Podcast
Nursing & Healthcare Exam Prep
Hosted by Ran Chen, EA, CFP® · EN
Nursing & Healthcare Exam Prep is a daily podcast designed to help future nurses and healthcare professionals pass their licensing and admission exams with clarity and confidence.
Built and operated by OpenExamPrep, this podcast breaks down major nursing and healthcare exams into focused, easy-to-digest episodes covering NCLEX-RN, NCLEX-PN, CNA certification, and ATI TEAS, across national exam standards and applicable state-level requirements. Each episode targets one key concept, common exam trap, or high-frequency test topic—making it ideal for studying during commutes, workouts, or short study sessions.
Created by Ran Chen, EA, CFP®, a financial professional and exam specialist who has personally passed multiple professional licensing exams, Nursing & Healthcare Exam Prep was developed from firsthand experience with how challenging—and often poorly structured—exam preparation can be. The goal is simple: make nursing and healthcare exam prep clearer, more accessible, and more effective through structured explanations and modern learning tools. Whether you’re preparing for the NCLEX-RN, NCLEX-PN, CNA, or ATI TEAS, just starting your healthcare education journey, or reviewing before test day, this podcast is designed to guide you step by step—one concept at a time.
Free practice tools, AI-powered explanations, and additional exam prep resources are available at: https://open-exam-prep.com/
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Phlebotomy Exam Prep 22, Pediatric Phlebotomy Considerations
Yesterday00:03:17Tap to summarizeThis 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 principles of atraumatic care, including parental presence and distraction techniques. - Proper application and timing for topical anesthetics like EMLA cream to minimize pain. - How to calculate maximum allowable blood draw volumes based on a child's weight to prevent complications. - The importance of using appropriate equipment, such as smaller microtainer tubes, for pediatric draws. - The risk and causes of iatrogenic anemia, especially in the NICU, from repeated blood collections. 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
Transcribe →Phlebotomy Exam Prep 21, Capillary Order of Draw
2d ago00:03:08Tap to summarizeThis 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 differences between the capillary and venipuncture orders of draw. - Why EDTA (lavender/pink top) tubes are collected first after blood gases in a capillary draw to prevent platelet clumping. - How an incorrect capillary draw order can lead to falsely low platelet counts and inaccurate CBC results. - That serum (red/gold top) tubes are always collected last in a capillary puncture because they are designed for clotted blood. - A mnemonic to remember the correct order: "Good Exams Always Score" (Gases, EDTA, Additives, Serum). 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
Transcribe →Phlebotomy Exam Prep 20, Heel Stick — Newborn and Infant
3d ago00:02:28Tap to summarizeThis 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 only acceptable puncture sites for an infant heel stick are the medial and lateral plantar surfaces of the heel. - Puncturing the center of an infant's heel carries a high risk of injuring the calcaneus bone, potentially causing osteomyelitis. - Warming the heel for 3-5 minutes prior to puncture is a crucial step to increase blood flow and ensure a viable sample. - The first drop of blood must be wiped away because it is contaminated with tissue fluid that can invalidate test results. - Excessive squeezing or 'milking' of the foot can cause hemolysis and specimen contamination, a common reason for sample rejection. 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
Transcribe →Phlebotomy Exam Prep 19, Capillary Puncture — Fingerstick Procedure
4d ago00:02:53Tap to summarizeThis 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: - Why the middle and ring fingers are the required sites for an adult capillary puncture and the risks associated with using other fingers. - The critical importance of wiping away the first drop of blood to prevent contamination from tissue fluid and alcohol residue. - The maximum standard lancet depth for an adult fingerstick (2.0 mm) and its role in preventing bone injury and osteomyelitis. - How excessive squeezing or 'milking' the finger causes hemolysis and specimen contamination, leading to inaccurate lab results. - The correct technique of puncturing perpendicular to the fingerprint lines to ensure a well-formed blood drop for easier collection. 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
Transcribe →Phlebotomy Exam Prep 18, Syringe Technique and Tube Transfer
5d ago00:02:23Tap to summarizeThis 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: - Syringe draws are the preferred method for patients with small, fragile, or easily collapsible veins. - A safety transfer device is mandatory for moving blood from a syringe to evacuated tubes to prevent needlestick injuries. - Never push the syringe plunger during transfer; allow the tube's vacuum to pull the blood to prevent hemolysis and aerosolization. - The standard order of draw must be followed when filling tubes from a syringe to prevent additive cross-contamination. - Exam questions frequently test the proper transfer procedure as a key safety and specimen integrity checkpoint.
