Welcome to the Atomic Anesthesia podcast hosted by CRNA professor Dr. Rhea Temmermand and Co-Founder Sachi Lord. On this show, you'll hear clear, clinically grounded discussions designed for nurse anesthesia residents and CRNAs who want to feel more confident in complex pharmacology, physiology, and real-world anesthesia decision-making.

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Topics included in this episode:

1. Why a full anesthesia machine check matters​
2. How to perform a systematic pre-use machine checkout​
3. Understanding and testing safety features and failure modes​
4. Checking ventilation, leak integrity, and waste gas handling​
5. Using structured tools to build a fast, reliable habit

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Welcome to the Atomic Anesthesia podcast hosted by CRNA professor Dr. Rhea Temmermand and Co-Founder Sachi Lord. On this show, you'll hear clear, clinically grounded discussions designed for nurse anesthesia residents and CRNAs who want to feel more confident in complex pharmacology, physiology, and real-world anesthesia decision-making.

Topics included in this episode:

1. Academic anchor habits for SRNAs and new CRNAs
2. Deliberate clinical practice, including “one skill per shift” and quick weekly case debriefs.​
3. Mindset strategies like a “wins log” to fight imposter syndrome.​
4. Professional growth through scary-but-safe opportunities, CRNA business basics, and exploring fellowship prerequisites.​
5. Personal boundaries around sleep, non‑anesthesia hobbies, and phone/social media use to prevent burnout.​
6. Early burnout recognition and proactive check-ins with mentors or a therapist.

💜 LIVE WEBINAR: Save your seat on our monthly, free webinars. Replays are sent to your inbox and you get access to all of our previous webinars.

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💜 FREE DOWNLOADS: Grab your copy of customized study plans & worksheets.

[SEE/NCE STUDY PLAN]

[RN ICU DRUG CHART]

💜 CONNECT: 📥 Email questions, comments or topic suggestions to Dr. Temmermand at [email protected], follow us on social media, and sign up for our launch newsletter ⬇️

[NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP]

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Welcome to the Atomic Anesthesia podcast hosted by CRNA professor Dr. Rhea Temmermand and Co-Founder Sachi Lord. On this show, you'll hear clear, clinically grounded discussions designed for nurse anesthesia residents and CRNAs who want to feel more confident in complex pharmacology, physiology, and real-world anesthesia decision-making.

Topics included in this episode:

1. Ketamine’s dissociative mechanism and clinical applications
2. Differences between S- and R-ketamine
3. Hemodynamic and airway benefits in trauma and bronchospastic patients
4. Mechanisms beyond NMDA antagonism
5. Dosing strategies for induction, sedation, and analgesic infusions
6. Managing emergence reactions, secretions, and ICP considerations

💜 LIVE WEBINAR: Save your seat on our monthly, free webinars. Replays are sent to your inbox and you get access to all of our previous webinars.

[WEBINAR SIGN UP]

💜 FREE DOWNLOADS: Grab your copy of customized study plans & worksheets.

[SEE/NCE STUDY PLAN]

[RN ICU DRUG CHART]

💜 CONNECT: 📥 Email questions, comments or topic suggestions to Dr. Temmermand at [email protected], follow us on social media, and sign up for our launch newsletter ⬇️

[NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP]

[INSTAGRAM] [TIKTOK] [YOUTUBE]

Welcome to the Atomic Anesthesia podcast hosted by CRNA professor Dr. Rhea Temmermand and Co-Founder Sachi Lord. On this show, you'll hear clear, clinically grounded discussions designed for nurse anesthesia residents and CRNAs who want to feel more confident in complex pharmacology, physiology, and real-world anesthesia decision-making.

Topics included in this episode:

1. Perspective shifts with experience: how growth reshapes your learning and mindset
2. Effective study strategies: learning smarter with lasting retention
3. Physiology over perfectionism: grounding complex topics in core principles
4. Memory maps for retention: turning scattered notes into visual frameworks
5. Building networks early: connecting with mentors to boost confidence
6. Depth and curiosity: pursuing real understanding over grades

💜 LIVE WEBINAR: Save your seat on our monthly, free webinars. Replays are sent to your inbox and you get access to all of our previous webinars.

