The FreshRN Podcast with Kati Kleber

The charge nurse is the boots-on-the-ground leader and a role model for a unit. It can be a stressful job, but it can also be fun and empowering as you gain knowledge and experience. In this episode, we chat about charge nurse responsibilities and share some tips for new charge nurses.  Show notes are located here: https://www.freshrn.com/episode-044-tips-for-new-charge-nurses/ Get weekly tips, en...

We don't stay new nurses forever. And some of our earliest Fresh RNs are now precepting newbies of their own! In this episode, we discuss when to start precepting, your role as a new nurse preceptor, and the challenges that come along with it. Show notes are located here: https://www.freshrn.com/episode-043-tips-for-new-nurse-preceptors/ Get weekly tips, encouragement, stories from the bedside and...

At the very beginning of nursing school, we learn basic care of our patients: turning, intake and output, oral care, and so forth. Once we reach the bedside, we tend to become focused on the more complex tasks of nursing care, and those basics can fall by the wayside. In this episode we return to the basics, discussing their importance and how to incorporate them into our daily practice. Show note...

Most hospitals have some form of Rapid Response Team that can be called when patients are becoming unstable to bring people and resources to the bedside quickly. In this episode, we discuss when to call a Rapid Response, what happens once one is called, and some of our own experiences calling or responding to them. Show notes are located here: https://www.freshrn.com/s5e41-when-nurses-should-call-...

Kati spent hours combing through the CDC and WHO recommendations and research articles discussing appropriate PPE for healthcare providers taking care of Coronavirus patients (COVID-19) and translated it into easy-to-understand terms for the bedside nurse. For links to all of her references, click  here . Show notes are located here: https://www.freshrn.com/season-5-episode-3-nurses-and-the-corona...

Kati sits down with an experienced mental health professional to outline how nurses can manage fear while still being effective at work, and mentally present at home in the midst of the Coronavirus Pandemic. Show notes are located here: https://www.freshrn.com/season-5-episode-2-nurses-and-the-coronavirus-coping-with-fear/ Get weekly tips, encouragement, stories from the bedside and more - just fo...

This episode provides some coronavirus (COVID-19) background, and dives into why this is such a big deal for the nursing community. Kati shares her experience as a nurse on the Ebola Team back in 2015, the challenge of constantly changing updates, and fear when you still have to go into work each day. Show notes are located here: https://www.freshrn.com/season-5-episode-1-nurses-and-the-coronaviru...

Ok, you're off orientation, there's no preceptor checking behind you, and you're on your own taking care of patients. How do you learn to trust yourself and your nursing judgment? In this episode, we chat about how we began to trust ourselves as we transitioned off of orientation and into our own nursing practice. Show notes are located here: https://www.freshrn.com/season-4-episode-8-how-to-trust...

Taking care of someone who is unable to interact or make their own medical decisions can be complex. In this episode, we discuss: tips for talking to an unconscious patient and their loved ones assessment tips important things to consider (like health care power of attorney and consents)  and more! Show notes are located here: https://www.freshrn.com/talking-to-unconscious-patients-show-notes/ Get...

In this episode, we talk all things urinary catheters: CAUTIs, tips, tricks, internal and external devices, and nursing considerations. [FREE MINI COURSE] Nursing Report Basics for Med-Surg Nurses (includes my fav med-surg report sheet and my top abbreviations) I would use when taking report!  https://courses.freshrn.com/p/med-surg-report-basics If you want to cut to the chase and take my comprehe...

Teamwork is one of those nursing buzzwords, but what does it practically look like during elbow-to-elbow nursing care? In this episode, we chat tips, what good teamwork feels and looks like, how to be a good team member, and more. Show notes are located here: https://www.freshrn.com/nursing-teamwork-show-notes/ Get weekly tips, encouragement, stories from the bedside and more - just for nursing st...

Join us as we discuss some tips for floating to another nursing unit. We cover how to start out your shift with success in a different environment, questions to ask, how to manage your nerves, and more. Show notes are located here: https://www.freshrn.com/tips-for-floating-to-another-unit-show-notes/ Get weekly tips, encouragement, stories from the bedside and more - just for nursing students and...

When the patient is now donating their organs, there are a lot of things that are now the responsibility of the nurse. In this episode, we discuss what it practically looks like to prepare a patient for organ procurement and some of the variations of the process, as well as our own experiences. Show notes are located here: https://www.freshrn.com/nursing-considerations-with-organ-procurement-show-...

