Straight A Nursing

This podcast covers my best advice for being a rockstar in your nursing school clinicals. If you're like me, you are VERY nervous about starting clinicals...whether it's your first semester or your last. Making sure you are prepped to do and BE your absolute best ensures you get the most out of this very valuable time. Listen to this podcast to get my most USEFUL tips for rocking those nursing school clinicals! ___________________ FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school without it taking over your life! Crucial Concepts Bootcamp - Start nursing school ahead of the game, or reset after a difficult first semester with my nursing school prep course, Crucial Concepts Bootcamp. Learn key foundation concepts, organization and time management, dosage calculations, and so much more. Nursing School Thrive Guide - Get the book tha

It's time for another PodQuiz! If you aren't familiar with this form of podcast, you are in for a treat! This is THE BEST WAY to study while also getting your life back on track. It's basically like doing flashcards, but instead of sitting and staring at your phone (or stack of index cards if you're "old-school") it's an auditory quiz! I ask a question and then pause, giving you time to answer...then I tell you the answer (and sometimes with some little extra 'real-world' tidbits thrown in for good measure). In this PodQuiz we cover the oh-so-exciting topic of enteral feeding and some basics of NG tubes. And, on a side note, if you want to see what an NG tube looks like when it goes to the wrong spot...check out this post! So here's the deal with PodQuizzes...you are supposed to GET UP and do something! Go for a walk, catch up on laundry, take the dog to the lake, run errands, plant flowers, paint the house...whatever it is, do something productive while you study. You'll be AMAZED at how more "together" you

In this podcast episode we talk about the basics of hyponatremia: * What is hyponatremia? * Common causes * The signs/symptoms of hyponatremia * How it's treated ___________________ Full Transcript - Read the article and view references FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school without it taking over your life! Study Sesh - Change the way you study with this private podcast that includes dynamic audio formats that help you review and test your recall of important nursing concepts on-the-go. Free yourself from your desk with Study Sesh!

Developing your nursing intuition and clinical judgment takes time, experience and exposure to LOTS of patients and many different situations. Learning which five assessments you'll need to get you there is key! Over time (and after you've assessed a lot of patients and dealt with multiple scenarios) you'll start to develop an intuition and be able to "sense" when your patients are in trouble. And it all starts right here with five basic (and easy) assessments. ___________________ FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school without it taking over your life! Study Sesh - Change the way you study with this private podcast that includes dynamic audio formats that help you review and test your recall of important nursing concepts on-the-go. Free yourself from your desk with Study Sesh! Crucial Concepts Bootcamp - Start nursing sc

Let's review arrhythmia basics for nursing students. In this podcast episode, we'll talk through what causes them, how to identify them AND what you are going to do about them. * PACs * Atrial Flutter * Atrial Fibrillation * SVT * V-Tach * V-Fib * Idioventricular rhythms * Pulseless rhythms This episode is a great review if you're in Advanced Med/Surg, heading into your final semester preceptorship or starting out as a new nurse. For even more information about arrhythymias, check out this post or this one on heart blocks.  ___________________ FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school without it taking over your life! Study Sesh - Change the way you study with this private podcast that includes dynamic audio formats that help you review and test your recall of important nursing concepts on-the-go. Free yourself from your

In this PodQuiz we cover three very common pediatric nursing topics! * Peds nutrition (how many calories in an ounce of breast milk?) * Peds assessment (at what age can you assess a radial pulse?) * Peds psychosocial (how do you help a school-age child adapt to hospitalization?) What's a PodQuiz? It's essentially flashcards for your ears! Nurse Mo asks a question, pauses while you answer, then states the answer...it's a fantastic way to study while you're on the go, exercising, commuting, folding laundry, making dinner, feeding the baby, getting your nails done....you get the idea. Imagine having over 5,000 nursing school flashcards at your fingertips. From fundamentals to advanced med-surg, we’ve got you covered! Download the Straight A Nursing app for free and maximize your studying on-the-go! ___________________ FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES

