Straight A Nursing

By Straight A Nursing

Education Medicine

What's Straight A Nursing about?

Get useful tips, clinical wisdom, nursing inspiration and exploration of key topics from Straight A Nursing. Join Nurse Mo to learn about a wide range of topics ranging from the basics of nursing care to complicated cases seen in the ICU.

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#319: What is Epidermal Nec...

11.30.2023

Epidermal necrolysis refers to severe cutaneous reactions that cause extensive necrosis of tissue and detachment of the epidermis. It encompasses three conditions which are on a continuum of severity and how much of the body’s surface area is affected: Stevens-Johnson ...

Straight A Nursing episodes:

11.30.2023 #319: What is Epidermal Necrolysis? Epidermal necrolysis refers to severe cutaneous reactions that cause extensive necrosis of tissue and detachment of the epidermis. It encompasses three conditions which are on a continuum of severity and how much of the body’s surface area is affected: Stevens-Johnson ...
11.23.2023 #318: Is it a STEMI or NSTEMI? Two terms you’ve probably heard mentioned are STEMI and NSTEMI, and you may be wondering what the difference between these two cardiac events is. In this episode you’ll learn: The key differences between STEMI and NSTEMI How to recognize a ...
11.16.2023 #317: Nursing Care for Gestational Diabetes Gestational diabetes is a complication of pregnancy in which individuals with no history of diabetes have persistently elevated glucose levels. In this episode you’ll learn: Normal physiology of glucose maintenance during pregnancy Who is most at risk for gestational diabetes ...
11.09.2023 #316: Peripheral Neuropathy NCLEX Review In this episode of the Straight A Nursing podcast, we’re breaking down the key things a nurse needs to know about peripheral neuropathy. This is a condition in which the distal nerves of the hands and feet are damaged and ...
11.02.2023 #315: Neural Tube Defects In this episode, Nurse Mo delves into neural tube defects, with a focus on spina bifida and anencephaly. In addition to learning about the key characteristics of these conditions, you’ll also learn: How neural tubes are formed early in embryonic ...
10.26.2023 #314: The Basics of Pulmonary Hypertension In this episode, we’re exploring the key things a nurse needs to know about pulmonary hypertension (PH). This condition affects the blood vessels in the lungs and can have serious implications on cardiac function. In this episode, we'll explore: Different ...
10.19.2023 #313 Unraveling the Connection - CHF and Anemia Welcome to another exciting episode of Straight A Nursing! I'm your host, Nurse Mo, and today we'll be diving into a fascinating topic: the relationship between congestive heart failure (CHF) and anemia. Have you ever wondered why so many patients ...
10.12.2023 #312: Postpartum Depression - The Thief of Motherhood Postpartum depression (PPD) has been called “the thief that steals motherhood” and is defined as a temporary episode of major depression associated with childbirth. It is one of the most common childbirth-related conditions, affecting 13 to 19% of childbearing women. ...
10.05.2023 #311: From Terrified to Excited: A Guide to Conquering ICU Clinical Rotations Welcome back to the Straight A Nursing podcast with Nurse Mo, where we dive into all things nursing school and the bedside. In today's episode, we're tackling ICU clinicals, a topic that can be both exciting and intimidating for nursing ...
09.28.2023 #310: Beyond the Blue - Exploring the Varied Applications of Methylene Blue Welcome back to the Straight A Nursing podcast! I'm Nurse Mo, and today we have an intriguing topic to discuss. Have you ever wondered about that mysterious blue substance you sometimes see in a patient's urine collection bag after surgery? ...
09.21.2023 #309: Pain Essentials for Nursing Welcome back to Straight A Nursing, the podcast that provides practical tips and knowledge to excel in your nursing practice. In this episode, we'll be exploring pain fundamentals. In addition to learning about opioids commonly used to treat pain, you’ll ...
09.14.2023 #308: The Journey to Becoming a Travel Nurse If you’ve ever dreamed about travel nursing, then you’ll love this episode where I’m talking with Kylee from Passports and Preemies. Kylee is a NICU travel nurse who combines the two things she loves most…caring for teeny tiny babies and ...
09.07.2023 #307: Review of Pediatric Endocrine Disorders Hormones are chemical messengers in the body that travel through the bloodstream to specific receptors on cells throughout the body where they elicit a response. Hormones play a key role in many physiologic processes, including metabolism, blood pressure regulation, blood ...
08.31.2023 #306: Cardiomyopathy Basics Cardiomyopathy is a term that describes a disease affecting the heart muscle, and is most commonly related to damage of the myocardium. There are four categories of cardiomyopathy – dilated, restrictive, hypertrophic and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathies. In this episode, ...
08.24.2023 #305: Diabetes NCLEX Review Diabetes mellitus is a condition in which the body’s ability to respond to insulin or produce insulin is impaired. This results in abnormal carbohydrate metabolism and elevated blood glucose levels. In this episode you’ll learn the basic things to know ...
