Memory AnchorsNLE · Emergency & Critical Care NursingReal content

NLE Emergency & Critical Care Nursing — Principles of Emergency & Critical Care NursingMemory Anchors

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Filipino reviewers do well on Principles of Emergency & Critical Care Nursing once they have personal mnemonics — the anchors that make the concept local, memorable, and quick to surface under NLE time pressure. This page gathers the best-working anchors for Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) — Board of Nursing's typical Emergency & Critical Care Nursing items on this chapter.

Exam context

On the NLE 2026, the Emergency & Critical Care Nursing subtest carries a "Core" weight in Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) — Board of Nursing's pattern. Principles of Emergency & Critical Care Nursing lands at position 1st out of 5 in the standard review order. Target score is 75% weighted average with no sub-test below 60%, and roughly 50 items come from Emergency & Critical Care Nursing on a typical NLE paper.

Principles of Emergency & Critical Care Nursing - Memory Anchors

The human brain remembers stories, images, emotions, and patterns far better than plain facts. Memory anchors work by hooking new clinical information onto something you already know — a funny story, a familiar Filipino experience, a vivid image, or a catchy phrase. Research in cognitive science shows that elaborative encoding (connecting new info to existing mental frameworks) improves recall by up to 400% compared to rote reading. For the NLE, where a single word difference between options can change your answer, strong memory anchors mean you retrieve the RIGHT detail under pressure. Use these anchors actively: say them out loud, sketch the images, and test yourself with the recall triggers. The stranger and more vivid the anchor, the longer it sticks.

Anchors

Topic

Triage

Concept

Triage priority levels: Emergent, Urgent, Non-urgent

Anchor Id

Difficulty

easy

Memory Aid

Remember the Filipino traffic light: RED light = STOP everything (Emergent — stop and treat NOW), YELLOW light = SLOW down but you're moving (Urgent — 30-60 minutes), GREEN light = GO, you can wait (Non-urgent — stable, can wait). Every Filipino driver knows the traffic light. In the ER, your patients are traffic lights.

Anchor Type

acronym

Why It Works

Traffic lights are a universal, deeply familiar visual symbol for Filipinos who commute daily. The color-to-action mapping is already wired into long-term memory, so adding triage categories requires minimal new encoding.

Example Usage

NLE question asks: 'A patient arrives with chest pain and diaphoresis. What triage level?' You visualize a RED light — Emergent, seen immediately. Correct answer: Priority 1, Emergent.

Recall Trigger

Think of a traffic light the moment you see the word 'triage'

Topic

Mass Casualty / START Triage

Concept

START Triage color tags: Red, Yellow, Green, Black

Anchor Id

Difficulty

medium

Memory Aid

Remember the phrase: 'Real Yayo Goes Black' — Red (immediate/salvageable), Yellow (delayed/serious), Green (minor/walking wounded), Black (expectant/deceased). 'Yayo' is a Filipino term of endearment for a caregiver — so imagine your Yaya sorting patients in a disaster: she helps the critical ones FIRST (Red), then the serious ones (Yellow), waves the walkers to the side (Green), and sadly covers those beyond saving (Black).

Anchor Type

mnemonic

Why It Works

The Filipino word 'Yayo/Yaya' creates an emotional and culturally familiar anchor. The micro-story of a caregiver sorting disaster victims makes the abstract sequence concrete and emotionally resonant.

Example Usage

NLE question: 'In START triage, a patient is not breathing even after airway opening. What tag?' You recall Yaya reaching for the BLACK tag — Expectant. Correct answer: Black.

Recall Trigger

Picture your Yaya in a disaster scene holding colored tags

Topic

START Triage vs. ED Triage

Concept

Critical difference: In routine ED, non-breathing patient gets full resuscitation; in START triage, non-breathing patient after airway opening = BLACK (expectant)

Anchor Id

Difficulty

medium

Memory Aid

Think of it like a hospital kutsinta (rice cake) sale with limited supply. In the regular hospital (plenty of resources), EVERYONE gets a kutsinta — even the most critical patient. In a disaster (limited supply, hundreds waiting), you follow the rule: 'greatest good for the greatest number.' You can't give all your kutsinta to one person who may not survive — you give to those you CAN save. That's why a non-breathing disaster patient gets tagged Black: triage math, not cruelty.

