NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner (AANP)
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) brings you discussions around the most important topics and issues related to nurse practitioner (NP) practice, education, advocacy, research and leadership. Tune in each month for stories and in-depth conversations with NPs and health care leaders who you can’t hear anywhere else.
192. Breathing Easier With Modern Asthma Management
On this episode NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®, we’re joined by guests Alanna Kavanaugh and Felesia Bowen to talk about obstructive lung disease, and specifically asthma. We’ll discuss how to test for asthma and some of the more exciting treatments out now or on the horizon — and you’ll gain a new perspective and important information about how to best treat patients with obstructive lung disease.
191. Augmenting Your Practice With AI Charting Tools
Are you a nurse practitioner looking to leverage AI in your practice safely and effectively? Then this conversation is for you! Our guests today on NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner® are Lisa Anderson and Madison Edwards, two professionals who share how NPs can responsibly use software like AI scribes to enhance the high-quality care they already provide to patients.
This podcast made possible by Proliability.
190. Getting Comfortable with GLP-1s: Side Effects, Lifestyle Changes and What's Next
Lifestyle medicine expert and family nurse practitioner John Manna returns to NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner® to speak about the many exciting developments taking place in the world of GLP-1s. Manna explains the connection between a GLP-1 regimen and therapeutic lifestyle interventions; addresses some concerns he has seen in his practice regarding side effects related to GLP-1 use; and speaks about what health care providers can expect to see in the near future when it comes to these life-changing medications.
189. Screen, Test, Prevent: The Latest Lipid Guidelines
Nurse practitioner and cardiology expert Colleen Walsh-Irwin returns to NP Pulse to give us all an overview of the latest guidelines for dyslipidemia. Walsh-Irwin walks us through what the new guidelines recommend, and details how NPs can work with patients to prevent cardiovascular disease and improve LDL-C scores.
This podcast made possible by Amgen.
188. Updates in Adolescent Health (PT6) (CE)
Beyond the Physical-Comprehensive Sports Evaluation, Safety, and Athlete Wellbeing for NPs
Sports physicals are far more than routine clearance exams — they are critical preventive health encounters that allow nurse practitioners (NPs) to identify medical, mental health and safety concerns before an athlete takes the field.
In episode six of Updates in Adolescent health: Beyond the Physical-Comprehensive Sports Evaluation, Safety and Athlete Well-being for NPs, Jessica Peck and Ashley Hodges discuss best practices for preparticipation physicals, including cardiac screening, concussion management, injury prevention, nutrition and mental health assessment. They also explore the impact of early sport sp...
187. Can AI Improve Patient Care?
On this episode of NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®, nurse practitioner (NP) expert Sun Jones leads us through a discussion about AI, a technology that now seems to be everywhere. Jones explores how she utilizes AI, and shares strategies to help NPs get the most out of AI in their clinics and other professional settings.
186. A New Vision for Nurse Practitioner Leadership
On this episode of NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®, returning guests Ruth Carrico and Diane Padden share how they reenvisioned the Loretta Ford Visionary Leadership Program as an enhanced experience to guide NPs into developing practical leadership skills applicable to educational and entrepreneurial settings. Carrico and Padden discuss how they developed the revamped program and explain how NPs can apply today to become a part of the 2027 cohort.
185. Community Immunity Starts with You: The NP’s Guide to Adult Vaccinations (CE)
On this accredited episode of NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®️, join esteemed faculty as they discuss the latest evidence-based guidance, including current recommendations and emerging updates in adult vaccination. The faculty will also be accompanied by two mothers who will share the powerful, impactful experiences of losing their daughters to a vaccine-preventable disease (VPD), meningitis.
Upon successful completion of this podcast, you will be able to:
Explain the risk and burden of VPDs in adults, including the disproportionate impact among certain subpopulations caused by disparities in patient education and inequitable access.
R...
184. Advancements in Parkinson's Care
Parkinson's disease – a chronic degenerative disorder – is diagnosed in 90,000 Americans annually. As our understanding and treatment of the disease continues to grow, nurse practitioners and other health care professionals continue to provide patients with the latest updates in care.
Joan Miravite is a nurse practitioner and expert on Parkinson’s disease, and is here to talk with us about the diagnostic criteria and progression of the disease; managing Parkinson’s through medication and surgical therapies; and much more.
Will you be attending the 2026 AANP National Conference? Dr. Miravite will be presenting the session “Parkinson’s Disease Prim...
183. Inspiring Change with Lifestyle Medicine
John Manna became a nurse after witnessing the huge impact nurses could have on their patients on an overseas trip. Now an NP specializing in lifestyle medicine, he joins NP Pulse to share the six pillars of whole-person care, and walks us through the latest updates in GLP-1 usage, diabetes treatment and the importance of diet and exercise.