08.17.2023 #304: The Nursing School Application Process Applying to nursing school can be a complex process, which requires organization and attention to detail. In this episode, we’ll explore what the application process entails and tips for managing it all like a pro. Overview of the application process ...
08.10.2023 #303: Components of the BMP One of the most common lab tests ordered for your patients is the BMP, otherwise known as the basic metabolic panel. This lab test looks at eight different components which provide a wealth of information about your patient’s condition. The ...
08.03.2023 #302: Malignant Hyperthermia Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a hypermetabolic crisis that is fatal if left untreated. It occurs in individuals with a specific genetic condition when they are exposed to certain anesthetic gasses or the medication succinylcholine. In this episode, you’ll learn: Malignant ...
07.27.2023 #301: The ABCs of OCD Obsessive compulsive disorder is a chronic mental health condition in which the individual has recurring, unwanted thoughts or fears that cause a significant amount of stress that can only be relieved by performing ritualistic behavior. The recurring thoughts or fears ...
07.20.2023 #300: Pharmacology Foundations When students struggle with pharmacology it’s typically because they’re trying to memorize drugs, their indications, important nursing implications, and the many side effects. And while these things are important, they’re only part of the picture. To understand pharmacology, you must ...
07.13.2023 #299: Pleural Effusions NCLEX Review Pleural effusions are defined as a buildup of excess fluid between the pleura and it can occur as a consequence of a wide variety of conditions. In this episode, you’ll learn: The two types of pleural fluid Risk factors for ...
07.06.2023 #298: Medical Terminology PodQuiz Being able to decipher medical language means understanding the common roots, suffixes and prefixes. For example, if you know “ectomy” means the removal of something…even without recognizing the rest of the word, you at least know the patient had some ...
06.29.2023 #297: Understanding Orthostatic Hypotension Orthostatic hypotension (OH) occurs when the body has an inadequate response to postural changes and, as a result, is unable to maintain a steady blood pressure when moving from a lying to standing position. It is defined as a decrease ...
06.22.2023 #296: The Disease of Kings Because of the propensity for gout to occur in the wealthy who lived a lavish lifestyle, gout was once called the “disease of kings.” Today gout is a common form of inflammatory arthritis that can lead to significant pain and ...
06.15.2023 #295: Nursing Care for Patients with Pertussis Pertussis (also known as “whooping cough”) is a respiratory tract infection caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis. It is a highly contagious disease that predominantly impacts children. In this episode you’ll learn the key things you know about pertussis: * ...
06.13.2023 #294: BONUS! Float Pool Nursing Have you ever wondered what float pool nursing is like? These vital nurses fill staffing gaps throughout various units in the hospital, meaning no two days are the same. Whether you’re an experienced nurse looking for a change of pace ...
06.08.2023 #293: Nursing Care for Sickle Cell Disease Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most common inherited hematologic disorders and can lead to serious complications including organ failure and death. In this episode, Nurse Mo talks through the key things you should know about sickle cell ...
06.06.2023 #292: BONUS! What is Nurse Shock? I remember being a new grad nurse and foolishly thinking my biggest challenge would be learning critical care pathophysiology. Boy was I wrong. Nursing is a complex job and the learning phase involves a whole lot more than learning about ...
06.01.2023 #291: Financial Tips for New Grads In this podcast episode, I am joined by Kristin Wade from Fiscal Bliss Financial Coaching. She’s a nurse turned financial coach who is passionate about helping healthcare professionals make their hard-earned money work hard for them in return. If you’re ...
05.30.2023 #290: BONUS! The #1 Mistake New Grad Nurses Make In episode 288, I mentioned the importance of having a growth mindset as one way to set yourself up for new grad success. In this special bonus episode, I’m expanding on this concept by bringing in Stephanie Griffeth, my nurse ...
05.25.2023 #289: Let’s Review Lumbar Punctures A lumbar puncture is a procedure that involves the insertion of a needle into the space between two lumbar vertebrae to obtain a sample of CSF for evaluation. In this episode you’ll learn about the nursing implications for a patient ...
05.23.2023 #288: BONUS! Five Ways to Set Yourself up for New Grad Success The transition from student to new grad RN is a time of incredible transformation and growth. It is also a time of immense challenges. In this episode, I’m sharing five things you can do to set yourself up for new ...
