Imagine being able to cut your hospital's code blue events outside of critical care in HALF in just six months. That's exactly what happened when Sarah built her hospital's rapid response team from the ground up.Nurse Gwenny takes over the show to find out how she did it, from the pitch that got the program started to the skills that actually matter on rapid response teams. She also shares what disqualifies a candidate even when the resume is perfect, why so few resources exist for rapid response training, and how she’s filling that gap herself.Whether you're hoping to start a rapid response program at your hospital or just want to feel more confident the next time you call one, this episode is for you.Topics discussed in this episode:How Sarah became a rapid response nurseThe backstory behind the Rapid Response RN PodcastThe impact of having a rapid response teamHow you can start a rapid response programRapid response education and (lack of) resourcesHiring red flags that override a strong resumeSoft skills nursing school never teachesTrusting nursing intuition when vitals look fineJoin the Nurse Gwenny Library to earn CE credits for listening to the show! Use code: rapidresponsernto get a discount on your membership:https://library.nursegwenny.com/bundles/nurse-gwenny-library-membershipMentioned in this episode:CONNECT 📸 Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapidresponsern/ 📚 Check out my course: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/learnmore 🧑‍💻Check out my website: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/ 📬 Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/login 🎁 Affiliation and discounts: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/therapidresponsern ✅ Earn CE’s for listening to podcasts through RNegade: https://rnegade.thinkific.com/?ref=d9d541 SAY THANKS 💜Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/rapid-response-rn/id1535997752 💚Leave a rating on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/55LQqeDg6XFeixvZLEp4xE ⏱️ To get the FREE Rapid Response RN Assessment Guide and the coupon code for $10 off the cost of the course, message Sarah on Instagram @TheRapidResponseRN and type the word PODCAST! This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

We all know the many challenges facing the Nursing profession today. Nursing takes so much from us… but it also has so much to offer.Recorded live at NurseCon at Sea, Sarah sits down with two nurses who hit their breaking point and found a way to keep showing up. This episode goes deep into the messy reality of nursing burnout, from the struggle to put yourself first to the boundaries, mindset shifts, and support systems that keep nurses in the game.You don't have to manage burnout alone, so don’t miss this one.Topics discussed in this episode:Self-care and resilience as a disciplineThe nursing choice: fracture or adaptBuilding a life that isn't fully defined by the institutionImportant things we don’t say to each otherWhat patients actually need from their nursesTherapy, medication, and sleep as nursing toolsAn exercise to audit your cup-fillers vs. cup-drainersWhy it’s so important to share your experienceHow leaders should respond when a nurse is nearing burnoutLearn more about NurseCon at Sea:https://nurseconatsea.com/Mentioned in this episode:CONNECT 📸 Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapidresponsern/ 📚 Check out my course: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/learnmore 🧑‍💻Check out my website: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/ 📬 Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/login 🎁 Affiliation and discounts: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/therapidresponsern ✅ Earn CE’s for listening to podcasts through RNegade: https://rnegade.thinkific.com/?ref=d9d541 SAY THANKS 💜Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/rapid-response-rn/id1535997752 💚Leave a rating on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/55LQqeDg6XFeixvZLEp4xE ⏱️ To get the FREE Rapid Response RN Assessment Guide and the coupon code for $10 off the cost of the course, message Sarah on Instagram @TheRapidResponseRN and type the word PODCAST! This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

Getting ROSC is not always the win we sometimes think it is. It's what we're looking for the entire resuscitation, but the real challenge begins once we get it… and what we do in the next few hours has a major impact on patient outcomes.In this episode, Sarah shares a real rapid response case to walk through the physiology, decision-making, and advocacy of post-arrest care. The 2025 AHA post resuscitation guidelines have brought important shifts to post-ROSC management, from how aggressively to oxygenate to when it's safe to prognosticate. Don't miss the full breakdown!Topics discussed in this episode:Oxygenation and ventilation: how to avoid hyperoxia and hypoxiaPerfusion, pressors, and the limits of MAPTemperature management guidelinesSedation, analgesia, and the paralyzed-but-awake patientDiagnostics: timing, priorities, and what to rule outHow to use neuroprognostication the right wayHow to talk to families without giving false hopeNursing priorities and how to advocate for your patientsCheck out the new Post Resuscitation Guidelines:https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001375Listen to episode 73 — Resuscitate Before You Intubate: How to NOT KILL YOUR PATIENT When You Intubate: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/73-resuscitate-before-you-intubate-how-to-not-kill/id1535997752?i=1000630431016Mentioned in this episode:AND If you are planning to sit for your CCRN and would like to take the Critical Care Academy CCRN prep course you can visit https://www.ccrnacademy.com and use coupon code RAPID10 to get 10% off the cost of the course!CONNECT 📸 Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapidresponsern/ 📚 Check out my course: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/learnmore 🧑‍💻Check out my website: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/ 📬 Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/login 🎁 Affiliation and discounts: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/therapidresponsern ✅ Earn CE’s for listening to podcasts through RNegade: https://rnegade.thinkific.com/?ref=d9d541 SAY THANKS 💜Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/rapid-response-rn/id1535997752 💚Leave a rating on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/55LQqeDg6XFeixvZLEp4xE ⏱️ To get the FREE Rapid Response RN Assessment Guide and the coupon code for $10 off the cost of the course, message Sarah on Instagram @TheRapidResponseRN and type the word PODCAST! This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

