Core Anesthesia

Today, we are discussing how our anesthetic care will be altered for patients with acute renal failure or chronic renal failure. We will begin with a review of the anatomy and physiology of a normal kidney. By understanding its normal function, we can adequately assess the alterations and electrolyte abnormalities that occur in renal failure cases. Join us as we navigate the anesthetic management...

In today’s episode, we are exploring a multitude of respiratory diseases, including Obstructive Lung Disease, Restrictive Lung Disease, Upper Respiratory Infections, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Pulmonary Embolisms, Mediastinal masses, Bronchospasm, & Tension Hemothorax and how they affect our anesthetic care. We’re examining the difference between obstructive and restrictive lung dise...

We’re back with Part 2 of our Cardiac Complications episode. If you haven't tuned in to Part 1 yet, we highly recommend starting there for full context. In this episode, we'll explore critical topics such as congestive heart failure, cardiovascular collapse, cardiac tamponade, and hypertension. It's important to note that these subjects are incredibly vast, and while we've cond...

In today's episode, we delve into the intricate world of cardiovascular health. We will explore a myriad of complications spanning from within the heart itself to the peripheral vasculature. Our discussion will encompass various vascular diseases, such as carotid artery stenosis and abdominal aortic aneurysms. Throughout the episode, we will dissect the pathophysiology of these conditions, de...

In this Care Plan episode, the focus is on total or hemicolectomy procedures and considerations surrounding these surgeries. The discussion goes into the differences between total colectomy and hemicolectomy and their respective indications, whether for conditions like ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, or colon cancer. Anesthesia choices, encompassing laparoscopic or open procedures, are e...

In this Care Plan episode, the focus is on thoracotomies, both open and video-assisted, commonly performed for thoracic or cardiovascular issues. The discussion goes into preoperative considerations, emphasizing optimizing patients' respiratory health and utilizing double-lumen tubes for one-lung ventilation (OLV). Detailed insights into the challenges posed by patient positioning, the effect...

In this Care Plan episode, the focus turns to robotic hysterectomies, covering the intricacies and considerations involved in this procedure. The discussion covers the various types of hysterectomies performed, indications, and the advantages of using robotic assistance. The episode highlights the challenges posed by patient positioning, physiological changes during surgery, and the meticulous car...

In this episode, we're tackling the topic of hypotension and exploring intervention and management strategies. Additionally, we're diving deep into the various types of shock, discussing how treatment approaches differ based on the underlying cause. There's no universal solution; each case requires careful assessment to identify the type of shock and tailor the treatment plan accord...

In this Care Plan episode, the focus is on total hip replacements, exploring the various considerations involved in this common orthopedic surgery. Preoperative considerations are detailed, emphasizing patient age, activity level, pain management, and the impact of comorbidities like cardiovascular issues. The episode also dives into anesthesia choices, such as single-shot spinal or general anesth...

In this Care Plan episode, the focus shifts to radical cystectomies, a procedure typically performed for bladder tumors. Delving into the complexities of an open approach, the discussion navigates through preoperative considerations, anesthetic types, and specific considerations for intraoperative care. From assessing patients' health post-chemotherapy to monitoring blood loss and postoperati...

In this episode, we are diving into the emotional journey through CRNA School. We're talking about what to expect during the application process, the emotions of interview day, handling rejection, pushing through school amidst anxiety, and everything in between. We hope this episode will encourage you and be a reminder to you that there is light at the end of the tunnel. CRNA School is full o...

In this Care Plan episode, Rhea and Sachi delve into the intricate details of craniotomies for brain tumors. This episode focuses on preoperative considerations, anesthetic types, specialized monitoring, positioning, and postoperative care.  From neurological assessments to anesthesia choices—such as IV anesthesia and considerations for minimizing intracranial pressure—the episode covers it all. T...

How do we manage a patient who is having an acute stroke? seizures? How does our anesthetic management change for a patient who has had a traumatic spinal cord injury? We dive into all of these questions and more on this episode. We also discuss congenital anomalies and how they might affect our choice of anesthetic technique.  Support the show To access all of our content, download the CORE Anest...

