From loss and resilience to literary triumph — nurse and author Rhonda McCoy opens up about her life and debut novel Crow. Plus, we peer into the world of cyber and financial security — and why nurses could be the next big targets. 

The latest Nursing Australia News (04:35) Aussie CDC, Nursing Emergency, Lung screens, and Festival of Nursing 2026 

Segment 1: THE CROW (06:55) 

Segment 2: STOLEN: Understanding Financial Crime (41:30)  

Handy Links: 

KEEPING SAFE ONLINE!  

GRAB A COPY of Rhonda McCoy's novel CROW  

APNA Workforce Survey - Have YOUR SAY!  

APPLY TO BE PART OF FESTIVAL OF NURSING 2026  

HOST A NURSING STUDENT AT YOUR WORKPLACE  

Click here to get in touch with Nursing Australia (send a text for free from anywhere in the world) #askusanything

Hosted & Produced by: Matthew St Ledger & Leith Alexander
Produced by: Leith Alexander & Matthew St Ledger

A content note for Australian listeners: this episode discusses suicide and domestic violence. If you need support at any time, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732. For international listeners: Please see links below for global crisis support services, or Google ‘crisis support’ in your area. 

The latest Nursing Australia News (00:00) Chronic gaps, tackling health challenges in Berlin, and Trump pharma tariffs. 

Segment 1: DV (00:00) Domestic violence remains a pervasive issue in our communities, with incidents occurring at increasingly alarming rates. As health professionals, how do we recognise the signs—and what referral pathways exist for our patients, and for ourselves? 

Segment 2: Suicide Prevention (00:00) Health professionals are not only on the frontline of suicide prevention for patients — they’re also part of a higher-risk group themselves when it comes to suicide and suicidal ideation. This is everybody’s business. So, what do we still need to learn, improve and do better in this space? RN Esther Sole joins us to explore exactly that. 

Handy Links: 

Nurse Midwife Health Program Australia  

APNA Workforce Survey - Have YOUR SAY!  

DV Alert Australia  

FLORENCE App by APNA 

Subscribe to The Connect (our weekly newsletter) 

Global Crisis Support Contacts:  
 
AUS: https://www.lifeline.org.au/131114/   

AUS: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/   

USA: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/  
 
UK: https://www.samaritans.org/  
 
NZ: https://www.samaritans.org.nz/  

SOUTH KOREA: http://www.counsel24.com/  

INDIA: https://icallhelpline.org/   

PHILIPPINES: https://doh.gov.ph/NCMH-Crisis-Hotline   

Click here to get in touch with Nursing Australia (send a text for free from anywhere in the world) #askusanything

Hosted & Produced by: Matthew St Ledger & Leith Alexander
Produced by: Leith Alexander & Matthew St Ledger

Episode 90: Breathing New Futures

The latest Nursing Australia News (03:00) Global nurse equity, Aussie prescribing breakthrough, and tap water fentanyl scandal.

Happy Birthday Matthew! (04:30) 

Lung Cancer Screening (05:55) Lung cancer is still Australia’s leading cause of cancer death, but a new national screening program promises to shift the landscape. So, what does this mean for practice, and how can nurses prepare to support patients through it? Matt speaks with Mel Laan, the Lung Cancer Nurse Consultant from Royal Adelaide Hospital, to find out. 

Sam - the APNA Nurse Scholar (16:15) APNA Nurse Scholar Sam takes us inside her journey — from the wards of Australia to a global classroom in London. We’ll hear what she learned, what inspired her, and how the experience is shaping her nursing practice.

This episode is sponsored by Health Professionals Bank. It takes passion and dedication to be a healthcare professional. Every day you go above and beyond to treat, care for and help others in their time of need. That’s why at Health Professionals Bank, we believe you deserve a bank that cares about you and helps keep your finances healthy throughout your life. 

(Membership, responsible lending criteria and Terms and Conditions apply. Health Professionals Bank is a division of Teachers Mutual Bank Limited ABN 30 087 650 459 AFSL/Australian Credit Licence 238981.)

National Nursing Clinical Placements Program Campaign 

APNA Workforce Survey - Have YOUR SAY!  

