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Rapid Response RN: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Sarah Lorenzini
Do you want to go from dreading emergencies to feeling confident and ready to jump into action to rescue your patient? Well, this show will let you see emergencies unfold through the eyes of a Rapid Response Nurse. With real life stories from the frontlines of nursing, host Sarah Lorenzini MSN, RN, CCRN, CEN, a Rapid Response Nurse and educator, shares her experiences at rapid response events and breaks down the pathophysiology, pharmacology, and the important role the nurse plays during emergencies. If you want to sharpen your assessment skills and learn how to think like a Rapid Response Nurse, then Sarah is here to share stories, tips, tricks, and mindsets that will prepare you to approach any emergency. Every episode is packed full of exactly what you need to know to handle whatever crisis that could arise on your shift. It’s one thing to get the right answer on the test, but knowing how to detect when YOUR patient is declining and what to do when YOUR patient is crashing is what will make or break your day… and might just save your patient’s life.
Latest Episodes
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- 1 weeks ago47 min
167: When a Stroke Doesn't Look Like a Stroke: Recognizing Basilar Artery Occlusions
How do you recognize a stroke when the usual symptoms are present? No facial droop. No slurred speech. No one-sided weakness.In this episode, you'll hear the case of a post-op patient with normal vital signs but complaints of double vision. What follows is one of the most devastating types of ischemic stroke: a basilar artery occlusion.Sarah walks through each decision that led to the patient's full recovery, from the bedside nurse's decision to activate the rapid response team, the the RRT nurse calling a stroke alert, to thrombectomy when thrombolytics weren’t an option. She also breaks down when common symptoms like dizziness should raise concern for basilar artery occlusion, why strokes like this one are so easy to miss with your typical FAST exam alone, and how a tour of the brain helps you predict neurological deficits.Topics discussed in this episode:Why the nurse called rapid response for a post-op patientAnterior vs. posterior circulationClassic vs. atypical presentations of basilar artery occlusionWhy FAST alone can miss posterior circulation strokesLocked-in syndrome and assessing consciousnessStroke localization: a tour of the brainIV thrombolytics: alteplase, tenecteplase, and bleeding riskWhen to use mechanical thrombectomyCT perfusion: core infarct vs. ischemic penumbra5 important takeaways for your next neuro emergencyThe American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's 2026 Guideline for the Early Management of Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke:https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STR.0000000000000513Mentioned 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
- 2 weeks ago2 min
Mystery Episode: From Double Vision to Complete Blindness
A 60-year-old patient recovering from surgery suddenly develops double vision. His vital signs are normal, his speech is clear, and he has no obvious one-sided weakness. But something isn't right.What could cause such a dramatic neurological change? And what can we do to prevent permanent damage?Put your critical thinking skills to the test and see if you can solve this mystery before the full case breakdown in Episode 167 of the Rapid Response RN Podcast!
- Sep 18, 202646 min
166: When the Mitral Valve Breaks: Papillary Muscle Rupture After MI
"I feel like I'm drowning." Four days after a STEMI, a patient who had been recovering well is sitting bolt upright, coughing up pink, frothy sputum, and unable to catch his breath.In this episode, Sarah walks you through a worst-case scenario complication every cardiac nurse needs on their radar: post-MI papillary muscle rupture causing acute, severe mitral regurgitation. This is one of those zebra diagnoses that you may never see... but if you do, recognizing it early is what gets your patient to the OR alive.Sarah breaks down the pathophysiology behind the patient's sudden deterioration, the clues that will help you catch a mechanical complication, and how to treat the patient — including which medications help (or backfire), and where BiPAP and mechanical support fit in.Topics discussed in this episode:Case presentation: sudden respiratory distress 4 days post-STEMIMitral valve anatomy and the role of the papillary musclesWhy mechanical complications happen days after an MIAcute vs. chronic mitral regurgitationWhy the lungs flood while the organs starveWhy murmurs can be misleadingBiPAP and the risks of intubating a patient in shockAfterload reduction vs. norepinephrineWhen Lasix helps and when it doesn'tMechanical circulatory support: IABP, Impella, and VA-ECMOHow to communicate with a frightened patientMentioned 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 Fall 2026 Rapid Response AcademyClick here to learn more about the Fall 2026 Cohort of Rapid Response Academy: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/rra
