The Nurse Gwenny Podcast

Nurse Gwenny

The Nurse Gwenny Podcast features fun, engaging conversations about prehospital and emergency nursing, mixed with real-life stories, practical insights, and a supportive learning environment. Whether you're a new nurse finding your footing or a seasoned clinician who loves a good shift story, Nurse Gwenny breaks down complex topics with humor, honesty, and clinical wisdom. Any patient cases discussed will have identifying details changed to protect patient privacy. For more information about earning continuing education credits, visit www.NurseGwenny.com Content is available for CNEs accredited by the Kansas Board of Nursing via The Nurse Gwenny Library, where learning is fun and nerds are cool!

Episodes

  1. Jul 10

    Rapid Response Calls That Never Should Have Happened with Sarah Lorenzini TheRapidResponseRN

    Rapid Response Calls That Never Should Have Happened | Early Warning Signs, Shock Index & Bedside Report On the Nurse Gwenny Podcast, Sarah Lorenzini, friend and contributor to The Nurse Gwenny Library joins Nurse Gwenny for the final episode of season one. Sarah, TheRapidResponseRN, explains what “rapid responses that never should have happened” look like. These two powerhouse nursing educators discuss scenarios where warning signs were present for hours or staff concerns weren’t heard. TheRapidResponseRN describes critical care experience and certifications often needed for rapid response work and how her dedicated team both responds to and tries to prevent emergencies using tools like MEWS. Sarah walks through two cases: a patient with worsening tachycardia and hypotension who was treated with metoprolol and fluids without timely reassessment, later found in septic shock requiring vasopressors, ICU care, ARDS, CRRT, and weeks of hospitalization; and an ortho patient who likely developed a brain bleed overnight after missed bedside shift reports and assessments, ultimately dying despite a tech escalating concerns. Nurse Gwenny and Sarah Lorenzini emphasize shock index, full patient assessment, relying on techs, normalization of deviance, and speaking up for patients. Find more of Sarah Lorenzini's work in The Nurse Gwenny Library and her own site www.RapidResponseAndRescue.com or on Instagram as TheRapidResponseRN. 00:00 See The Human First 01:29 Meet TheRapidResponseRN , Sarah Lorenzini 02:19 What Rapid Response Means 03:49 Building The RRT Team 04:19 Proactive Rounds And MEWS 05:32 Grace For Med Surg Reality 08:44 Flight Ready In Person Class Announcement 09:08 Case One Warning Signs Missed 13:30 Septic Shock Takeaways 15:31 Shock Index And Teamwork 20:18 ICU Outcome And Advocacy 22:10 Advocating Beyond Tasks 23:14 Swiss Cheese Handoff Fail 26:17 Missed Neuro Decline 27:51 Why Bedside Report Matters 29:49 Normalization of Deviance 32:59 Trust Your Nursing Gut 35:48 Triage and Eyeballing Patients 37:52 New Nurse Pattern Recognition 38:41 Proud Moment Self Care 40:42 Podcast Wrap and Resources

    Rapid Response Calls That Never Should Have Happened with Sarah Lorenzini TheRapidResponseRN
  2. Jun 26

    Dream Teammates

    Dream Teammates: What Makes Someone Great to Work With? In this episode of the Nurse Gwenny Podcast, Nurse Gwenny and Mr. Nurse Gwenny host Martin aka The Mustache Medic Martin. Together, they explore a simple but powerful question: What makes a dream teammate? The Core Traits of Exceptional Teammates Several foundational characteristics are highlighted: Trustworthiness – People who do what they say they'll do and act with integrity.Reliability – Showing up consistently, physically and mentally.Teachability – Being open to feedback, growth, and new perspectives.Humility – Putting the team and patient needs ahead of ego.Accountability – Taking ownership of actions and striving for excellence. One key takeaway: while technical skills can be taught, qualities like integrity, humility, and self-discipline must be intentionally developed. Great Teams Create Great Culture The discussion highlights how healthy cultures naturally reinforce positive behaviors and discourage unhealthy ones. Strong teammates aren't afraid to provide honest feedback, challenge poor decisions, and help each other improve. The Nurse Gwenny, Martin and Mr. Nurse Gwenny emphasize that the best partners(in the helicopter, ambulance and at home) are those who can: Hold each other accountable.Communicate respectfully.Create psychological safety.Make learning feel encouraged rather than intimidating. The Importance of Humor and Perspective Working in emergency medicine exposes clinicians to trauma, loss, and high-stress situations. One concept that resonated throughout the conversation was the "beauty-to-death ratio." The idea is simple: the more tragedy and suffering we witness, the more intentionally we need to seek moments of beauty, joy, laughter, and connection. TheMustacheMedic shares stories of partners who knew exactly when to inject humor into difficult situations, helping their teams process stress while staying resilient. This concept also touches on a core value of The Nurse Gwenny Library; to make learning fun! Character Matters On and Off the Job The habits, discipline, and integrity people demonstrate in everyday life often show up in their professional performance as well. Whether caring for patients, leading a business, or supporting coworkers, consistency of character builds trust and credibility. Nurse Gwenny also discussed the importance of reputation, noting that healthcare is a surprisingly small world. How people treat others, manage relationships, and handle adversity can have long-lasting effects on future opportunities. Final Takeaway The dream teammate isn't defined by technical expertise alone. They're someone who combines competence with character. A dream teammate is someone who is trustworthy, reliable, teachable, humble, and committed to helping others succeed. Whether in healthcare, business, or everyday life, the qualities that make a great teammate are the same qualities that make a great person. Question for listeners: What's one quality that makes someone a dream teammate in your experience?

    Dream Teammates
5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

The Nurse Gwenny Podcast features fun, engaging conversations about prehospital and emergency nursing, mixed with real-life stories, practical insights, and a supportive learning environment. Whether you're a new nurse finding your footing or a seasoned clinician who loves a good shift story, Nurse Gwenny breaks down complex topics with humor, honesty, and clinical wisdom. Any patient cases discussed will have identifying details changed to protect patient privacy. For more information about earning continuing education credits, visit www.NurseGwenny.com Content is available for CNEs accredited by the Kansas Board of Nursing via The Nurse Gwenny Library, where learning is fun and nerds are cool!

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