Health Professionals Bank

✨ Give Matt a birthday gift! Like & follow in Insta @saintmedaesthetics SAINT Medical Aesthetics Facebook; LinkedIn;

National Lung Cancer Screening Program | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing 

National Lung Cancer Screening Program – Healthcare provider toolkit | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing 

Lung cancer screening resources | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing 

National Lung Cancer Screening Program Health Workforce Education - Lung Foundation Australia 

National Lung Cancer Screening Program - NACCHO 

Click here to get in touch with Nursing Australia (send a text for free from anywhere in the world) #askusanything

Hosted & Produced by: Matthew St Ledger & Leith Alexander
Produced by: Leith Alexander & Matthew St Ledger

Meet the Chief, Part Three of Three

She's Australia's most senior nurse and in this instalment, Matt St. Ledger talks to adjunct professor, Alison McMillan about the the changes that could redefine nursing as we know it... 

We're casting our eyes forward - beyond the day-to-day, to what's next for the profession. 

From the growing influence of Nurse Practitioners and expanded scope of practice, to how we stay connected as a workforce in a system under pressure.  

What will it take to future proof nursing? And how do we make sure nurses are at the centre of change and not just reacting to it? 

Its the final episode of this bonus series, but the conversation doesn't end here —  nurses are driving innovation, shaping policy and redefining what healthcare policy looks like. 

Stay informed, stay connected and keep leading from the front. And stay tuned for more healthcare news. 

This highly anticipated special series has been produced by Leith Alexander.

Click here to get in touch with Nursing Australia (send a text for free from anywhere in the world) #askusanything

Hosted & Produced by: Matthew St Ledger & Leith Alexander
Produced by: Leith Alexander & Matthew St Ledger

Click here to get in touch with Nursing Australia (send a text for free from anywhere in the world) #askusanything

Hosted & Produced by: Matthew St Ledger & Leith Alexander
Produced by: Leith Alexander & Matthew St Ledger

Click here to get in touch with Nursing Australia (send a text for free from anywhere in the world) #askusanything

Hosted & Produced by: Matthew St Ledger & Leith Alexander
Produced by: Leith Alexander & Matthew St Ledger

Meet the Chief, Part Two of Three

She's Australia's most senior nurse and in this instalment, Matt St. Ledger talks to adjunct professor, Alison McMillan about the the changes that could redefine nursing as we know it... 

From the expanding role of Nurse Practitioners, to the future of nurse prescribing. What's possible, what's coming and whats standing in the way. 

This isn’t just about titles — it’s about impact, voice, and the quiet power behind the scenes of national healthcare. 

Keep an eye on your favourite podcast listening apps as part 3 drops next week. This highly anticipated special series has been produced by Leith Alexander.

Click here to get in touch with Nursing Australia (send a text for free from anywhere in the world) #askusanything

Hosted & Produced by: Matthew St Ledger & Leith Alexander
Produced by: Leith Alexander & Matthew St Ledger

Click here to get in touch with Nursing Australia (send a text for free from anywhere in the world) #askusanything

Hosted & Produced by: Matthew St Ledger & Leith Alexander
Produced by: Leith Alexander & Matthew St Ledger

Meet the Chief, Part One of Three

She’s the most senior nurse in the country — but what do we really know about Australia’s Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer Alison McMillan?  

Matt St Ledger sat down in Canberra with Allison for an in-depth 1 on 1 

In today’s first part, discover the role, uncover the person behind the title, and explore the challenges of online trolling and disaster management in healthcare leadership. 

This isn’t just about titles — it’s about impact, voice, and the quiet power behind the scenes of national healthcare. 

And keep an eye on your favourite podcast listening apps as part 2 and 3 drop over the coming weeks. This highly anticipated special series has been produced by Leith Alexander

Click here to get in touch with Nursing Australia (send a text for free from anywhere in the world) #askusanything

Hosted & Produced by: Matthew St Ledger & Leith Alexander
Produced by: Leith Alexander & Matthew St Ledger

The latest Nursing Australia News (02:15) Global workforce warning, Aussie nursing wins, cheeky pill pilfer, and UK pay revolt.

Wound Care - The Golden Rules (04:45) Jess Tully is joined by the wound care specialist Melissa Freeman to break down the golden rules of wound care — whether you’re managing chronic ulcers, surgical sites, discover eye-opening principles you can apply to practice.

