Continuing Education for Nurses in Nebraska

About the Course

Audience

This course meets Nebraska’s requirements for advanced practice nurses related to identification and management of pain and addiction, as well as Nebraska practices of prescribing and dispensing opioids.

Learning Objectives

1. Discuss the scope of opioid use, to include the frequency of abuse and fatal overdoses.
2. Best balance the need to provide pain relief against the risks inherent to using opioid medications.
3. Identify the increased risk of side effects from opioid medications in patients with psychiatric issues.
4. Recognize divergences in treatment for pain caused by different pathologies.
5. Identify equivalent opioid doses to best manage medication changes.
6. List at least three characteristics associated with an addicted patient.
7. Name at least one key step in the process of treating an opioid addiction.
8. Describe which class of medication overdoses can be treated with naloxone.
9. Adhere to the mandates of the Nebraska Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP)

About the Author

Bradley Gillespie, PharmD

Bradley Gillespie, PharmD, trained as a clinical pharmacist, has practiced in industrial and government settings for the past 20-plus years. His initial role was a clinical pharmacology and biopharmaceutics reviewer at FDA, followed by 18 years of leading drug development efforts in the pharma/biotech/nutritional industries. Currently, he supports development projects at the Department of Defense. In addition to his industrial focus, he remains a registered pharmacist, operates a medical writing business focused on developing health professional continuing education programs, and serves as part-time instructor at Montgomery College.

About the Course

Audience

This webinar is for any nurse or health care professional in the front line of health care settings such as: emergency departments, community health providers, urgent and primary care clinics, obstetrics, gynecology and urology practices, school nurses, planned parenthood, mobile clinics, and SANE nurses.

Purpose Statement

Human Trafficking has been declared a public health crisis and the statistics of persons in trafficking is rising across the United States. Health care providers are in a unique position to report and assist survivors. Medical professionals are the first line of defense in combating the largest social justice issue of our times. Nurses are one of the few populations that connect with victims while they are still under the control of their trafficker. Identifying the signs of commercial sexual exploitation and reporting suspected human trafficking can lead to the potential recovery of countless lives.              

Human Trafficking a Personal View is an ANCC approved course taught by a sex trafficking survivor and subject matter expert that is designated to equip healthcare providers with the classified information that is exclusive to the profession. Tara Madison uses parts of her story pertaining to past interactions with medical professionals while she was trafficked, to help pinpoint missed signs and indicators. 

Learning Objectives

• Debunk myths which create unwarranted perceptions of victims.
• Report the at risk populations for sex trafficking.
• Identify victims of commercial sexual exploitation through key indicators specific to the medical profession.
• State how to interact with victims in your professional setting.
• Demonstrate the confidence to follow through with reporting.

About the Author

Tara Madison

Tara Madison is a human trafficking subject matter expert and a survivor of US domestic sex and labor trafficking. She is a consultant for Homeland Security and a certified national victims advocate, who works with law enforcement agencies assisting survivors in the state of Florida. She is a content writer and a sought after international speaker whose chief aim is to strategically educate professionals on the typographies of human trafficking. Madison has trained numerous medical professionals, law enforcement, government agencies, and business owners through her organization Human Trafficking Education.

• Define nursing-sensitive indicators of patient outcomes.
•  Clarify the connection between the nursing minimum data set and nursing-sensitive patient outcomes.
•  Describe the importance of monitoring nursing-sensitive patient outcomes.
•  Use an example of a practice setting to identify the unique nursing-sensitive patient outcomes.
•  Determine stakeholders in quality improvement data collection.
•  List resources for further information on nursing-sensitive patient outcomes.

• Describe the challenges of trauma care in a non-designated trauma setting and strategize ways to improve care in this setting.
• Describe possible mechanisms of injury and forces, and discuss potential clinical presentation.
• Describe the challenges of treating patients with obesity in trauma care.
• Describe the management of pneumothorax.
• List ways the nurse can be alert to history and exam to prevent occult trauma.

About the Course

Audience: This course is intended for all nurses who care for older adults.  

Learning Objectives

1. Discuss the impact of vaccine-preventable diseases.
2. Explain the adult immunization goals from the Healthy People 2020 initiative for at least two of the recommended vaccinations.
3. Discuss the reasons for promoting older adult immunizations.
4. Identify barriers to, and recommendations for, older adult immunization.

