Learning Lab RN

Learning Lab RN
Podcast Description
Learning Lab RN is the podcast where nurse educators explore innovative, practical teaching strategies to engage and inspire their students. Hosted by dedicated nurse educator and creator Martha Johnson of BreakoutRN, each episode reviews a specific active learning technique, featuring a guest expert. Whether you’re looking for fresh ideas to liven up your lectures or practical solutions to enhance critical thinking, Learning Lab RN delivers the insights, tools, and inspiration you need, one conversation at a time. Join us and discover new possibilities for your classroom!
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast emphasizes active learning methodologies, particularly in nursing education, showcasing topics such as student engagement, critical thinking enhancement, and classroom innovation. An example episode explores the use of clinical loitering tickets to encourage student involvement during clinical shifts, detailing how the tickets promote engagement and accountability.

Learning Lab RN is the podcast where nurse educators explore innovative, practical teaching strategies to engage and inspire their students. Hosted by dedicated nurse educator and creator Martha Johnson of BreakoutRN, each episode reviews a specific active learning technique, featuring a guest expert. Whether you’re looking for fresh ideas to liven up your lectures or practical solutions to enhance critical thinking, Learning Lab RN delivers the insights, tools, and inspiration you need, one conversation at a time. Join us and discover new possibilities for your classroom!
🎙️Building Bridges: Teaching Cultural Competence Through Active Learning
In this final episode of season one, Martha sits down with Dr. Tracy Long, founder of Bridges for Health, to explore how cultural competence can be taught in a way that is immersive, meaningful, and aligned with the principles of active learning.
If you’ve ever felt unsure how to incorporate cultural competency into your curriculum or you’re looking for a new way to engage students in empathy, awareness, and critical thinking, this episode is a must-listen. Dr. Long’s work highlights that cultural competence is more than a buzzword, it’s a skill that can be actively practiced.
🔑 Three Key Takeaways:
Active Learning Deepens Cultural Awareness
- Dr. Long’s research demonstrates that immersive experiences, whether abroad or in diverse local communities, enable students to internalize cultural competence in ways that traditional lectures cannot. But even classroom-based activities, when made interactive, can meaningfully engage students in this work.
Curiosity is the Core Competency
- One of the most powerful tools we can teach our students is to lead with curiosity. Instead of defaulting to judgment, students should be encouraged to ask, “Tell me more,” and approach differences as opportunities to learn.
You Don’t Need a Plane Ticket to Teach Cultural Competence
- With creative tools, educators can simulate real-world cultural scenarios that spark discussion, encourage reflection, and invite empathy even if international travel isn’t an option.
Resources Mentioned:
- Ready to use this in your own classroom? Get the Cultural Competency Toolkit here: 👉 learninglabrn.com
- Subscribe to the show: learninglabrn.com
- Join the newsletter and explore active learning tools: breakoutrn.com
- Full transcript: Here
- Learn More about the Bridges for Health organization mentioned in this episode: HERE
- Access Dr. Long’s free course on preparing for a service trip with nursing students HERE
Please offer your feedback about the show by emailing me!
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