Today's NCLEX Question of the Day: The nursing category is labs. The NCLEX category is basic care and comfort. A patient who has been suffering from severe diarrhea has developed hypokalemia and cardiac arrhythmias as a result. Which of the following treatments would most likely be ordered for this patient to correct the situation? A, IV administration of potassium. B, oral intake of potassium by electrolyte preparations. C, encouraged intake of potassium rich foods such as bananas. D, no intervention but continue to monitor the patient's hemodynamic status. Think you know the answer? Listen to the episode for the full breakdown and rationale. Do you actually KNOW if you're ready for the NCLEX, or are you just hoping? Stop guessing and find out for free. Take the free SIMCLEX at nursing.com/simclex. It simulates the algorithms of the NCLEX, the same question rules, the same difficulty, so you get a real feel for what the actual exam is like. New NCLEX Question of the Day episodes drop every Thursday.
Oct 1
2 min
Quick... list the signs and symptoms of hypernatremia! In this episode, we nail hypernatremia for the NCLEX with three memory tricks. FRIED: Flushed skin, Restlessness, Increased fluid retention and increased blood pressure, Edema, Decreased urinary output and dry mouth. SWINE: Sleepy, Weakness, Irritability, Neuromuscular excitability, Edema. SALT: Skin flushed, Agitation, Low-grade fever, Thirst. Plus MODEL for the causes: Medications or meals, Osmotic diuretics, Diabetes insipidus, Excessive water loss, Low water intake. In this episode we cover: hypernatremia defined as serum sodium above 145; normal serum sodium 135 to 145; too much sodium vs too little free water as causes; and why you must assess volume status before treating. Go to nursing.com/cheatsheets to get the must-know nursing mnemonics for NCLEX. And remember... Nursing Mnemonics drops a new episode every Wednesday... so we'll see you then.
Sep 30
3 min
Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) — the must-know liver lab value for the NCLEX, covered in 5 minutes. In this episode: what ALT measures, the normal reference range of 8-40 (under 34 for women, under 52 for men), why ALT is more specific to liver damage than AST, causes of elevated ALT including hepatitis, cirrhosis, alcohol abuse and liver tumors, how high ALT can climb in acute hepatitis (up to 10 times normal) and how long it stays elevated, and how ALT is used alongside AST, bilirubin and protein in liver function tests. Keywords: ALT, alanine aminotransferase, normal range, reference range 8-40, elevated ALT, liver function tests, LFTs, hepatic damage, hepatitis, cirrhosis, alcohol abuse, liver tumors, jaundice, AST vs ALT, bilirubin, NCLEX lab values, nursing labs. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get the 63 must-know lab values to pass the NCLEX at https://nursing.com/63labs — the free study guide every nursing student needs before test day. New episodes of Lab Values in 5 drop every Tuesday.
Sep 29
4 min
Welcome to Med of the Day — new episodes drop every Monday. It's Med Monday! In this episode: Ampicillin (Principen) — a broad-spectrum aminopenicillin that is bactericidal, binding the bacterial cell wall. Used for skin, soft-tissue, respiratory, GU, and sinus infections, otitis media, meningitis, and septicemia. The must-knows: penicillin allergy is a contraindication — assess every time; use caution with renal insufficiency; watch for seizures, anaphylaxis, and superinfection like C. diff; avoid with oral contraceptives; monitor liver function tests; and tell patients to finish the full course. Download your FREE cheatsheet of the 50 most commonly prescribed medications: https://nursing.com/50meds
Sep 28
3 min
The premiere of First Shift — our new Friday series: real stories from nurses' first shifts, and the honest talk that gets you through yours. A real nurse wrote on allnurses about her first code — she froze while twenty people flooded the room, then replayed it all night wondering if the other nurses thought less of her. She's not alone: another new grad froze during hers too. Jon Haws, RN — founder of NURSING.com — has worked with thousands of nurses and nursing students just like you. His preceptor pushed him into chest compressions on his own first code. In this episode: why freezing is normal, the mentor talk every new nurse needs, and the family truth — we're all in this together. Stop guessing if you're ready — pass the NCLEX with confidence: https://nursing.com/simclex Now go out and be your best self today. Happy nursing, y'all.
