#447: Defibrillation 101

If you’ve ever watched a medical drama or spent any amount of time in the clinical setting, you’ve seen a crash cart and have a general idea of what defibrillation is. In this lesson, we’ll dive deeper into defibrillation so you can feel confident when working with patients, practicing a mock code blue, or simply answering questions on an exam.  Here's what you'll learn: - What defibrillation is and why it's important - Which rhythms you can defibrillate - How defibrillation works - Types of defibrillators and settings - Safe and successful defibrillation ___________________ 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 dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school without it taking over your life! Study Sesh - Change the way you study with this private podcast that includes dynamic audio formats including podquizzes, case studies and drills that help you review and test your recall of important nursing concepts on-the-go. Free yourself from your desk with Study Sesh!  Med Surg Solution - Are you looking for a more effective way to learn Med Surg? Enroll in Med Surg Solution and get lessons on 57 key topics and out-of-this-world study guides.  Fast Pharmacology - Learn pharmacology concepts in 5 minutes or less in this audio based program. Perfect for on-the-go review! Electrolytes Study Guide - This informative bundle of one-page fact sheets has the key details you need to understand the important roles that electrolytes play. Being able to apply your interpretation of lab values is key to your nursing school success! 💕Did you love this episode? Please take a moment to follow or subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode! ___________________ The information, including but not limited to, audio, video, text, and graphics contained on this podcast are for educational purposes only. No content on this podcast is intended to guide nursing practice and does not supersede any individual healthcare provider's scope of practice or any nursing school curriculum. Additionally, no content on this podcast is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Straight A Nursing is a proud member of the Airwave Media Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 talking about starting your shift off on the right foot by doing three things. ___________________ 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 without it taking over your life! 20 Secrets of Successful Nursing Students – Learn key strategies that will help you be a successful nursing student with this FREE guide! All Straight A Nursing Resources - Check out everything Straight A Nursing has to offer, including free resources and online courses to help you succeed! 💕Did you love this episode? Please take a moment to follow or subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode! ___________________ The information, including but not limited to, audio, video, text, and graphics contained on this podcast are for educational purposes only. No content on this podcast is intended to guide nursing practice and does not supersede any individual healthcare provider's scope of practice or any nursing school curriculum. Additionally, no content on this podcast is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Straight a Nursing is a proud member of the Airwave Media Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every other week I'm republishing one of my most popular or impactful episodes and adding an update, new insight, or context that will help you benefit from it even more. This week I'm highlighting Episode 101, which is all about first, second and third-degree heart blocks.  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 straight ___________________ ⁠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 dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school without it taking over your life! ⁠Clinical Success Pack⁠ - One of the best ways to fast-track your clinical learning is having the right tools. This FREE pack includes report sheets, sheets to help you plan your day, a clinical debrief form, and a patient safety cheat sheet.  Med Surg Solution⁠ - Are you looking for a more effective way to learn Med Surg? Enroll in Med Surg Solution and get lessons on 57 key topics and out-of-this-world study guides.  ⁠Study Sesh⁠ - Change the way you study with this private podcast that includes dynamic audio formats that help you review and test your recall of important nursing concepts on-the-go. Free yourself from your desk with Study Sesh! ⁠All Straight A Nursing Resources⁠ - Check out everything Straight A Nursing has to offer, including free resources and online courses to help you succeed throughout nursing school! 💕Did you love this episode? Please take a moment to follow or subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode! ___________________ The information, including but not limited to, audio, video, text, and graphics contained on this podcast are for educational purposes only. No content on this podcast is intended to guide nursing practice and does not supersede any individual healthcare provider's scope of practice or any nursing school curriculum. Additionally, no content on this podcast is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Straight a Nursing is a proud member of the Airwave Media Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I remember being a brand-new nurse and thinking my biggest challenge would be learning critical-care pathophysiology. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t. What really caught me off guard was “nurse shock.” It's an intense, disorienting phase where real-world nursing feels nothing like what I expected. In this powerful conversation with my nurse bestie and fellow educator Stephanie Griffeth, we talk about what nurse shock actually is, why it happens, and most importantly, how to move through it without losing your confidence or your spark. In this encore episode, you’ll learn: 💡 The three main factors that contribute to nurse shock 🩺 How to take care of yourself while learning to care for others 🧠 Why emotional regulation is just as vital as clinical skill 💬 Practical ways to find your footing and feel like yourself again If you’re in that “I thought I’d feel more confident by now” stage — this episode is for you! And because confidence doesn’t come from guessing — it comes from growth — you’re invited to check out a sneak peek inside Confident Nurse Academy 2.0. 🎥 Watch the sneak peek video Inside CNA, you’ll find actionable tools to strengthen your clinical judgment, manage your shifts with calm efficiency, and rebuild your confidence from the inside out. Learn more about CNA here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 talking about highlighting when note-taking and giving you a simple five-color system that actually makes sense for nursing school. ___________________ 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 without it taking over your life! 20 Secrets of Successful Nursing Students – Learn key strategies that will help you be a successful nursing student with this FREE guide! All Straight A Nursing Resources - Check out everything Straight A Nursing has to offer, including free resources and online courses to help you succeed! 