182. Exposome-Informed Care for Firefighters
Over one million firefighters provide their life-saving services in the U.S today. Treating firefighters requires an awareness of the unique stressors they face, including cardiopulmonary risk, “invisible” exposures and more. To speak more about exposome-informed screening and treatment are nurse practitioner experts Mary Fox and Julian Gallegos. They use their unique expertise — including Gallegos’ work as a firefighter and Fox's experience as Occupational and Environmental Health Community co-chair — to bring the challenges of caring for this important population to life.
181. The Truth About Teen Vaping and Substance Use: Round Up on Adolescent Health PT5 (CE)
In this episode, Unfiltered — The Truth About Teen Vaping and Substance Use: Round Up on Adolescent Health PT5, we explore the realities of teen vaping, substance use and why both remain a critical issue for clinicians and caregivers. While youth vaping rates have slightly declined, it is still the most common form of tobacco use among adolescents, with evolving products and social influences making prevention and intervention increasingly complex. This conversation dives into the science behind adolescent risk-taking; the powerful influence of marketing and social media; and the neurological factors that make teens particularly vulnerable to substance use. Most im...
180. Healthy Gut, Healthy Menopause
Today’s guest on NP Pulse is Donna Willenbrock, an obesity specialist and expert in nutrition. Willenbrock begins by discussing the many connections between a healthy gut and a healthy menopause, and then guides us through hot topics related to staying well at any age — including hydration, physical activity and the many benefits of foods like raw broccoli and even dark chocolate.
179. Beyond Burnout: Recognizing Hypercortisolism
Experts in hypercortisolism and clinicians curious to learn more will find today’s episode of NP Pulse both enriching and relevant. Kathleen “KC” Arnold and Breanna Shenk join the podcast to explore how hypercortisolism manifests and share what NPs should always keep in mind when it comes to the disorder.
This podcast is made possible by Corcept Therapeutics.
178. Navigating Dementia
Robin Arends returns to NP Pulse to speak about an important topic: navigating dementia care. Arends discusses when to start screening patients for dementia, details the different types of dementia and offers suggestions to help older patients stay mentally active.
177. Stigma in Substance Use Disorder: Two Perspectives, One Truth (CE)
In this episode, Dr. Marissa Abram and Theodore Hudson explore how stigma around substance use disorder shows up in everyday interactions — and how those moments can either reinforce shame or support recovery. The podcast highlights the need for health care providers to model healthy relationships, engage with curiosity and foster an environment of hope and support for individuals navigating recovery.
Objectives:
Identify at least one way stigma related to substance use disorder can manifest in clinical relationships.
Explain how everyday clinical interactions can influence recovery for people with substance use disorder.
...176. The Hidden Burden: Understanding Food Allergies and Their Impact (CE)
In this episode of NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®️, Drs. Erin Sinnaeve and Julianne Doucette discuss immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated food allergies, current prevention strategies, diagnostic best-practices and evolving treatment options — including early allergen introduction, oral immunotherapy and biologic therapies — to support safe, evidence-based care.
Upon successful completion of this podcast, you will be able to:
Review the pathophysiology and subsequent patient journey associated with IgE-mediated food allergies.
Evaluate the trial data and practice-changing potential of monoclonal antibodies in a new era of food allergy management.
Develop evidence-driven care plans focused on mitig...
Special Announcement: Thank You for One Million Downloads
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) is proud to announce that AANP’s official podcast, NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®, has just surpassed one million downloads!
Thank you for supporting this program across nearly 200 episodes. Whether you’re looking for discussions around the most important nurse practitioner (NP) topics, in-depth conversations with NPs or free continuing education (CE) credit from our accredited podcasts, we are proud to serve you as The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®.
175. Investigating the Role of BMI in Health Care
Robin Beach is an HIV specialist who began to turn a critical eye to the usefulness of body mass index (BMI) when it came to understanding the overall health of a patient. On the latest episode of NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®, she speaks with Sophia Thomas about using waist circumference as a way to measure the health of specific patient populations instead of BMI, and offers practical strategies for bringing this new tool into routine practice.
174. A Community Coalition Approach to Depression Care for Adults (CE)
In this episode of NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®️, Dr. Kenneth Wells, Dr. Bowen Chung and Felica Jones will discuss the role of primary care providers in a collaborative care approach to depression treatment for adults living in under-resourced communities. Learn more about their research by reading the A Community-Partnered, Participatory, Cluster-Randomized Study of Depression Care Quality Improvement: Three-Year Outcomes study.
Upon successful completion of this podcast, you will be able to:
Define under-resourced communities and collaborative care. Compare using a coalition approach to a traditional technical assistance program for serving adults with dep...173. Heads Up on Concussion Treatment
Nurse practitioner expert Paula Tucker returns to NP Pulse for a discussion on concussion. She gives advice on how to best identify and manage patients who present with concussion, and provides NPs with the assurance and tools they need to not feel overwhelmed when treating mTBI.
