Coin-shaped button batteries are used in many common household items; they are often and easily picked up by toddlers and plopped directly into their mouths., where their alkaline properties can lead to fatal consequences.  Nyssa and Lisa talk to pediatric flight nurse LaKeisha Neely about how to recognize the symptoms of button battery ingestion, and how to treat those patients before damage is done to their bodies.

Coin-shaped button batteries are used in many common household items; they are often and easily picked up by toddlers and plopped directly into their mouths., where their alkaline properties can lead to fatal consequences.  Nyssa and Lisa talk to pediatric flight nurse LaKeisha Neely about how to recognize the symptoms of button battery ingestion, and how to treat those patients before damage is done to their bodies.

Button Batteries: Shiny Disks of Danger

RSI is a common high stakes procedure done in emergent airways in the ER, but imagine how your patients must feel if they regain awareness during paralysis. One patient said “it was the worst pain he’d ever had and it was unbearable.” How can your ER team avoid unwittingly contributing to this pain? Nyssa and Lisa examine a study that reveals the prevalence of awareness with paralysis in the ER and discuss how to keep it from happening to your patient.

RSI is a common high stakes procedure done in emergent airways in the ER, but imagine how your patients must feel if they regain awareness during paralysis. One patient said “it was the worst pain he’d ever had and it was unbearable.” How can your ER team avoid unwittingly contributing to this pain? Nyssa and Lisa examine a study that reveals the prevalence of awareness with paralysis in the ER and discuss how to keep it from happening to your patient.

Paralysis Awareness in the ER

Superstitious behavior is one thing, but Nyssa and Lisa have found proof that saying the dreaded Q word in the ER may indeed have a quantifiable impact on whether or not you have an out-of-control shift.  Dive deep into the cause and effect relationship between luck and chaos, and learn all about the pandemonium an errant utterance can have on your practice.

Superstitious behavior is one thing, but Nyssa and Lisa have found proof that saying the dreaded Q word in the ER may indeed have a quantifiable impact on whether or not you have an out-of-control shift.  Dive deep into the cause and effect relationship between luck and chaos, and learn all about the pandemonium an errant utterance can have on your practice.

The Curse of the Q Word

Dumb people doing dumb things is nothing new, but Lisa and Nyssa - with special guest Dr. Cory Nonnemacher  - examine how the viral challenge trend has led to a whole new generation of dangerous stunts being performed for likes and lolz by today's social-media hungry kids.  Learn what challenges like the "Skullbreaker", "Milk Crate" and "Scalp Pop" look like when they present in your ERs, and what downstream health implications these internet exploits might mean to your patients.

Dumb people doing dumb things is nothing new, but Lisa and Nyssa - with special guest Dr. Cory Nonnemacher  - examine how the viral challenge trend has led to a whole new generation of dangerous stunts being performed for likes and lolz by today's social-media hungry kids.  Learn what challenges like the "Skullbreaker", "Milk Crate" and "Scalp Pop" look like when they present in your ERs, and what downstream health implications these internet exploits might mean to your patients.

TikTok Challenges Gone Wrong

In the second half of this special two-part episode, Lisa and Nyssa continue their discussion of human trafficking, this time investigating how and why an ER visit offers a potential escape route to victims of this global criminal enterprise.  Learn how to recognize it, how to stop it, and how to protect yourself and your patient when you encounter it.  

In the second half of this special two-part episode, Lisa and Nyssa continue their discussion of human trafficking, this time investigating how and why an ER visit offers a potential escape route to victims of this global criminal enterprise.  Learn how to recognize it, how to stop it, and how to protect yourself and your patient when you encounter it.

Human Trafficking and the ER Nurse, Part 2

Whether you know it or not, as a healthcare professional, you have probably encountered a victim of human trafficking at least once in your practice.  People of all ages, genders, backgrounds, and origins are trafficked every day, in every town in America.  In this first half of a special two-part episode, Lisa and Nyssa discuss the particulars and statistics of this widespread and rapidly growing crime epidemic.

Whether you know it or not, as a healthcare professional, you have probably encountered a victim of human trafficking at least once in your practice.  People of all ages, genders, backgrounds, and origins are trafficked every day, in every town in America.  In this first half of a special two-part episode, Lisa and Nyssa discuss the particulars and statistics of this widespread and rapidly growing crime epidemic.

