144: Trauma Plus: Navigating Complex Trauma Care with Flight Nurse Gwenny

What happens when a trauma patient isn’t just a trauma patient? In today’s episode, we’re diving into “Trauma Plus” — those high-stakes situations where comorbidities, medications, environmental exposures, or underlying medical emergencies complicate recognition of decompensation and change everything about how we care for our patients. I’m joined by Flight Nurse Gwenny , who brings her expertise from the field to walk us through three complex trauma cases where things aren’t what they first appear to be. You’ll hear her real-time thought process as she navigates evolving scenarios and shares her assessment priorities, differential diagnoses, and critical interventions. If you’ve ever cared for a trauma patient and thought, “Something doesn’t add up,” this episode will help sharpen your assessment skills and give you a framework for approaching the next challenging trauma case. Topics discussed in this episode: Recognizing subtle signs of trauma decompensation Assessing geriatric trauma patients with limited compensatory reserves Managing trauma patients on anticoagulation Understanding how hypothermia worsens bleeding and coagulopathy Identifying and interrupting the trauma “triad of death” Balancing trauma care with underlying medical emergencies Avoiding anchoring bias when a patient’s story doesn’t add up Prioritizing assessments and interventions during flight transport Building a mental checklist for “Trauma Plus” patients Connect with Nurse Gwenny: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLhEo_HaDEkPFA_cpQPAz2w Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nursegwennyrn/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nurse.gwenny?_t=8qUUMwXhv5P&_r=1 Purchase her books: https://www.nursegwenny.com/shop Mentioned in this episode: Listen to the In The Heart of Care Podcast https://link.cohostpodcasting.com/6598429e-e927-45b0-9b57-7dd34a09d803?d=seASyqjs7 CONNECT 📸 Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapidresponsern/ 📚 Check out my course: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/learnmore 🧑‍💻Check out my website: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/ 📬 Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/login 🎁 Affiliation and discounts: https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/therapidresponsern ✅ Earn CE’s for listening to podcasts through RNegade: https://rnegade.thinkific.com/?ref=d9d541 SAY THANKS 💜Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/rapid-response-rn/id1535997752 💚Leave a rating on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/55LQqeDg6XFeixvZLEp4xE ⏱️ To get the FREE Rapid Response RN Assessment Guide and the coupon code for $10 off the cost of the course, message Sarah on Instagram @TheRapidResponseRN and type the word PODCAST! This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com