Is psychopharmacology causing you mental distress? So many drugs, so many side effects...it's a LOT to keep track of! Lucky for you I came up with a goofy way to remember key facts about these complex medications...and now I'm sharing it with you in this week's podcast of psychopharmacology study tips. In this episode we cover: * the atypical antidepressants * traditional antidepressants * atypical antipsychotics * traditional antipsychotics * mood stabilizers * anticonvulsants * anxiolytics * and more! Plus...bonus...I sing goofy songs. TWICE! Anything to help you guys! ___________________ Full Transcript - Read the article and view references FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school without it taking over your life! Study Sesh - Change the way you study with this private podcast that includes dynamic audio formats tha

In this PodQuiz, we have a LOAD of fun! You'll listen to a list of signs/symptoms and then try to name which diagnosis/disease they refer to. How fun is that? It's a great way to study for your comprehensive exit exam and NCLEX! Ready to see how smart you are? Then give this PodQuiz a go! Imagine having over 5,000 nursing school flashcards at your fingertips. From fundamentals to advanced med-surg, we’ve got you covered! Download the Straight A Nursing app for free and maximize your studying on-the-go! ___________________ FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school without it taking over your life! Study Sesh - Change the way you study with this private podcast that includes dynamic audio formats that help you review and test your recall of important nursing concepts on-the-go. Free yourself from your desk with Study Sesh!

In this episode, we go through the basics of liver failure using my ingenious, wonderful, amazing LATTE method, which breaks down any patient condition into the "need to know" info. * L = How will the patient LOOK? * A = How will you ASSESS the patient? * T = What TESTS will be ordered? * T = What TREATMENTS will be provided? * E = How do you EDUCATE the patient/family? ___________________ FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school without it taking over your life! Study Sesh - Change the way you study with this private podcast that includes dynamic audio formats that help you review and test your recall of important nursing concepts on-the-go. Free yourself from your desk with Study Sesh! LATTE Method Template - Download the free LATTE Method Template so you can streamline how you study and focus on what a nurse needs to k

Think you know your nursing fundamentals? Listen to this Nursing Fundamentals Quiz and find out! In this episode, we cover: * Bowel elimination * Ostomies * Enemas * Occult blood and pH testing * Urinalysis * Latex allergies * Sterile field What's a PodQuiz? It's essentially flashcards for your ears! Nurse Mo asks a question, pauses while you answer, then states the answer...it's a fantastic way to study while you're on the go, exercising, commuting, folding laundry, making dinner, feeding the baby, getting your nails done....you get the idea. ___________________ FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school without it taking over your life! Study Sesh - Change the way you study with this private podcast that includes dynamic audio formats that help you review and test your recall of important nursing concepts on-the-go. Free

Renal function is one of the most important AND most common things you'll keep an eye on as an RN...that's because so many things can cause it to take a dive: the meds we give, hypotension, contrast dye, decreased volume states, hemorrhage, dehydration, infection, crush injuries and on and on and on. In this podcast, we go over some of the renal failure basics you'll need for Med/Surg I and your first semester clinical rotations. We'll cover: * renal anatomy overview & functions of the kidney * basic diuretic info * incontinence & the micturition reflex * UTIs * difference between pre-renal, intra-renal and post-renal failure * glomerulonephritis (try saying that five times fast!) * nephrotic syndrome * pyelonephritis * nursing care of a patient in renal failure ___________________ Full Transcript - Read the article and view references FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths a

Hey there first semester students...are you stressing about your Fundamentals class or your skills check-offs? In this Fundamentals Quiz we go over some basics, including: * restraints and fall risk * skin integrity * oxygen administration and O2 sat monitoring * respiratory assessment * digestion and elimination Our PodQuiz episodes are essentially flashcards for your ears...I read a question, then pause so you can answer it, then follow up with the answer. It's THE BEST way to study while still getting out and doing SOMETHING productive. I guarantee you'll love it! ___________________ FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school without it taking over your life! Study Sesh - Change the way you study with this private podcast that includes dynamic audio formats that help you review and test your recall of important nursing

