GLP-1 Medications: What Nurses Need to Know

GLP-1 medications are being used for diabetes, weight management, cardiovascular risk reduction, and other expanding indications. But for nurses, knowing the medication name isn’t enough—you need to understand how these drugs affect your patient and what changes should get your attention. 🎥 Watch the comic-book video version on YouTube at Super Nurse Comics https://www.youtube.com/@SuperNurseComics 🌐 Sources and more nursing resources: SuperNurse.ai 🎧 Subscribe to The Super Nurse Podcast for more real-world bedside nursing education. In this episode of The Super Nurse Podcast, we cover: 00:00 – The GLP-1 aspiration scenario every nurse should understand00:58 – Welcome to The Super Nurse Podcast02:14 – How GLP-1 medications affect glucose, appetite, and gastric emptying03:54 – Semaglutide vs tirzepatide: Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro & Zepbound06:51 – Medication reconciliation: what nurses need to ask07:47 – Compounded GLP-1 medications and dosing concerns09:59 – GI side effects, dehydration, and acute kidney injury12:42 – Abdominal pain, pancreatitis, and gallbladder red flags13:29 – GLP-1s, insulin, sulfonylureas, and hypoglycemia16:05 – GLP-1 medications in acutely ill hospitalized patients17:12 – Surgery, anesthesia, gastric emptying, and aspiration risk19:00 – The key bedside nursing takeaways19:39 – Final thoughts Learn how to connect the pharmacology to the patient in front of you—what to assess, what to monitor, what to document, and when to escalate concerns. The content presented in The Super Nurse Podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. The host and creators are not responsible for any clinical decisions made based on this content. Always adhere to your institution’s policies and consult appropriate healthcare professionals when making patient care decisions.