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Up My Nursing Game

Up My Nursing Game

Educational podcast for curious bedside nurses

Triage Fundamentals: Emergency Severity Index (ESI)

The emergency severity index, or ESI, is meant to swiftly triage patients based on urgency and resource needs. In this episode emergency nurse, Kevin MacFarlane, shares his techniques for determining ESI scores, from identifying true level one resuscitation cases to non-urgent level five medication refills. You'll gain a comprehensive understanding of how ESI goes beyond just categorizing medical emergencies to account for quality of life impacts. Kevin also offers a glimpse into the future role of AI in revolutionizing triage protocols - a must-listen for any nurse committed to providing the right care at the right time. Mentioned in this episode: The Art of Emergency Nursing Podcast How Not to Kill Your Patient Podcast Check out Nicole Kupchik's exam reviews and practice questions at nicolekupchikconsulting.com. Use the promo code UPMYGAME20 to get 20% off all products. Do you need help with your resume, interviewing, or need career coaching? Check out Sarah at New Thing Nurse: Get 15% off of her resume and cover letter templates using the promo code UPMYGAME Nursing students and new grad career services  Experienced RN career services NP career services See the show notes at upmynursinggame.com.
April 16, 2024

Spontaneous Awakening Trials with Kali Dayton, DNP

Sedation and delirium can derail even the strongest patient's recovery in the ICU - but spontaneous awakening trials (SATs) can empower nurses to get ahead of this vicious cycle. In this candid episode, I pick the brain of Kali Dayton, an ICU nurse practitioner fervent about early mobility. Kali pulls back the curtain on SATs, a tragically misunderstood intervention that involves stopping sedatives each day to reconnect with the patient. With a mix of hard data and bedside wisdom, Kali reveals SATs as a game-changer for bettering outcomes like delirium, ventilator days, and the chance of discharge to home. You'll hear practical tips on everything from managing agitated awakenings to recruiting family as awakening coaches. Whether you're routinely pawing through SAT policies or clueless about this critical care practice, this lively dialogue will upend assumptions about sedation and empower you to maximize your impact. Mentioned in this episode: RASS survey Check out Nicole Kupchik's exam reviews and practice questions at nicolekupchikconsulting.com. Use the promo code UPMYGAME20 to get 20% off all products. Do you need help with your resume, interviewing, or need career coaching? Check out Sarah at New Thing Nurse: Get 15% off of her resume and cover letter templates using the promo code UPMYGAME Nursing students and new grad career services  Experienced RN career services NP career services See the show notes at upmynursinggame.com.
March 19, 2024

Getting the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Score (RASS) Right: How to Assess and Why It Matters

Proper sedation management is critical for improving outcomes, yet studies show a widespread problem of inaccurate Richmond Agitation-Sedation Score (RASS) assessments by nurses. In this revealing episode, Kali Dayton DNP, shares her technique to accurately and objectively measure the RASS and why this matter for our patient's outcomes. Check out Nicole Kupchik's exam reviews and practice questions at nicolekupchikconsulting.com. Use the promo code UPMYGAME20 to get 20% off all products. Do you need help with your resume, interviewing, or need career coaching? Check out Sarah at New Thing Nurse: Get 15% off of her resume and cover letter templates using the promo code UPMYGAME Nursing students and new grad career services  Experienced RN career services NP career services See the show notes at upmynursinggame.com.
March 5, 2024

Anesthesia and Surgery Deconstructed: A CRNA’s Perspective

Ever wonder what goes on behind the operating room doors? In this episode, we pull back the curtain on the fascinating world of anesthesia and surgery. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists Tanner and Cole from the Core Anesthesia podcast provide an insider's look at the perioperative process, from pre-op preparation to the orchestrated induction of anesthesia to navigating complications post-op. With vivid detail and expert insights, they break down the physiology behind general anesthesia, reveal secrets of the OR, and equip nurses with knowledge to better support surgical patients. Whether you’re an ICU, ER, or floor nurse, you’ll gain invaluable perspective on the surgical experience.Check out Nicole Kupchik's exam reviews and practice questions at nicolekupchikconsulting.com. Use the promo code UPMYGAME20 to get 20% off all products.Do you need help with your resume, interviewing, or need career coaching? Check out Sarah at New Thing Nurse: Get 15% off of her resume and cover letter templates using the promo code UPMYGAME Nursing students and new grad career services  Experienced RN career services NP career services See the show notes at upmynursinggame.com. Time Stamps [06:16] - Pre-operative process, pre-anesthesia clinic visits, elective versus emergent preparation [18:02] - Overview of the induction process to put a patient under general anesthesia. [27:24] - Anesthesia: gases versus IV [42:47] - Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV)[44:08] - Postoperative urinary retention (PO-UR)
February 20, 2024

Beyond Pressure Injuries: The Complex Physiology of Immobility with Margaret Arnold, PT