In this podcast we talk about giving a succinct, flawless and informative end-of-shift report. Sounds simple enough, right? It should be, but you'd be surprised how often a bad shift report can leave you with more questions than answers. But, if you follow these guidelines, you'll be someone that all the other nurses LOVE getting report from...and yes, you will be giving report as students, too! An awesome shift report starts with your "brain sheet." This is a sheet of paper where you write down all the pertinent data you need to take excellent care of your patients. Here's what my brain sheet for the ICU looks like: Isn't it the most beautiful thing you've ever seen? Note that you would never use a brain sheet like this for Med/Surg or someplace where you have 4-5 patients...you'd never get through report before the end of your shift! As you give report, you basically go through all the items on your brain sheet. I like to start with the patient's name, age, admit date, diagnosis, who the docs are, allergies

The first "PodQuiz" was so well-received that we're continuing it this week with a neuro assessment quiz. In this PodQuiz, you'll get a chance to review neuro assessment (including all the cranial nerves), Alzheimers, Parkinsons, MS and Stroke. Not sure what a PodQuiz is? In a nutshell, it's a way to review and quiz yourself on material using audio...I ask a question, there's a pause while you answer, then I state the answer. It's like doing flashcards with your ears! ___________________ FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school without it taking over your life! Study Sesh - Change the way you study with this private podcast that includes dynamic audio formats that help you review and test your recall of important nursing concepts on-the-go. Free yourself from your desk with Study Sesh!

Managing ICP (intracranial pressure) is a complex balancing act. In this podcast you'll learn the basics of ICP monitoring and management, what to watch for, when to intervene and HOW to intervene. ___________________ Full Transcript - Read the article and view references FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school without it taking over your life! Study Sesh - Change the way you study with this private podcast that includes dynamic audio formats that help you review and test your recall of important nursing concepts on-the-go. Free yourself from your desk with Study Sesh!

This episode debuts something I'm really excited about....if you've ready my book, Nursing School Thrive Guide, you know that I am a big fan of learning in a variety of ways. So...one of the things I did when I was a student was to record audio quizzes so I could basically quiz myself on topics while I went for a walk, did the laundry, cleaned house....whatever. It freed me from the prison of my desk and used a different part of my brain as well. Win-Win! In this "Pod-quiz" episode, I quiz you on basic respiratory topics...from respiratory assessment to some common disorders including asthma, COPD, pneumonia and atelactasis. I hope you find it as helpful as I did. ___________________ FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school without it taking over your life! Study Sesh - Change the way you study with this private podcast th

In this episode we talk about the basics of ARDS - Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. It is the most severe form of acute lung injury and is something we see pretty regularly in the MICU. Learn about the different stages that occur as ARDS develops, what you're going to assess and how the patient is going to be treated in this episode of the Straight A Nursing Podcast. Also, if you're listening to these in order...I apologize...the "diabetes" post was posted too early, so when you listen to that one and hear that I've gotten better equipment, note that it won't be evident until we get to an episode on renal basics. For a handy reference sheet that you can print out...click here! ___________________ FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school without it taking over your life! Study Sesh - Change the way you study with this p

Hands-down, diabetes is probably THE most common comorbidity you'll see in the hospital setting. Understanding the two "big daddy" diabetes complications should help you take care of these very sick patients. DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis) and HHS (hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome) are deadly serious conditions that require a diligent RN and a solid grasp of the pathophysiology and treatment plans. ___________________ FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school without it taking over your life! Study Sesh - Change the way you study with this private podcast that includes dynamic audio formats that help you review and test your recall of important nursing concepts on-the-go. Free yourself from your desk with Study Sesh!

As a student nurse or even a brand new nurse, you may find that you are often perplexed if the situation your patient is facing is an actual emergency or not. In this episode we cover some basic scenarios that need to be evaluated quickly so that you can intervene appropriately and swiftly. ___________________ FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school without it taking over your life! Study Sesh - Change the way you study with this private podcast that includes dynamic audio formats that help you review and test your recall of important nursing concepts on-the-go. Free yourself from your desk with Study Sesh! Crucial Concepts Bootcamp - Start nursing school ahead of the game, or reset after a difficult first semester with my nursing school prep course, Crucial Concepts Bootcamp. Learn key foundation concepts, organization a