Straight A Nursing

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to piece together how blood pressure, fluid balance, and heart failure meds all connect, this episode is for you. In this lesson, we’re diving into the RAAS pathway, also known as the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, and how this one system plays a major role in so many things you’ll encounter in nursing school and beyond. You’ll learn how RAAS helps regulate systemic vascular resistance and fluid volume, which ultimately impact cardiac output and blood pressure. I’ll walk you through the three main components—renin, angiotensin, and aldosterone—and show you exactly how they interact to keep the body in balance. We’ll also cover the medications that disrupt this pathway, including ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and aldosterone receptor blockers. These are foundational drugs used to treat hypertension and heart failure, and understanding the pathway gives you a deeper understanding of why and how they work. Plus, we touch on the role of pharmacologic angiotensin II in hypot

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 how to use comparison tables to streamline your studying. You don't want to this miss this episode! ___________________ 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!

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 147, which is all about SBAR communication. One thing I cannot stress enough with SBAR is that practice really does make perfect. So, give this one a listen and perfect your SBAR game! ___________________ 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! Crucial Concepts Bootcamp – Start nursing school ahead of the game, or reset after a difficult first semester with my nursing school prep course, Crucial Concepts Bootcamp. Learn key foundation concepts, organization and time management, dosage calculations, and so much more. Clinical Succ

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 some common mistakes that can cause a falsely elevated blood pressure - some of these may surprise you! ___________________ 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!

Have I got a treat for you this week! In this episode I’m releasing the first chapter of my new book, The Ultimate Nursing School Thrive Guide! This book is the updated and expanded version of the original Thrive Guide with a lot more information and even more helpful tips to help you thrive in nursing school.  This book is for you if you’re starting nursing school soon and want to jump in without all the stress, uncertainty and fear that you see so many other students dealing with. If you’re looking for a nursing school BFF who’s been where you are and who also has the insight only an experienced nursing school instructor can have, this book should be next on your reading list! The Ultimate Nursing School Thrive Guide is available on Amazon. Or visit the Straight A Nursing website for more information and bulk orders. ___________________ 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

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 some key things that can worsen orthostatic hypotension, which puts your patient at very high risk for falls and injury. So, let’s keep our patients safe and hit play on this episode!  ___________________ 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!

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 #69, which is all about imposter syndrome. I've talked about imposter syndrome time and time again to different groups of nursing students and that's because almost every single person can relate. If you've ever said to yourself, "I don't belong here" or "They're going to find out I don't know what I'm talking about" then you may very well suffer from imposter syndrome. In this podcast episode, Nurse Mo talks about imposter syndrome, why it's so common in nursing students and why it has absolutely nothing to do with how amazing you actually are. ___________________ ⁠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

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 five common causes of post-op fever. Hit play on this episode to take even better care of your surgical patients! ___________________ 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!

Get ready for nursing school with Crucial Concepts Bootcamp. This nursing school prep course is on sale right now, plus you get a free Electrolytes Study Guide and a free 2-week trial for Med Surg Solution. Check out Crucial Concepts Bootcamp here! Sale runs July 6 - Aug 11, 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If there’s one thing nursing students are familiar with, besides early mornings and endless exams, it’s a tight budget. Between juggling school, part-time jobs, and sky-high stress levels, managing your money can feel like one more thing on an already overflowing to-do list. In this episode, I’m introducing you to a simple, hands-on budgeting method that’s been trending on social media for good reason: cash stuffing, also known as the envelope system. Whether you're trying to make your student loan stretch, pay the rent, or just want to avoid those “how did I spend that much?” moments, this method can help you take control of your finances in a way that’s visual, satisfying, and even kind of fun! I’ll walk you through: Exactly what cash stuffing is and how it works A step-by-step guide to setting up your own budget, even with a variable income How to create “sinking funds” for things like NCLEX fees or yearly expenses Tips for using this system alongside online purchases (because yes, Amazon st

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 a very common situation that can drastically exacerbate MS symptoms (and what you can do to help!)  ___________________ 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!