The AHA just updated the playbook on acute pulmonary embolism. The old classification system is gone. Heparin drips are no longer the default. And if your instinct is to push for intubation, that could be the thing that makes your patient worse.In this episode, Dr. Mark Creager, lead author of the 2026 AHA Multi-Society Guideline on Acute Pulmonary Embolism, breaks down exactly what's changed, how the new guidelines help teams make better decisions faster, and what nurses need to know about frontline PE management.Learn what the data says about oxygen therapy, anticoagulation, vasopressors, and the decisions that matter most when your PE patient starts to slide.Topics discussed in this episode:The new A to E classification system and how to categorize patientsClinical signs that your PE patient is deterioratingOxygen therapy: why intubation can be dangerousVasopressor therapy and when to add vasopressinLow-molecular-weight heparin vs. unfractionated heparinPE response teams: when to activate and who should be on the teamWhat you can do when your hospital has no PERTWhen to transfer by classification (and when it may be too late)The nurse's role in early recognition and escalationAnd you can check out the full AHA/ACC 2026 updated PE guideline here:https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001415Mentioned in this episode:Xshears are the best shearscheck em out here: https://xshear.com//discount/Rapid10 and you can use code RAPID10 to get 10% off your purchaseCONNECT 📸 Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapidresponsern/ 📚 Check out my course: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/learnmore 🧑‍💻Check out my website: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/ 📬 Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/login 🎁 Affiliation and discounts: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/therapidresponsern ✅ Earn CE’s for listening to podcasts through RNegade: https://rnegade.thinkific.com/?ref=d9d541 SAY THANKS 💜Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/rapid-response-rn/id1535997752 💚Leave a rating on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/55LQqeDg6XFeixvZLEp4xE ⏱️ To get the FREE Rapid Response RN Assessment Guide and the coupon code for $10 off the cost of the course, message Sarah on Instagram @TheRapidResponseRN and type the word PODCAST! This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

"There has to be a better way." We've all thought it. This episode is proof that nurses can be the ones to make it happen.In this episode, Sarah is joined by Kat Siaron, rapid response nurse and co-author of the RRT STAR study that shows what happens when nurses are empowered to act before a clear stroke diagnosis is made. They walk through a patient case that exposed a dangerous gap in inpatient stroke response, traps like sedation hangover that mask stroke presentations, and how the nurse-led Code Stroke process has drastically improved time to crucial intervention.You'll hear about the step-by-step workflow, where rapid response nurses and physicians fit in, and how you can advocate for change in your hospital.Topics discussed in this episode:The patient case that led to Kat’s RRT STAR studyWhy inpatient stroke times lag behind ER stroke timesThe consequences of ordering stat CT instead of Code StrokeSymptoms and prognosis of basilar strokeThe step-by-step Code Stroke processThe rapid response team's role in stroke activationResults and impact of the studyHow they overcame pushback to drive institutional changeStroke mimics and what to do nextHow to advocate for a nurse-led stroke alert at your hospitalRead Kat’s article, “Use of Rapid Response Teams to Expedite Imaging and Treatment for Inpatients With Acute Stroke:”https://aacnjournals.org/aacnacconline/article-abstract/36/4/317/32912/Use-of-Rapid-Response-Teams-to-Expedite-Imaging?redirectedFrom=fulltextMentioned in this episode:CONNECT 📸 Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapidresponsern/ 📚 Check out my course: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/learnmore 🧑‍💻Check out my website: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/ 📬 Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/login 🎁 Affiliation and discounts: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/therapidresponsern ✅ Earn CE’s for listening to podcasts through RNegade: https://rnegade.thinkific.com/?ref=d9d541 SAY THANKS 💜Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/rapid-response-rn/id1535997752 💚Leave a rating on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/55LQqeDg6XFeixvZLEp4xE ⏱️ To get the FREE Rapid Response RN Assessment Guide and the coupon code for $10 off the cost of the course, message Sarah on Instagram @TheRapidResponseRN and type the word PODCAST! This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com Listen to the In The Heart of Care Podcasthttps://link.cohostpodcasting.com/6598429e-e927-45b0-9b57-7dd34a09d803?d=seASyqjs7

