How Not to Kill Your Patient

Feb 13 2025 37 ep. 38 mins 29
How Not to Kill Your Patient Podcast artwork

HNTKYP is a series that address symptomatic presentation and how to move to a working diagnosis and plan for patient care. Kevin McFarlane and Lisa Wolf cover red flags, cognitive pitfalls, and ways to make sure your patients survive their encounter with the health system.

  Health & Fitness  Science
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HNTKYP: Breaking the Silence: Leadership’s Role in Communicating Change

Feb 13 2025 31 mins  
In this episode, Kevin and Dr. Wolf dive deep into the critical role that leadership plays in communicating change. Dr. Wolf, shares insights from a soon to be published study on how emergency nurses are being left in the dark regarding changes in practice laws, particularly around pregnancy complications in states with restrictive abortion policies. We explore the consequences o

HNTKYP: What is your patient's code status?

Jan 10 2025 41 mins  
When "Do Everything" Isn’t the Answer. In this episode we discuss one of the most complex and emotionally charged aspects of emergency care: navigating code status and advance directives. We unpack the nuances of "Do Not Resuscitate" (DNR) orders, the dynamics of family presence during resuscitations, and the moral dilemmas that arise when patient wishes conflict with family dem

HNTKYP:Prisoner or patient, psychiatric holds in the ED

Nov 22 2024 57 mins  
In this episode, Kevin and Dr. Wolf dive deep into the complex world of behavioral health in the emergency department. Too often, psychiatric patients are treated as though their visit is a carceral event—stripped of autonomy, dignity, and decision-making capacity. We explore the ethical dilemmas, systemic barriers, and practical challenges that emergency nurses face when caring

HNTKYP The Medication Assessment

Nov 11 2024 37 mins  
Kevin and Dr. Wolf dive into the critical skill of the medication assessment. They explore how understanding a patient's medication list can provide invaluable insights into their overall health and guide essential clinical decisions, especially in high-stakes environments like the emergency department. The pair discusses the ethical and legal responsibilities tied to medication ad

Moral Courage in Restrictive Environments

Jul 26 2024 46 mins  
In this crossover episode of "How Not to Kill Your Patient" and "Art of Emergency Nursing," we dive into the critical topic of moral courage within the nursing profession. Kevin and Lisa discuss Lisa’s recent study on how emergency nurses handle ethical dilemmas, particularly in states with restrictive abortion laws. We explore the complexities of balancing professional and perso

HNTKYP From Door to Care: Redefining Triage Success

Jul 18 2024 39 mins  
In this episode, Lisa and Kevin discuss the importance of accurate triage in emergency departments and its impact on patient outcomes. They critique current triage models that prioritize metrics such as length of stay and door-to-physician time over patient outcomes. They remind us that a thorough nursing assessment is essential for patient safety and effective care. The episode hi

HNTKYP Floating (reposted)

Jun 27 2024 19 mins  
I found this episode from 2022 never posted so I updated the episode, but it didnt show up as a new episode so this is the repost. In this episode, Kevin and Dr. Wolf talk about emergency nurses floating out to the department into other areas. Hopefully, this doesn't happen often but we talk about what to expect when it happens and how not to kill your floor patients.

HNTKYP: Anxiety

Jun 10 2024 33 mins  
This episode of HNTKYP features Kevin and Dr. Lisa Wolf discussing anxiety. They explore the complexities of diagnosing anxiety, emphasizing the importance of ruling out serious underlying conditions before attributing symptoms solely to anxiety. They stress the importance of not dismissing physical symptoms like tachycardia, tachypnea, and numbness as mere anxiety until ruling

HNTKYP: Distributive Shock (Podcrawl Edition)

May 24 2024 45 mins  
In this special collaborative episode, part of the "Nurses Podcrawl," Dr. Wolf and Kevin delve into the fascinating world of distributive shock. As part of a unique project featuring seven different podcasters, each covering a specific type of shock, our hosts take on distributive shock, exploring its nuances and critical aspects and this super cool type of shock Listen to all the

HNTKYP A Review of Shock

Mar 28 2024 40 mins  
This episode of HNTKYP Kevin and Dr. Lisa Wolf take a deep dive into the high-stakes world of shock management. Why does it matter you ask? If you miss the early signs of septic shock, and 30% of those patients won’t make it home. This episode provides a comprehensive overview of the different types of shock – hypovolemic, distributive, cardiogenic, and obstructive – detai