Anchor Type

analogy

Why It Works

The scarcity analogy with a familiar Filipino food makes the ethical logic of mass-casualty triage emotionally understandable rather than just a memorized rule. It also explains the WHY, which aids deeper encoding.

Example Usage

When asked about the difference between ED and disaster triage for non-breathing patients, recall the kutsinta analogy — regular ED has enough resources (full resuscitation); disaster does not (Black tag).

Recall Trigger

Limited kutsinta supply = limited disaster resources = different triage rules

Topic

Primary Survey / ABCDE

Concept

Primary Survey sequence: Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure — ABCDE

Anchor Id

Difficulty

easy

Memory Aid

ABCDE — 'Aling Belen Can Do Everything.' Imagine Aling Belen, the fearless barangay health worker, responding to a crash scene. She checks the Airway first, makes sure the patient is Breathing, checks Circulation (stops the bleeding!), assesses Disability (checks if conscious), and Exposes the body to find hidden injuries. Aling Belen Can Do Everything — and so can you in the primary survey.

Anchor Type

acronym

Why It Works

A beloved Filipino community character (barangay health worker) performing each step transforms an abstract sequence into a vivid narrative. The acronym itself (ABCDE) is already the letters of the alphabet, making it easy to sequence.

Example Usage

Any NLE question asking 'What is the FIRST thing to assess in a trauma patient?' — recall Aling Belen starting with A (Airway). Answer: Airway with C-spine protection.

Recall Trigger

Picture Aling Belen at a crash scene, going through her checklist

Topic

Primary Survey / Priority Rule

Concept

Rule of the primary survey: Do NOT advance to the next letter until the current threat is addressed

Anchor Id

Difficulty

easy

Memory Aid

Think of the primary survey like loading a jeepney on EDSA. You don't drive to the next stop until all passengers at the CURRENT stop have boarded. If you skip ahead while someone is hanging off the door (unaddressed life threat), people get hurt. Each ABCDE stop must be FULLY LOADED before you drive forward.

Anchor Type

analogy

Why It Works

The jeepney analogy is instantly relatable to Filipino nurses who have ridden public transport their entire lives. The mental image of someone hanging off the door while the jeepney drives away captures the danger of skipping a primary survey step.

Example Usage

NLE question: 'A trauma patient has a partial airway obstruction AND absent breath sounds on one side. What do you address first?' Recall the jeepney — you cannot move to B (Breathing) until A (Airway) is fully loaded/cleared. Answer: Airway first.

Recall Trigger

Jeepney loading passengers at each stop — never leave until the stop is clear

Topic

Airway Management / C-spine

Concept

Jaw-thrust vs. head-tilt/chin-lift: Use jaw-thrust when cervical spine injury is suspected

Anchor Id

Difficulty

easy

Memory Aid

Imagine Nurse Jerome responding to a motorcycle accident on the highway (modus common sa Pilipinas!). The rider is unconscious and wearing a helmet — possible cervical injury. Jerome remembers: 'I cannot TILT the head — baka may fracture!' He places his hands on either side of the rider's jaw and THRUSTS it forward — no neck movement, airway open. Rule: ACCIDENT = possible C-spine = JAW-THRUST only. No tilt when there's a fall, dive, or vehicular crash.

Anchor Type

micro_story

Why It Works

A vivid, locally relevant scenario (motorcycle accident) creates episodic memory. Associating the specific clinical action with a specific scene type (trauma/accident) reduces retrieval confusion between the two airway maneuvers.

Example Usage

NLE question: 'A trauma patient is unconscious after a vehicular accident. How should the nurse open the airway?' Recall Jerome at the highway — jaw-thrust, not head-tilt/chin-lift. Answer: Jaw-thrust maneuver.

