WhiteBoard Medicine - Emergency And Critical Care

#258 Mechanical Ventilator Settings Explained | PEEP, FiO₂, RR & Tidal Volume Made Simple

Mechanical ventilation is a core skill in critical care and emergency medicine—but the ventilator can feel overwhelming when you’re first learning it.
In this episode, we break down the essential ventilator settings—PEEP, FiO₂, respiratory rate (RR), and tidal volume (TV)—in a way that’s simple, practical, and directly applicable at the bedside.
We focus on building a clear mental model of how the ventilator works, including:
What PEEP does for oxygenation and alveolar recruitment
How FiO₂ impacts oxygen delivery
How respiratory rate controls ventilation and CO₂ removal
How tidal volume relates to lung-protective ventilation
How these settings interact in real ICU and ED patients
Whether you’re a medical student, resident, nurse, respiratory therapist, or practicing clinician, this episode is designed to help you move from memorizing settings → actually understanding them.
🎥 Watch the full video version here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jazfwCDS4vg
🔥 Download the study guide for this episode + access the full emergency critical care curriculum:https://www.patreon.com/c/WhiteBoardMedicine
Study guides • Mini-courses • Practice questions • Structured ICU curriculum • Ad-free content
⚠️ Disclaimer:This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Clinical decisions should be based on independent clinical judgment, institutional protocols, and current guidelines.

#257 Stressed Vs Unstressed Volume Explained | Venous Return, MSFP & Shock

Understanding stressed vs unstressed volume is one of the most important—and most misunderstood—concepts in hemodynamics and shock.
In this episode, we break down how venous capacitance, mean systemic filling pressure (MSFP), and venous returnactually work, and why they matter for managing critically ill patients in the ICU and emergency department.
We focus on translating physiology into practical bedside understanding, including:
What stressed and unstressed volume actually represent
How MSFP drives venous return
Why vasopressors (like norepinephrine) increase effective circulating volume
How fluids vs vasopressors impact preload differently
Applying this framework to septic shock, hemorrhagic shock, and distributive states
If you’ve ever wondered why fluids or vasopressors work (or don’t), this episode gives you the physiology behind it.
🎥 Watch the full video version here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ubYO-XI5Mw
🔥 Get the study guide for this episode + full emergency critical care curriculum:https://www.patreon.com/c/WhiteBoardMedicine
Study guides • Mini-courses • Practice questions • Structured ICU curriculum • Ad-free content
⚠️ Disclaimer:This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Clinical decisions should be based on independent clinical judgment, institutional protocols, and current guidelines.

#256 Non Invasive Fluid Assessment Explained | IVC, VExUS & Passive Leg Raise ICU Guide

In this episode, we break down non-invasive fluid assessment at the bedside, focusing on IVC ultrasound, VExUS (Venous Excess Ultrasound Score), and the passive leg raise (PLR).
We walk through how to evaluate fluid responsiveness vs fluid tolerance, when each tool works (and when it fails), and how to integrate these approaches into a practical, physiology-based framework for critically ill patients.
This episode tackles one of the most common and challenging decisions in critical care: when to give fluids—and when to stop. By combining ultrasound-based assessment with dynamic testing like the passive leg raise, we outline a more complete approach to hemodynamic assessment in the ICU and emergency department.
If you’re a clinician managing acutely ill patients, this episode will help you move beyond guesswork and toward more precise, bedside-driven fluid decision-making.
🎥 Watch the full video here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Raaog7Z6yEI
🚀 Support WhiteBoard Medicine + Get Full Access
Get the full study guide for this episode + complete emergency critical care curriculum:https://www.patreon.com/c/WhiteBoardMedicine
Our Patreon includes:• 📄 Study guides for every episode• 🎓 Mini-courses (ventilation, shock, RRT & more)• ❓ Practice questions• 🚫 Ad-free content• 🧠 A structured ICU curriculum
⚠️ Disclaimer
This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice. Clinical decisions should be made based on individual patient circumstances, institutional protocols, and clinician judgment. This content does not represent the views of any affiliated institutions.

