Rapid Response RN

This mystery case kept everyone guessing, and now it’s time to reveal Mr. James’ surprising diagnosis: serotonin syndrome! But how did he end up with this rare condition? In this episode, host Sarah Lorenzini reviews Mr. James’ case, explains what led him to develop serotonin syndrome, and the signs that pointed to this diagnosis. If you were stumped by this case, don’t sweat it! Serotonin syndrom...

Can you guess what was Mr. James' diagnosis? Why was he having periods of apnea? Why was he tachycardic? Why was he hypertensive? Why was he so rigid? Why wouldn't he wake up? Tune in Friday for Episode 114 to hear the reveal of the diagnosis and breakdown of the pathophysiology and how to treat Mr. James' condition

Awesome nurses don’t always make great preceptors. So what does it take to nurture new talent into capable and confident professionals? This episode delves into fundamental qualities, mindset and teaching strategies necessary to excel in the role of a preceptor. Host Sarah Lorenzini reflects on her experiences with both good and bad preceptors, sharing insights on how to create a supportive and em...

The summer heat brings fun in the sun, relaxing days, and even the threat of heat stroke. In this episode, host Sarah Lorenzini explores the spectrum of heat-related illnesses, highlighting the crucial differences between heat stroke and heat exhaustion. She recounts an emergency case of a young man with all the classic symptoms of heat stroke — and the highest temperature of any patient she’s eve...

When the diseased liver is unable to filter out neurotoxins like ammonia, we can see a spectrum of the neuropsychiatric symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy.  For the final installment in our liver failure series, host Sarah Lorenzini highlights a complicated case of hepatic encephalopathy where critical thinking and interdisciplinary teamwork were key to preventing further complications. She e...

Managing liver failure often means walking a tightrope with kidney function. This episode explores what happens when the kidneys begin to fail due to liver disease, a condition known as hepatorenal syndrome. Host Sarah Lorenzini sheds light on this common but severe complication of cirrhosis, sharing a critical case that exemplifies the challenges of diagnosing and treating hepatorenal syndrome. T...

A cirrhosis patient has stable vitals, but then starts vomiting blood. What do you do next? This episode delves into a case study that highlights the urgent management of esophageal varices in liver failure patients. Host Sarah Lorenzini reveals how a rapid response call quickly spiraled into a life-threatening emergency, and the critical steps taken to stabilize the patient. Sarah explains the pa...

No matter your specialty, every nurse cares for patients with liver failure. Host Sarah Lorenzini starts off this four-part series on liver failure by sharing the story of a rapid response call that featured classic complications of cirrhosis: ascites, jaundice, and hypotension. Exacerbating the patient’s terminal condition was a suspected diagnosis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. In this ep...

NTI 2024 brought together critical care nurses from across the country, and this episode highlights over 10 of their most heartwarming and unforgettable stories. Host Sarah Lorenzini speaks to ICU nurses and nurse educators who share tales of human connection, critical thinking, and compassionate care. From navigating crazy shifts to creating new patient programs, their stories showcase the incred...

Nursing care plans are the bane of many a nursing student’s academic experience. They are seen as an unnecessary burden to their already heavy workload. But they play an important role in the nursing process, and nurses put these plans into clinical practice every day — whether they realize it or not. In this episode, Nurse Gwenny, an ER and flight nurse turned EMS educator, speaks with host Sarah...

Nursing educators may not hold the most glamorous position, but they are undoubtedly the backbone of the profession. Nurse Educator Patrick McMurray exemplifies this by bringing creativity and inclusivity into nursing education, supporting nurses at every stage of their career. In this episode, host Sarah Lorenzini talks to Patrick about his approach to teaching complex concepts and preparing stud...

Obstructive shock may be the least common type of shock, but it’s no less critical. As part of Nurse PodCrawl 2024, Bryan Boling and Brandon Oto from the Critical Care Scenarios podcast join host Sarah Lorenzini in this episode to talk about the critical care management of obstructive shock. Together, they walk nurses through a patient scenario, detailing the diagnostic process of obstructive shoc...

Which side of the debate do you fall on?  Should families be present during resuscitation or escorted to a quiet area to wait? Among those advocating for family presence are nursing researchers, Margo Halm, APRN-BC, PhD, FAHA, NEA-BC and Jessica Sexton, MSN, RN, CPEN. During their conversation with host Sarah Lorenzini, they explain why family presence is so important in patient-centered care...

