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 examines the common signs and symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy, factors that trigger or exacerbate the co...
Jun 28, 2024•28 min
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. Tune in to gain a better understanding of the pathophysiology of hepatorenal syndrome, the importance...
Jun 21, 2024•17 min
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 pathophysiology of cirrhosis and the development of esophageal varices, detailing the pharmacological ...
Jun 14, 2024•25 min
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 episode, Sarah details how her team managed this case and breaks down the pathophysiology of cirrhosis...
Jun 07, 2024•25 min
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 incredible impact nurses have on patients’ lives and the healthcare system. Tune in to celebrate the dedic...
May 31, 2024•45 min
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 Lorenzini about the relevancy and value of nursing care plans. She shares real-life examples of the...
May 24, 2024•47 min
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 students to succeed beyond the classroom. Using interactive learning strategies and holistic methods, Pa...
May 17, 2024•47 min
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 shock due to pulmonary embolism. Sarah, Bryan and Brandon review the three main causes of obstructive sh...
May 10, 2024•53 min
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 and how nurses can facilitate a shift towards embracing this practice in their hospital. Despite being ba...
May 03, 2024•48 min
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 excessive water retention in SIADH with the excessive water loss in DI and how this impacts diagnostic ...
Apr 26, 2024•40 min
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. As a nurse working in the emergency department or ICU, you will be obtaining and may be administeri...
Apr 23, 2024•20 min
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 her early days as an RN to her current role as a nurse practitioner. She dives into the challenges ...
Apr 19, 2024•40 min
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 years of being a nurse and *still* loving it. It hasn’t been easy, but two decades of continuous learn...
Apr 12, 2024•26 min
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 body, breaking down the science of osmosis and electrolytes so nurses can better understand the caus...
Apr 05, 2024•24 min
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 serious cardiac emergency. She breaks down the patient’s initial presentation, their quick decline feat...
Mar 29, 2024•22 min
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 for patients approaching the asthma spiral of death, from pharmacological interventions to last-resort in...
Mar 22, 2024•28 min
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 an ECMO center to save the patient’s life. This episode highlights the challenges faced by smaller ho...
Mar 15, 2024•33 min
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 variations in pulse pressure can indicate different underlying conditions: The case study of Mrs. D ...
Mar 08, 2024•18 min
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 patient admitted to the ER after falling off his tractor. Initially, his vitals didn't raise alarms but there were sig...
Mar 01, 2024•14 min
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 breaks down the pathophysiology of BRASH syndrome as she examines a patient case study. Starting with its...
Feb 23, 2024•20 min
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 unilateral deficits and speech issues as red flags for immediate action. He guides listeners through ...
Feb 16, 2024•28 min
Cardiac output equals heart rate times stroke volume… but what does that really mean and how does it apply to the bedside? This formula (CO = HR x SV) is crucial for nurses to understand in the application of vasopressors and inotropes, so why is it so difficult to memorize their role in improving cardiac output? This episode is dedicated to breaking down these life-saving medications so you can not only memorize their expected effect on vital signs, but more importantly, understand how they wor...
Feb 09, 2024•15 min
Did you listen to Joey’s story in last week’s mystery episode? If you did and guessed rhabdomyolysis as his diagnosis, congratulations! Joey’s muscle injury from playing a little too hard at football camp resulted in a release of muscle proteins that ultimately caused his kidneys to shut down, which led to his diagnosis and treatment for rhabdomyolysis. In this episode, host Sarah Lorenzini examines the complexities of the condition, from its pathophysiology to causes and treatment options. You’...
Feb 02, 2024•16 min
Are you ready for some diagnosing fun?! In this episode, host Sarah Lorenzini will challenge your diagnostic skills with the mystery case of Joey, a 14-year-old patient who went from playing football at summer camp to being intubated in the ER. Joey presented with an altered mental status, and was tachycardic, tachypneic and febrile. Once in the ER, he went into ventricular tachycardia, his blood pressure dropped significantly, and he required intubation. As Sarah shares more details on his pres...
Jan 26, 2024•7 min
As host Sarah Lorenzini insightfully explains, “think of autonomic dysreflexia symptoms as the body's way of telling you something is wrong.” Autonomic dysreflexia is a medical emergency that occurs in patients with a spinal cord injury, but it can be hard to recognize because of the body’s confusing responses to stimulation. That’s why it’s crucial for nurses to understand this syndrome and prevent patients from developing any life-threatening complications. In this episode, host Sarah Lorenzin...
Jan 19, 2024•15 min
Goals of care discussions are among the most difficult to navigate as a nurse, BUT there are ways to provide both comfort and clarity to patients and their families in these emotionally charged situations. In this episode, host Sarah Lorenzini and Hospice Nurse AJ share tips and insights on how to approach these challenging discussions with sensitivity and respect, all while keeping patient’s wishes at the forefront of treatment. From how to start the conversation to addressing concerns, they co...
Jan 12, 2024•33 min
Orienting as a new Nurse in the ICU is much like climbing your first big mountain — both require basic knowledge, passion, and the ability to learn quickly and adapt in a demanding environment. But without these attributes, you have an arduous, possibly insurmountable journey ahead of you. In this episode, host Sarah Lorenzini and Sarah Vance RN delve into the controversial topic of new grads going straight into the ICU after graduation, exploring the challenges and opportunities it presents for...
Jan 05, 2024•25 min
What’s your craziest, most shocking nursing story? In this episode, you’ll hear one of host Sarah Lorenzini’s most memorable stories as a rapid response nurse! Sarah recounts her experience treating a severe case of a prolapsed rectum, describing the unconventional yet effective approach that not only resolved the medical dilemma but caught the attention of Rapid Response RN listeners, becoming the most shared episode of the podcast! As Sarah delves into this case of rectal prolapse, she explain...
Dec 29, 2023•24 min
Foreign objects in the bladder, urinary retention, priapism. These are just a few of the urological emergencies host Sarah Lorenzini is discussing with Dr. Shailen Sehgal! Nurses are the first line of defense in treating emergencies and play an important role in managing their care. In this episode, Dr. Shailen Sehgal explores these emergencies and shares great tips and tricks to treat conditions like testicular torsion, assess for hematuria, and troubleshoot catheter insertions, bladder spasms,...
Dec 22, 2023•31 min
Snake bite care: where the cost and long-term complications can sting harder than the bite. Managing snake bites requires quick intervention, making it crucial for nurses to understand how to navigate this type of emergency. So in this episode, host Sarah Lorenzini welcomes Sealy RN to share her firsthand experience of being bitten. As a nurse who has also treated snake bites, she has great insights on the challenges of snake bite care. Sarah and Sealy discuss the use of antivenom, specifically ...
Dec 15, 2023•23 min
