In this show, Maureen Osuna, MSN, RN (Nurse Mo) breaks down a wide range of nursing school concepts so they’re easy to understand. Each episode aims to help nursing students improve their study techniques, pass nursing school exams, and feel more confident in clinical. If you’re nervous about nursing school, not “getting it” in lecture, or feeling overwhelmed with all the information you have to learn, this podcast will help you optimize your study time so you can learn more with less stress.
While nursing school is challenging, it doesn’t have to be impossible. When concepts are explained in a way that “just makes sense”, nursing students have better recall on exams, feel more confident working with patients in clinical, and are better prepared for NCLEX.
Nurse Mo understands the struggles nursing students face and draws on more than 11 years of clinical experience to make nursing school less intimidating. Each episode removes the “fluff” and focuses on the key things a nursing student (and nurse) needs to know about a variety of disease conditions. The show also provides tips for succeeding in nursing school, guidance for students and new nurses, and insider information to help you excel at the bedside.
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Understanding the key foundational concepts of pain is crucial as a nurse and I've got you covered in this episode. Press play to gain a deeper understanding of pain and pain management for nursing, including: types of pain pain scales pain interventions nonpharmacologic pain therapies patient-controlled analgesia Feeling overwhelmed or unsure how to approach nursing school? Listening to my podcast is a great start. The next step? My free Nursing School Survival Blueprint. I designed this Bluepr...
As a clinical instructor, I noticed that many new nursing students struggle with care plan pharmacology. In this episode, I'm addressing the key things your clinical instructor wants to see as your fill out your med worksheets. ___________________ Nursing School Survival Blueprint - Feeling overwhelmed or unsure how to approach nursing school? Download this free Blueprint to understand exactly what's working against you — and what to do instead. Straight A Nursing Study Resources - ...
Over the years I've seen students struggle and students thrive, and what becomes clear pretty quickly is the students who struggle tend to repeat the same handful of mistakes. And the sneaky part? Most of them won’t feel like mistakes when you’re making them. It’s not that you're not smart enough, or not working hard enough, or not meant for this. Nursing school rewards a specific kind of engagement with material and most students were never shown what that looks like. I'm covering six of the mo...
You've picked up the blood pressure cuff and your patient says "Wait! Not that arm! I had a mastectomy." You swiftly go for the other arm, but let's talk about WHY we avoid taking blood pressures, starting IVs, and doing veni-punctures on the side of a mastectomy. ___________________ Nursing School Survival Blueprint - Feeling overwhelmed or unsure how to approach nursing school? Download this free Blueprint to understand exactly what's working against you — and what to do instead. Straight ...
Want to start clinicals with more confidence? Walking in, already knowing these 8 common labs inside and out will definitely give you an edge when it comes to interpreting your patients lab results and understanding important components of their care plan. Still nervous about starting clinicals? One of the best ways to fast-track your clinical learning is having the right tools. And you're in luck, I've put together a Clinical Success Pack which includes report sheets, sheets to help you plan yo...
If you've ever wondered why your patients with low albumin also have edema, hit play and I'll explain. You'll see that the "why" behind this connection makes total sense and it will stick with you forever. This is a quick episode that covers what albumin is and does in the body, what happens when it's low (hello edema!), where you'll most likely see this clinically and your nursing priorities when you see low albumin. ___________________ Nursing School Survival Blueprint - Feeling overwhelme...
If you can relate to feeling like your mind has blanked while you're taking your nursing school exams despite studying all weekend going through your notes, rewatching lectures, and rewriting your study guides, I'd bet that you've fallen in to something I call the overstudying trap. It's one of the most common, most exhausting cycles nursing students get stuck in. More hours + More highlighting + More reviewing = Still feeling behind. In this episode, I'm sharing: Why overstudying fails...and wh...
Let's start your week strong with a quick tip you can incorporate right away. In this Mo's Monday Minute shortie episode, I'm breaking down the BUN-to-creatinine ratio and why nurses look at them together. See you there! ___________________ Nursing School Survival Blueprint - Feeling overwhelmed or unsure how to approach nursing school? Download this free Blueprint to understand exactly what's working against you — and what to do instead. 💕Did you love this episode? Please take a moment to foll...