We’ve talked about hyponatremia, but what do you know about Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone secretion (SIADH) and Diabetes Insipidus (DI)? In this episode, host Sarah Lorenzini and Nick McGowan RN, MSN dive into these diseases that develop from complex hormonal responses that manage the body’s water and sodium. They explore the pathophysiology of both conditions, contrasting the exc...

On this special PodSwap Episode, you will be hearing from Nurse Mo from the Straight A Nursing Podcast! She does an amazing job breaking down all the pharmacology of medications we use for Rapid Sequence Intubation or RSI. Rapid sequence intubation, a procedure performed to emergently intubate a patient with an intact gag reflex in cases of acute respiratory failure and/or cardiovascular collapse....

Are you considering a career as a nurse practitioner? Do you want to go back to school to transition into an advanced practice nursing role? Join host Sarah Lorenzini and guest Dr. Sandra Pagenta, DNP, as they discuss opportunities available in nursing and how to decide if the nurse practitioner path is the right one for you. Dr. Sandra Pagenta reflects on the evolution of her nursing career, from...

Every day that you complete a shift is a day to celebrate because nursing is undoubtedly one of the hardest professions in the world, especially in the last few years. Burnout rates are extremely high, and for good reason, but there are ways to keep your passion for nursing even after decades in the field. In this milestone 100th episode of Rapid Response RN , host Sarah Lorenzini celebrates 20 ye...

Treating hyponatremia, a condition characterized by low sodium levels in the blood, can be both complicated and quite risky.. Disruptions to the delicate balance of sodium in the body can lead to a spectrum of outcomes, from an asymptomatic presentation to life-threatening seizures, coma, and death. Through the patient story of Mrs. Saltman, host Sarah Lorenzini explains the role of sodium in the...

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as “broken heart syndrome,” is hard to diagnose because its symptoms mimic more common conditions like acute coronary syndrome. This stress-induced cardiomyopathy presents a mysterious challenge to nurses, as you’ll hear in today’s patient story. Host Sarah Lorenzini shares the case of a patient who went from experiencing shortness of breath and nausea to a ser...

Part two of our crashing asthmatic series continues with a comprehensive look into what exactly happened in last week’s nightmare patient case.  Host Sarah Lorenzini dives into the pathophysiology of status asthmaticus, explaining the physiological changes in the airways during severe asthma attacks and what makes these cases resistant to standard treatment. She also breaks down treat options...

Severe asthma leads to cardiac arrest in today’s gripping patient story. Brooklyn, an ER Nurse joins host Sarah Lorenzini to discuss a nightmare case of a young asthmatic patient and her team’s desperate fight to stabilize him. Despite various interventions, from albuterol, magnesium, BiPap, ketamine, and more, the patient's condition deteriorated, requiring intubation and ultimately transfer to a...

Do you know how to recognize a wide or narrow pulse pressure and what each finding tells you about your patient? Following last week's discussion on the shock index, host Sarah Lorenzini introduces pulse pressure as another essential tool in the nurse's assessment arsenal. In this episode, Sarah outlines how to measure and interpret pulse pressure. She shares two patient stories to illustrate how...

Looking at HR or Blood Pressure alone as determinants of how stable the patient is can lead us astray.  The Shock Index allows us to detect when patients are declining… while they are still compensating. Shock Index = HR/SBP… but how can we use this tool?  A patient’s vital signs can appear normal, meanwhile they’re on the brink of shock. This was exactly the case of Mr. Fields, a patien...

Are you familiar with BRASH syndrome? The complex interplay of Bradycardia, Renal Failure, Atrioventricular Block, Shock, and Hyperkalemia forms a collection of clinical signs known as BRASH syndrome. One condition leads to another which leads to another, heightening the severity of symptoms. Fortunately, it’s easy to manage if you know what you are treating. In this episode, Sarah Lorenzini break...

Timing is everything when it comes to strokes because every second without treatment impacts patient outcomes. If you’ve ever wasted time debating whether or not to call a stroke alert, you don’t want to miss this episode with Dr. Eric Wilson RN, AGNP-C, DNP, NREMT-P! During his conversation with host Sarah Lorenzini, Eric emphasizes the urgency of recognizing stroke symptoms early, highlighting u...