Rapid Response Calls That Never Should Have Happened | Early Warning Signs, Shock Index & Bedside Report

On the Nurse Gwenny Podcast, Sarah Lorenzini, friend and contributor to The Nurse Gwenny Library joins Nurse Gwenny for the final episode of season one.

Sarah, TheRapidResponseRN, explains what “rapid responses that never should have happened” look like. These two powerhouse nursing educators discuss scenarios where warning signs were present for hours or staff concerns weren’t heard.

TheRapidResponseRN describes critical care experience and certifications often needed for rapid response work and how her dedicated team both responds to and tries to prevent emergencies using tools like MEWS.

Sarah walks through two cases: a patient with worsening tachycardia and hypotension who was treated with metoprolol and fluids without timely reassessment, later found in septic shock requiring vasopressors, ICU care, ARDS, CRRT, and weeks of hospitalization; and an ortho patient who likely developed a brain bleed overnight after missed bedside shift reports and assessments, ultimately dying despite a tech escalating concerns.

Nurse Gwenny and Sarah Lorenzini emphasize shock index, full patient assessment, relying on techs, normalization of deviance, and speaking up for patients.

Find more of Sarah Lorenzini's work in The Nurse Gwenny Library and her own site www.RapidResponseAndRescue.com or on Instagram as TheRapidResponseRN.

00:00 See The Human First

01:29 Meet TheRapidResponseRN , Sarah Lorenzini

02:19 What Rapid Response Means

03:49 Building The RRT Team

04:19 Proactive Rounds And MEWS

05:32 Grace For Med Surg Reality

08:44 Flight Ready In Person Class Announcement

09:08 Case One Warning Signs Missed

13:30 Septic Shock Takeaways

15:31 Shock Index And Teamwork

20:18 ICU Outcome And Advocacy

22:10 Advocating Beyond Tasks

23:14 Swiss Cheese Handoff Fail

26:17 Missed Neuro Decline

27:51 Why Bedside Report Matters

29:49 Normalization of Deviance

32:59 Trust Your Nursing Gut

35:48 Triage and Eyeballing Patients

37:52 New Nurse Pattern Recognition

38:41 Proud Moment Self Care

40:42 Podcast Wrap and Resources

Dream Teammates: What Makes Someone Great to Work With?

In this episode of the Nurse Gwenny Podcast, Nurse Gwenny and Mr. Nurse Gwenny host Martin aka The Mustache Medic Martin. Together, they explore a simple but powerful question: What makes a dream teammate?

The Core Traits of Exceptional Teammates

Several foundational characteristics are highlighted:

• Trustworthiness – People who do what they say they'll do and act with integrity.
• Reliability – Showing up consistently, physically and mentally.
• Teachability – Being open to feedback, growth, and new perspectives.
• Humility – Putting the team and patient needs ahead of ego.
• Accountability – Taking ownership of actions and striving for excellence.

One key takeaway: while technical skills can be taught, qualities like integrity, humility, and self-discipline must be intentionally developed.

Great Teams Create Great Culture

The discussion highlights how healthy cultures naturally reinforce positive behaviors and discourage unhealthy ones. Strong teammates aren't afraid to provide honest feedback, challenge poor decisions, and help each other improve.

The Nurse Gwenny, Martin and Mr. Nurse Gwenny emphasize that the best partners(in the helicopter, ambulance and at home) are those who can:

• Hold each other accountable.
• Communicate respectfully.
• Create psychological safety.
• Make learning feel encouraged rather than intimidating.

The Importance of Humor and Perspective

Working in emergency medicine exposes clinicians to trauma, loss, and high-stress situations. One concept that resonated throughout the conversation was the "beauty-to-death ratio."

The idea is simple: the more tragedy and suffering we witness, the more intentionally we need to seek moments of beauty, joy, laughter, and connection.

TheMustacheMedic shares stories of partners who knew exactly when to inject humor into difficult situations, helping their teams process stress while staying resilient.

This concept also touches on a core value of The Nurse Gwenny Library; to make learning fun!

Character Matters On and Off the Job

The habits, discipline, and integrity people demonstrate in everyday life often show up in their professional performance as well. Whether caring for patients, leading a business, or supporting coworkers, consistency of character builds trust and credibility.

Nurse Gwenny also discussed the importance of reputation, noting that healthcare is a surprisingly small world. How people treat others, manage relationships, and handle adversity can have long-lasting effects on future opportunities.

Final Takeaway

The dream teammate isn't defined by technical expertise alone. They're someone who combines competence with character. A dream teammate is someone who is trustworthy, reliable, teachable, humble, and committed to helping others succeed.

Whether in healthcare, business, or everyday life, the qualities that make a great teammate are the same qualities that make a great person.

Question for listeners: What's one quality that makes someone a dream teammate in your experience?

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Description

On Episode 8 of The Nurse Gwenny Podcast, Nurse Gwenny, Martin, and Josh discuss relational dynamics impacting work settings.

Have you had a teammate that was a "Jerk face poopy head?" (I know, strong language there, but I think you catch my drift!)

While I(Mr. Nurse Gwenny) really wasn't looking forward to editing the episode, I found myself laughing regularly and enjoying the conversation and reflecting on the banter with Martin. We each have had different experiences, but landed on some “best practices” when it comes to helping create, maintain, or even restore workplace environments to being healthy and non-toxic.

Listen in as we discuss:

1. How do you approach someone who has crossed a boundary?
2. How can you limit the spread of workplace drama or gossip?
3. What are ways to lift someone up that is struggling or underperforming?

Relationships are everywhere!

Hopefully the conversation and takeaways from this episode can equip you to have a hard conversation that might lead to a better work experience. Oh... and just because we're talking about work, doesn't mean these principles can't carry over into other spaces or relationships!

www.NurseGwenny.com