In this episode of Nursing Student Deep Dive, we break down the gastrointestinal system from normal digestion to life-threatening emergencies. Rather than treating each GI disorder as an isolated problem, this episode follows the GI tract as one continuous system and connects anatomy, physiology, and clinical assessment to the signs nurses see at the bedside.

Topics include normal GI anatomy and digestion, GERD, gastritis and peptic ulcer disease, H. pylori, GI bleeding, perforation, bowel obstruction, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis, and appendicitis. We also focus on important red flags such as chest pain that could be cardiac, coffee-ground emesis, melena, rigid abdominal guarding, absent bowel sounds, and the classic migration of appendicitis pain. This episode is designed to help nursing students move beyond  ...