We've all heard, "Pain is whatever the patient says it is."
But do we actually practice that way?

In this episode, Kevin and Lisa dive into a fascinating mixed-methods study exploring how nurses think about pain and how those beliefs change when real clinical decisions are made in triage. Dr. Wolf unpacks research examining nurses' attitudes, behaviors, and hidden biases surrounding pain assessment and triage decision-making.

The results are uncomfortable and important.

This conversation isn't about blaming nurses; it's about understanding how systems, cognition, and culture shape practice, and how awareness can help us deliver safer, more compassionate care.

Here is a link to the full article.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0099176726000048?dgcid=author

Want to watch the video on Youtube?
https://youtu.be/FkCvwME19eE

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Vaccines are one of public health's greatest success stories—but what happens when people start saying no? In this episode, Kevin and Dr. Lisa Wolf dig into the rising tide of vaccine refusal, what's fueling it, and how it's already impacting what we see in the emergency department. If you've ever struggled to explain vaccine science to a skeptical patient, this episode is essential listening.

Resources mentioned:

· American Academy of Pediatrics vaccination recommendations

· American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists vaccine guidelines

· Studies on shingles vaccine and dementia reduction

· HPV vaccine and cervical cancer elimination in Scotland

· Vaccination in the emergency department study

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To support the show:

• Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews greatly contribute to the success of the podcast, and I appreciate each and every one of them.
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Thank you for being a part of our AOEN community!

Fluid and electrolyte emergencies are the silent killers you might not notice until your patient crashes. In this episode, Kevin and Dr. Lisa Wolf break down the classic (and not-so-classic) presentations of hypo/hypernatremia, hypokalemia, hyperkalemia, and calcium derangements—and how they impact perfusion, mental status, and cardiac rhythm.

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To support the show:

• Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews greatly contribute to the success of the podcast, and I appreciate each and every one of them.
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or your preferred podcast platform to never miss an episode.

Thank you for being a part of our AOEN community!

What happens when you're not the one about to make the mistake, but you're see someone about to make an error? In this episode, Kevin and Dr. Lisa Wolf tackle one of the toughest ethical and professional dilemmas in healthcare: how to intervene when a colleague is on the verge of harming a patient.
From quiet cues to full-on halts, theydive into the art of the interruption. You'll also hear why modeling behavior matters, how burnout can blind providers, and why letting a mistake slide is more than just dangerous, it's bullying.

If you've ever asked yourself, "How do I say something without causing a scene?" this one's for you.

• Key Takeaways:

  • Your first loyalty is to the patient

  • There's an art to interrupting mistakes

  • Focus fatigue and burnout cause errors

  • If you don't stop it, you're complicit

  • Modeling matters

  • Letting someone fail is a form of bullying

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Twitter: @AoenPodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artofemergencynursing/

To support the show:

• Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews greatly contribute to the success of the podcast, and I appreciate each and every one of them.
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or your preferred podcast platform to never miss an episode.

Thank you for being a part of our AOEN community!

In this episode, Kevin and Dr. Lisa Wolf tackle the critical issue of intimate partner violence (IPV) and its implications for emergency nursing. They break down why IPV is often missed, how it can present in ED, and the subtle red flags that signal deeper concerns. From the limitations of triage screening to the importance of private conversations, they share strategies to identify and respond to intimate partner violence

Links to articles

Warning Signs of Partner Abuse in Intimate Relationships

Intimate Partner Violence and Human Trafficking

Investigating the prevalence of intimate partner violence victimisation in women presenting to the emergency department in suicidal crisis

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Twitter: @AoenPodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artofemergencynursing/

To support the show:

• Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews greatly contribute to the success of the podcast, and I appreciate each and every one of them.
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or your preferred podcast platform to never miss an episode.

Thank you for being a part of our AOEN community!

In this episode, Kevin and Dr. Lisa Wolf dive into the ethical principles that shape nursing practice. Nursing ethics are not just in crisis situations, but in the everyday decisions nurses make every single shift. From returning the bladder scanner to honoring patient autonomy, we explore how small actions reflect deep ethical commitments.

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Twitter: @AoenPodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artofemergencynursing/

To support the show:

• Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews greatly contribute to the success of the podcast, and I appreciate each and every one of them.
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or your preferred podcast platform to never miss an episode.

Thank you for being a part of our AOEN community!

In this episode, Kevin and Dr. Wolf dive deep into the under-discussed but critically important world of renal and urologic emergencies. From the agony of kidney stones to the subtleties of urinary retention. They discuss the dangers of delayed diagnosis, unpack key presentations, triage considerations, and red flags that emergency nurses must recognize.

Urine color chart Click here
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/urine-color-chart

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Twitter: @AoenPodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artofemergencynursing/

To support the show:

• Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews greatly contribute to the success of the podcast, and I appreciate each and every one of them.
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or your preferred podcast platform to never miss an episode.

Thank you for being a part of our AOEN community!

Measles: It's Back, It's Contagious, and You Probably Haven't Seen It Before

In this episode, Kevin and Dr. Lisa Wolf dig into the return of a disease we thought had been eradicated in 2000. In case you missed it—we're in the middle of a national measles outbreak, and chances are high you've never actually seen a real case. Measles is back, and we need to be on high alert, as it remains one of the most contagious diseases in the world.

What happens when a patient with a suspicious rash sits in your waiting room for hours? How long does measles hang in the air? (Spoiler: it's longer than you think.) From triage missteps to public health policies, this episode walks through how to identify, isolate, and respond to highly contagious diseases—especially when you've never seen them in real life.

We also bust the autism myth (again), talk about vaccine hesitancy, and explore what your ED should be doing to prepare right now.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, September 6). Measles signs and symptoms. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/measles/signs-symptoms/index.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, September 6). Photos of measles. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/measles/signs-symptoms/photos.html

Child Vaccination Schedule

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/imz-schedules/child-adolescent-age.html

Eggertson, L. (2010). Lancet retracts 12-year-old article linking autism to MMR vaccines. CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal, 182(4), E199–E200. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.109-3179

Hviid, A., Hansen, J. V., Frisch, M., & Melbye, M. (2019). Measles, mumps, rubella vaccination and autism: A nationwide cohort study. Annals of Internal Medicine, 170(8), 513–520. https://doi.org/10.7326/M18-2101

Tanne, J. H. (2002). MMR vaccine is not linked with autism, says Danish study. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 325(7373), 1134.

Cohen, J. (2019, May 1). How measles causes the body to 'forget' past infections by other microbes. Science. https://www.science.org/content/article/how-measles-causes-body-forget-past-infections-other-microbes