Recall Trigger

See a motorcycle accident or any trauma — immediately think JAW-THRUST

Topic

Neurologic Assessment / Disability

Concept

AVPU Scale: Alert, Voice, Pain, Unresponsive

Anchor Id

Difficulty

easy

Memory Aid

Sing to the tune of 'Bahay Kubo': A-V-P-U, AVPU! Alert ang una, Voice ang sunod, Pain ang ikatlo, Unresponsive sa dulo! (Alert is first, Voice is next, Pain is third, Unresponsive at the end!) Repeat three times and it's yours forever.

Anchor Type

rhyme

Why It Works

Setting information to a familiar melody exploits musical memory pathways, which are extremely robust. The 'Bahay Kubo' tune is universally known by all Filipino students, creating an instant hook for the AVPU sequence.

Example Usage

NLE question asks you to sequence neurologic assessment levels — hum the tune and recall: A (Alert) → V (Voice) → P (Pain) → U (Unresponsive). Always correct order.

Recall Trigger

Hum the Bahay Kubo tune and the AVPU letters come in order

Topic

Disability / Neurologic Assessment

Concept

Always check blood glucose in altered mental status — it is a rapidly reversible cause

Anchor Id

Difficulty

medium

Memory Aid

Picture Lolo Tasyo, a diabetic patient brought in confused and combative. The nurse assumes it's a stroke and rushes for a CT scan. But the intern — fresh from his NLE review — says: 'Hintay muna, check blood sugar!' Glucometer: 38 mg/dL (hypoglycemia!). One ampule of D50W later, Lolo Tasyo is asking for his glasses and reciting his grandchildren's names. Lesson: ALWAYS check blood glucose in altered consciousness — baka hypoglycemia lang, and FULLY REVERSIBLE.

Anchor Type

micro_story

Why It Works

Lolo Tasyo is a culturally familiar Filipino archetype. The near-miss story creates emotional impact (a reversible condition almost missed), making the clinical lesson stick as a cautionary tale rather than a dry fact.

Example Usage

NLE question: 'A 68-year-old diabetic is brought to the ER unresponsive. What is the PRIORITY nursing action after securing the airway?' Recall Lolo Tasyo — check blood glucose. Answer: Check blood glucose (it's reversible).

Recall Trigger

Any confused patient → immediately think 'Lolo Tasyo → blood sugar'

Topic

Secondary Survey / History Taking

Concept

SAMPLE history mnemonic: Signs/symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Past history, Last oral intake, Events

Anchor Id

Difficulty

easy

Memory Aid

Every patient in the secondary survey gives you a SAMPLE of their story. Imagine taking a BLOOD SAMPLE — you must label it correctly: S (Signs and symptoms — what's the complaint?), A (Allergies — any drug allergies?), M (Medications — what are they taking?), P (Past medical history — any prior conditions?), L (Last oral intake — last time they ate?), E (Events — what happened just before this?). No complete SAMPLE label = incomplete history.

Anchor Type

mnemonic

Why It Works

The blood-taking metaphor connects a familiar nursing task (labeling specimens) to the history-taking sequence. Every nurse has labeled blood samples hundreds of times, so the physical act anchors the mnemonic.

Example Usage

NLE question asks: 'What does the 'L' in SAMPLE stand for?' Recall your blood tube label checklist — L = Last oral intake. Answer: Last oral intake.

Recall Trigger

Think of labeling a blood collection tube → SAMPLE

Topic

Communication / Handover

Concept

SBAR handover: Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation

Anchor Id

A10

Difficulty

easy

Memory Aid

SBAR is like a text message to your best friend about a problem: S (Situation — 'Sis, may problema!'), B (Background — 'Si patient ni Dr. Cruz, 65 years old, diabetic...'), A (Assessment — 'Parang hypoglycemic siya, BP 90/60, diaphoretic'), R (Recommendation — 'Kailangan mo na tumawid dito ASAP'). Every Filipino nurse has sent an urgent text message — SBAR is just the professional version.

