When I was a student (and new nurse) I remember hearing medical terms all the time that would make me think, “I should probably know what that means, but I’m too embarrassed to ask.” And I hated how that made me feel… lost, incompetent, out of the loop, and unsure of myself. You can imagine what feeling this way did to my confidence level. Yep…pretty low sometimes. In this episode I’m diving into some common medical terms that students (and even experienced nurses) often feel a little unsure about…terms like: Sensitivity vs specificity Hypoxia vs hypoxemia Crystalloid vs colloid And let’s not forget medical slang like “the gap,” “rainbows,” and “Christmas trees” After listening to this episode, you’ll be absolutely fascinating at your next cocktail party and probably feel a lot more confident at the bedside, too! Full Transcript - Read the article and view references FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school without it taking over your life! Crucial Concepts Bootcamp - Start nursing school ahead of the game, or reset after a difficult first semester with my nursing school prep course, Crucial Concepts Bootcamp. Learn key foundation concepts, organization and time management, dosage calculations, and so much more. Kali Dayton Interview: Learn about ICU delirium and the dangers of oversedation in this compelling interview. Purewick:  This is an external catheter that’s gaining quickly in popularity (you know, if there were a popularity contest amongst urine collection devices). Episode 89: Explore oxygenation (especially if the concept of hypoxemia vs hypoxia is new to you!). Episode 64: Learn more about atelectasis (spoiler alert…it’s so much more than “crackles!”) 💕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