PODCAST · health
Rapid Response RN
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 wh
Episodes
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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…
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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…
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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 Podcast…
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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...
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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...
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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...
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161: We Got ROSC... Now What? Evidence Based Post Resuscitation Care
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...
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160: The 2026 AHA/ACC New PE Guidelines with Dr. Mark Creager
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…
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159: Nurse Led Stroke Alert Process with Kat Siaron RN
"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…
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158: What’s Changed in Acute Stroke Care? New AHA Stroke Guidelines with Dr. Prabahkaran
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...
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157: Cracking the ARDS Code: A Deep Dive on ARDS Vent Management Strategies With Melody Bishop RT
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...
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156: When the Body Rejects the Cure: Graft Verses Host Disease with Anthony RN
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…
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155: Rewinding the Clock: Teamwork That Prevents the Code, With Guest Dr. Oscar Mitchell
You know those moments when something just “feels off?” That’s when you should trust your instincts and speak up because timing can completely change a patient’s outcome. In this episode, Sarah is joined by Dr. Oscar Mitchell, Associate Director of the Center for Resuscitation Science and…
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154: Physiology-Guided Sepsis Resuscitation: ANDROMEDA-SHOCK 2, Dynamic Fluid Responsiveness, and SEP-1 with Guest Jaclyn Bond
The science is finally catching up to what clinicians have long known: more fluids aren't always the answer to septic shock. In this episode, host Sarah Lorenzini and Jaclyn Bond MSN-LM, MBA-HM explain what the ANDROMEDA-SHOCK 2 trial reveals about physiology-guided sepsis resuscitation and why...
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153: Remix: Managing Crashing Pulmonary Embolism Patients
Pulmonary embolisms don’t always announce themselves... sometimes they ambush. One minute your patient is walking with physical therapy, the next they’re hypotensive, hypoxic, and coding. This re-released early episode dives deep into why PE patients can look deceptively stable… right up until…
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152: "Don't Touch That Button!" Respiratory Wisdom, Myth Busting, and Everything Respiratory Therapists Wish Nurses Knew About Ventilation With Guest, Melody Bishop RT
Some of the most common respiratory myths are still showing up at the bedside. But it's not your fault — most of us were never taught what an oxygenation problem versus a ventilation problem looks like in real time. In this episode, Melody Bishop RT explains how respiratory therapists think…
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151: Caring Close to Home: How Point-of-Care EEG and Community Innovation Are Changing ICU Care
Rural nursing is anything but simple. They have limited resources, fewer specialists, and often have to send patients hours away from their families for a higher level of care. But all that is changing as new tech like Zeto brings monitoring right to the bedside and keeps more patients close to...
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150: Sepsis-Induced Cardiomyopathy with Dr. Mahmoud Ibrahim MD
Your pneumonia patient is hypotensive, tachycardic, and not responding to fluids… what did you miss? It could be sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy, a common under-recognized shock state you could see at the bedside. In this episode, Dr. Mahmoud Ibrahim MD and host Sarah Lorenzini use a case study to...
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149: Inside the New 2025 AHA Resuscitation Guidelines: What’s New, What’s Controversial, and Why It Matters with Dr. Ashish Panchal, MD
Every five years, resuscitation guidelines get a refresh. This year, a few have changed, many have stayed the same, and some are creating major controversy. In this episode, Dr. Ashish Panchal, Chair of the AHA Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee, helps us unpack what’s new, what might…
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148: Differentiating Pulmonary Hypertension vs Dilated Cardiomyopathy with Natalie RN
Differential diagnosis is part physiology, part detective work. Especially in heart failure, where similar vital signs can mean very different things. In this episode, Natalie RN is back on the show to break down two pediatric cases that looked almost identical on arrival to the ED but their...
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147: Recognize, Decompress, Stabilize: Managing a Pneumothorax with Trauma Pete
Every trauma nurse knows this feeling: your stable patient suddenly starts to decompensate and instinct tells you there’s more to the story. Today’s case starts with a stable, post-arrest patient and ends in a full-blown tension pneumothorax. Hear why this patient went from stable to crashing in...
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146: From Alveoli to Aftermath: The Science and Humanity of Pediatric Drowning Care with ER Nurse Amber
This is one of those cases that tests you in every way as a nurse. A toddler is pulled out of a pool and rushed to the ER, unresponsive and deteriorating fast. Today, Nurse Amber walks us through the critical moments that followed and how this case inspired her to turn her grief into a positive...
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145: Genetic Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy: Sarah and Leslie's Story
Some conditions hide in your genes, without any symptoms. One of these conditions is genetic arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, an inherited condition that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest — even if you feel completely fine. In this episode, Sarah and Leslie talk about their shared diagnosis of FLNC...