#255 Ventilator Induced Lung Injury Explained | VILI, Driving Pressure & Mechanical Power ICU Guide

In this episode, we break down ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) and how mechanical ventilation can contribute to lung damage in critically ill patients.
We walk through the core mechanisms of VILI—including volutrauma, barotrauma, atelectrauma, and biotrauma—and then build a deeper understanding using the concepts of driving pressure and mechanical power. These frameworks help connect individual ventilator settings to the total energy delivered to the lungs and the risk of injury.
This episode focuses on a key shift in thinking: moving beyond isolated ventilator parameters toward a more integrated, physiology-based approach to lung-protective ventilation at the bedside.
If you manage ventilated patients in the ICU or emergency department, this will help you better understand why lung injury occurs—and how to minimize it.
🎥 Watch the full video here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fUSRomVjUw
🚀 Support WhiteBoard Medicine + Get Full Access
Get the full study guide for this episode + complete emergency critical care curriculum:https://www.patreon.com/c/WhiteBoardMedicine
Our Patreon includes:• 📄 Study guides for every episode• 🎓 Mini-courses (ventilation, shock, RRT & more)• ❓ Practice questions• 🚫 Ad-free content• 🧠 A structured ICU curriculum
⚠️ Disclaimer
This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice. Clinical decisions should be made based on individual patient circumstances, institutional protocols, and clinician judgment. This content does not represent the views of any affiliated institutions.

#254 Sickle Cell Crisis Explained | VOC, Acute Chest Syndrome & Emergencies Made Simple

In this episode, we break down sickle cell crisis and life-threatening complications, including vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC), acute chest syndrome (ACS), splenic sequestration, aplastic crisis, and infection.
We walk through the underlying pathophysiology of sickle cell disease, why these emergencies occur, and how to recognize and manage them in the emergency department and ICU. This is a high-yield, practical framework to help you quickly distinguish common presentations from life-threatening complications.
If you’re a medical student, resident, nurse, or practicing clinician, this episode will help you build a clear mental model for approaching sickle cell emergencies at the bedside.
🎥 Watch the full video here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZmQQ8zosdY
🚀 Support WhiteBoard Medicine + Get Full Access
Get the full study guide for this episode + complete emergency critical care curriculum:https://www.patreon.com/c/WhiteBoardMedicine
Our Patreon includes:• 📄 Study guides for every episode• 🎓 Mini-courses (ventilation, shock, RRT & more)• ❓ Practice questions• 🚫 Ad-free content• 🧠 A structured ICU curriculum
⚠️ Disclaimer
This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice. Clinical decisions should be made based on individual patient circumstances, institutional protocols, and clinician judgment. This content does not represent the views of any affiliated institutions.

#253 IVC & VExUS Ultrasound Explained | How to Assess Fluid Status at the Bedside ICU Guide

In this episode, we break down how to assess fluid status at the bedside using IVC ultrasound and VExUS (Venous Excess Ultrasound Score).
We walk through how to interpret IVC diameter and collapsibility, when it works (and when it doesn’t), and how VExUS expands your assessment by integrating hepatic vein, portal vein, and renal venous Doppler to evaluate venous congestion and fluid tolerance.
This episode focuses on one of the most important clinical challenges in critical care: determining fluid responsiveness vs fluid overload. We outline a practical, physiology-based framework you can apply immediately in the ICU and emergency department.
If you’ve ever struggled with deciding when to give fluids—or when to stop—this episode will help you move toward a more complete and clinically useful approach to hemodynamic assessment.
🎥 Watch the full video here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll9pIGLtVh0
🚀 Support WhiteBoard Medicine + Get Full Access
Get the full study guide for this episode + complete emergency critical care curriculum:https://www.patreon.com/c/WhiteBoardMedicine
Our Patreon includes:• 📄 Study guides for every episode• 🎓 Mini-courses (ventilation, shock, RRT & more)• ❓ Practice questions• 🚫 Ad-free content• 🧠 A structured ICU curriculum
⚠️ Disclaimer
This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice. Clinical decisions should be made based on individual patient circumstances, institutional protocols, and clinician judgment. This content does not represent the views of any affiliated institutions.

