Straight A Nursing: Study for nursing school exams & NCLEX

Making the transition from nursing student to new grad nurse is one of the most intense, nerve-wracking and amazing experiences you’ll ever have. Even though you’re excited, you’re likely also a little bit nervous (maybe even scared!). These tips for new grad nurses will help you ease into your new role like a pro. Ready to gear up for your new job? What supplies do you really need? https://straig...

Let’s talk about hydroxychloroquine...what it’s actually used for and the nursing assessments and safety guidelines surrounding this medication. We’ll use the Straight A Nursing pharmacology framework, DRRUGS to make things nice and organized (and hopefully, easy to remember!) ___________________ Full Transcript - Read the article and view references FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing sc...

Today we’re going there...talking about how to deal with difficult patients and families. While most people you encounter as a nurse are a pleasure to work with, there’s always going to be challenging interactions. With the right attitude and a commitment to setting boundaries and expectations, you can help shield yourself from taking it personally or getting emotionally wounded. If you are a new...

In this podcast episode, Nurse Mo talks you through first, second and third-degree heart blocks so you can recognize them quickly in the clinical setting or on your exams. Together, we’ll cover:  -key ECG elements of each heart block-the many names for the second-degree blocks (why are there so many???)-causes of heart blocks-nursing assessments and interventions-an easy way to keep it all straigh...

Taking care of patients after a thyroidectomy involves very specific assessments and interventions if complications arise. In this podcast episode, we’re using the Straight A Nursing LATTE method to go through signs/symptoms after thyroidectomy, how you should assess the patient, what tests and treatments will be administered, and how you’ll educate the patient. ___________________ Full Transcript...

Providing end-of-life care focused on comfort and dignity is one of the most challenging yet rewarding things we can do for our patients. In this podcast episode, I talk you through what to expect as your patient (or the patient’s family) prepares for death, what nursing interventions will be needed, and how you can provide everyone involved with care that is as competent as it is compassionate. _...

Probably one of the elements of a head-to-toe assessment that is subject to the most uncertainty is the patient’s level of consciousness. Knowing the difference between each level of consciousness will help you chart accurately and communicate your patient’s condition with precision.  So, if you’ve ever wondered what the differences are between obtunded and stuporous, or lethargic and somnolent......

Albuterol is one of those medications you’ll see used so frequently that it almost seems like everyone gets a dose of albuterol here and there. While this isn’t entirely true, it is a pretty common medication that you’ll see regularly in the clinical setting. In this podcast episode, I’ll talk you through the must-know information about Albuterol so you can ensure it’s given safely and that your p...

Learning how to manage your time is one of the biggest hurdles in clinical and even when you’re beginning as a new nurse. After much trial and error with my own practice, I finally settled on a solid start-of-shift routine that helped me start each day off as organized and methodical as possible. I found that on those days when I neglected my routine, I was much more frazzled, unfocused, and ended...

CORRECTION: Mrs Dash is actually not high in potassium :-) In this podcast episode I'll talk you through the basics of hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Pop in those earbuds and learn all about key nursing assessments and interventions, how to monitor your patient for complications, what lab values you'll follow, how to keep your patient safe, and the nitty-gritty details you need for those di...

What does it mean to keep your patients safe? Is it keeping them from falling, avoiding medication errors, or preventing pressure-related injury? Yes, yes and definitely yes! And while you can’t cushion your patient with bubble wrap, you can take steps to do what I call “bulletproofing” your patient against harm.  In this podcast episode I share with you my best tips for creating an organized room...

If you’re failing, in clinical jeopardy or struggling with nursing school, then this episode is for you! I know how hard you’ve been working and I know this must be a really difficult time for you, so just know that I am absolutely rooting for you every step of the way. Even if you’re not currently struggling, you’ll get some great tips that can help you stay ahead of the game. In this podcast epi...

Two placental disorders that you’ll need to be able to differentiate are placental abruption (also known as abruptio placentae) and placenta previa. In this podcast episode, we’ll talk through the key differences and nursing interventions so it all makes perfect sense. In this podcast you’ll learn: * What these two conditions are * Classification criteria  * Key signs and symptoms for each * Risk...