Human Trafficking and the ER Nurse, Part 1

Patients rely on nurses to alleviate their suffering, but what can nurses do to protect themselves from the weight and stress of providing care for the sick and dying?  Nyssa and Lisa talk to Ariel Brown and AnnMarie Papa about The Emotional PPE Project, an initiative born out of the overwhelmingly increased burden placed on healthcare workers during the COVID crisis. This no cost, no insurance resource connects mental health professionals eager to help professional caregivers shield themselves from the harm face-masks and hand sanitizer can't prevent.  Nyssa made the call - and so can you!

Patients rely on nurses to alleviate their suffering, but what can nurses do to protect themselves from the weight and stress of providing care for the sick and dying?  Nyssa and Lisa talk to Ariel Brown and AnnMarie Papa about The Emotional PPE Project, an initiative born out of the overwhelmingly increased burden placed on healthcare workers during the COVID crisis. This no cost, no insurance resource connects mental health professionals eager to help professional caregivers shield themselves from the harm face-masks and hand sanitizer can't prevent.  Nyssa made the call - and so can you!

The Emotional PPE Project

Honor

The contribution a nurse makes to their community is heroic, and the Nurse Honor Guard was created to celebrate that contribution each time one of these heroes passes away.  Nyssa and Lisa speak with Julie Murray about this important and necessary program to pay tribute to fallen nurses, one that can be easily established in every city and town to honor the work these healthcare professionals do to make the world a better place.

The contribution a nurse makes to their community is heroic, and the Nurse Honor Guard was created to celebrate that contribution each time one of these heroes passes away.  Nyssa and Lisa speak with Julie Murray about this important and necessary program to pay tribute to fallen nurses, one that can be easily established in every city and town to honor the work these healthcare professionals do to make the world a better place.

The Nurse Honor Guard

Nurses can learn a lot from case studies but they run the risk of being pretty snoozey. Not these three stories! Check out these bizarre case studies and the ER lessons that we learn from them. Nyssa originally presented this lecture live, in front of an audience at the excellent Southeastern Seaboard Symposium in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Enjoy "The Chef Without a Tongue", "Eleven Blue Men" and the "Pitcher Who Struck Out Murderer’s Row".

Nurses can learn a lot from case studies but they run the risk of being pretty snoozey. Not these three stories! Check out these bizarre case studies and the ER lessons that we learn from them. Nyssa originally presented this lecture live, in front of an audience at the excellent Southeastern Seaboard Symposium in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Enjoy "The Chef Without a Tongue", "Eleven Blue Men" and the "Pitcher Who Struck Out Murderer’s Row".

Three Case Studies

In the critically ill trauma patient, optimizing airway, breathing, and circulation is not always as easy as the ABCs.  In this episode, Nyssa and Lisa discuss resuscitative sequence intubation and how it differs from a crash intubation or a delayed sequence intubation. We also consider how to handle the special cases of TBI patients and the combative trauma patient. 

In the critically ill trauma patient, optimizing airway, breathing, and circulation is not always as easy as the ABCs.  In this episode, Nyssa and Lisa discuss resuscitative sequence intubation and how it differs from a crash intubation or a delayed sequence intubation. We also consider how to handle the special cases of TBI patients and the combative trauma patient.

RSI = Resuscitative Sequence Intubation

Conversations about the tips, tricks, trends, and taboos of emergency nursing. A peek behind the hospital curtain at issues and ideas that seldom get discussed.

I will be a nursing student starting in January and this podcast was recommended by someone in a Facebook group I follow and I’m IN LOVE with the podcast!! I have been binge watching since I heard about it.

Love it!!

Love this podcast. It’s well produced and full of pearls. Give it a listen you won’t be disappointed!

Where has this podcast been my whole career!

The Q Word Podcast

Nyssa and Lisa give you the real deal on how to build a robust resume, score an interview, and insider tips on breaking into the industry. 

Nyssa and Lisa give you the real deal on how to build a robust resume, score an interview, and insider tips on breaking into the industry.

So You Wanna Be A Flight Nurse

More than you ever wanted to know about poop.  How Nyssa almost quit nursing when she first encountered it in the ER, and how she - and all nurses - get used to it after a while.

More than you ever wanted to know about poop.  How Nyssa almost quit nursing when she first encountered it in the ER, and how she - and all nurses - get used to it after a while.