Transcribe →Phlebotomy Exam Prep 17, Butterfly (Winged) Collection Set
6d ago00:03:10Tap to summarizeThis 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: - A butterfly (winged) set is the preferred device for patients with small, fragile, or difficult-to-access veins, such as in pediatric and geriatric draws. - A discard tube is mandatory before collecting a light blue top (coagulation) tube to purge the air from the set's tubing. - Failure to use a discard tube will cause the coagulation tube to underfill, altering the 9:1 blood-to-additive ratio and invalidating test results. - The risk of hemolysis increases if a syringe plunger is pulled back too forcefully, due to the pressure exerted on red blood cells passing through the small-gauge needle. - The typical needle gauge for a butterfly set is 23G, which results in a slower blood flow compared to a standard straight needle. 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
Transcribe →Phlebotomy Exam Prep 16, Discard Tube Requirements
1w ago00:03:27Tap to summarizeThis 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: - A discard tube is required for a light blue (coagulation) top tube when it is the first or only tube drawn with a straight needle to clear tissue thromboplastin. - When using a winged (butterfly) collection set, a discard tube must be drawn before a light blue top tube if it is the first tube in the sequence. - The purpose of the discard tube with a butterfly needle is to purge the air from the tubing, ensuring a proper 9-to-1 blood-to-anticoagulant ratio. - Discard tubes are generally not required for routine chemistry or hematology tubes when they are drawn first. - Remember the mnemonic: "Blue needs a buddy when it's first in line or using a butterfly" to recall the two key scenarios requiring a discard tube. 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
Transcribe →Phlebotomy Exam Prep 15, Sodium Fluoride (Gray) Tube — Glucose Preservation
1w ago00:03:13Tap to summarizeThis 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 gray top tube contains two key additives: sodium fluoride as an antiglycolytic agent and potassium oxalate as an anticoagulant. - Sodium fluoride's primary role is to preserve glucose by stopping glycolysis, the process where blood cells break down sugar. - This tube is essential for tests requiring highly accurate glucose levels, such as glucose tolerance tests (GTT), lactate, and blood alcohol levels. - A common exam trap is confusing the additives; sodium fluoride preserves the sample, while potassium oxalate prevents clotting. - If sample analysis is delayed, a gray top tube provides a more accurate glucose value than a green top (heparin) tube because it prevents the glucose level from falsely decreasing. 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
Transcribe →Phlebotomy Exam Prep 14, SST and PST Tubes — Gel Separators
1w ago00:03:53Tap to summarizeThis 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: - SST (Gold/Red-Gray Top) contains a clot activator and gel, requires a 30-minute clot time, and yields serum for routine chemistry panels. - PST (Light Green Top) contains lithium heparin and gel, does not require clotting, and yields plasma, making it ideal for STAT chemistry tests. - The thixotropic gel in both tubes forms a stable barrier between the liquid specimen (serum or plasma) and blood cells during centrifugation. - A common exam trap is confusing tubes with and without gel (e.g., Gold SST vs. Red Top; Light Green PST vs. Dark Green Top). - Use the mnemonic "Sunny Gold Serum" for SST and "Pistachio Light Plasma" for PST to remember the tube color and resulting specimen. 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
Transcribe →Phlebotomy Exam Prep 13, Heparin (Green) Tube — Plasma Chemistry
1w ago00:03:31Tap to summarizeThis 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: - Green-top tubes contain heparin (lithium or sodium) which inhibits thrombin to prevent clotting and yield plasma. - They are ideal for STAT chemistry tests because no clot formation time is needed. - A lithium heparin tube must never be used to measure a patient's lithium levels due to sample contamination. - A sodium heparin tube is contraindicated for sodium or electrolyte panel testing for the same reason. - The mnemonic "Never test the additive" is a crucial mental shortcut for avoiding common exam errors with heparin tubes. 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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