[WEBINAR SIGN UP]

💜 FREE DOWNLOADS: Grab your copy of customized study plans & worksheets.

[SEE/NCE STUDY PLAN]

[RN ICU DRUG CHART]

💜 CONNECT: 📥 Email questions, comments or topic suggestions to Dr. Temmermand at [email protected], follow us on social media, and sign up for our launch newsletter ⬇️

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This episode of the Atomic Anesthesia Podcast focuses on dexmedetomidine (Precedex), a highly selective α2-adrenergic agonist that provides cooperative, arousable sedation, analgesia, anxiolysis, and sympatholysis with minimal respiratory depression for perioperative and ICU care. Aimed at nurse anesthesia residents, it reviews dexmedetomidine’s α2-selective pharmacology, rapid distribution and hepatic metabolism, and its ability to mimic non-REM sleep via locus coeruleus inhibition while significantly reducing MAC and opioid requirements. Listeners learn practical dosing strategies for OR, ICU, and procedural sedation, common indications such as awake fiberoptic intubation, MAC cases, withdrawal management, and pediatric emergence delirium, and key safety considerations including bradycardia, hypotension, transient hypertension with rapid loading, and the ongoing need for vigilant airway and hemodynamic monitoring when incorporating dexmedetomidine into multimodal anesthetic plans.

💜 LIVE WEBINAR: Save your seat on our monthly, free webinars. Replays are sent to your inbox and you get access to all of our previous webinars.

[WEBINAR SIGN UP]

💜 FREE DOWNLOADS: Grab your copy of customized study plans & worksheets.

[SEE/NCE STUDY PLAN]

[RN ICU DRUG CHART]

💜 CONNECT: 📥 Email questions, comments or topic suggestions to Dr. Temmermand at [email protected], follow us on social media, and sign up for our launch newsletter ⬇️

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In this episode of the Atomic Anesthesia Podcast, host Dr. Rhea Temmermand speaks with Michael Hoess, CRNA and Lead CRNA for Education at Cooper University Hospital, about the crucial role of CRNAs in austere and tactical medical environments. Drawing on over a decade of trauma and resuscitation experience, Mike shares how CRNAs contribute to training military and government medical teams operating in resource-limited or remote conditions. The discussion explores how core anesthesia principles adapt when blood banks, ventilators, or full surgical teams aren’t available, emphasizing the importance of airway control, hemodynamic management, and damage control resuscitation in the field. Mike also discusses building resilience through high-stress simulations, developing adaptive leadership skills, and fostering mission readiness for both seasoned CRNAs and students. Listeners gain insight into how these lessons from austere medicine can strengthen everyday anesthesia practice and prepare clinicians for the challenges of modern conflict and disaster response.

If you want to reach out to Michael, you can contact him at [email protected] or [email protected]

Articles:

1. Austere Resuscitative and Surgical Care Teams: Supporting Far-Forward Trauma Care on the Future Battlefield
2. Military and Civilian Surgery Partner for Innovation, Effectiveness
3. A Western trainer says talk of 'golden hour' would be laughable to Ukrainian forces.

💜 LIVE WEBINAR: Save your seat on our monthly, free webinars. Replays are sent to your inbox and you get access to all of our previous webinars.

[WEBINAR SIGN UP]

💜 FREE DOWNLOADS: Grab your copy of customized study plans & worksheets.

[SEE/NCE STUDY PLAN]

[RN ICU DRUG CHART]

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In this episode of the Atomic Anesthesia Podcast, we’re talking to future nurse anesthetists who’ve just crushed the biggest milestone yet — getting accepted into CRNA school. Between acceptance and day one, there’s often a long waiting period, and this episode is your roadmap for using that time strategically. From tackling financial readiness and creating a solid academic foundation to preparing your family, refining your clinical skills in the ICU, and strengthening your mindset, we cover every step of the “Pre‑CRNA School Survival Checklist.” You’ll learn how to simplify your finances, refresh your physiology and pharmacology knowledge, set up realistic support systems, and mentally prepare for the demands ahead. Whether you start in a few months or next year, this episode gives you a clear, actionable plan to transition smoothly from RN to SRNA with confidence and focus.

