If you’re in healthcare, we know you love your career. After all, you put a lot of hard work into getting where you are so that you can help others in a frontline medical role.
That means that you probably never stop educating yourself in your field. While medical texts aren’t exactly a beach read, you likely enjoy reading them and get something out of them (after all, knowledge is power!).
This article will give you a rundown of some of the top free and paid-subscription nurse magazines. That way, when you’re on the web or subscribe to a print nursing magazine, you’ll know what you’re getting yourself into. The next time you’re doing your self-care ritual with that nice, long after-work bath, you can catch up on the latest in your field with a magazine on nursing (we won’t judge you if you opt for a lighter read, though).
Read on to explore the top 14 publications that every nurse should read. Initially, the plan was to showcase the top 10 nursing journals, but there’s so much strong content that it’s too hard to choose. The good news is that if you want to continue your nursing education at home, there’s no shortage of relevant information available to you.
Where can I find magazines or specialized presses for nurses?
It may seem like a given, but the internet is the perfect place to start. This is the case whether you’re looking to subscribe to a print edition that gets shipped to your home or find articles and issues—both free and paid—online.
Check out our list of top magazines and publications for nurses below, and then find digital or print copies by going directly to the source. While our list is pretty comprehensive, there are others like it on the web published by some of your favorite nursing organizations. So start here, but we invite you to keep exploring.
When you look for sources, consider whether the content is peer-reviewed, which is a mark of quality in the medical field. A peer-reviewed text implies that other subject-matter experts like you (your peers) have assessed the findings of an article, so it’s content you can trust.
Top six paid nursing magazine subscriptions + eight free options
Our favorite paid pubs
1. American Nurse Today. This digital-print hybrid magazine is the official journal of the American Nurses Association. Nursing is not just a career, it’s a lifestyle, and this publication understands that. You’ll find articles on aspects of life that affect you outside of the clinic or hospital, like resolving student debt and more technical pieces on healthcare and medicine.
2. Nursing Times. This web and print publication has plenty of helpful information online; however,if you want to go deeper, you can subscribe to their digital or print publications (or a combination of both).
3. Applied Nursing Research. This peer-reviewed journal has free and subscription options and goes deep on diagnosis, patient education and pain management.
4. American Journal of Nursing. The oldest nursing journal in the world, this peer-reviewed and evidence-based publication has risen to the top. Subscribe to access some of the best and most nuanced information in your field.
5. Nursing Made Incredibly Easy. You’ve got to love the name of this magazine. Nothing says “we support nurses,” like making your life easier. This subscription-based magazine boasts straightforward articles..
6. Journal of Advanced Nursing. Subscribe to this peer-reviewed journal if you’re into international research papers that touch on deep and focused topics specializing in advanced nursing practice.
A few freebies
7. Scrubs Mag. This nursing lifestyle publication is one-part serious, one-part humorous, with a range of content covering lighter commentaries and pertinent pieces on the latest news in the field. We think you’ll agree that we all need and deserve a laugh from time to time in this line of work.
8. The Open Nursing Journal. This peer-reviewed, open-access journal has papers on everything from midwifery to ethics and sustainability. Learn the latest or brush up on all you learned in nursing school.
9. Critical Care Nurse. This journal offers bimonthly peer-reviewed articles on critical and acute care, and not only are they free to read, but you can also request permission to reuse them. It’s an excellent resource for anyone working in medicine and healthcare.
10. Evidence-Based Nursing. Need someone to filter out the best content for you. Try this journal that takes only the top articles at an international level and summarizes them for you.
11. Holistic Nursing Practice. This peer-reviewed bi-monthly journal on holistic nursing practice features information on a wide variety of themes, including healthcare, policy and ethics.
12. International Nursing Review. Check out the complete free virtual issues of this quarterly, peer-reviewed journal that features articles on ethics, regulations, technology and innovation, globalization and patient safety.
13. Journal for Nurse Practitioners. If you’re an NP or thinking about becoming one, this publication is for you. Download entire issues packed with papers on acute care and policy, tackling hard-to-talk-about and controversial issues in the field, all in the name of better patient care.
14. Public Health Nursing. With a wealth of free articles online and a subscription option, this robust publication addresses issues like innovation, ethics and public health law through empirical data and case reports. It’s time to geek out—and enjoy it—because you’ll be furthering your knowledge and career.
We bet you didn’t think that a scrubs company could double as your guide to the newsstand, but we’re here to help you in every way possible. Check out our support wear for your workday and support content for your life as a healthcare pro.
And remember, reading is fundamental!