The internet is an amazing technology, but it can be overwhelming to find reliable tools and information. As nurse leaders, we are responsible for solving an extremely broad array of problems. There is no way to be an expert in everything. Having a toolbox of resources and websites is essential to engage in lifelong learning on the fly.
These 10 websites are my favorites that I go to often. Some are informational, others have useful tools and utilities.
The Keckley Report
What is it?
Paul Keckley is a health policy analyst, advisor, and educator who publishes a weekly newsletter called The Keckley Report. His website is mainly informational, but the newsletter is gold. The Keckley Report provides in-depth analysis of healthcare economics, policy trends, and current events and their potential influence on the healthcare landscape. Subscribing is free.
Why is it great for nurse leaders?
While The Keckley Report tends to be long, it includes insights I never find anywhere else. As a nurse leader, it will help you to maintain an awareness of national and global trends, as well as develop your strategic thinking. While I don’t read every word of it every week, I always find value.
Emerging Nurse Leader
What is it?
Emerging Nurse Leader is the blog of Rose O. Sherman, a nursing leadership expert, educator, coach, and author. Her blog discusses leadership development, current trends in nursing, and actionable advice for nurse leaders.
Why is it great for nurse leaders?
Emerging Nurse Leader is full of great content for nurse leaders. Rose’s writing style is concise and direct, making her articles easy to digest. They are also often short. I can typically read one of Rose’s articles in 2 minutes or less, which is perfect for a busy nurse leader. Nonetheless, they are well researched, and she often links to additional resources on the topic. She typically posts once a week, which is also a reasonable cadence to keep up with.
Rose teaches workshops for the Organization of Nurse Leaders (ONL) and often shares her insights from those as well as her coaching practice, which provides a window into the experiences of nurse leaders around the country. Overall, Rose’s blog has so much to offer in such an accessible format I think it’s a must read.
YouTube
What is it?
I hope you know what YouTube is. In case you don’t, its the pre-eminent video sharing platform from Google. Videos can be found on nearly any subject and most content is available for free.
Why is it great for nurse leaders?
You can learn basically anything on YouTube. I use it most often to learn about things like data analytics and database design, Microsoft Excel and other software programs. Like any internet resource, you have to think critically about the reliability of the videos’ authors, but once you find good sources the potential for learning is limitless.
As an example, I learned 95% of what I know about Microsoft Excel on YouTube, including some very sophisticated data analytics techniques. YouTube is a Swiss-army-knife learning tool that you can use to build skills that you wouldn’t otherwise have as a nurse leader.
Codify by AAPC
What is it?
Codify is an online database of CPT codes published by the American Association of Professional Coders. You can search CPT codes to learn the criteria for billing them and what kind of documentation is needed to support. Additional data useful for medical coders sits behind a subscription paywall, but basic information can be viewed for free.
Why is it great for nurse leaders?
I never realized how much I would need to know about medical billing and coding as a leader. While I certainly rely on expert colleagues, it’s nice to have a primary source to quickly reference things and build your own knowledge of codes and their uses. This isn’t my most frequently used resource, but when I need it, I’m glad I know about it because it is coming from a reputable professional source.
The Merck Manual Professional edition
What is it?
The Merck Manual is a classic medical encyclopedia that is now available online for free. The entries in the manual cover diagnoses, symptoms, drugs, tests, and procedures. The online version also contains robust media including images and videos. It’s an excellent all-purpose evidence-based reference, plus its free.
Why is it great for nurse leaders?
We will all inevitably encounter situations beyond our clinical expertise. Especially as your leadership career goes on, it is impossible to have clinical knowledge relevant to every area where you have oversight. Having a tool like the Merck Manual to quickly brush up on relevant details is very helpful.
The Merck Manual entries are relatively short and concise and provide enough detail to get a rapid but comprehensive overview of a topic. Its intuitive and fast search interface make finding information easy. While many hospitals provide reference databases like UpToDate, I find the content at times to be too detailed. The Merck Manual is more suitable for quick review and awareness. An example of how I use this is when dealing with quality and safety investigations to enhance my understanding of the clinical context when necessary.
