % of women of reproductive age are thought to have endometriosis, a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows elsewhere in the body. Endometriosis has a range of symptoms including pain in the lower…

Are you tired of being told things would be better if you were just a bit more resilient? Or frustrated with well-being initiatives that are put on by well-meaning employers but for which you have no time? This episode of the Nursing Standard podcast looks at the power of embracing your vulnerability and sense of humanity, and examines the dangerou…

What is your experience of racism or discrimination, whatever your skin colour? Have you been labelled ‘defensive’ for standing up for yourself as a black nurse, or stood by silently seething as a white nurse witnessing a colleague being discriminated against due to their ethnicity? This episode of the podcast explores racism and discrimination in …

Saving the planet is a big ask on top of everything else nurses and nursing students have to do. But does it have to such a herculean task? What are the small steps that you can take, personally and professionally, to make a big difference? And could we be better off professionally, financially and, of course, environmentally, as a result. This epi…

Feedback is an essential part of the learning process for any nursing student or qualified nurse. But sometimes the points – written or oral - can be difficult to digest especially if you react to the negative information. In this episode, nurse lecturers Amy Dopson and Laurence Drew who are based at University of Surrey’s school of health sciences…

All nurses in England could receive mandatory training in caring for people with learning disabilities and autism if a pilot scheme proves successful. Why is this happening and what strategies can all nurses learn from those working in this field? This episode of the podcast hears from two specialist nurses, Jim Blair, a learning disability nurse c…

The pandemic has been hard on everyone but especially for nurses and healthcare staff who’ve been under immense pressure. Many nurses have reported the toll of COVID-19 on their mental health - and some have hit rock bottom. Where do you go for help if you, a colleague or loved one is in mental distress and or having suicidal thoughts? And what sho…

From microaggressions to false accusations, black and minority ethnic nurses experience many forms of racism at work. What support is available to help them emotionally, therapeutically and legally? This episode of the podcast hears from nurse Neomi Bennett who set up Equality 4 Black Nurses, a group which provides a supportive space and expert gui…

Starting a new job can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. But when that role is also in a new country it can add further complexity and apprehension. There are 92,260 nursing staff from overseas on the UK’s Nursing and Midwifery Council register. Just like newly qualified nurses, this group need support too. What kind of support do they find most…

Long-COVID is affecting many health and care staff – so what can nurses with the condition do to manage its often on-off symptoms? This episode of the podcast hears from two nurses with long-COVID, which is defined as the continuation or development of symptoms after the four-week acute stage of COVID-19. Salli Pilcher, associate director of nursin…

Is simply the thought of a job interview enough to bring you out in a cold sweat? Do you worry about how to manage your nerves and present your best self? And how do you answer those tricky questions? Nichole McIntosh, regional head of nursing and midwifery with London Health Education England, answers all these questions and more in this episode o…

Nurses see a diverse range of patients and their families. But sometimes assumptions are made about the make-up of families – that they include a mum, dad and their biological children. This perpetuation of heteronormativity – that heterosexuality is the norm – can be led by systems, such as documentation used by the NHS requesting who is the mothe…

Taking up your first post as a newly qualified nurse (NQN) can be daunting – but does it need to be this way? Can it instead be a positive rite of passage after three years of training? Former director of nursing Emily McWhirter, who is now a consultant advisor, joins Nursing Standard editor Flavia Munn to share tips on how NQNs can navigate this t…

Why is insulin so important to the body and what’s its role in type 1 and 2 diabetes? 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin, a breakthrough which has saved the lives of millions of people. In this episode Paula Mayo, a lecturer in diabetes care at University of Leeds’ school of healthcare, answers key questions for nurses abo…

Writing a will is the kind of task we put off - but preparing one is actually, generally quite straightforward. In this episode, solicitor Daniel Price explains what you need to do ahead of making a will writing appointment and gives an overview of the process. He also tells senior news reporter Kimberley Hackett the importance of a will for nurses…

You have a low mood, feel exhausted, irritable and aren’t sleeping well. It may be the demands of nursing work – but could it be the perimenopause or menopause? Menopause specialist and GP Louise Newson talks to Nursing Standard head of news and features Kat Keogh about how to identify these life changes and why they shouldn’t cause women to quit t…

How do you engage disaffected young people who are at risk of serious harm? What can you do as a nurse in these circumstances? Emergency nurse Ana Waddington felt a sense of helplessness at the increasing number of young people presenting with knife injuries in hospitals. So she decided to act. Ana used her own time and money to set up YourStance, …