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 236, which highlights some key medical terms that you might not yet know. And, if you’re like me, your confidence goes way up when you actually understand what people are talking about. Imagine that! When I was a student (and new nurse) I remember hearing medical terms all the time that would make me think, “I should probably know what that means, but I’m too embarrassed to ask.” And I hated how that made me feel… lost, incompetent, out of the loop, and unsure of myself. You can imagine what feeling this way did to my confidence level. Yep…pretty low sometimes. In this episode I’m diving into some common medical terms that students (and even experienced nurses) often feel a little unsure about…terms like: Sensitivity vs specificity Hypoxia vs hypoxemia Crystalloid vs colloid And let’s

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 the key differences between the three forms of epinephrine. So if you’ve ever been a bit confused between 1:1,000 and 1:10,000 epi, hit play on this episode! ___________________ 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!

Feeling overwhelmed by the NCLEX prep options out there? You’re not alone! I’m breaking down four of the most popular NCLEX prep programs in this episode so you can compare them side by side and find the best fit for your learning style, timeline, and budget. We’ll look at pricing, question banks, access duration, standout features, pass rates, guarantees, and more. Whether you need personalized coaching, want budget-friendly options, or prefer a more self-paced approach, you’ll get an idea of which option makes the most sense for you. Plus, I’m sharing super affordable Straight A Nursing tools that can help you prep for the NCLEX without breaking the bank. ___________________ Straight A Nursing App – Study 5,000+ flashcards on your phone for just $5.99/month Study Sesh Podcast – 5,000+ audio flashcards for on-the-go review Fast Pharmacology – 100 bite-sized lessons + printable guides Med Surg Solution – Covers 60+ common conditions with downloadable study tools.

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 the six key signs that your patient is suffering limb ischemia. You don't want to miss this episode, because seconds can count when blood flow is lost!  ___________________ 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!

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 116, which is all about pediatric pharmacology. When you understand these key foundation concepts, the whole subject of pharm gets a whole lot easier. Enjoy! As cute and adorable as they are, kids are not just tiny adults. Especially when it comes to pharmacology. The way kids absorb, distribute, metabolize and excrete drugs varies greatly, making pediatric pharmacology a truly unique subject.  If you’re heading into your pediatric rotation or starting out as a new pediatric RN, then pop in those earbuds. I’ll talk you through the key things you need to know to utilize medications safely in this very special and vulnerable population.  ___________________ ⁠Full Transcript⁠ - Read the article and view references ⁠FREE CLASS⁠ - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this cla

I am so excited about the episode I’ve got for you this week and that’s because it’s a topic that is incredibly close to my heart. As you may know, I’ve been living with a bone marrow disorder and was diagnosed just a few months after I started working as a nurse. Since then, I’ve shared my experiences with this condition on the Straight A Nursing podcast and am delighted to take it even deeper with you this week. In this special episode sponsored by Incyte, I sit down with Becca Claassen, a dedicated oncology nurse with Incyte and a fellow MPN warrior. Join us as we delve into the complexities of living with and caring for patients with this rare form of blood cancer. Not sure what an MPN is? An MPN, or myeloproliferative neoplasm, is a group of rare, chronic blood cancers in which a person’s bone marrow does not function properly. And, as you can imagine, these conditions pose unique challenges for your patients that can range from day-to-day symptom management to reducing the risk of serious thrombotic e

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 sharing an important tip for inserting a Foley catheter in patients with enlarged prostates. You don't want to miss this episode, because trying to force the catheter is a quick path to injury, pain, and infection. Hit play and find out what to do instead! ___________________ 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!

Ready to squeeze in some dynamic NCLEX prep, even on a busy day? Let’s go! In this PodQuiz episode, we’re doing Q&A – just like flashcards, but for your ears. Whether you’re driving, folding laundry, or walking the dog, you can quiz yourself on-the-go and reinforce key nursing concepts without sitting at a desk or staring at a screen. This format is what I use inside Study Sesh, and it’s designed to help you actively recall important information—one of the most effective ways to study for the NCLEX. In this episode, we’re focusing on an assortment of topics you'll encounter on the NCLEX, so get ready to test your knowledge, sharpen your thinking, and boost your confidence. ___________________ 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!  Fast Pharmacology - This audio-based progr

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 the importance of effective communication with patients who speak another language. And while it is definitely handy to know a few key phrases in languages such as Spanish or Russian, to truly take care of these patients you’re going to need to go deeper. Tune in to understand why and how! ___________________ 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!