Every other week I republish one of my most popular or impactful episodes from my backlog of over 450 episodes. This week I'm throwing it back to episode 267 and talking about what to know before you start clinicals. These tips are exactly the things I’d make sure you understood before your first clinical day if I was your clinical instructor. ___________________ Nursing School Survival Blueprint - Nursing school gets easier when you have a system. This free Blueprint walks you through the k...
It’s PodQuiz Monday! Test your knowledge from last week’s episode with a quick set of audio flashcards designed to reinforce what you learned. These mini-reviews are a great way to study on the go, and they give you a taste of what it’s like inside Study Sesh , my audio study tool for busy nursing students. If you need a brush-up on perfusion before you do this podquiz, I've got you covered in episode 488. 🧠 Ready to quiz yourself? Let’s dive in! 👉Want more practice like this? Check out Stud...
You know that moment when you walk into a patient’s room and something just feels… off? Not wrong in a pull-the-crash-cart way. Just… different. Their blood pressure is trending down a little. They’re not quite as sharp as they were two hours ago. Urine output isn’t great. And your brain starts doing that scrambling thing — flipping through every diagnosis you’ve ever learned, trying to figure out what category this falls into. Here’s the thing: that scrambling feeling? It’s not a sign that you ...
It’s PodQuiz Monday! Test your knowledge from a recent episode with a quick set of audio flashcards designed to reinforce what you learned. These mini-reviews are a great way to study on the go, and they give you a taste of what it’s like inside Study Sesh , my audio study tool for busy nursing students. If you need a brush-up on vascular assessments before you do this podquiz, I've got you covered in episode ENCORE! #274: Introduction to Vascular Assessment. 🧠 Ready to quiz yourself? Hit play ...
Every other week I republish one of my most popular or impactful episodes from my backlog of over 450 episodes. This week I'm highlighting Episode 274, which walks you through how to perform a vascular assessment. ___________________ Full Transcript - Read the article " Performing a Vascular Assessment" and view references Nursing School Survival Blueprint - Nursing school gets easier when you have a system. This free Blueprint walks you through the key shifts that separate struggling st...
Nurse Mo presents a "PodQuiz" on burn fundamentals, following a quick-fire question-and-answer format to help nursing students test their understanding. The quiz covers essential topics such as key factors for assessing burn injuries, different types of burns (electrical, chemical, radiation, thermal) and their unique characteristics, methods for estimating total body surface area (TBSA), burn classifications by depth, and special considerations like circumferential burns and patient comorbidities that affect prognosis. This audio flashcard style review is designed for on-the-go study and exam preparation.
Many nursing students feel overwhelmed despite extensive studying. This episode introduces cognitive load theory, explaining why the brain gets overloaded and how this impacts learning. It offers a practical five-step study approach to work with your brain, not against it, helping you retain information more effectively and reduce feelings of frustration.
Nurse Mo discusses three critical early warning signs of clinical deterioration: changes in neurological status such as confusion, vital sign abnormalities with a special focus on often-overlooked respiratory rate, and indicative skin signs. She stresses the importance of accurately assessing vital sign trends against a patient's baseline and the necessity of immediate escalation to prevent in-hospital cardiac arrest and other adverse events. This quick tip can significantly improve nursing practice and patient safety.
Every other week I republish one of my most popular or impactful episodes from my backlog of over 450 episodes. This week I'm highlighting Episode 149, which takes you through the four main factors to keep in mind when you are looking at burns. ___________________ Full Transcript - Read the article " The Basics of Burns" and view references Nursing School Survival Blueprint - Nursing school gets easier when you have a system. This free Blueprint walks you through the key shifts that sepa...
It’s PodQuiz Monday! Test your knowledge from last week’s episode with a quick set of audio flashcards designed to reinforce what you learned. These mini-reviews are a great way to study on the go, and they give you a taste of what it’s like inside Study Sesh , my audio study tool for busy nursing students. If you need a brush-up on rhabdomyolysis before you do this podquiz, I've got you covered in episode ENCORE: 251 - Rhabdomyolysis. 🧠 Ready to quiz yourself? Let’s dive in! 👉Want more practi...