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144: Trauma Plus: Navigating Complex Trauma Care with Flight Nurse Gwenny
What happens when a trauma patient isn’t just a trauma patient? In today’s episode, we’re diving into “Trauma Plus” — those high-stakes situations where comorbidities, medications, environmental exposures, or underlying medical emergencies complicate recognition of decompensation and change...
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143: Neonatal Cardiogenic Shock: What Every Pediatric Nurse Needs to Know with Pediatric ICU Nurse Natalie
Why would a healthy newborn suddenly stop eating and start vomiting? When a fussy baby comes into the ER, it's easy to assume it's nothing urgent — like colic or gas. But in today's case, there were small signs that pointed to something more. This episode unpacks the high-risk condition and...
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142: High Risk PCI for STEMI With Guests Sarah Vance and Caitlyn Nichols
One unstable patient, three departments, and every nurse on alert... Let's break down what really happens during a high-risk STEMI. This episode follows the case of a 62-year old patient from ER to the Cath Lab to the ICU. Nurses Sarah Vance and Caitlyn Nichols help us explore the role of nurses…
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141: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Why Bigger is NOT Better!
Often, the first symptom of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is sudden death. But sometimes, we get a warning— and that’s where clinical judgment at the bedside saves lives. Today, Sarah goes over the case of her patient Ben, a 20-year-old experiencing syncope and chest pain. As his condition quickly...
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140: Resuscitation Then and Now: How Evidence Shapes Every Beat with Guest Dr. Ashish Panchal MD, PhD
Remember when we used to use stacked shocks for ventricular arrhythmias or load patients up with high doses of epinephrine and bicarb? Over the last 25 years, resuscitation guidelines have evolved and it’s our job to stay updated on the current protocols. Here to help us break down what’s changed...
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139: Gut Feelings & Great Saves: Nursing Wisdom with Dr. Vicki Good, DNP and Andrea Schmitt RN, Hosts of the Voices in Nursing Podcast
Think of a case where you ignored your intuition, leaned on your training, and followed protocol… but something still felt off. Today, we're talking about how to balance evidence-based practice with those gut instincts that can change patient outcomes. Dr. Vicki Good, DNP and Andrea Schmitt…
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138: Could Rapid Response Teams Be One of The Solutions to Reduce Nursing Burnout, Improve Nursing Retention, and Elevate Patient Safety? With Guest Jaclyn RN
Rapid response teams provide so much more than reducing morbidity and mortality! Think about how quickly things can spiral without the support of RRTs. As the former director of specialty teams, Jaclyn Bond MSN-LM, MBA-HM has seen how a rapid response program can improve outcomes while also...
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137: In Flight Medical Emergencies with Alex PhD, EMT-P
You’re 30,000 feet in the air when you hear, “Is there a medical professional onboard?” Answering that call is a little more complicated than you might think. In this episode, Alexandra Jabr, PhD, EMT-P joins Sarah to discuss what happened during their first in-flight medical emergencies — what...
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136: Bridging the Gap Between Pre-Hospital and In-Hospital Patient Care with Flight Medic, Sam
The flight team may be on the way, but your work isn’t done yet. Flight medic Sam, host of the Nine One One Nonsense podcast, shares what the ideal patient handoff looks like between hospital staff and flight crews, and why those final moments at the bedside matter more than you think. You’ll…
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135: Ruptured Aortic Dissection With Guest Christian Guzman, APRN
What began as a stroke alert turned into a different kind of emergency: aortic dissection. Today's patient case study follows a series of clinical decisions that saved an elderly man from a fatal misdiagnosis. Christian Guzman APRN walks us through the case — from the patient’s misleading…
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134: Ruptured Ectopic Pregnancy With Guest Shenell RN
One minute she was the nurse—then she became the emergency. Today, Shenell RN of the All One Nurse podcast shares her story of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy that sent her into emergency surgery on shift — and the second ectopic pregnancy that followed just a year later. We talk through the…
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133: Transitioning from ED to Rapid Response with Aidan RN
Rapid response nurses don’t just handle codes — they help prevent them from happening. Contrary to popular belief, Rapid Response Nursing is not just sprinting from code blue the next and neither is ER nursing. While there are a lot of similarities between these two specialties in Nursing, there...
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132: Living and Working as a Nurse With a LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device)
Imagine working as a nurse, but you must stay attached to battery packs to stay alive. That’s the reality for Tiffany Davis Cannon, RN—full-time nurse, mother, and LVAD patient. After being diagnosed with peripartum cardiomyopathy, she had to adapt to life with an LVAD—but it’s been anything but...