Atrial Fibrillation (14:20) It’s estimated that 500,000 Australians have been diagnosed with AF. While this is only 2% of the population, the impact of undiagnosed and undertreated AF can be catastrophic. Dr Kate Annear rejoins Nursing Australia Discover info on AF and more at the Quality Use of Medicines Hub  

Join The Obesity Collective in shifting the conversation on weight and health. Access free resources today at theobesitycollective.org.au   

Discover the Life Program 

Discover info on AF and more at the Quality Use of Medicines Hub   

FLORENCE App by APNA 

Subscribe to The Connect (our weekly newsletter) 

Click here to get in touch with Nursing Australia (send a text for free from anywhere in the world) #askusanything

Hosted & Produced by: Matthew St Ledger & Leith Alexander
Produced by: Leith Alexander & Matthew St Ledger

Nursing Australia's Stigma, Science & The Stage is Set for Nurses presents: 

The latest Nursing Australia News (04:00) Paid placements, Tasmania strikes, and TikTok popularises dangerous practice.  

Segment 1: The Vital Role of Nurses in Ending HIV Transmission (07:10)  We shine a spotlight on HIV in Australia—where we stand, what’s changing, and the frontline interventions making a difference. Hear directly from the team at ASHM Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine as they break down the latest in treatment, testing, and tackling stigma. Check out the Decision Making in PrEP Tool for Health Professionals. 

Segment 2: Sneak Peak: The Festival of Nursing 2025 with APNA Founder Sam Moses (23:45) & APNA CEO Ken Griffin (36:50) Don’t miss your exclusive sneak peek into the nursing event of the year—The Festival of Nursing! Whether you're clinical, community, or just keen for a killer CPD lineup and a catch-up, this is the date to save. Let’s go. 

Handy Links: 

 ASHM Upcoming Seminar: Strengthening STI and BBV Prevention through Primary Nursing Practice

Rego: https://apna-asn-au.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_A7vO5GbQQu6848lm8d28Qg 

Events Calendar: https://www.apna.asn.au/event/sti-and-bbv-prevention-through-practice 

Festival of Nursing  

The LIFE Program 

FLORENCE App by APNA 

Subscribe to The Connect (our weekly newsletter) 

Decision Making in PrEP Tool

Click here to get in touch with Nursing Australia (send a text for free from anywhere in the world) #askusanything

Hosted & Produced by: Matthew St Ledger & Leith Alexander
Produced by: Leith Alexander & Matthew St Ledger

The June Edition of Nursing Australia presents:  

The latest Nursing Australia News (03:25) RN Prescribing Approved, Rural Nurse Bonuses, and AI Triage Sparks Debate. 

Segment 1: Eating Disorders (05:15) A clinical deep-dive with Inside Out Australia exploring the latest evidence, diagnostic challenges, and treatment innovations in eating disorders—designed to support health professionals in delivering best-practice care. 

Segment 2: Huntingtons Disease (10:25) A powerful conversation with advocate Kathy Langley on the realities of Huntington’s disease—raw insights, genetic heartbreak, and what every health professional needs to know to truly support these families. 

Segment 3: Get Walking (20:10) It can be hard to keep our bodies well and strong through exercise, especially through the colder months when the sun gets up late and getting out of bed feels so hard! In fact, recent data indicates that only 22% of Australians are meeting recommended physical activity guidelines. Could this be you? Elizabeth Calleja from the Heart Foundation is here to help.  She explains all the benefits exercise has that we might have even forgotten about as well as effective ways in which we can really reach our patients. 

Handy Links: 

Heart Foundation Walking 

FLORENCE App by APNA 

Subscribe to The Connect (our weekly newsletter) 

Click here to get in touch with Nursing Australia (send a text for free from anywhere in the world) #askusanything

Hosted & Produced by: Matthew St Ledger & Leith Alexander
Produced by: Leith Alexander & Matthew St Ledger

This episode of Nursing Australia presents:  

The latest Nursing Australia News (03:15)

Workforce under strain, NP prescribing green-lit, and Rural nurse housing subsidy.  

Seg 1 (04:45) Meet Florence 

Discover Florence, the free app making CPD easy for nurses! Prue Baum from APNA explains how it helps you track everything you learn on the go. 

Seg 2: (18:20) Expanding your Scope of Practice 

Ready for rural nursing? Nurse Jess shares her takeaways from a 5-day course that helps you broaden your scope and thrive in remote roles! 

Handy Links: 

FLORENCE App by APNA 

Festival of Nursing - grab your tickets NOW

Subscribe to The Connect (our weekly newsletter) 

Click here to get in touch with Nursing Australia (send a text for free from anywhere in the world) #askusanything

Hosted & Produced by: Matthew St Ledger & Leith Alexander
Produced by: Leith Alexander & Matthew St Ledger