Poop

Do you feel like you are making things up as you go along just to look like you know what you are doing?  Do you feel like you don't belong -- that someone made a mistake trusting you with the health and well-being of your patients?  This phenomenon is more widespread than you think -- and if you suffer from imposter syndrome, you are in good company.  Nyssa and Lisa talk about how to recognize this issue, what types of personalities most suffer from it, and how to deal with it in your practice.

Do you feel like you are making things up as you go along just to look like you know what you are doing?  Do you feel like you don't belong -- that someone made a mistake trusting you with the health and well-being of your patients?  This phenomenon is more widespread than you think -- and if you suffer from imposter syndrome, you are in good company.  Nyssa and Lisa talk about how to recognize this issue, what types of personalities most suffer from it, and how to deal with it in your practice.

Imposter Syndrome

Nyssa and Lisa talk about customs and concepts that pervade the ER which should be re-examined.  Learn why "He/she is a good nurse, but...", "Everybody [or nobody] does it that way," and "No one will ever know" are little lies every nurse should watch out for in their practice.

Nyssa and Lisa talk about customs and concepts that pervade the ER which should be re-examined.  Learn why "He/she is a good nurse, but...", "Everybody [or nobody] does it that way," and "No one will ever know" are little lies every nurse should watch out for in their practice.

The 3.5 Biggest Lies in Nursing

Lisa and Nyssa explore the question ER nurses are always asked: "what's the worst thing you've ever seen?" Learn why nurses respond the way they do, why it is not a good question for small talk, and why a better conversation starter might be whether or not pineapple belongs on pizza.

Lisa and Nyssa explore the question ER nurses are always asked: "what's the worst thing you've ever seen?" Learn why nurses respond the way they do, why it is not a good question for small talk, and why a better conversation starter might be whether or not pineapple belongs on pizza.

The Worst Thing I've Ever Seen

Did you know that there is a right way and a wrong way to sanitize your work wear after your shift?  Nyssa and Lisa talk cootie cleaning in their first fast track (mini) episode -- a quick and dirty conversation about how to not bring the hospital home with you.

Did you know that there is a right way and a wrong way to sanitize your work wear after your shift?  Nyssa and Lisa talk cootie cleaning in their first fast track (mini) episode -- a quick and dirty conversation about how to not bring the hospital home with you.

Cootie Cleaning

Nyssa and Lisa talk about the intersection of experiences between the pre-hospital and ER. In this conversation - part one of the Q Word Podcast's first trilogy - Nyssa puts on her Air Flight helmet to discuss the choices she, and other flight teams, make in the air which differ from the way things are done in the hospital.

Nyssa and Lisa talk about the intersection of experiences between the pre-hospital and ER. In this conversation - part one of the Q Word Podcast's first trilogy - Nyssa puts on her Air Flight helmet to discuss the choices she, and other flight teams, make in the air which differ from the way things are done in the hospital.

Dear ER Nurse, Love The Flight Crew

Calm

Nyssa and Lisa interview Matt Perry, Director of the Monroe County Emergency Management Agency, and learn how nurses and medics - two different teams - work together towards the same goal, just like Krispy Kreme donuts (aka "power rings") and Dunkin' Donuts coffee.

Nyssa and Lisa interview Matt Perry, Director of the Monroe County Emergency Management Agency, and learn how nurses and medics - two different teams - work together towards the same goal, just like Krispy Kreme donuts (aka "power rings") and Dunkin' Donuts coffee.

Calm the Chaos

It is a widely accepted practice to have family present during the birth of a new baby, so why is it so uncommon for family to be near the bedside in the ER during the last moments of life?  In this very special episode, Nyssa tells Lisa about the work she's done researching, developing, and championing policies and procedures designed to bring loved ones into the ER during code blue scenarios, and why this has become her personal crusade.

It is a widely accepted practice to have family present during the birth of a new baby, so why is it so uncommon for family to be near the bedside in the ER during the last moments of life?  In this very special episode, Nyssa tells Lisa about the work she's done researching, developing, and championing policies and procedures designed to bring loved ones into the ER during code blue scenarios, and why this has become her personal crusade.

The Gift of Being There

Nyssa and Lisa talk to Dr. Matt Astin, a long-term fixture in the ER and dedicated educator, about the dogmas and sacred cows in emergency care, the importance of social media in nursing practice, and what Goldilocks' three bears are doing in the ER.