Anchor Type

analogy

Why It Works

The text message analogy makes a formal communication tool feel natural and familiar. The Filipino informal language pattern used in the analogy ('Sis, may problema!') creates a personal, emotionally resonant memory hook.

Example Usage

NLE question: 'What does the A in SBAR stand for?' Recall the text message — S (problema!), B (context), A (Assessment = your evaluation of the situation), R (what you need). Answer: Assessment.

Recall Trigger

Think of sending an urgent text message to your charge nurse

Topic

Hemodynamic Monitoring / Arterial Line

Concept

Phlebostatic axis: 4th intercostal space, midaxillary line — level transducer here

Anchor Id

A11

Difficulty

medium

Memory Aid

Imagine drawing a CROSS on the patient's chest. The horizontal line is at the 4th intercostal space (roughly nipple level — just count down 4 ribs from the clavicle). The vertical line drops from the armpit straight down — that's the midaxillary line. Where the cross meets = the PHLEBOSTATIC AXIS. Now picture a CROSS (like the Red Cross symbol) — perfect for emergency/critical care nursing. Level your transducer at the cross, zero it, and you get accurate CVP/arterial readings.

Anchor Type

visual_association

Why It Works

Creating a mental geometric image on the patient's body converts an abstract anatomical location into a concrete visual target. The Red Cross symbol adds a second layer of association relevant to the context.

Example Usage

NLE question: 'Where should the nurse level the transducer for accurate hemodynamic monitoring?' Recall the Red Cross on the chest — 4th ICS, midaxillary line. Answer: Phlebostatic axis.

Recall Trigger

Draw a Red Cross on the patient's chest — where the lines meet = phlebostatic axis

Topic

Hemodynamic Monitoring / Arterial Line

Concept

Transducer too high = reads falsely LOW; transducer too low = reads falsely HIGH

Anchor Id

A12

Difficulty

medium

Memory Aid

Think of a garden hose (IV line) connected to a water tower (your heart). If you RAISE the measurement gauge ABOVE the water level (transducer too high), the water pressure registered at the gauge will seem LOWER than actual. If you LOWER the gauge BELOW the water level (transducer too low), the water pressure reading will seem HIGHER. Water always flows downhill — gravity affects your readings the same way. Too High → Too Low reading. Too Low → Too High reading. They go in OPPOSITE directions.

Anchor Type

analogy

Why It Works

The garden hose/water tower analogy applies basic physics (hydrostatic pressure) that nursing students encountered in chemistry and physics. The intuitive gravity concept makes the relationship between transducer position and false readings logically deducible, not just memorized.

Example Usage

NLE question: 'The nurse notices the arterial line transducer is positioned above the phlebostatic axis. What effect does this have?' Recall the raised garden hose — reading will be FALSELY LOW. Answer: Falsely low blood pressure reading.

Recall Trigger

Picture a garden hose raised or lowered — pressure appears lower when raised, higher when lowered

Topic

Hemodynamic Monitoring / CVP

Concept

CVP normal value: 2 to 6 mmHg; Low CVP = hypovolemia; High CVP = fluid overload or right heart failure

Anchor Id

A13

Difficulty

medium

Memory Aid

CVP is the body's WATER LEVEL GAUGE in a rice field (palayan). Normal water level = 2 to 6 mmHg (the palayan thrives). If the gauge reads LOW (below 2) — the field is DRY (hypovolemia, the patient needs fluid). If the gauge reads HIGH (above 6) — the field is FLOODED (fluid overload or right heart failure — too much water backed up). Filipino farmers check water levels daily — now you have a CVP farmer's mindset: check if the 'palayan' is dry or flooded.

Anchor Type

chunking

Why It Works

The rice field irrigation metaphor is deeply culturally resonant for Filipino students, many of whom grew up near agricultural communities. The water level concept is visually intuitive and directly maps to the clinical logic of CVP interpretation.