Thinking about taking the ATI TEAS exam? In this episode, I break down what the TEAS is actually testing and why so many students prepare the wrong way. Learn how the ATI TEAS measures foundational reasoning, reading comprehension, scientific literacy, and applied math skills, plus the four biggest mistakes students make when studying. If you want a strategic plan for TEAS prep that sets you up for success in nursing school, this episode is your roadmap. As an ATI affiliate, I may earn a small c...
If you're starting nursing school soon, you won't want to miss this week's Mo's Monday Minute. In this shortie episode, I'm breaking down what actually matters before you start nursing school, and what you can safely ignore. See you there! ___________________ FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school wit...
Every other week I republish one of my most popular or impactful episodes from my backlog of over 450 episodes. This week I'm highlighting Episode #251, which is about a critical condition that is actually more common than you think. Hit play to break down rhabdo. ___________________ Full Transcript - Read the article " Rhabdomyolysis Simplified" and view references Nursing School Survival Blueprint - Nursing school gets easier when you have a system. This free Blueprint walks you throug...
It’s PodQuiz Monday! Test your knowledge from last week’s episode with a quick set of audio flashcards designed to reinforce what you learned. These mini-reviews are a great way to study on the go, and they give you a taste of what it’s like inside Study Sesh , my audio study tool for busy nursing students. If you need a brush-up on serotonin syndrome before you do this podquiz, I've got you covered in episode 479. 🧠 Ready to quiz yourself? Let’s dive in! 👉Want more practice like this? Check...
This episode of Straight A Nursing offers a comprehensive breakdown of serotonin syndrome, explaining what it is, its causes, and how to identify it. Nurse Mo utilizes the LATTE method to cover key nursing responsibilities, from recognizing classic symptom triads and conducting thorough assessments to understanding diagnostic tests and implementing appropriate treatments. The discussion also emphasizes critical patient education and common pitfalls to avoid in management, concluding with a practical case study.
Let's start your week strong with a quick tip you can incorporate right away. In this Mo's Monday Minute shortie episode, I'm breaking down the connection between potassium and insulin and how it plays out in hyperkalemia and diabetes. See you there! ___________________ FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing...
Every other week I republish one of my most popular or impactful episodes from my backlog of over 450 episodes. This week I'm highlighting Episode 136, which is about why so many students struggle with their mental health nursing class even when they're doing well in their other classes. ___________________ Full Transcript - Read the article and view references FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I ...
It’s PodQuiz Monday! Test your knowledge from a recently encore'd episode with a quick set of audio flashcards designed to reinforce what you learned. These mini-reviews are a great way to study on the go, and they give you a taste of what it’s like inside Study Sesh , my audio study tool for busy nursing students. If you need a brush-up on the scoop on poop before you do this podquiz, I've got you covered in episode Encore #51. 🧠 Ready to quiz yourself? Let’s dive in! 👉Want more practice like...
If nursing school feels harder than you expected… you’re not alone. You studied all weekend. You walked out of the exam unsure. You feel behind even though you’re constantly studying. You were a strong student before this… and now you’re questioning everything. Here’s the truth - nursing school feels hard for structural reasons. Not because you’re not smart. Not because you’re not capable. Not because you suddenly forgot how to study. In this episode, we break down: Why traditional study strateg...
Let's start your week strong with a quick tip you can incorporate right away. In this Mo's Monday Minute shortie episode, I'm breaking down what "widening pulse pressure" means, why you might see it in the clinical setting and more. See you there! Episode 239 - If the fun fact I shared about POTS in this episode sparked your interest in learning more about this interesting condition, you'll love episode 239. ___________________ FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror sto...
Every other week I'm republishing one of my most popular or impactful episodes from my backlog of over 450 episodes. This week I'm highlighting Episode 51, which is about all things poop - and a reminder to treat your patients with dignity, especially when you're helping them with this most basic human function. ___________________ FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing s...
It’s PodQuiz Monday! Test your knowledge from last week’s episode with a quick set of audio flashcards designed to reinforce what you learned. These mini-reviews are a great way to study on the go, and they give you a taste of what it’s like inside Study Sesh , my audio study tool for busy nursing students. If you need a brush-up on ostomies before you do this podquiz, I've got you covered in episode 473. 🧠 Ready to quiz yourself? Let’s dive in! 👉Want more practice like this? Check out Study...