- Jul 15, 202627 min
165: Breaking the Storm Part 2: Antiarrhythmics, Sympathetic Blockade, and the Emerging Role of Esmolol
The shock worked. The rhythm converted. And then V-fib came right back. Now what?Part two of this series explores the physiology and pharmacology driving recurrent V-fib so you can respond confidently when shocks aren’t enough.You'll learn how the body's sympathetic nervous system response keeps the heart unstable, why epinephrine can both help and hurt, when to reach for lidocaine over amiodarone, and what the research says about the emerging role of esmolol to target the storm itself (not just the arrhythmia).Topics discussed in this episode:The sympathetic nervous system and cardiac arrestWhy epinephrine both helps and hurtsAmiodarone vs. lidocaine: which is better?Key findings from the ROC-ALPS trialWhy antiarrhythmics don't replace defibrillationThe evidence behind esmolol in refractory V-fib3 lessons for codes when ACLS isn't enoughMentioned 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
- Jul 12, 202643 min
BONUS EPISODE: Rapid Response Calls That Never Should Have Happened from the Nurse Gwenny Podcast
This special episode was recorded and released on the Nurse Gwenny Podcast. We talked about some of those early signs of deterioration that are often missed and how we can speak up and advocate before the patient crashes.Check out this episode and so many more over at the Nurse Gwenny PodcastAnd, you can join 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-membership
- Jun 19, 202628 min
164: Electrical Storm Part 1:The Pathophysiology of Ventricular Storm and the Science of Defibrillation
Sometimes V-fib doesn't respond to the shock at all. Sometimes it converts and comes right back. Those are two completely different problems.In this episode, Sarah breaks down the science behind why defibrillation fails, how to recognize the difference between refractory and recurrent V-fib, and respond when shocks aren't working. You'll learn how to start approaching the electrical storm at the bedside — that means understanding transthoracic impedance, optimizing your pad placement, and knowing when to reach for double sequential defibrillation.Topics discussed in this episode:Refractory vs. recurrent V-fibThe physiology of ventricular fibrillation and re-entry tachycardiasMisconceptions about defibrillationTransthoracic impedance and how to reduce itAnterior-lateral vs. anterior-posterior pad placementDouble sequential defibrillation: evidence and objectionsKey findings from the DOSE VF trialAmerican Heart Association. (2025). 2025 American Heart Association guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care. Circulation.Cheskes, S., Dorian, P., Feldman, M., McLeod, S., Scales, D. C., Pinto, R., Turner, L., Morrison, L. J., Drennan, I. R., & Verbeek, P. R. (2020). Double sequential external defibrillation for refractory ventricular fibrillation: The DOSE VF pilot randomized controlled trial. Resuscitation, 150, 178–184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resuscitation.2020.02.010D. Hasegawa, A. Sharma, Y. I. Lee, & R. Sato. (2023). A systematic review and meta-analysis of esmolol for refractory ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia. Chest, 164(4 Suppl.), A1568. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chest.2023.07.1077International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation. (2025). 2025 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations (CoSTR).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
- May 29, 202651 min
163: Nurse Gwenny Takes Over the Podcast
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
- May 9, 202645 min
162: Live From NurseCon at Sea: Burnout, Boundaries, and Finding Your Way Back
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
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About Rapid Response RN
Do you want to go from dreading emergencies to feeling confident and ready to jump into action to rescue your patient? Well, this show will let you see emergencies unfold through the eyes of a Rapid Response Nurse. With real life stories from the frontlines of nursing, host Sarah Lorenzini MSN, RN, CCRN, CEN, a Rapid Response Nurse and educator, shares her experiences at rapid response events and breaks down the pathophysiology, pharmacology, and the important role the nurse plays during emergencies. If you want to sharpen your assessment skills and learn how to think like a Rapid Response Nurse, then Sarah is here to share stories, tips, tricks, and mindsets that will prepare you to approach any emergency. Every episode is packed full of exactly what you need to know to handle whatever crisis that could arise on your shift. It’s one thing to get the right answer on the test, but knowing how to detect when YOUR patient is declining and what to do when YOUR patient is crashing is what will make or break your day… and might just save your patient’s life.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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