In this instructional video, the speaker emphasizes that mastering pathophysiology is essential for nursing students to excel in med‑surg exams. The presentation begins with a concise overview of anemia, explaining how red blood cells (RBCs) transport oxygen, the role of hemoglobin, and how anemia is diagnosed via the complete blood count (CBC). The core of the lecture focuses on pernicious anemia: a vitamin B12 deficiency caused by autoimmune destruction of gastric parietal cells or intrinsic factor, leading to impaired B12 absorption. The lack of B12 results in macro‑oval RBCs that are fewer, larger, and have a shortened lifespan, producing the classic macrocytic anemia picture. The speaker details the hallmark clinical manifestations—fatigue, dyspnea, pallor, a beefy red tongue, taste changes, neurological deficits (paresthesia, memory issues, ataxia), and gastrointestinal symptoms due to reduced stomach acid. Diagnostic clues such as CBC findings and the presence of a smooth, enlarged tongue are highlighted. The video concludes with study‑tip recommendations, a plug for Nursing SOS study guides, and an encouragement for viewers to pursue their nursing vocation.
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There's something you need to know right up front. The pathophysiology really matters when you're in nursing school. The pathophysiology is the foundation for everything else that you need to know about any med surge disorder. And knowing it will help you to critically think better on your nursing school exam. Let's dive in. Now, anemia happens when there is a decrease in the amount of red blood cells in the body. Now why is it important to have enough red blood cells? Well, red blood cel carry oxygen, right? So if there aren't enough red blood cells circulating, then the body could potentially be low on oxygen circulating to the various organs of the body. Anemia is diagnosed by looking at the complete blood count or cbc, looking at the number of red blood cells, the hemoglobin and the hematocrit in the body. Hemoglobin is key here. It's the little protein inside the red blood cells that carries oxygen. So without hemoglobin, red blood cells wouldn't be able to carry oxygen. Hemoglo part of the red blood cells that helps distribute the oxygen and take away the carbon dioxide throughout the body. So without hemoglobin, that transfer doesn't happen. There could be a lack of oxygen. Now onto pernicious anemia. Now this one can be one of the trickier disorders to understand in nursing school because there's a lot that goes into it. So we'll break it down super simple so you can really see what is happening here. Pernicious anemia is due to a deficiency of vitamin B12. Now, to understand what happens in pernicious anemia, we need to know what B12 is and why it's so important. So vitamin B12 is usually found in many different foods that we consume, and it is then absorbed using intrinsic factor, which is produced by the parietal cells in the stomach. Once it's absorbed, it plays a key role in making red blood cells. But in pernicious anemia, the parietal cells are not able to produce intrinsic factor, so the body isn't able to absor absorb vitamin B12. There is an autoimmune response where the body either attacks the parietal cells before they can produce the intrinsic factor, or it attacks the intrinsic factor itself. Either way, this interrupts the ability to absorb and utilize that B12 for proper red blood cell production. Now, since B12 is required to make red blood cells, without it, the body can't make enough to support the needs and the functions of the body. Then on top of that, the red blood cel made, they'll be large and oval shaped, they'll be fewer in number and they'll sometimes die sooner than healthy red blood cells because they lack vitamin B12. So the end result is less healthy red blood cells to circulate oxygen to the body. Like we talked about earlier, when there's not enough red blood cells, the body isn't going to be able to circulate enough oxygen appropriately. So the lack of B12 is going to greatly impact that now let's walk through some of the common symptoms of pernicious anemia of red blood cells, lethargy and shortness of breath and pale skin. Those are all caused by that lack of healthy red blood cells and the hemoglobin in the body. Patients with pernicious anemia may also have a very red tongue which is sometimes described as beefy in appearance or a beefy red tongue. It tends to be smooth and enlarged and can be sore. For patients, they may experience a change in taste as well. Now this is due to the decreased vitamin B12 levels and can be one of the main symptom symptoms that patients present with that can tip you off about the lack of that vitamin B12 in the healthy red blood cells. Nerve cells in the body also use vitamin B12 to create the myelin sheath that surrounds nerves. This helps the nerves conduct and transmit their messages quickly. But without enough B12 the nervous system can be disrupted too. So patients can have paresthesia or tingling memory changes or ataxia or loss of coordination. Now this is all due to that decrease in vitamin B12 absorption because the intrinsic factor isn't able to absorb that B12. GI symptoms are also common for patients with pernicious anemia. Since the parietal cells in the stomach aren't functioning well, another role that they play is to produce stomach acid. And without enough acid in the stomach, it can cause bloating, malabsorption and GI upset. Now if you want to learn pathophysiology faster in nursing school, check out this video here where I give you my top tips for studying path so easier in nursing school. And if you're a nursing SOS member, be sure to download the Med surg study guides that we have for you inside the community. And I'd love to hear what video topics you want to see next. So leave those in the comments and I will make a list. And as always my friend, go become the nurse that God created only you to be and I will see you over there in that next video.