172. Hidden Heart Disease: Understanding ANOCA and INOCA – A Patient’s Journey (CE)
In this episode, Leslie Davis, PhD, ANP, FAANP, and nurse practitioner Linda Wellman discuss ANOCA/INOCA—angina or ischemia with no obstructive coronary arteries—an underdiagnosed condition affecting millions. Through expert commentary and lived experience, the conversation highlights why "normal" cardiac catheterization results can still miss serious heart disease. Listeners will hear Linda’s journey as a patient with ANOCA, learn about diagnostic challenges, treatment considerations, and the critical role nurse practitioners play in advocacy and care. While this condition affects both men and women, women with symptoms are more likely to be dismissed by health care providers, leading to del...
171. Rethinking the Path to Diagnosis
On this episode of NP Pulse, we discuss the common causes of misdiagnosis and the red flags NPs can encounter on the road to diagnosing and treating rare diseases. Today’s guests are Stephanie Hosley and Deena Rodney, two NP experts who approach the topic of rare diseases with consideration and care.
This podcast is made possible by Alexion.
170. Managing Complex Older Adults With Treatment-Resistant Depression (CE)
In this episode of NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®️, Drs. Eric Lenze and Megan Morgenthaler will discuss evidence-based treatments for older adults living with treatment-resistant depression using the findings from the Antidepressant Augmentation versus Switch in Treatment-Resistant Geriatric Depression study. Treatment-resistant depression is a form of major depressive disorder that has not responded to at least two antidepressant treatments.
Upon successful completion of this podcast, you will be able to:
Define treatment-resistant depression in older adults. Describe how to use medication augmentation/switching for treatment-resistant depression. Explain one approach to deprescribing medications for old...169. Delivering Solutions For Pharmacy Deserts
Supporting a patient who needs medication does not end when they receive their prescription. Many patients struggle with living in pharmacy deserts, have further questions when their local pharmacies are closed or have difficulty remembering when and what medications to take. Family nurse practitioner Hiva Kolondrubetz and Tess Carey — senior pharmacist and clinical advisor at Amazon Pharmacy — are today’s guests on NP Pulse, and they tackle the concerns NPs face when getting their patients to not only receive but also successfully take their prescribed medications.
This podcast is made possible by Amazon.
168. Social Media and the Sexualization of a Generation: Round Up on Adolescent Health PT4
On this compelling episode of NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®️, Drs. Jessica Peck and Ashley Hodges reveal shocking trends affecting our children — and address the added risk and pressures young people face with increased exposure to social media.
Social media plays a powerful role in shaping adolescent risk-taking, especially as teen brains are still developing and highly sensitive to reward and peer validation. In this final episode of AANP’s adolescent health series, nurse practitioner (NP) experts Peck and Hodges explore how digital environments influence mental, physical and sexual health — and how clinicians and parents c...
167. The Science and Strategy of Obesity Management (CE)
Join endocrinology experts Sara MacLeod and Shannon Idzik as they explore the science and strategy behind effective obesity care, offering practical, evidence-based insights clinicians can apply right away. From navigating treatment options like lifestyle interventions, medications and surgery to fostering stigma-free, patient-centered conversations, this episode delivers real tools for improving outcomes. Whether you’re new to obesity management or looking to enhance your clinical approach, this discussion will inspire confidence and compassion in your practice.
Objectives
Evaluate clinical trial data providing evidence for the current obesity treatment landscape.
Examine the pharmacotherapies for treatment of...
166. From Suspicion to Specialist: The NPs Role in Vasculitis Recognition and Referral (CE)
On this accredited episode of NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®️, join esteemed faculty as they discuss the complex and often misunderstood condition of vasculitis. Explore the diagnostic challenges and strategies to support effective management of this condition to better enhance your practice while serving your patients well.
Upon successful completion of this podcast, you will be able to:
Differentiate common presentations of vasculitis from more routine primary care conditions.
Apply evidence-based clinical reasoning to determine when suspected vasculitis requires referral to a specialist.
Develop an appropriate referral plan, inc...
165. Talking Over BEERS
The Beers Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults — often shortened to just the “Beers Criteria” — was first introduced in 1991 by the geriatrician Mark Beers to identify medications not recommended for patients over 65. To speak about the history and contents of this list and to share important updates is today’s guest on NP Pulse, acute care nurse practitioner Clarissa Michalak.
164. Addressing Psychosocial Challenges and Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) to Better Support Patients Who are Living with Type 1 Diabetes (CE)
On this accredited episode of NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®️, expert faculty Drs. Korey Hood and Kathryn Evans-Kreider explore the psychosocial challenges of living with type 1 diabetes, with a focus on how nurse practitioners can support patients experiencing diabetes distress. Faculty discuss practical strategies, such as using brief screening tools, adopting person-first and strengths-based language and tailoring care through shared decision-making. The conversation also highlights the impact of SDOH and the importance of integrating mental health awareness into routine diabetes management.