Example Usage

NLE question: 'A patient's CVP is 1 mmHg. What does this indicate?' Recall the dry palayan — CVP low = hypovolemia. Answer: Hypovolemia, likely needs fluid resuscitation.

Recall Trigger

Picture a rice field water gauge: 2-6 = perfect; below = dry (hypovolemia); above = flooded (overload)

Topic

Hemodynamic Monitoring / MAP

Concept

MAP target: at least 65 mmHg for vital organ perfusion

Anchor Id

A14

Difficulty

easy

Memory Aid

Remember: 'MAP of 65, keeps the organs alive!' Say it three times. MAP (Mean Arterial Pressure) at least 65 mmHg ensures blood is reaching the brain, kidneys, and heart. Below 65 = organs are losing their blood supply. 'MAP of 65, keeps the organs alive!' — this is your critical care mantra.

Anchor Type

rhyme

Why It Works

Rhymes exploit phonological memory, which is highly resistant to forgetting. The 65/alive rhyme creates an automatic retrieval pair — whenever you see MAP, your brain completes the rhyme with '65 keeps the organs alive.'

Example Usage

NLE question: 'What minimum MAP should the nurse maintain for adequate organ perfusion in a critically ill patient?' Recall the rhyme: MAP 65, keeps the organs alive. Answer: MAP ≥ 65 mmHg.

Recall Trigger

Say 'MAP of...' and your brain automatically finishes '65, keeps the organs alive'

Topic

Critical Care / Perfusion Monitoring

Concept

Urine output minimum: 0.5 mL/kg/hr as perfusion indicator

Anchor Id

A15

Difficulty

medium

Memory Aid

Imagine the kidneys as the hospital's OPD registration: if patients (blood) are flowing into the hospital (kidneys), registration keeps printing forms (urine). The minimum print speed = 0.5 mL/kg/hr. If registration slows down below that, ALERT: the hospital has no patients (kidneys are not being perfused). Nurse Grace always tells her students: 'If the kidneys are making pee, the blood is flowing!' Pee = perfusion confirmed. No pee = no perfusion. Minimum receipt = 0.5 mL/kg/hr.

Anchor Type

micro_story

Why It Works

The hospital registration metaphor makes the kidneys' role as perfusion sentinels memorable. The Filipino nurse character (Nurse Grace) adds a teaching authority figure. The simplified principle 'pee = perfusion' creates a quick clinical decision rule.

Example Usage

NLE question: 'What is the minimum acceptable urine output indicating adequate renal perfusion?' Recall Nurse Grace's receipt printer — 0.5 mL/kg/hr. Answer: 0.5 mL/kg/hr.

Recall Trigger

Kidneys printing receipts (urine) = perfusion confirmed; minimum 0.5 mL/kg/hr

Topic

Trauma / Exposure Step

Concept

The trauma lethal triad: Hypothermia, Acidosis, Coagulopathy

Anchor Id

A16

Difficulty

medium

Memory Aid

The trauma lethal triad = HAC — 'Huwag Anything Cold!' (Hypothermia, Acidosis, Coagulopathy). In trauma, these three KILL in combination. Picture a patient who is: H — HYPOTHERMIC (cold), A — ACIDOTIC (acid-base disturbed), C — COAGULOPATHIC (bleeding won't clot). Together they form a deadly feedback loop. 'Huwag Anything Cold' — prevent hypothermia during the E (Exposure) step to break the triad early. Warm blankets, warm fluids, warm room.

Anchor Type

acronym

Why It Works

The Filipino phrase 'Huwag Anything Cold' is a memorable cultural hybrid that captures both the prevention strategy (keep warm) and the acronym. Filipino students naturally code-switch between Filipino and English, making this hybrid phrase highly memorable.

Example Usage

NLE question: 'What is the lethal triad in trauma that the nurse must prevent?' Recall HAC — Huwag Anything Cold — Hypothermia, Acidosis, Coagulopathy. Answer: Hypothermia, Acidosis, Coagulopathy.