We all know that staying in bed increases the risk of pressure injuries and DVTs. But the adverse effects of immobilization go far beyond those basics. In this eye-opening episode, Margaret Arnold, PT pulls back the curtain on the rapid and surprising physiological changes that occur when your patients are inactive. You’ll learn about the hidden dangers of immobility most nurses overlook, spanning metabolic, musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, and neurological systems. We’ll also equip you with practical tips to incorporate safe mobilization into your busy shift. This discussion will drastically change the way you view the vital importance of patient mobility.Check out Margaret's Early Mobility Conference this April 2024. I will be there!Learn more about the physiology of immobility with Margaret's webpage The Difference a Day Can Make: The Effects of Immobility.Check out Nicole Kupchik's exam reviews and practice questions at nicolekupchikconsulting.com. Use the promo code UPMYGAME20 to get 20% off all products.Do you need help with your resume, interviewing, or need career coaching? Check out Sarah at New Thing Nurse: Get 15% off of her resume and cover letter templates using the promo code UPMYGAME Nursing students and new grad career services  Experienced RN career services NP career services See the show notes at upmynursinggame.com.
February 5, 2024

Valvular Heart Disease with Tim Madeira, DNP

In this episode, Tim Madeira, cardiothoracic DNP,  provides an overview of the primary heart valve diseases. He expertly guides us through the complex physiological processes underlying conditions like stenosis and valve regurgitation arising from congenital abnormalities, calcifications, infective endocarditis, and trauma. In addition, Tim outlines the latest evidence-based standards in surgical, percutaneous and medical interventions that nurses find themselves managing in the hospital.Check out Nicole Kupchik's exam reviews and practice questions at nicolekupchikconsulting.com. Use the promo code UPMYGAME20 to get 20% off all products.Do you need help with your resume, interviewing, or need career coaching? Check out Sarah at New Thing Nurse: Get 15% off of her resume and cover letter templates using the promo code UPMYGAME Nursing students and new grad career services  Experienced RN career services NP career services See the show notes at upmynursinggame.com.
January 22, 2024

Occupational Therapy and Verticalization Therapy with Philip Gonzalez, MOT

Listen in as I chat with Philip Gonzalez, a critical care occupational therapist. He will help us de-mystify the philosophy of occupational therapy, discuss how nurses cane help their patients make the most of their therapy sessions, and introduce us to verticalization therapy.Discussed in episodeVerticalization therapy is a therapeutic approach using equipment, manual assistance, or other various technologies to gradually tilt a patient from supine to 90 degrees in a slow and controlled manner, traditionally accomplished without any hip flexion using tilt tables. Check out Nicole Kupchik's exam reviews and practice questions at nicolekupchikconsulting.com. Use the promo code UPMYGAME20 to get 20% off all products.Do you need help with your resume, interviewing, or need career coaching? Check out Sarah at New Thing Nurse: Get 15% off of her resume and cover letter templates using the promo code UPMYGAME Nursing students and new grad career services  Experienced RN career services NP career services See the show notes at upmynursinggame.com.
January 8, 2024

Diltiazem: Cardiac Medication Mini Series, Part Four

Understanding Diltiazem is an important part of your cardiac skillset. It's indications range from blood pressure management, long term stable angina, to it's mainstay in the hospital setting: acute rate control of arrhythmias with rapid ventricular rates. This episode will cover Diltiazem's mechanism of action, its multiple indications for both acute and routine use, as well as important nursing considerations.Mentioned in the episode: ICU Advantage: Diltiazem (Cardizem) - CC Meds Strong Medicine by Dr. Eric Strong: Antiarrhytmics (Lesson 7 - How to Choose the Right Med and Classic Pitfalls) Check out Nicole Kupchik's exam reviews and practice questions at nicolekupchikconsulting.com. Use the promo code UPMYGAME20 to get 20% off all products.Do you need help with your resume, interviewing, or need career coaching? Check out Sarah at New Thing Nurse: Get 15% off of her resume and cover letter templates using the promo code UPMYGAME Nursing students and new grad career services  Experienced RN career services NP career services Up My Nursing Game is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE continuing education credits for registered nurses. Click here to obtain nursing credit.See the show notes at upmynursinggame.com.
December 6, 2023
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Up My Nursing Game

Up My Nursing Game is an educational nursing podcast for curious and driven acute, emergency, and critical care nurses who seek a deeper understanding of clinical subjects and want to broaden their understanding of patient care in the hospital setting.

No boring lectures here! Join Annie, RN, as she delivers high-value content, including interviews with members across the healthcare team that address common clinical questions, share unique perspectives, and covers what was missed in nursing school.

Host

Annie Fulton

Annie Fulton

Annie has been a nurse since 2014 with experience in medical-oncology, emergency, and intermediate care unit.

She is a wife and proud mother of a wonderfully silly seven-year-old boy. In her free time she enjoys traveling, working out, reading, and cooking.

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