This podcast is part of the Clinical Advantage Bootcamp: Type 1 Diabetes Management Certificate for...
163. Everything You Should Know (and Forget) About Wound Care
Are you ready to challenge everything you think you know about wound care? Don’t worry — on this episode of NP Pulse, you’ll be guided by the expertise of Laura Swoboda, a translational scientist, family nurse practitioner and wound specialist. Swoboda speaks about the history of wound care, and gives advice as to how everyone in health care can approach wound care armed with confidence and the most up-to-date developments in the specialty.
162. Tackling Therapeutic Inertia: Utilizing Continuous Glucose Monitoring for Diabetes Prevention and Optimal Management (CE)
On this accredited episode of NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner, hear from experts Kathryn Evans-Kreider and Debbie Hinnen, who will be discussing the latest evidence and practical strategies for using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) to improve outcomes, prevent complications and empower patients. NPs will learn how to apply current guidelines and expand CGM access across diverse patient populations.
A participation code will be provided at the end of the podcast — make sure to write this code down. Once you have listened to the podcast and have the participation code, return to this activity in th...
161. Starting the Conversation on Cognitive Health
Cognitive health is the topic of the day on NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®, and joining the podcast is returning guest Shonda Phelon — an academic, nurse practitioner and expert in mental health. Phelon talks about opening the conversation around cognition decline early; the importance of encouraging active brains and bodies; and walks us through the latest updates in testing and cognitive assessment.
This podcast is made possible by Eli Lilly & Co.
160. Breaking Down The Latest Hypertension Guidelines
In August, organizations including the American Heart Association and AANP worked to update the guidelines for the prevention, detection, evaluation and management of high blood pressure in adults. This is the first update on these guidelines since 2017 and will change the way health care providers approach hypertension. To walk us through what has changed are NPs Leslie Davis and Margaret “Midge” Bowers, AANP Fellows who helped draft and publish these important updates.
159. The Goal Has Changed: Insights From The Latest Lipid Guidelines
Cardiovascular expert Colleen Walsh-Irwin returns to NP Pulse for an in-depth look at hyperlipidemia and the importance of controlling LDL-C levels. Walsh-Irwin also walks us through lipid panels, risk scoring and the many tools NPs have at their disposal to keep patients healthy and informed.
This podcast is made possible by Amgen.
158. Preventing the Spread of Disinformation: What NPs Can Do
AANP President Dr. Valerie Fuller returns to NP Pulse to speak about the challenges that both misinformation and disinformation pose to health care professionals. Valerie explores what these terms mean, and how NPs can combat both mis- and disinformation in their practice and online.
157. Suicide Prevention: Round Up on Adolescent Health (PT3) (CE)
Youth suicide has become a national crisis, with devastating impacts on families, communities and health care systems. As one of the leading causes of death among adolescents, suicide presents a critical challenge for health care providers. In this third episode of the AANP Adolescent Podcast Series, hosts Dr. Jessica Peck and Ashley Hodges explore the growing prevalence of youth suicide, associated risk factors, warning signs and the essential role of nurse practitioners (NPs) in early identification, intervention and prevention. Through clinical insight, real-world experiences and practical tools, providers are equipped to navigate these complex conversations, reduce stigma and connect...
156. Open Payments and the Nurse Practitioner: Your Role in a Transparent Health Care System (CE)
On this accredited episode of NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®️, join representatives from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as they provide an overview of the Open Payments program — a national initiative that promotes transparency in health care by tracking payments from drug and medical device companies to certain health care providers.
Since Jan. 1, 2021, nurse practitioners have been included as covered recipients. In this session, you’ll learn how the program works, explore key data insights and understand your role and responsibilities.
A participation code will be provided at the END of the...
155. Challenging Cases in Pediatrics
Kathleen Jordan is a dual-certified nurse practitioner and an expert in emergency medicine and pediatrics. Jordan walks us through how she approaches challenging cases in pediatrics, and how nurse practitioners can use their training and experience to best diagnose and treat young patients who cannot advocate for themselves.
[Disclaimer: This podcast includes discussions of sensitive topics, including child abuse.]
154. Meet Your New President: Valerie Fuller
Meet AANP President Valerie J. Fuller
At the closing General Session at the 2025 AANP National Conference, Stephen Ferrara ceremoniously passed the gavel to incoming AANP President Valerie Fuller. At the national conference, Fuller also took time to speak with NP Pulse about her professional career so far, the challenges she expects to face as president and her thoughts on why every NP should take advantage of an AANP membership.