About the Author

Sue E. Durkin, DNP, MSN, RN, CCRN, CCNS

Dr. Durkin is the lead APRN advocate at Good Samaritan Hospital in Chicago.  She has expertise in population health management. Her focus is to address the needs of aging and frail populations.

About the Course

Audience

This course is for registered nurses and nurse practitioners that work with older adults. Understanding the prescription and over the counter medications individuals take is important in coordinating care.  This course focuses on common Polypharmacy issues and medications that may not be effective or compatible when taken with other medications.  The nurse has a responsibility to reconcile the possible problems. 

Purpose Statement

As the population becomes older, they have increased chronic diseases and they may take multiple medications.   Often, because specialist orders the prescriptions, there may not be careful coordination of all medications the individual is taking.  This course presents the concept of polypharmacy as well as common medication problems, strategies to combat unnecessary polypharmacy, and drug classes that cause the most risk.

Learning Objectives

1. Provide at least one definition of polypharmacy.
2. Quantify the approximate prevalence of polypharmacy in a nursing home practice setting.
3. List two predictors of polypharmacy.
4. Describe two potential consequences resulting from polypharmacy.
5. Identify a therapeutic class of drugs commonly associated with functional impairment.
6. Provide two general strategies useful to combat unnecessary polypharmacy.
7. Name two key ideas for nurses to keep in mind for the management or prevention of polypharmacy.
8. List two handy questions useful for conducting medication reviews.

About the Author

Bradley Gillespie, PharmD.

Bradley Gillespie, PharmD, trained as a clinical pharmacist, has practiced in an industrial setting for the past 20+ years.  His initial role was a Clinical Pharmacology and Biopharmaceutics reviewer at FDA, followed by 15 years of leading Early Development programs in the pharma/biotech/ nutritional industries.  Currently, he supports efforts at the National Institutes of Health to develop therapeutics for rare and neglected disease.  In addition to his industrial focus, he remains a registered pharmacist and operates a medical writing business, with a focus on developing health professional continuing education programs.   

• Describe six pain-related components of an initial patient evaluation.
• Describe two tools for patient risk assessment.
• Describe three advantages of creating written patient/provider opioid agreements.
• Explain the value of function-based treatment goals over pain-relief goals.
• Describe four key steps to take prior to initiating treatment with an opioid pain medication.
• Explain why special care must be taken with extended-release/long-acting (ER/LA) opioid formulations.
• Explain two reasons why methadone must be used with particular caution.
• Describe two ways to potentially address unpleasant or intolerable opioid side effects.
• Explain three potential benefits of using prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs).

About the Course

Audience: This course will benefit all nurses at the bedside and in the community who deal with the general population, particularly the population at risk for opioid misuse, addiction, and overdose. 

Course overview: Opioid addiction and overdose is a widespread epidemic throughout the United States. Nurses and healthcare professionals have a duty to both understand the problem, as well as provide compassionate care to affected individuals and families. The nurse has a unique role to provide medical and supportive care, as well as social and emotional support. Throughout this course, the nurse will learn common terminology related to opioid use and addiction, as well as common pharmaceutical and street formulations. This course will review the basic pharmacology of opioids and position the nurse to be able to swiftly identify signs and symptoms of acute withdrawal, as well as acute overdose. The nurse should be able to educate patients who are given opioids in both the inpatient and outpatient settings regarding their risks for side effects, dependence, and addiction. Furthermore, this course will present the theory of prevention model and the unique points of potential intervention to help prevent, identify, and treat opioid addiction. This course will provide a comprehensive overview of opioid pharmacology, risk factors for addiction, individual and public health consequences of addiction, as well as detailed prevention and treatment modalities for opioid addiction.

About the Author

Amanda LaManna, MSN, NP-C, WHNP-BC is a nurse practitioner living and practicing in Rochester, New York. Amanda has worked in emergency medicine for the past 4 years and currently works at the region's Level I trauma and tertiary care center. Amanda also works as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE). Amanda graduated in 2011 from Yale School of Nursing, where she completed a master's degree specializing in both adult and women's health. Prior to working in emergency medicine, Amanda worked in the pain management specialty with a physician committed to reducing the excessive use of opioids for chronic pain. Amanda came to the medical field from a background in the arts, obtaining a dual degree in violin performance and Italian literary studies from the University of Connecticut in 2008. She is a proud mother to one-year-old twin girls.