#252 Mechanical Power in Ventilation Explained | Preventing Ventilator Induced Lung Injury

In this episode, we break down mechanical power in mechanical ventilation and its role in ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI).
We walk through how ventilator settings—including tidal volume, respiratory rate, PEEP, and driving pressure—combine to deliver energy to the lungs, and why thinking in terms of total energy delivery may be key to preventing lung injury in critically ill patients.
Rather than focusing on individual ventilator settings in isolation, this episode provides a framework for understanding how these variables interact and how to apply this knowledge to optimize lung-protective ventilation at the bedside.
If you manage ventilated patients in the ICU or emergency department, this is an essential concept that connects physiology to real-world clinical decision-making.
🎥 Watch the full video here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4YZkQMDclI
🚀 Support WhiteBoard Medicine + Get Full Access
Get the full study guide for this episode + complete emergency critical care curriculum:https://www.patreon.com/c/WhiteBoardMedicine
Our Patreon includes:• 📄 Study guides for every episode• 🎓 Mini-courses (ventilation, shock, RRT & more)• ❓ Practice questions• 🚫 Ad-free content• 🧠 A structured ICU curriculum
⚠️ Disclaimer
This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice. Clinical decisions should be made based on individual patient circumstances, institutional protocols, and clinician judgment. This content does not represent the views of any affiliated institutions.

#251 TEG & ROTEM Explained | Choosing FFP, PCC, Cryo & Platelets ICU Guide

TEG and ROTEM (viscoelastic testing) can fundamentally change how we approach coagulation — but only if we understand how to interpret them and act on the results.
In this episode, we break down viscoelastic testing from the ground up, then walk step-by-step through how to choose the right blood product based on real physiology — not guesswork.
We cover:
What TEG & ROTEM actually measure
How to interpret key parameters (R time, MA, LY30, etc.)
When to use FFP vs PCC vs cryoprecipitate vs platelets
How to move from protocol-driven transfusion → targeted, physiology-based resuscitation
Practical bedside frameworks for critical care, trauma, and massive transfusion
This episode is designed for medical students, residents, fellows, nurses, respiratory therapists, and practicing clinicians looking to build a clear, high-yield understanding of coagulation management in the ICU and ED.
🎯 Want the full breakdown?Get downloadable study guides, clinical frameworks, and a complete emergency critical care curriculum here:👉 https://www.patreon.com/c/WhiteBoardMedicine
📺 Watch the full video version here:👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG9Kl2QBEPQ
⚠️ Disclaimer:This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Clinical decisions should be based on individual patient context, institutional protocols, and professional judgment.

#250 Vasopressin Explained | From Basics to RV Failure ICU Deep Dive

Vasopressin is often thought of as just a “second-line pressor” — but its physiology and clinical applications are far more nuanced.
In this episode, we break down vasopressin from the ground up, starting with receptor-level physiology and how it differs from catecholamines, then build into a focused deep dive on one of its most important uses: right ventricular (RV) failure and pulmonary hypertension.
We cover:
V1, V2, and V3 receptor physiology
How vasopressin affects systemic vs pulmonary vascular tone
Differences from norepinephrine and other vasopressors
Why vasopressin can be uniquely helpful in RV failure
Practical bedside considerations in shock states
This episode is designed for medical students, residents, fellows, nurses, respiratory therapists, and practicing clinicians looking to better understand vasopressor selection in emergency and critical care.
🎯 Want the full breakdown?Get downloadable study guides, clinical frameworks, and a complete emergency critical care curriculum here:👉 https://www.patreon.com/c/WhiteBoardMedicine
📺 Watch the full video version here:👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0Ic2UY3A1Y
⚠️ Disclaimer:This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Clinical decisions should be based on individual patient context, institutional protocols, and professional judgment.

#249 VExUS Ultrasound | How to Assess Venous Congestion at the Bedside

In this episode, we break down VExUS ultrasound (Venous Excess Ultrasound Score) and how to assess venous congestion at the bedside in critically ill patients.
We walk through the physiology of venous congestion and how to integrate IVC ultrasound, hepatic vein Doppler, portal vein Doppler, and renal venous Doppler into a practical framework for evaluating fluid tolerance vs fluid overload. This is a powerful tool for clinicians managing patients in the ICU and emergency department who are trying to decide when to give fluids—and when to stop.
If you’ve ever struggled with fluid status assessment, this episode will help you move beyond isolated measurements and toward a more comprehensive, physiology-based approach.
🎥 Watch the full video here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeXJxP-emWk
🚀 Support WhiteBoard Medicine + Get Full Access
Get the full study guide for this episode + complete emergency critical care curriculum:https://www.patreon.com/c/WhiteBoardMedicine
Our Patreon includes:• 📄 Study guides for every episode• 🎓 Mini-courses (ventilation, shock, RRT & more)• ❓ Practice questions• 🚫 Ad-free content• 🧠 A structured ICU curriculum
⚠️ Disclaimer
This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice. Clinical decisions should be made based on individual patient circumstances, institutional protocols, and clinician judgment. This content does not represent the views of any affiliated institutions.