05.18.2023 #287: Everything You’ve Been Taught About Digital Clubbing is Wrong In nursing school, I learned that digital clubbing was a key sign of COPD and I accepted this as gospel and moved on with my life. I used this information to answer exam questions on the topic and I always ...
05.17.2023 [Announcement] Your New Grad Nurse Questions Answered If you're a new grad nurse or soon-to-be new grad, then you probably have questions. A lot of them. I remember being exactly where you are right now, only I didn't have the benefit of a nurse mentor. I had ...
05.16.2023 #286: BONUS! Introduction to Rapid Response with Sarah Lorenzini As a nursing student or new grad nurse, the thought of your patient taking a turn for the worse is really scary. In this special bonus episode I’m joined by Sarah Lorenzini from the podcast Rapid Response RN. Sarah talks ...
05.11.2023 #285: How Nurses Prevent Central Line Infections Central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) occur when pathogens invade the bloodstream via a central venous catheter (CVC). Key points in this episode: * Explanation of different types of central lines and their associated infection risk * Infection risk during ...
05.04.2023 #284: Intubation Demystified Knowing when a patient is in respiratory distress and will likely be intubated is a key skill you will use regularly as a nurse. Nurses in all settings come into contact with patients who decompensate, and knowing when you need ...
04.27.2023 #283: Pediatric Musculoskeletal NCLEX Review A big part of learning about pediatrics is understanding different musculoskeletal disorders in children. Rather than going through each of these using the full Straight A Nursing LATTE method, I’ve provided a concise summary of a wide range of conditions: ...
04.25.2023 #282: Five Tips to Improve Your TEAS Score When you don’t meet your target school’s criteria on this ATI TEAS entrance exam, it can lead to feelings of discouragement and even thoughts of giving up on your dream. If this describes you, I want you to know that ...
04.20.2023 #281: Guillain Barré NCLEX Review Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune attack on the peripheral nervous system which results in neuropathy. It is typically a self-limiting condition that comes on rapidly and results in muscle weakness with some mild sensory loss in the distal extremities. ...
04.13.2023 #280: Introduction to TTTS Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is a rare condition of pregnancy that affects identical twins and other multiple pregnancies when two or more fetuses share a placenta. In this episode, Nurse Mo reviews: * Key terms associated with this condition * ...
04.06.2023 #279: BMT Overview In this episode Nurse Mo teaches the key things to know about bone marrow transplant (BMT), including: * Conditions treated with BMT * The function of bone marrow * The types of bone marrow transplants * Options for obtaining stem ...
03.30.2023 #278: Sneak Peak into ACLS If you’re a new grad or transitioning to critical care or the ER, then you will soon be taking your ACLS certification course. This two-day class course the American Heart Association guidelines for a wide range of cardiac complications, and ...
03.23.2023 #277: The Doorway Assessment As the nurse, one of your key responsibilities is to notice changes in patient condition…and that can be difficult to do in a timely manner if you’re not assessing your patient on a very consistent basis. Now, I’m not saying ...
03.16.2023 #276: Huntington’s NCLEX Review Huntington’s disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is caused by extra repeats of the cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) amino acid group in the huntingtin gene. This leads to neuron dysfunction and death, mainly in the basal ganglia and cerebral cortex. ...
03.09.2023 #275: Navigating a Job Offer If you are starting your job hunt as a new grad, or even as an experienced nurse, you may have questions about navigating job offers. In this special episode I’m bringing in Amanda from The Resume Rx. She’s answering key ...
03.02.2023 #274: Introduction to Vascular Assessment A key component of your head-to-toe and focused assessments is the vascular assessment. In this episode I’m sharing tips and real-world examples to help you feel more confident at the bedside. * What type of clinical situations warrant a vascular ...
02.23.2023 #273: Sneak Peek at Peri-op Clinicals If your nursing program provides a periop clinical experience, consider yourself very lucky! I really enjoyed my periop clinicals and learned a ton about this exciting area of nursing. The three stages of periop are preoperative, operative and postoperative (PACU). ...
02.16.2023 #272: Splenectomy Nursing Basics A splenectomy is a procedure in which the spleen is removed either partially or completely. In this episode Nurse Mo talks you through the key things you should know about patients who’ve had a splenectomy, including: * Reasons someone would ...
02.09.2023 #271: Get Ready to Give Adenosine Adenosine is one of the scariest, and most amazing, drugs I’ve ever administered as a nurse. In this episode, you’ll learn the key things to know using the Straight A Nursing DRRUGS framework including: * Why adenosine is kind of ...

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