About the Course

Target audience: This course is intended for nurses who want more knowledge on pain assessment and management. 

Course overview: This program provides nurses with an overview of the physiology of pain and the differences between acute and chronic pain. The focus of the program is on assessment, pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatment modalities, and the challenge of pain management for the patient experiencing pain. 

Learning Objectives

• Define pain.
• Differentiate between acute and chronic pain.
• Discuss the physiology of pain.
• Perform a pain assessment with various pain assessment tools.
• Describe various treatments for pain, including pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatment modalities.
• Describe the challenges of managing chronic pain.
• Discuss the special considerations for pain management in various populations, including the elderly, pediatric, addicts, and those at risk for addiction.
• Discuss the risks for opioid addiction and the misuse of opioids in the United States.
• Provide educational information to patients regarding pain management.
• Identify barriers and disparities of the treatment of pain.

About the Author

Susan L. Rubin, MSN, RN

Susan L. Rubin, MSN, RN, received her baccalaureate degree in nursing from West Chester University and a master's degree in clinical trials nursing from Drexel University. She is a published author who has experience as a progressive care unit nurse with a special interest in cardiac nursing.

About the Course

Audience

The target audience for this education program is nurses who want to enhance their ability to assess pain and facilitate pain management.

Learning Objectives

1. Define pain according to the International Association for the Study of Pain.
2. Examine the physiology, classifications, and characteristics of acute and chronic pain.
3. Address the impact of pain on economic and personal statuses, as well as on potential prescription drug abuse.
4. Describe the requisite steps in assessing and treating pain.
5. Explore the pain management resources available for patients and/or families.

About the Authors

Adrianne E. Avillion, D.Ed., RN and Wanda M. Baker, MN, RN, FNP, CNE

About the Course

Audience

The target audience for this education program is nurses who want to 1) increase their knowledge of panic disorder and 2) enhance their ability to provide safe and effective nursing care for clients who experience panic disorder.

Purpose Statement

Stress and anxiety is very prevalent in today's society. To understand these concepts and their root causes helps to understand the true diagnosis of Panic Disorder.   This course focuses on the DSM5 Panic Disorder as well as it's incidence, prevalence, risk factors, impact, diagnosis, and care in the adult patient.

Learning Objectives

1. Describe the characteristics of panic disorder.
2. Discuss the incidence and prevalence of panic disorder.
3. Identify risk factors for panic disorder.
4. Outline the impact of panic disorder.
5. Explain the etiology and course of panic disorder.
6. Describe the diagnostic process for panic disorder.
7. Discuss treatment interventions for panic disorder.
8. Explain the nurse's role in the management of clients with panic disorder.

About the Author

Adrianne E. Avillion, D.Ed., RN

Adrianne E. Avillion, D.Ed., RN, is an accomplished nursing professional development specialist and healthcare author. She earned her doctoral degree in adult education and her M.S. in nursing from Penn State University and a BSN from Bloomsburg University. Dr. Avillion has held a variety of nursing positions as a staff nurse in critical care and physical medicine and rehabilitation settings and leadership roles in professional development. She has published extensively and is a frequent presenter at conferences and conventions devoted to the specialty of continuing education and nursing professional development. Dr. Avillion owns and is the CEO of Strategic Nursing Professional Development, a business that specializes in continuing education for healthcare professionals and consulting services in nursing professional development. Her most recent publications include The Path to Stress-Free Nursing Professional Development: 50 No-Nonsense Solutions to Everyday Challenges and Nursing Professional Development: A Practical Guide for Evidence-Based Education.

About the Course

The potential for angry and frustrated patients and family may occur in every health care setting.  This course is therefore appropriate for all nurses working in any setting.

Purpose Statement

Workplace violence in healthcare settings can affect anyone who works or volunteers in such areas. Violence can also affect other patients, families, and visitors. It is imperative that persons who work in healthcare know the factors which trigger violent behavior and which actions to take to reduce the potential for that violence. They must also know how to deal with violence, whether it is verbal or physical, if and when it does occur. This education program is designed to help nurses reduce the occurrence of workplace violence and to intervene effectively when it does occur. 