Sep 25
5 min
Today's NCLEX Question of the Day: The nursing category is integumentary. The NCLEX category is basic care and comfort. A 36-year-old patient has been diagnosed with scleroderma and has breathing difficulties, including wheezing and dry cough. Which of the following skin changes would the nurse also expect to see upon assessment of this patient? A, a pinpoint rash across the neck and chest. B, excess skin folds that break down easily. C, moist pale skin that feels cool to the touch. D, stiff, tight skin that is lighter or darker than surrounding skin. Think you know the answer? Listen to the episode for the full breakdown and rationale. Do you actually KNOW if you're ready for the NCLEX, or are you just hoping? Stop guessing and find out for free. Take the free SIMCLEX at nursing.com/simclex. It simulates the algorithms of the NCLEX, the same question rules, the same difficulty, so you get a real feel for what the actual exam is like. New NCLEX Question of the Day episodes drop every Thursday.
Sep 24
2 min
Quick... name the universal donor! Sweating a bit? Nervous? In this episode, we lock in blood types for the NCLEX with one simple picture: imagine type O as a huge circle — like the universe — because type O is the UNIVERSAL DONOR. They give to everybody. But type O is also the odd man out: they can only RECEIVE type O. Universal donor... universally odd. In this episode we cover: ABO blood groups (O, A, B, AB); type O as the universal donor; why type O can only receive type O; Rh positive and negative basics; and what the NCLEX tests about transfusions and blood compatibility. Go to nursing.com/cheatsheets to get the must-know nursing mnemonics for NCLEX. And remember... Nursing Mnemonics drops a new episode every Wednesday... so we'll see you then.
Sep 23
2 min
Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT) — the must-know coagulation lab value for the NCLEX, covered in 5 minutes. In this episode: what aPTT measures, the normal reference range of 25-39 seconds, what a prolonged aPTT means, causes including factor deficiencies, hemophilia, liver disease, vitamin K deficiency and heparin therapy, the critical value of greater than 70 seconds, how aPTT compares to PT for identifying clotting factor problems, and nursing considerations for patients on anticoagulants. Keywords: aPTT, activated partial thromboplastin time, normal range, reference range 25-39 seconds, prolonged aPTT, heparin monitoring, critical lab values, coagulation factors, clotting factors, hemophilia, von Willebrand, liver disease, vitamin K deficiency, anticoagulants, NCLEX lab values, nursing labs. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get the 63 must-know lab values to pass the NCLEX at https://nursing.com/63labs — the free study guide every nursing student needs before test day. New episodes of Lab Values in 5 drop every Tuesday.
Sep 22
4 min
Welcome to Med of the Day — new episodes drop every Monday. It's Med Monday! In this episode: Amoxicillin (Moxatag) — an aminopenicillin anti-infective that inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis. Used for respiratory and skin infections, sinusitis, endocarditis prophylaxis, and Lyme disease. The must-knows: always assess for penicillin allergy before giving it, watch for anaphylaxis and skin rashes, know the seizure risk, remember it's renally excreted so monitor BUN and creatinine, and report bloody stool immediately. Download your FREE cheatsheet of the 50 most commonly prescribed medications: https://nursing.com/50meds
Sep 21
3 min
Hydrocodone/acetaminophen (Norco) is one of the most common meds you'll see for moderate-to-severe and post-op pain. In this MedMaster episode: therapeutic and pharmacologic class, how the combo lets you use less opioid, mechanism of action at opiate receptors in the CNS, and the nursing must-knows — monitor for hypotension and respiratory depression, never exceed 4g of acetaminophen in 24 hours, and keep Narcan (naloxone) in mind as the reversal agent. Get your free download of the 50 most commonly prescribed medications — the must-knows for the NCLEX and real life on the floor: https://nursing.com/50meds
Sep 15
3 min
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