Straight A Nursing: Study for nursing school exams & NCLEX

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 or a nursing student who is intrigued by the idea of having a lot of variety, this episode on float pool nursing is for you!  Join me as I talk with Annie Fulton fro...

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 disease, including: * The four key crises of sickle cell disease * How SCD affects different organs and systems in the body * Who is most at risk for the...

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 how to care for patients. It also involves learning how to care for ourselves, too. In this episode, I’m talking with Stephanie Griffeth about a concept that high...

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 a new grad or about to finally start your career, you may have some questions about evaluating hospital employment contracts, whether or not you n...

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 bestie and amazing nurse educator and coach. In this episode you’ll learn the number one mistake new grad nurses make and what to do instead. And spoiler alert…the mistake p...

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 undergoing a lumbar puncture, including: * What conditions lumbar punctures are most often used to diagnose * The normal qualities of CSF * How a lumbar puncture is pe...

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 grad success. You’ll learn: * Why “you’re doing great” is terrible feedback and what to ask for instead * Why you’re not going to be competent after a few months and why this is actually...

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 included assessing for it in my care plans for patients with COPD. But, like all things in nursing, there’s so much more to this story. In this episode you’ll learn why much of what you’ve been...

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 to navigate new grad life on my own. Even with a robust residency program, it was still one of the toughest years of my life. So that's why I've teamed up with my nurse bestie, Steph, to answer...

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 you through “calling a rapid” on your patient, what to expect from the rapid response nurse, and what to do if you’re the first one on the scene when your patient codes! After thi...

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 CVC insertion * Ongoing care of a central line to prevent infection * Standards for CVC dressing changes * The signs of a cen...

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 to intervene can mean the difference between life and death. In this episode, we’ll talk about: * Normal respiratory findings * The general signs of respiratory compromise...

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: * Soft tissue injuries and fractures * Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) * Skeletal limb deficiencies * Osteogenesis imperfecta * Legg-C...

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 you are not alone! In this episode, I’m sharing five tips for improving your TEAS score. I’m also speaking with a rep from ATI and a rep from Rasmussen University who share their tips...

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. In this episode you’ll learn… * What causes GBS * The four subtypes of GBS and which is most common * Signs and symptoms of Guillain B...

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 * Pathophysiology of TTTS * The Quintero staging system * Complications of TTTS * Nursing implications using the Straight A Nursing LATTE method...

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 cells * The complications of BMT * Key assessments and assessment findings in a patient undergoing BMT * Tests utilized in bone marrow transplant * Treatments for a pati...

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 also covers respiratory arrest and stroke emergencies. Taking ACLS for the first time can be intimidating, so I created this episode to help ease you into it...

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 you’re going to do a full head-to-toe or even a focused assessment every time you go in your patient’s room…but there are SO MANY things you can learn about your patient simpl...

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. In this episode, you’ll learn the key things you need to know about Huntington’s disease: * Who is at risk for Huntington's di...

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 questions such as: * What the job offer process looks like * How to gracefully manage multiple offers * Red flags in a job offer * How to bring up the prospect of negotiating the...

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 assessment * Tips for taking a proper blood pressure measurement * Pulse assessment, including a key tip on using the Doppler * General vascular assessme...

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). Patients go through each of these stages every time they have a surgical procedure, and each stage has its own unique challenges and o...

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 need a splenectomy * Overview of the spleen and its functions * Key assessments before and after surgery * Common tests utilized to evaluate the splenectomy p...

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 terrifying to give * How adenosine works and what we use it for * How adenisone is administered * When adenosine is contraindicated and how to monitor a patient receiving...