Haloperidol (Haldol) is a traditional antipsychotic with some very distinct guidelines that could show up on your next exam or with your next combative, delirious patient.  In this podcast episode, I’ll talk you through: * What Haldol is used for in the clinical setting * The multiple ways Haldol can be given (and how we’re going to give it for acute agitation in the hospital) * THE most important...

When you think about a nurse’s superpowers, you might picture someone performing CPR or rushing to open the airway of a patient in respiratory arrest. But the nurse’s real superpower is his or her ability to assess. It’s the watchful awareness of the nurse that catches subtle changes in patient condition that enable the team to intervene BEFORE the unthinkable happens.  In this podcast episode, I’...

A lot of nursing schools are changing to a concept-based curriculum where instead of teaching disorders in isolation, they teach concepts that have broader application. For example, instead of just teaching about asthma, these programs teach oxygenation as a concept and use asthma as an example for beginning students (and then more complex disorders such as ARDS for the advanced students). By lear...

As a new nursing student, it’s absolutely vital that your vital signs assessments be totally on point. After all, the MDs and RNs are counting on YOU to provide reliable information about their patients. If you’re feeling a lot of pressure, don’t worry. I’ve got you! In this podcast episode, I’m sharing with you all the best tips for taking vital signs like a pro. You’ll learn all kinds of great i...

When taking care of patients in the post-operative period, you’re going to be watching them closely for any signs of complications...including a fever.  In this podcast episode, we’ll talk about “The Five Ws” of post-op fever...wind, water, walking, wound and wonder drugs. What’s all this mean? Pop in your ear buds and find out! ___________________ Full Transcript - Read the article and view refer...

Sitting down to take an exam is one thing, but having to actually perform tasks and use critical thinking in the moment is something else altogether. That’s why many students struggle through two of the most dreaded assessments in nursing school: skills check-offs and simulation.  In this podcast episode, Nurse Mo talks you through strategies to help you shine in your skills check-offs and absolut...

Even the most successful pre-nursing students can find themselves blindsided by the realities of nursing school. In this podcast episode, Nurse Mo talks you through five attitude adjustments to make that will help you make the successful transition from pre-nursing student to nursing school rockstar!  ___________________ Full Transcript - Read the article and view references FREE CLASS - If all yo...

One of the most common medication classes you'll encounter in nursing is corticosteroids. They are used to treat a variety of conditions and come with unique side effects and dosing schedules. In this podcast episode you'll learn: * What are corticosteroids? * Conditions treated by corticosteroid therapy * The risks of using long-term corticosteroids * The many formulations that corticosteroids co...

Mechanical ventilators are complex pieces of equipment that respiratory therapists study for years to master. As a nursing student, or new nurse, it's easy to feel intimidated by the many components, alarms, dials and displays. In this podcast episode, Nurse Mo talks you through the basics of ventilators for nursing students, giving you the foundation knowledge you need to thrive in the critical c...

One of the most difficult and intimidating skills you will need to master early on in your nursing education is the full head-to-toe-assessment. In this episode, Nurse Mo walks you through a standard assessment and tips on how to prepare for your skills check-off. If your school has not provided you with a full listing of the components of your assessment, download the cheatsheet from the Straight...

In this week’s podcast we’ll be diving into schizophrenia, a psychiatric disorder that can have debilitating effects. It’s a complicated type of psychosis that has four subsets, each with its own unique profile. In this episode you’ll learn:  * The four subsets of schizophrenia and the signs/symptoms of each * The four categories of schizophrenia symptoms, including positive and negative * How to...

In a job with a steep learning curve and many opportunities to learn from experience, a clinical journal can help you in so many ways. In this episode we’ll talk through all the ways a clinical journal can help you: * Debrief after clinical. This will help you learn from past experiences, which is a critical skill for any nursing student or nurse * Identify your current goals and track your progre...