Have you ever wondered what other career options are out there for CRNAs? Today, we take a break from our usual content to take time to get to know Sarah Wild, a CRNA who recently opened her own medspa, Wild Aesthetics.  Sarah walks us through her personal journey and gives us helpful insight and steps to take if aesthetics is of interest to you. Check it out today! Find more on Sarah Wild: Find S...

Today's episode covers cranial complications such as cerebral aneurysms, vasospasms, AVMs, and traumatic brain injuries. We take a brief look at these various disease processes and then discuss how we can manage them from an anesthesia standpoint. There is much to unpack here, we hope you enjoy following along! Support the show To access all of our content, download the CORE Anesthesia App av...

Today let's take some time to walk through some of the most common drugs we use in anesthesia.  It is important we understand their purpose and mechanism of action as we decide which ones to use in the various situations that arise. We go over these medications is greater detail on their respective episodes, but here we thought we would do a fly-over discussion as a refresh. This show has bee...

We all love looking up a patient and seeing "no home medications" on their chart. Let's be real, more often than not we see a laundry list of medications and it is our job to understand how these can interact with our anesthetic. Today we walk through these different medications and discuss how we should manage our patients accordingly.  Support the show To access all of our content...

Please enjoy this pre-recorded session from our 2023 Student Conference.  "Test-Taking Strategies" - Cole & Tanner. Thank You to Our 2023 Conference Sponsors:  Independent Anesthesia Services Wellspan Health Locums At Heart Associated Anesthesiologist  Support the show To access all of our content, download the CORE Anesthesia App available here  on the App Store and here on Google P...

Please enjoy this pre-recorded session from our 2023 Student Conference. "Pediatric Anesthesia" - Rebecca Collier Rebecca is a triple alum from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. She completed her MS Nurse Anesthesia Specialization in 2003.  In 2013 she completed her DNP and has been a faculty member at SIUE’s Nurse Anesthesiology Department for 10 years. Rebecca has provided...

Please enjoy this pre-recorded session from our 2023 Student Conference. "Opioid-Free Anesthesia" - Thomas Baribeault Thomas Baribeault is a clinical coordinator and chief obstetric CRNA for Commonwealth Anesthesia in Lexington, KY. He specializes in obstetric anesthesia, acute surgical pain management, non-surgical pain management, and point-of-care ultrasound. He founded the Society fo...

Please enjoy this pre-recorded session from our 2023 Student Conference.  "Finding Your First Job As a CRNA School Grad" - Dr. Joseph Rodriguez Joseph A. Rodriguez, DNAP, CRNA, has been in practice for 10 years while currently focusing on business and operations for Guide Healthcare. Dr. Rodriguez is the former president of the Arizona Association of Nurse Anesthesiology and has served o...

Please enjoy this pre-recorded session from our 2023 Student Conference.  "Beyond the Head of the Bed" - Jennifer Banek Jennifer Banek is a CRNA who resides in Libertyville, IL. Ms. Banek has a Bachelor of Science in Biology and prior to becoming a CRNA, she worked in drug research for Abbott Laboratories. She graduated with her Master of Science in Nursing from DePaul University and ear...

Please enjoy this pre-recorded session from our 2023 Student Conference.  "SRNA Mental Health & Wellness" - Dr. Catherine Horvath, DNP, CRNA Catherine Horvath, DNP, CRNA is the Assistant Program Director of the DNAP Program at Georgetown University in Washington, DC.  She has been a CRNA for 31 years and an educator for 15 years.  Dr. Horvath is the Chair of the AANA Health & Wel...

In this episode, we discuss the adrenergic receptors and the medications that either stimulate or block those receptors. Additionally, we discuss anti-hypertensive medications such as calcium channel blockers, vasodilators, and diuretics.  Support the show To access all of our content, download the CORE Anesthesia App available here  on the App Store and here on Google Play. Want to connect? Check...

 Life after CRNA School. The good, the bad, the unexpected.  Is it everything we'd hoped for? Better? Worse? We step away from our usual content today to discuss our personal experiences working as CRNAs.  Enjoy! Support the show To access all of our content, download the CORE Anesthesia App available here  on the App Store and here on Google Play. Want to connect? Check out our instagram or...