Recall Trigger

Think 'Huwag Anything Cold' when you expose a trauma patient

Topic

Critical Care / VAP Prevention

Concept

VAP prevention: HOB elevation 30-45 degrees + daily sedation interruption

Anchor Id

A17

Difficulty

medium

Memory Aid

Picture a 'lazy bed' with the head UP like a recliner set at 30-45 degrees — this is the ICU nurse's secret weapon against VAP (Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia). The ventilated patient's head is ALWAYS tilted up like you're watching your favorite TV show on a recliner. Never FLAT (secretions pool and flow to the lungs). Plus, every morning: WAKE THEM UP (daily sedation interruption) to assess if they still need the ventilator. Recliner + Morning Wake-Up = VAP prevention bundle.

Anchor Type

visual_association

Why It Works

The recliner image is universally familiar and encodes the correct degree of elevation. The 'morning wake-up' for sedation interruption maps to a daily routine action, making it feel natural and not burdensome to remember.

Example Usage

NLE question: 'What nursing interventions prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia?' Recall the recliner (HOB 30-45°) and morning wake-up (daily sedation interruption). Answer: Elevate HOB 30-45° and perform daily sedation interruption.

Recall Trigger

Picture an ICU patient watching TV on a recliner every morning — HOB up, sedate interrupted

Topic

Emergency Nursing / Vascular Access

Concept

Two large-bore IVs (16-18 gauge) for emergency access

Anchor Id

A18

Difficulty

easy

Memory Aid

Think of IV access in an emergency like opening the emergency floodgates of Angat Dam — you need the BIGGEST possible opening, and you need TWO of them for redundancy. A 16 to 18 gauge needle is the 'large gate' — the lower the gauge number, the LARGER the lumen (like pipe sizes — a bigger pipe carries more water). 18 gauge for adults, 16 gauge if you need even faster flow. Two IVs = two floodgates = maximum fluid and drug delivery speed.

Anchor Type

analogy

Why It Works

The dam/floodgate image is powerful for Filipino students familiar with Angat Dam news stories. The pipe size analogy for gauge numbers is physiologically accurate and corrects the common misconception that higher gauge = larger needle.

Example Usage

NLE question: 'What IV access should the nurse establish in a hemorrhagic shock patient?' Recall the dam floodgates — TWO large-bore IVs, 16-18 gauge. Answer: Two large-bore peripheral IVs, 16-18 gauge.

Recall Trigger

Emergency IV = open the dam floodgates — two large gates, 16-18 gauge

Topic

Nursing Process / Evaluation

Concept

Reassess after EVERY intervention — effectiveness is judged by patient response, not task completion

Anchor Id

A19

Difficulty

easy

Memory Aid

Imagine Chef Tatay cooking adobo. He doesn't just add vinegar and walk away — he TASTES it afterward to see if the flavor improved. A nurse is the same: you give oxygen (add vinegar), then you REASSESS the SpO2 and respiratory rate (taste the adobo). Did it work? Did the patient improve? Just because you GAVE the intervention doesn't mean it WORKED. Effective nursing is like good cooking — always taste after you season.

Anchor Type

micro_story

Why It Works

Cooking is a universal Filipino experience, and adobo is the most culturally iconic dish. The chef metaphor transforms the abstract concept of reassessment into a concrete sensory action (tasting) that every Filipino student has experienced.

Example Usage

NLE question: 'After administering oxygen to a hypoxic patient, what should the nurse do?' Recall Chef Tatay tasting the adobo — reassess the patient response (SpO2, RR). Answer: Reassess the patient's oxygen saturation and respiratory rate.