Learning Objectives

1. Discuss the incidence and prevalence of violence in the workplace.
2. Identify barriers to reporting incidents of workplace violence.
3. Predict what factors trigger violence in healthcare work settings.
4. Relate how communication affects the ability to reduce/prevent workplace violence in healthcare settings.
5. Identify strategies to reduce the potential for workplace violence in healthcare settings, and prepare staff on how to deal with it when it occurs. 

About the Author

Adrianne Avillion. D.Ed., RN

Adrianne E. Avillion, D.Ed., RN, is an accomplished nursing professional development specialist and healthcare author. She earned her doctoral degree in adult education and her M.S. in nursing from Penn State University and a BSN from Bloomsburg University. Dr. Avillion has held a variety of nursing positions as a staff nurse in critical care and physical medicine and rehabilitation settings with emphasis on neurological and mental health nursing as well as a number of leadership roles in nursing professional development. She has published extensively and is a frequent presenter at conferences and conventions devoted to the specialty of continuing education and nursing professional development. Dr. Avillion owns and is the CEO of Strategic Nursing Professional Development, a business that specializes in continuing education for healthcare professionals and consulting services in nursing professional development. Her most recent publications include The Path to Stress-Free Nursing Professional Development: 50 No-Nonsense Solutions to Everyday Challenges and Nursing Professional Development: A Practical Guide for Evidence-Based Education.

1. Implement patient care designed to achieve National Patient Safety Goals.
2. Identify the most frequently occurring sentinel events from 2017.
3. Describe how to prevent “never-ever” events.
4. Explain how to reduce the occurrence of non-reimbursable hospital-acquired conditions.

About the Course

Audience: This course is for nurses who wish to increase their knowledge of how to effectively communicate with older adults.

Learning Objectives

1. State the physical and psychosocial barriers that may prevent older adults from adhering to a recommended care plan.
2. Create appropriate teaching that addresses the cognitive and learning abilities of older adults.
3. Describe proper communication and behavior of nurses during teaching/learning encounters with older adults.

About the Author

Mary Beth Fischer, MSN, RN-BC

Mary Beth Fischer is a member of the School of Nursing faculty at St. Luke’s University Health Network in Bethlehem, Pa. She specializes in geriatrics.

About the Course

Audience

Nurses who work in both acute and primary care settings will benefit from this course as it covers acute, emergency red flags for infants, children, and adolescents with a headache and also prevention strategies and information about chronic, recurring headaches. The nurse who takes this course does not need to work in pediatrics in order to benefit from this course. A nurse who is working primarily with adults will be able to gain exposure to variation in headache presentation due to the age of the child and be aware of the signs and symptoms of pediatric headache emergencies. 

Purpose Statement

A headache in a child may be benign or it may signal a medical emergency. How can you tell the difference? What are signs and symptoms specific to infants, children, and adolescents? What in the history or physical exam is crucial to notice quickly and efficiently in order to provide the best care for a child? A nurse may be caring for an infant, child, or adolescent who presents with a headache in either an acute, emergency situation or in a primary care setting. This patient may have a history of regular, recurrent headaches causing a decreased quality of life for the child, or the patient may have a new, acute headache that may indicate serious medical condition such as a head injury, illness, or congenital disease. This course will explore recurrent headaches in children and adolescents, headache prevention strategies, and will describe the acute headache and to identify those with serious or life threatening causes ("red flags").  An exploration of the components of the pediatric history and neurological exam will be discussed. Various examples of primary headaches and secondary headaches will be described. After taking this course, the nurse will be able to identify red flags, describe signs and symptoms specific to children, and be able to distinguish between different types of pediatric headaches. Nurses who are experienced in pediatrics or are completely new to the pediatric population will equally benefit from this course. 

Learning Objectives

• Identify red flags in clinical presentation and history taking of a child with a headache.
• Describe the characteristics, signs/symptoms, assessment, and management of different types of headaches in children.
• Distinguish between primary and secondary headaches.
• Explain the importance of good history taking with both parent and child.
• Identify ways to educate parents/children regarding headaches in order to promote headache prevention, decrease headache frequency, reduce the risk of falling and head trauma, and allow children and adolescents to help manage their own headache care through the incorporation of patient education into the nurse's practice.
• Lead the effort to provide a child and their family with outside resources such as mental health specialists and counselors in order to treat possible underlying stress, anxiety, and school issues for children who attribute stress to their recurrent headaches.
• Describe differences in how young children present with headaches versus adults.