The stroke guidelines just changed and it’s exciting and nuanced! What you do in the first 30 minutes could drastically change your patient's outcome. In this episode, Dr. Shyam Prabhakaran, neurologist and chief writer of the new 2026 AHA Stroke Guidelines, explains what's changed and how these guidelines are changing practice at the bedside.Stroke treatment decisions are getting faster, more nuanced, and more imaging-driven. Inclusion/exclusion criteria and whether to give thrombolytics, who is a candidate for thrombectomy, and when to touch the blood pressure have all been updated. Know the updates before your next stroke alert!Topics discussed in this episode:Introducing the classic extended window patient caseThrombolytics vs. thrombectomy explainedEMS destination decision: Choosing primary vs. comprehensive stroke centerHow reperfusion time windows have changedAdvanced imaging: ASPECTS and thrombectomy eligibilityTreatment options for patients presenting outside of the 4.5 hr windowBlood pressure management recommendationsWhat nurses should do in the first 15-30 minutesLVO red flags at the bedsidePediatric ischemic strokeCheck out the new AHA Stroke Guidelines:https://newsroom.heart.org/news/new-guideline-expands-stroke-treatment-for-adults-offers-first-pediatric-stroke-guidanceMentioned in this episode:CONNECT 📸 Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapidresponsern/ 📚 Check out my course: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/learnmore 🧑‍💻Check out my website: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/ 📬 Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/login 🎁 Affiliation and discounts: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/therapidresponsern ✅ Earn CE’s for listening to podcasts through RNegade: https://rnegade.thinkific.com/?ref=d9d541 SAY THANKS 💜Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/rapid-response-rn/id1535997752 💚Leave a rating on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/55LQqeDg6XFeixvZLEp4xE ⏱️ To get the FREE Rapid Response RN Assessment Guide and the coupon code for $10 off the cost of the course, message Sarah on Instagram @TheRapidResponseRN and type the word PODCAST! This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com Listen to the In The Heart of Care Podcasthttps://link.cohostpodcasting.com/6598429e-e927-45b0-9b57-7dd34a09d803?d=seASyqjs7

ARDS is one of the more complex syndromes we manage in critical care. More than just pulmonary edema, we are battling stiff lungs, refractory hypoxemia, rising pressures, and frequently making decisions that can either protect the lung or make things worse.In this episode, I’m joined by respiratory therapist Melody Bishop for a deep dive into ARDS ventilator management through the lens of physiology, evidence, and real bedside practice. We break down what’s actually happening in the lung, why some long-held practices have fallen out of favor, and how nurses and RTs can work together to make more precise, lung-protective decisions.If ARDS has ever felt like guesswork, this episode will help it make sense.Topics discussed in this episode:What ARDS looks like at the alveolar level and why surfactant loss changes everythingHow inflammation leads to stiff lungs, poor compliance, and refractory hypoxemiaWhy lung-protective ventilation is about avoiding harm, not chasing perfect numbersMoving beyond tidal volume: how driving pressure reframes vent managementHow RTs use compliance trends to judge whether lungs are improving or failingPEEP selection: why tables are a guide, not the final answerThe physiology behind proning and why it’s one of the few ARDS interventions that saves livesWhy recruitment maneuvers fell out of favor (and what works instead)What nurses should be watching on the ventilator to catch deterioration earlyConnect with Melody and download her free book:https://melodybishoprt.com/Mentioned in this episode:Rapid Response Academy Winter 2026 Cohorthttps://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/rraCONNECT 📸 Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapidresponsern/ 📚 Check out my course: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/learnmore 🧑‍💻Check out my website: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/ 📬 Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/login 🎁 Affiliation and discounts: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/therapidresponsern ✅ Earn CE’s for listening to podcasts through RNegade: https://rnegade.thinkific.com/?ref=d9d541 SAY THANKS 💜Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/rapid-response-rn/id1535997752 💚Leave a rating on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/55LQqeDg6XFeixvZLEp4xE ⏱️ To get the FREE Rapid Response RN Assessment Guide and the coupon code for $10 off the cost of the course, message Sarah on Instagram @TheRapidResponseRN and type the word PODCAST! This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

A transplant saves a life… but can also make the body attack itself. That's what Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD) does, and why nurses need to catch it early. You may have never seen it before, but this episode will tell you what it looks like at the bedside and the early clues you can’t afford to miss.Through a real patient case, Anthony, RN explains why GVHD is easy to overlook, how to think through common differentials, and what matters most when it comes to helping patients stabilize and recover.Topics discussed in this episode:CCOT's rapid response modelThe patient’s condition weeks after allogenic transplantAnthony's assessment and what raised red flagsWhy early symptoms can get misread or minimizedHow Graft Versus Host Disease developsWhy emotional support is crucial to recoveryAcute vs. chronic Graft Versus Host DiseaseImportant early clues of Graft Versus Host DiseasePriority interventions for Graft Versus Host DiseaseHow Anthony’s app can help bedside nursesYou can connect with Anthony or learn more about his apps here:https://thehumblenurse.com/Mentioned in this episode:CONNECT 📸 Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapidresponsern/ 📚 Check out my course: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/learnmore 🧑‍💻Check out my website: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/ 📬 Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/login 🎁 Affiliation and discounts: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/therapidresponsern ✅ Earn CE’s for listening to podcasts through RNegade: https://rnegade.thinkific.com/?ref=d9d541 SAY THANKS 💜Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/rapid-response-rn/id1535997752 💚Leave a rating on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/55LQqeDg6XFeixvZLEp4xE ⏱️ To get the FREE Rapid Response RN Assessment Guide and the coupon code for $10 off the cost of the course, message Sarah on Instagram @TheRapidResponseRN and type the word PODCAST! This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com Rapid Response Academy Winter 2026 Cohorthttps://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/rra