Nyssa and Lisa talk to Dr. Matt Astin, a long-term fixture in the ER and dedicated educator, about the dogmas and sacred cows in emergency care, the importance of social media in nursing practice, and what Goldilocks' three bears are doing in the ER.

Dogmas, Sacred Cows and the Twitter Bird

In the final installment of this trilogy of interviews, Nyssa and Lisa talk to the three Musketeers of airways - the Boone brothers Michael and Bryan, and Tyler Christifulli - about inflatable dinosaur suits, most excellent mustachios, and how and why you should bring the SALAD and ApOX intervention techniques from the ambulance or the air and into the ER. 

In the final installment of this trilogy of interviews, Nyssa and Lisa talk to the three Musketeers of airways - the Boone brothers Michael and Bryan, and Tyler Christifulli - about inflatable dinosaur suits, most excellent mustachios, and how and why you should bring the SALAD and ApOX intervention techniques from the ambulance or the air and into the ER.

Air Supply: Outta Nothin' At All

Nyssa tells Lisa about her field trip to the Georgia Poison Center to chat with long-time director Dr. Gaylord Lopez.  Learn from the man himself about what the Center does, how they do it, and why it is better to call them instead of relying on Google to answer questions about what you may have eaten, breathed in, touched, or otherwise come into contact with that might make you sick.  And catch an ear-worm that just might end up saving your - or your patient's - life. 

Nyssa tells Lisa about her field trip to the Georgia Poison Center to chat with long-time director Dr. Gaylord Lopez.  Learn from the man himself about what the Center does, how they do it, and why it is better to call them instead of relying on Google to answer questions about what you may have eaten, breathed in, touched, or otherwise come into contact with that might make you sick.  And catch an ear-worm that just might end up saving your - or your patient's - life.

Kickin' it at the Poison [Control] Center

Lisa and Nyssa tackle one of the biggest taboos in emergency medicine: laughter in the ER.  Why it happens, is it appropriate, and if it is, when is it appropriate?  

Lisa and Nyssa tackle one of the biggest taboos in emergency medicine: laughter in the ER.  Why it happens, is it appropriate, and if it is, when is it appropriate?

Gallows Humor

For many years, epinephrine has been used as treatment for cardiac arrest, but a new study - PARAMEDIC2 - released by the New England Journal of Medicine, challenges that notion.  Nyssa and Lisa discuss the protocols, findings, ethics, and implications of this study, in an effort to introduce nurses to the idea that some big changes in ACLS may be just around the corner.

For many years, epinephrine has been used as treatment for cardiac arrest, but a new study - PARAMEDIC2 - released by the New England Journal of Medicine, challenges that notion.  Nyssa and Lisa discuss the protocols, findings, ethics, and implications of this study, in an effort to introduce nurses to the idea that some big changes in ACLS may be just around the corner.

To Epi or Not to Epi? 

Nyssa and Lisa take a field trip to the Forest Hills Cemetery in the outskirts of Boston to visit the final resting places of several notable doctors and nurses who formalized the ​profession of nursing back in the good ol' days.  Join us on this short tour of a lovely place on a creepy day, and learn a little something about the ladies who helped start it all. To see the pictures of the cemetery gates, the tombstones, and your water-logged hosts, check out our website here: https://www.theqwordpodcast.com/

Nyssa and Lisa take a field trip to the <a href="http://www.foresthillscemetery.com/" rel="noopener undefined nofollow" target="_blank">Forest Hills Cemetery</a> in the outskirts of Boston to visit the final resting places of several notable doctors and nurses who formalized the ​profession of nursing back in the good ol' days.  Join us on this short tour of a lovely place on a creepy day, and learn a little something about the ladies who helped start it all. To see the pictures of the cemetery gates, the tombstones, and your water-logged hosts, check out our website here: <a href="https://www.theqwordpodcast.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.theqwordpodcast.com/</a>

A Walk Among the Tombstones

The best podcast episodes on non-current politics. Covering topics such as universal basic income, democracy, poverty & justice and more. For anyone interested in learning more about politics that affect that world, not just now, but in the longer term. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best Non-Current Politics Podcasts

The best podcast episodes on parenting. Interviewing experts and talking through common issues surrounding parenting. This topic is filled with important lessons and insights for anyone listening. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!