Recall Trigger

Taste the adobo after every ingredient — reassess after every intervention

Topic

Critical Care Environment

Concept

ICU nurse-to-patient ratio: 1:1 or 1:2 (high ratio due to complexity)

Anchor Id

A20

Difficulty

easy

Memory Aid

An ICU patient is like a newborn baby in the hospital nursery — one nurse stays very close, watching every breath, every heartbeat, every alarm. You would NEVER leave a newborn with 8 other babies unattended. The ICU's 1:1 or 1:2 ratio reflects the same principle: maximum monitoring, maximum intervention capacity. In the Philippines, RA 9173 supports safe nurse-patient ratios; the ICU represents the most intensive version of this principle.

Anchor Type

analogy

Why It Works

The newborn nursery analogy resonates with Filipino nursing students who have completed their pediatric and maternal clinical rotations. The reference to RA 9173 connects the clinical concept to Philippine nursing law, reinforcing legal accountability.

Example Usage

NLE question: 'What is the appropriate nurse-to-patient ratio in the ICU?' Recall the newborn nursery — 1:1 or 1:2. Answer: 1:1 to 1:2 nurse-to-patient ratio.

Recall Trigger

ICU patient = newborn baby needing constant close attention — 1:1 or 1:2 ratio

Revision Game

Triage (specifically START triage in mass-casualty events)

Clue

I sort patients by sickness, not by who arrived first. In a disaster, I tag the non-breathing patient with the darkest color. Who am I?

Memory Link

A1 (traffic light) and A2 (Yaya's tags) — Red/Yellow/Green/Black sorting system

Jaw-thrust maneuver (used when cervical spine injury is suspected)

Clue

A trauma patient is unconscious on a stretcher. I want to open the airway but I must NOT tilt the neck. What special move do I perform?

Memory Link

A6 (Nurse Jerome at the motorcycle accident highway scene)

Allergies

Clue

I am the 'A' in SAMPLE. I tell the nurse what drugs or foods could hurt the patient. What am I?

Memory Link

A9 (blood sample tube label mnemonic)

0.5 mL/kg/hr (minimum acceptable urine output for adequate perfusion)

Clue

I am the minimum number — below me, your kidneys are screaming for blood. Express me in mL/kg/hr.

Memory Link

A15 (Nurse Grace's receipt printer — kidneys printing urine as perfusion confirmation)

The Lethal Triad: Hypothermia, Acidosis, Coagulopathy (HAC)

Clue

Three killers walk into a trauma bay together. They form a deadly team that destroys your ability to clot, drops your temperature, and acidifies your blood. Name the trio.

Memory Link

A16 ('Huwag Anything Cold' — HAC mnemonic)

CVP normal = 2 to 6 mmHg (low = hypovolemia; high = fluid overload or right heart failure)

Clue

I am the normal range for central venous pressure. If I am below my range, the tank is empty. If I am above, the tank is overflowing. What are my normal boundaries in mmHg?

Memory Link

A13 (palayan/rice field water gauge analogy)

Sedation; daily sedation interruption (part of the VAP prevention bundle)

Clue

Every morning in the ICU, I am interrupted on purpose so the team can check if the patient still needs me. I am a continuous infusion used to keep critically ill patients calm and still. What am I, and what is my daily interruption called?

Memory Link

A17 (ICU patient watching TV on a recliner — morning wake-up = sedation interruption)

Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP); target ≥ 65 mmHg

Clue

I am the average pressure in your arteries over one cardiac cycle. I must stay at or above 65 mmHg to keep your organs alive. What am I?

Memory Link

A14 ('MAP of 65, keeps the organs alive!' rhyme)

Pulse Pressure = the magnitude of the pressure wave generated by each heartbeat. SBP (Systolic BP) = peak pressure during ventricular contraction. DBP (Diastolic BP) = baseline pressure during ventricular relaxation. The difference represents the force of each heartbeat's contribution to arterial pressure.

Tachycardia (heart rate elevated, compensatory)
Hypotension (BP falls, late sign)
Cool, clammy, pale skin (vasoconstriction redirecting blood)
Delayed capillary refill (greater than 2 seconds)
Altered mental status (decreased cerebral perfusion)

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Basic & Advanced Life Support (CPR/ACLS)

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