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131 REBOOT: TACO, TRALI, and All Things Blood Transfusion Reactions
Would you know how to identify a blood transfusion reaction? This is one of those nightmare cases because we just expect that when we give blood transfusion, the patient will get better… but what about when they get worse? In this reboot episode, host Sarah Lorenzini shares evidence-based…
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130:The Do's and Don'ts of Healthy Team Dynamics (Creating a Safe Culture With Your Team)
What makes some teams work in sync and others fall into chaos? During emergencies, team dynamics are just as important as clinical skills for saving lives. Let’s dive into what it takes to create a work culture that encourages collaboration, where mistakes are as learning opportunities, and...
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129: Sickle Cell Crisis With Morgan RN
What makes sickle cell disease so challenging to manage? It’s not just the pain — it’s the complications, stigma, and the need for fast, effective care. In this episode, Morgan Taylor, RN helps us unpack the science behind sickle cell crisis and how nurses can address both the medical and…
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128: Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures
Once called pseudoseizures, psychogenic non-epileptic seizures can confuse even seasoned clinicians — until you know the signs. These seizures mimic epilepsy but have entirely different causes, requiring a unique approach to care. In this episode, we explore how to distinguish PNES from epilepsy,...
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127: Status Epilepticus
Do you feel confident recognizing status epilepticus? When a seizure doesn’t stop on its own, knowing the signs of this high-stakes emergency is the first step to preventing complications and even death. This episode breaks everything you need to know about status epilepticus — the warning signs,...
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126: Hurricane Relief Nursing with Brooke RN
No power, no water, no communication. How do healthcare teams provide care during disasters? In this episode, host Sarah Lorenzini and Brooke MSN, RN, CCRN, NE-BC share their experiences working as disaster response nurses after the hurricanes in Asheville, NC and Tampa, FL. Get a glimpse into…
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125: COPD and Oxygen Delivery Modalities
You never forget your most embarrassing nursing moment — especially when it happens in the middle of a critical situation. In this episode, Sarah recounts an unforgettable, cringe-worthy blunder during a rapid response call for a COPD patient in respiratory distress. Discover how she managed the...
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124: ETOH Withdrawal
Caring for patients withdrawing from alcohol can be challenging to say the least. In this episode, host Sarah Lorenzini shares a case of a patient recovering from emergency surgery, and highlights the subtle but critical signs of alcohol withdrawal—like anxiety, tremors, confusion, tachycardia…
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123: What Makes for a Great Resuscitationist?
Bringing calm to chaos is an underrated skill in medicine. During her talk at the ResusX Conference, Sarah explored this concept and the importance of guiding teams through high-stress situations. In today’s episode, you’ll hear what happened when Sarah responded to a bloody code blue that ended…
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122: What is POTS and When Is It an Emergency? With Guest Dr. Alexis Cutchins
Behind every POTS diagnosis is a patient who had to fight for answers. Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is often misdiagnosed because its symptoms mimic so many other conditions. In fact, it is often dismissed as “just anxiety”, but anxiety is a secondary side effect of the fact...
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121: Early Detection of AKI With Tom MSN, RN From Accuryn
Pee might be the key to saving your patient’s life. In this episode of Rapid Response RN, we dive into the critical yet often overlooked early sign of clinical deterioration — urine output. Join us as Tom Colabro, MNS-HCSM, RN, NEA-BC, shares his expert insights on why accurate urine output can…
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120: Medical Missions Nursing With Becca RN From Mercy Ships
Burned out by hospital life? For Becca RN, serving a two-year mission with Mercy Ships reignited her passion for nursing and introduced her to a global community of volunteers. Her experience as a nurse on a hospital ship in West Africa went beyond traditional patient care, allowing her to play a...
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119: Spinal Cord Ischemia with Michelle Dedeo DNP, RN, CNS, ACCNS-AG, CCRN, CNRN, SCRN, TCRN
When Michelle discovered her patient was paralyzed, it surprised the whole medical team. This patient who was previously mobile and recovering from septic shock was now paralyzed and ultimately diagnosed with spinal cord ischemia, but could early intervention have changed the outcome? In this...
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118: Cardiac Tamponade With Brian McCain
This week, we are talking about every cardiac nurse’s worst nightmare: cardiac tamponade. Host Sarah Lorenzini is joined by Brian McCain RN to share a crazy case of cardiac tamponade where quick intervention made all the difference. In this episode, they discuss the critical signs, symptoms and...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
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 wh
HOSTED BY
Sarah Lorenzini
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Rapid Response RN have?
Rapid Response RN currently has 171 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Rapid Response RN about?
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,...
How often does Rapid Response RN release new episodes?
Rapid Response RN publishes regularly with 171 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Rapid Response RN?
You can listen to Rapid Response RN on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Rapid Response RN?
Rapid Response RN is created and hosted by Sarah Lorenzini.
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