Know These 8 Labs Before Your First Day of Clinical - ENCORE! #329

Know These 8 Labs Before Your First Day of Clinical - ENCORE! #329

Author: Maureen Osuna, MSN, RN - Nursing school educator, author, and nursing student enthusiast. June 11, 2026 Duration: 52:47
Want to start clinicals with more confidence? Walking in, already knowing these 8 common labs inside and out will definitely give you an edge when it comes to interpreting your patients lab results and understanding important components of their care plan. Still nervous about starting clinicals? One of the best ways to fast-track your clinical learning is having the right tools. And you're in luck, I've put together a Clinical Success Pack which includes report sheets, sheets to help you plan your day, a clinical debrief form, and a patient safety cheat sheet. Download it now for free 👉 Get the Clinical Success Pack⁠ This is a throwback to episode 329 of the Straight A Nursing School Podcast, where nursing school help is at your fingertips with hundreds of episodes covering your journey from taking the TEAS through passing NCLEX and having success as a new-grad nurse. ___________________ Full Transcript - Read the article and view references 💕Did you love this episode? Please take a moment to follow or subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode! ___________________ The information, including but not limited to, audio, video, text, and graphics contained on this podcast are for educational purposes only. No content on this podcast is intended to guide nursing practice and does not supersede any individual healthcare provider's scope of practice or any nursing school curriculum. Additionally, no content on this podcast is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Straight A Nursing is a proud member of the Airwave Media Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Maureen Osuna, known to many as Nurse Mo, brings her experience as a nursing school educator and her genuine enthusiasm for student success to every episode of Straight A Nursing: Study for nursing school exams & NCLEX. She understands that feeling of sitting in a lecture where the concepts just aren't clicking, or the overwhelm that comes from a mountain of complex material. That's precisely where this podcast steps in. Maureen dedicates each session to breaking down those challenging nursing school topics-from pharmacology to pathophysiology-into clear, manageable explanations that actually stick. You'll hear practical strategies for studying more effectively, not just harder, with the direct goal of performing better on your course exams and ultimately, the NCLEX. It's about building a foundation of real understanding that translates directly to clinical confidence, so you can move from anxiety to assurance at the bedside. Tune in for a supportive, expert-guided resource that feels like having a knowledgeable mentor right in your ear, helping you navigate the demanding journey of nursing education one clear concept at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Straight A Nursing: Study for nursing school exams & NCLEX
Podcast Episodes
#512: Your First Clinical Day: What to Actually Expect [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:51
Heading into clinical? Ease your nerves by building a mental map of a typical clinical day. Hit play and I'll show you what I mean as I walk you through how I used to run a typical shift in clinical, from start to finish…
#511: MMM - Your First Rapid Response as a New Nurse [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:26
New nurses, have you called your first rapid response yet? The scariest part of your first rapid response usually isn't the clinical situation in front of you. It's the moment you have to decide whether you should even c…
Reye’s Syndrome Basics for Nursing Students - ENCORE! #257 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:43
Reye’s syndrome is a rare but very serious condition that involves acute encephalopathy, cerebral edema and fatty liver failure. The pathophysiology is not fully understood but what we do know points to mitochondrial inj…
#510: PodQuiz - Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:52
Test your knowledge of AKI with this quick set of audio flashcards. Dive right in or brush up on your nursing knowledge of AKI first, in episode #509: Acute Kidney Injury for Nursing Students: Causes, Symptoms, Labs & Tr…
#508: MMM - Your First Code Blue [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:44
New nurses, this one's for you! We're talking about what that first code actually feels like, why the calm you see in other nurses doesn’t mean you’re not cut out for this, and why your contribution matters even when you…
What is the Beers List of Medications? - ENCORE! #169 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:06
The Beers Criteria, or Beers list, is a list of medications which are considered to be potentially harmful medications for individuals over 65 years old due to risks or side effects that outweigh the benefits. In this ep…
#507: MMM - This vs. That: 7 Nursing Concepts Students Always Mix Up [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:06
Nursing is full of terms that sound similar, look similar, and sometimes even seem interchangeable. But understanding the differences between these concepts can make a huge difference in your clinical judgment. Hit play…
#506: Clinical Is Not a Test (Most of the Time) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:43
If you're just heading in to clinical or are still feeling a bit overwhelmed at the end of every shift, this episode is for you. In this episode, I'm sharing how you can reframe your clinical experience to go from just t…
#505: MMM - Your Quick Clinical Prep Routine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:28
Next time you get your patient assignment, skip the panic-prep session and instead, try the five-minute clinical prep routine I'm breaking down in this episode. By the end of this episode, you'll know how to focus your c…