💜 LIVE WEBINAR: Save your seat on our monthly, free webinars. Replays are sent to your inbox and you get access to all of our previous webinars.

[WEBINAR SIGN UP]

💜 FREE DOWNLOADS: Grab your copy of customized study plans & worksheets.

[SEE/NCE STUDY PLAN]

[RN ICU DRUG CHART]

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This episode of the Atomic Anesthesia Podcast features guest Cori James, DNP, CRNA, for a candid and practical discussion on what not to do when working with CRNA preceptors. Designed for nurse anesthesia residents, this conversation highlights the most common pitfalls students unknowingly fall into during clinical rotations—from over-socializing and being unprepared to showing poor teachability, lacking situational awareness, or demonstrating unsafe habits in the OR. Cori shares firsthand insights on maintaining professionalism, demonstrating initiative, and developing adaptability across different teaching styles. The episode also explores critical aspects of communication, infection control, and teamwork that can make or break a student’s clinical experience. Whether you’re just beginning your first rotation or refining your professional presence, this episode equips you with the self-awareness and mindset needed to build strong preceptor relationships and thrive in the clinical setting.

If you want to contact Cori, follow her on TikTok @corijamess or IG at @coricrna. You can also email her at [email protected]

💜 LIVE WEBINAR: Save your seat on our monthly, free webinars. Replays are sent to your inbox and you get access to all of our previous webinars.

[WEBINAR SIGN UP]

💜 FREE DOWNLOADS: Grab your copy of customized study plans & worksheets.

[SEE/NCE STUDY PLAN]

[RN ICU DRUG CHART]

💜 CONNECT: 📥 Email questions, comments or topic suggestions to Dr. Temmermand at [email protected], follow us on social media, and sign up for our launch newsletter ⬇️

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In this episode of the Atomic Anesthesia Podcast, host Dr. Rhea Temmermand provides a detailed pharmacology review of propofol, the main IV sedative hypnotic used for induction, maintenance, and procedural sedation in anesthesia practice. The episode covers propofol’s drug class and chemistry, its lipid emulsion formulation and infection risk, and key physicochemical properties including high lipophilicity and protein binding. Listeners learn the mechanism of action at the GABA A receptor, translating into CNS effects, cardiovascular and respiratory depression, and no analgesia. The discussion walks through pharmacokinetics and context‑sensitive half‑time in a clinically practical way, tying concepts to infusion planning and dosing strategies for various cases. Major adverse effects, toxicity including propofol infusion syndrome, allergy and infection‑control practices, and drug synergies are highlighted, with high‑yield clinical pearls on patient selection, hemodynamics, and airway rescue.

💜 LIVE WEBINAR: Save your seat on our monthly, free webinars. Replays are sent to your inbox and you get access to all of our previous webinars.

[WEBINAR SIGN UP]

💜 FREE DOWNLOADS: Grab your copy of customized study plans & worksheets.

[SEE/NCE STUDY PLAN]

[RN ICU DRUG CHART]

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This episode of the Atomic Anesthesia Podcast unpacks the real clinical risk of adrenal suppression after a single dose of etomidate, challenging common debates every anesthesia resident faces. Drawing on the latest studies, listeners will discover exactly which patient groups—cardiac, septic, trauma, pediatric, and elective—are actually vulnerable to etomidate’s effects, and when transient adrenal suppression matters for outcomes. The discussion highlights the drug’s unique origins, why its hemodynamic stability often outweighs risks in routine cases, and why infusions are off the table. Tune in for practical guidance on using etomidate safely, tips for steroid coverage in critically ill patients, and a sneak peek at promising new etomidate analogs. Whether you’re prepping for exams or your next high-stakes induction, this episode helps you make smarter, evidence-based choices in the OR..

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[SEE/NCE STUDY PLAN]

[RN ICU DRUG CHART]

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