In this episode, we discuss the difference between coma and brain death, how brain death is determined, working with an organ procurement team, and general insights related to this sensitive topic. Show notes are located here: https://www.freshrn.com/season-4-episode-2-nursing-considerations-with-brain-death-and-organ-procurement-show-notes/ Get weekly tips, encouragement, stories from the bedside...

So, how do you deal with the family members... like, normally? How do you meet their expectations and work together as a team? We discuss routine communication points with typical family members who are engaged and want to be part of a patient's care, and how you as a fresh RN can speak to them with confidence. Show notes are located here: https://www.freshrn.com/season-4-episode-1-how-to-deal-wit...

Arterial lines, ventilators, central lines galore! Together with Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Sean Dent, Melissa and Kati discuss some tips and tricks for dealing with typical ICU devices. We discuss: an introduction to CRRT Impellas and Intra Aortic Balloon Pumps Proning devices advice for new nurses and more! Show notes are located here: https://www.freshrn.com/icu-devices-part-2-show-notes/ G...

Arterial lines, ventilators, central lines galore! Together with Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Sean Dent, Melissa and Kati discuss some tips and tricks for dealing with typical ICU devices. In this first episode, we discuss: Art Lines efficacy of blood pressure cuffs A-Line tips fluid monitoring devices and more! Show notes are located here: https://www.freshrn.com/season-3-episode-8-intensive-ca...

Nursing conferences are fun but they can be pretty overwhelming. Melissa and Kati discuss some practical tips to get the most out of the experience and investment. Show notes are located here: https://www.freshrn.com/season-3-episode-7-how-to-navigate-nursing-conferences-show-notes/ Get weekly tips, encouragement, stories from the bedside and more - just for nursing students and new nurses at:  ht...

In this episode, we interview Kathleen Puntillo, PhD RN FAAN who has written about and researched palliative care extensively. We chat about what nurses need to know about palliative care and considerations for their patients. We cover: The difference between palliative care and hospice Palliative Care examples and benefits Talking to the Family Advice and tips Show notes are located here: https:/...

Ever wonder about how bedside nurses work with nursing leadership? We interview a current practicing nursing supervisor and chat about chain of command, and how the bedside nurse can leverage leadership in various patient situations. Show notes are located here: https://www.freshrn.com/season-3-episode-5-understanding-nursing-leadership-show-notes/ Get weekly tips, encouragement, stories from the...

Grab your nasal cannula and crank it up to 4L/min because in this episode, we interview Sean Dent who is an NP in acute care, and talk all things respiratory! We talk about: Oxygen Delivery The Oxygen Saturation Monitor Oxyhemoglobin Curve Advice for New Grads and more! Show notes are located here: https://www.freshrn.com/season-3-episode-4-all-about-respiratory-show-notes/ Get weekly tips, encour...

Welcome to Season 3 of the FreshRN Podcast! In this episode, Kati and Melissa interview Michael Ackerman DNS RN APRN-BC, and Tom Ahrens, PhD RN FAAN on sepsis. We talk:  priorities for the new nurse Rapid Response Teams and Sepsis current sepsis treatment trends and recommendations and more! Show notes are located here: https://www.freshrn.com/what-nurses-need-to-know-about-sepsis-show-notes/ Get...

In this episode, we interview Karen Kesten, DNP APRN CCRN-K CCNS CNE, with the AACN about nursing certifications and why they're important to our profession, plus how to become certified. Show notes are located here: https://www.freshrn.com/nursing-certifications-the-what-why-and-when-show-notes/ Get weekly tips, encouragement, stories from the bedside and more - just for nursing students and new...

In this episode, we interview Nurse Nacole and chat about her top cardiac tips for new nurses. Nacole is an APRN with extensive experience working with critically ill patients and is a great supporter of newly licensed nurses.  Show notes are located here: https://www.freshrn.com/top-tips-for-cardiac-nurses-show-notes/ Get weekly tips, encouragement, stories from the bedside and more - just for nu...

In this episode, we discuss the patients we will never forget. Identifying patient details were changed to protect patient privacy, however, the meaning and lessons of the stories remain as impactful as ever. Show notes are located here: https://www.freshrn.com/episode-023-patients-will-never-forget/ Get weekly tips, encouragement, stories from the bedside and more - just for nursing students and...