Clostridioides difficile, formerly known as Clostridium difficile, is an anaerobic, spore-forming bacillus that causes a serious bacterial infection in the colon. It is spread through the fecal-oral route and once ingested, the spores travel to the small intestine where they become vegetative, and then on to the colon where they reproduce and release toxins. It’s the toxins that cause severe inflammation and the symptoms associated with a C. diff infection (CDI): Toxin A: attracts neutrophils and monocytes Toxin B: weakens the epithelial cells of the colon and is thought to be the main contri ..read more

I’m sharing one of my favorites from the Rapid Response RN podcast with you in this special bonus episode! If you haven’t started listening to this podcast yet, you are going to LOVE Sarah! Her podcast helps nurses boost their confidence when responding to emergencies. New episodes drop every Friday, so make sure you are following the Rapid Response RN show, too! ___________________ Rapid Response and Rescue Class – Take your assessment and emergency response skills to the next level with this training from Sarah Lorenzini, the Rapid Response RN! FREE CLASS – If all you’ve heard are nursing s ..read more

What is dysphagia? Dysphagia is a condition in which the individual has difficulty swallowing. Proper swallowing relies on a complex coordination involving more than 30 nerves and muscles. When even one of these elements fails to work properly, dysphagia can result.  There are four stages of swallowing and each stage relies on multiple muscles working together: The oral preparatory stage –  This stage involves chewing food and mixing it with saliva to form a bolus. The oral propulsion stage – In this stage, the tongue pushes the food into the throat and swallowing is initiated. The ..read more

If you’re learning about advanced Med Surg concepts or even working in the clinical setting, you’ve no doubt heard of pulmonary embolism. But did you know it goes beyond impaired gas exchange? Hit play on this episode to learn how a pulmonary embolism can impair cardiac function, potentially leading to devastating consequences. In this episode, you’ll review foundation concepts to help you understand this connection: Cardiopulmonary circulation Pulmonary embolism pathophysiology The factors that contribute to blood pressure ___________________ Full Transcript – Read the article and view ref ..read more

If you’re learning about advanced Med Surg concepts or even working in the clinical setting, you’ve no doubt heard of pulmonary embolism and might initially think the main consequence is impaired gas exchange. However, another significant complication of a large pulmonary embolism is impaired cardiac function which can lead to decreased cardiac output, significant hypotension and even cardiovascular collapse.  In order to fully grasp this concept, it’s important to have an underlying understanding of cardiopulmonary circulation, the pathology that occurs in a pulmonary embolism, and the f ..read more

If you’ve ever thought that CRNA school might be in your future, the time to start preparing is now…even if you’re not in nursing school yet! In this episode, I’m joined by Jenny Finnell, CRNA and CEO of CRNA School Prep Academy. Not only is Jenny a great mentor, but she’s also extremely knowledgeable about what it takes to get into a CRNA program.  Hit play on this episode to get some of your questions about the path to CRNA school, such as:  How do you know if CRNA school is the right career path for you? What sorts of things does a CRNA do? When is the ideal time to start preppi ..read more

Dextro transposition of the great arteries (D TGA) is a congenital cyanotic heart defect in which the pulmonary artery and the aorta are transposed. In this lesson, you’ll review normal cardiopulmonary circulation (which is essential to understanding this condition) and learn:  How the abnormal anatomy of D TGA affects physiology Why you actually want the child with D TGA to have another congenital heart defect Signs and symptoms of D TGA How the condition is diagnosed Risk factors for developing this congenital heart defect Treatments for D TGA ___________________ Full Transcript – Re ..read more

Dextro transposition of the great arteries (D TGA) is a congenital cyanotic heart defect in which the pulmonary artery and the aorta are transposed. Another type of TGA is levo transposition of the great arteries (L TGA), in which the aorta is to the left of the pulmonary artery. In this article, you’ll learn about D TGA as it is the most common form, and also the most serious. To fully understand the implications of this condition, it’s helpful to review normal cardiopulmonary circulation. Review of cardiopulmonary circulation In normal physiology, blood flows from the system into the inferio ..read more

Air embolism is a rare, but potentially fatal, event that occurs when a bolus of air enters the vascular space. The risks and consequences depend on which type of air embolism has occurred – venous or arterial. In this episode, you’ll learn: The differences between venous and arterial air embolism Causes and risk factors for air embolism Signs and symptoms of venous and arterial air embolism Tests conducted when air embolism is suspected How patients with air embolism are treated Nursing interventions to prevent air embolism ___________________ Full Transcript – Read the article and view re ..read more

Air embolism is a rare, but potentially fatal, event that occurs when a bolus of air enters the vascular space. There are two types of air embolism – venous and arterial. To really understand this concept, you need to have a good understanding of cardiopulmonary circulation. So let’s review that pathway.  Deoxygenated blood comes from venous circulation throughout the body and enters the right atrium. From there it flows into the right ventricle and out through the pulmonary artery into pulmonary circulation. This is where gas exchange takes place. The red blood cells offload CO2 and pick ..read more