💕Did you love this episode? Please take a moment to follow or subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode! ___________________ The information, including but not limited to, audio, video, text, and graphics contained on this podcast are for educational purposes only. No content on this podcast is intended to guide nursing practice and does not supersede any individual healthcare provider's scope of practice or any nursing school curriculum. Additionally, no content on this podcast is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Straight a Nursing is a proud member of the Airwave Media Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever heard of injecting bubbles into someone’s vein on purpose? Sounds wild, right? But that’s exactly what a bubble study (AKA an “agitated saline study”) does. And it’s actually a safe and effective way to detect abnormal blood flow in the heart and lungs. In this episode, you’ll learn: What a bubble study is and how it works The key clinical indications How to interpret the timing of bubble appearance on ultrasound How to assist with this procedure Tips for conducting a safe study 🎧 Tune in and get the inside scoop on the test that brings invisible shunts to light! ___________________ 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 dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school without it taking over your life! Study Sesh - Change the way you study with this private podcast that includes dynamic audio formats including podquizzes, case studies and drills that help you review and test your recall of important nursing concepts on-the-go. Free yourself from your desk with Study Sesh!  Med Surg Solution - Are you looking for a more effective way to learn Med Surg? Enroll in Med Surg Solution and get lessons on 57 key topics and out-of-this-world study guides.  Fast Pharmacology - Learn pharmacology concepts in 5 minutes or less in this audio based program. Perfect for on-the-go review! Electrolytes Study Guide - This informative bundle of one-page fact sheets has the key details you need to understand the important roles that electrolytes play. Being able to apply your interpretation of lab values is key to your nursing school success! 💕Did you love this episode? Please take a moment to follow or subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode! ___________________ The information, including but not limited to, audio, video, text, and graphics contained on this podcast are for educational purposes only. No content on this podcast is intended to guide nursing practice and does not supersede any individual healthcare provider's scope of practice or any nursing school curriculum. Additionally, no content on this podcast is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Straight A Nursing is a proud member of the Airwave Media Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You’ve survived nursing school, passed the NCLEX, and landed your first job, but being a new grad nurse comes with its own unique set of challenges. In this encore episode, I’m joined by my nurse bestie and incredible educator, Stephanie Griffeth, to talk about the number one mistake new grad nurses make — and what to do instead. (Spoiler alert: It’s not about charting, IVs, or time management.) In this episode, you’ll learn: ✨ What this common mistake looks like in real-world practice 💬 How to shift your mindset from self-doubt to self-trust 🧠 The key to turning every shift (even the tough ones) into growth 💪 Practical ways to build confidence as you transition from student to nurse And because confidence is so important, you’re invited to check out a sneak peek inside Confident Nurse Academy 2.0 — a CE-approved roadmap for new and early-career nurses who want to finally feel calm, capable, and in control. 🎥 Watch the sneak peek video here You’ll see exactly how CNA helps you build clinical judgment, manage your shifts, and step into the confident nurse you’re meant to be. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 talking about three big red flags you never want to miss in a post-op patient. These are quick, easy to remember, and could save your patient’s life. Grab your earbuds and dive in. ___________________ 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 without it taking over your life! 20 Secrets of Successful Nursing Students – Learn key strategies that will help you be a successful nursing student with this FREE guide! All Straight A Nursing Resources - Check out everything Straight A Nursing has to offer, including free resources and online courses to help you succeed! 💕Did you love this episode? Please take a moment to follow or subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode! ___________________ The information, including but not limited to, audio, video, text, and graphics contained on this podcast are for educational purposes only. No content on this podcast is intended to guide nursing practice and does not supersede any individual healthcare provider's scope of practice or any nursing school curriculum. Additionally, no content on this podcast is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Straight a Nursing is a proud member of the Airwave Media Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Encore episode, I'm talking about something that can rattle even the most experienced nurses. Your heart races, adrenaline spikes, and every second counts. In this episode, we’re walking through a mock code blue from start to finish so you can better understand the flow, roles, and rapid decisions that happen in those critical moments. And if you want to take your confidence even further, you’ll love getting a sneak peek lesson inside Confident Nurse Academy 2.0: 👉 Confident Code Blue Response. In this free lesson, you’ll see exactly how to assess, act, and communicate like a pro during a code. Click here to get code blue confident! 💕Did you love this episode? Please take a moment to follow or subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode! ___________________ The information, including but not limited to, audio, video, text, and graphics contained on this podcast are for educational purposes only. No content on this podcast is intended to guide nursing practice and does not supersede any individual healthcare provider's scope of practice or any nursing school curriculum. Additionally, no content on this podcast is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On mobile? Listen with your favorite podcast player here. Every other week I’m republishing one of my most popular or impactful episodes and adding an update, new insight, or context that will help you benefit from it even more. This week I’m highlighting Episode 277 which is all about what I call the "doorway assessment". As the nurse, one of your key responsibilities is to notice changes in patient condition…and that can be difficult to do in a timely manner if you’re not assessing your patient on a very consistent basis. Cue the doorway assessment: observations you can make unobtrusively and consistently...from the doorway. 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 without it taking over your life! Clinical Success Pack - One of the best ways to fast-track your clinical learning is having the right tools. This FREE pack includes report sheets, sheets to help you plan your day, a clinical debrief form, and a patient safety cheat sheet.  Med Surg Solution - Are you looking for a more effective way to learn Med Surg? Enroll in Med Surg Solution and get lessons on 57 key topics and out-of-this-world study guides.  More Nursing Assessment Episodes - If you liked this doorway assessment episode, check out other assessment episodes ranging from head-to-toe to focused assessments. 💕Did you love this episode? Please take a moment to follow or subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode! ___________________ The information, including but not limited to, audio, video, text, and graphics contained on this podcast are for educational purposes only. No content on this podcast is intended to guide nursing practice and does not supersede any individual healthcare provider's scope of practice or any nursing school curriculum. Additionally, no content on this podcast is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Straight A Nursing is a proud member of the Airwave Media Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices