Épisodes

  • Nursing Exam Prep [NCLEX-RN] 40, Potassium Imbalances

    Nursing Exam Prep [NCLEX-RN] 40, Potassium Imbalances
    Feb 21 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: • Differentiate the key ECG findings, peaked T waves in hyperkalemia versus flattened T-waves and U-waves in hypokalemia. • Identify the most common causes of potassium imbalances, such as loop diuretics for hypokalemia and renal failure for hyperkalemia. • Recall the cardinal safety rule of IV potassium administration which is to never push, always dilute, and infuse slowly. • Prioritize the emergency nursing interventions for life-threatening hyperkalemia, including IV calcium gluconate and insulin with dextrose. • Recognize common medication-related exam traps, such as confusing potassium-wasting diuretics like Furosemide with potassium-sparing diuretics like Spironolactone. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    4 min
  • Nursing Exam Prep [NCLEX-RN] 39, Sodium Imbalances

    Nursing Exam Prep [NCLEX-RN] 39, Sodium Imbalances
    Feb 20 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: • Sodium's primary role is regulating fluid balance and neurological function; imbalances manifest as critical neurological changes. • Hyponatremia (low sodium) is often caused by water gain, as seen in SIADH, leading to cerebral edema with symptoms like confusion and seizures. • Hypernatremia (high sodium) is typically caused by water loss, as seen in Diabetes Insipidus, causing brain cell shrinkage with symptoms like lethargy and agitation. • The priority nursing action for severe sodium imbalances is ensuring patient safety, focusing on seizure precautions and frequent neurological assessments. • A key exam concept is the danger of rapid correction. Remember: "Low to high, the pons will die; high to low, the brain will blow." For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    3 min
  • Nursing Exam Prep [NCLEX-RN] 38, Fluid and Electrolyte Balance

    Nursing Exam Prep [NCLEX-RN] 38, Fluid and Electrolyte Balance
    Feb 19 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: • Isotonic solutions like 0.9% Normal Saline are used for fluid volume deficit and shock because they stay in the vascular space. • Hypotonic solutions like 0.45% Normal Saline rehydrate cells and are used in conditions like DKA after initial stabilization. • A critical NCLEX trap is that hypotonic solutions are strictly contraindicated in patients with increased intracranial pressure as they worsen cerebral edema. • Hypertonic solutions like 3% Saline are used as an emergency treatment for cerebral edema because they pull fluid out of swollen brain cells. • Always question an order for Lactated Ringer's in patients with renal failure or hyperkalemia, as its potassium content can be harmful. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    3 min
  • Nursing Exam Prep [NCLEX-RN] 37, Electrocardiogram Basics

    Nursing Exam Prep [NCLEX-RN] 37, Electrocardiogram Basics
    Feb 18 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: • How to identify the key components of a normal sinus rhythm: P wave, PR interval, and QRS complex duration. • To recognize atrial fibrillation on an ECG and differentiate between stable and unstable patient management priorities. • The critical first step in assessing a patient with ventricular tachycardia is always checking for a pulse. • Why ventricular fibrillation is a pulseless rhythm that requires immediate defibrillation as the top priority action. • A key mnemonic to remember the definitive treatment for V-fib: "If it's V-fib, you D-fib." For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    4 min
  • Nursing Exam Prep [NCLEX-RN] 36, Arterial Blood Gas Interpretation

    Nursing Exam Prep [NCLEX-RN] 36, Arterial Blood Gas Interpretation
    Feb 17 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: • How to apply the ROME mnemonic (Respiratory Opposite, Metabolic Equal) to rapidly diagnose the primary acid-base imbalance. • The three-step process for interpreting any ABG result: assess pH, identify the primary driver (PaCO2 or HCO3), and determine the level of compensation. • How to differentiate between uncompensated, partially compensated, and fully compensated states and avoid common NCLEX traps related to normal-looking pH values. • Why connecting ABG results to priority nursing interventions, such as improving ventilation in respiratory acidosis, is crucial for exam success. • How to use PaO2 and PaCO2 values to identify acute respiratory failure as an immediate clinical priority. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    4 min
  • Nursing Exam Prep [NCLEX-RN] 35, Laboratory Values Interpretation

    Nursing Exam Prep [NCLEX-RN] 35, Laboratory Values Interpretation
    Feb 16 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: • How to identify critical lab values, such as hyperkalemia, that require immediate nursing intervention and provider notification. • The direct link between abnormal sodium levels and the priority nursing action of implementing seizure precautions for patient safety. • Why interpreting trends in lab values, like a post-operative drop in hemoglobin, is crucial for detecting complications like internal bleeding. • The correct response to a supratherapeutic INR for a patient on warfarin, which includes holding the dose and contacting the provider. • How the NCLEX tests clinical judgment by requiring you to connect a lab result to a specific risk and prioritize the most immediate, life-saving action. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    3 min
  • Nursing Exam Prep [NCLEX-RN] 34, Musculoskeletal Assessment

    Nursing Exam Prep [NCLEX-RN] 34, Musculoskeletal Assessment
    Feb 15 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: • Neurovascular assessment, using the "5 P's," is the absolute priority for patients with fractures or casts to detect compartment syndrome early. • Muscle strength is graded on a 0-5 scale, and this grade directly determines the appropriate level of mobility assistance and safe handling techniques. • For patients with joint replacements, preventing dislocation through specific positioning precautions is a key nursing responsibility tested on the exam. • The mnemonic COAL (Cane Opposite Affected Leg) is a critical shortcut for questions about the correct use of mobility aids. • Differentiating between active (patient-led) and passive (nurse-led) range of motion is essential for understanding care goals like preventing contractures versus building strength. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    3 min
  • Nursing Exam Prep [NCLEX-RN] 33, Integumentary Assessment

    Nursing Exam Prep [NCLEX-RN] 33, Integumentary Assessment
    Feb 14 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: • The critical difference between blanchable and non-blanchable erythema for identifying a Stage 1 pressure injury. • How to differentiate pressure injury stages based on visible tissue, such as subcutaneous fat in Stage 3 versus exposed bone in Stage 4. • How to use the REEDA mnemonic (Redness, Edema, Ecchymosis, Drainage, Approximation) to assess surgical incisions for signs of infection. • Why a lower score on the Braden Scale indicates a higher risk for skin breakdown, guiding preventative nursing interventions. • That skin tenting when assessing turgor is a key exam indicator for dehydration or fluid volume deficit. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    3 min