About the Author

Erin Luckiesh, MSN, RN, CPNP-PC

Erin Luckiesh MSN, RN, CPNP-PC is a pediatric nurse practitioner living in the Boston, Massachusetts area. Erin graduated from Yale School of Nursing in 2016 where she completed a master's degree in the pediatric specialty. She has had pediatric clinical experiences at Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut and at various pediatric primary care sites in Connecticut, and has worked as a registered nurse in a pediatric mixed urgent care/primary care setting in Maine.

About the Course

Audience:  This course is intended for pediatric, oncology and  advanced practice nurses who are responsible for the care of children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.  

Course Overview:   Caring for a child with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia is a challenge on so many different fronts.  This pediatric pharmacology case study provides the learner the opportunity to make decisions that impact the care of the patient. 

Learning objectives

Upon completion of this course, nurses will be able to:

• Describe the incidence of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL);
• Identify three risk factors for ALL;
• Discuss favorability/unfavorability of the Philadelphia chromosome in the bone marrow of ALL patients;
• Identify three distinct phases of ALL therapy;
• Quantify the objective of remission induction therapy;
• Describe the sequence of methotrexate and leucovorin therapy during the consolidation phase of ALL therapy;
• Name three key factors leading to successful coping mechanisms for patients with ALL and their families.

About the Author

Bradley Gillespie, PharmD 

Bradley Gillespie, PharmD, trained as a clinical pharmacist, has practiced in an industrial setting for the past 20+ years.  His initial role was a Clinical Pharmacology and Biopharmaceutics reviewer at FDA, followed by 15 years of leading Early Development programs in the pharma/biotech/ nutritional industries.  Currently, he supports efforts at the National Institutes of Health to develop therapeutics for rare and neglected disease.  In addition to his industrial focus, he remains a registered pharmacist and operates a medical writing business, with a focus on developing health professional continuing education programs.  

About the Course

Audience:  If you care for children who may have asthma, this course is for you 

Course Overview:   Children who gasp for air because of an exacerbation of Asthma can be a frightening experience.  This pediatric pharmacology case study focuses on the assessment and care of a child experiencing an asthma crisis.

Learning objectives

• Describe three symptoms of an acute asthma exacerbation.
• List three potential interventions that could be used to resolve an acute asthma exacerbation.
• Name three oxygen delivery systems.
• Describe one potential adverse event associated with the use of albuterol.
• Explain one potential upside to using off-label ipratropium bromide in the treatment of an acute asthma attack.
• Identify one key parameter to monitor in children receiving chronic treatment with corticosteroids.
• Characterize one benefit of coaching asthma attack patients through their breathing treatment.

About the Author

Brad Gillespie, PharmD

Bradley Gillespie, PharmD, trained as a clinical pharmacist, has practiced in an industrial setting for the past 20+ years.  His initial role was a Clinical Pharmacology and Biopharmaceutics reviewer at FDA, followed by 15 years of leading Early Development programs in the pharma/biotech/ nutritional industries.  Currently, he supports efforts at the National Institutes of Health to develop therapeutics for rare and neglected disease.  In addition to his industrial focus, he remains a registered pharmacist and operates a medical writing business, with a focus on developing health professional continuing education programs.  

About the Course

Audience:  For all nurses and advanced practice nurses who provide care of children with complex medical conditions. 

Course Overview:  This course is a case study of a young child who has complicated Tetralogy of Fallot.  The challenge for the reader is to understand the medications and pharmacological interventions that are appropriate for his care. 

Learning objectives

Upon completion of this course, nurses will be able to: 

• Identify 2 ECG abnormalities associated with tetralogy of Fallot;
• Name 3 pharmacotherapeutic agents used to treat congestive heart failure;
• Describe 3 adverse events commonly observed in patients receiving digoxin;
• Name one indication for furosemide;
• Identify the most common adverse event observed when using enalapril;
• Describe an extemporaneous preparation of carvediol that can be used for small children;
• Describe one surgical correction required to surgically repair tetralogy of Fallot.

About the Author

Bradley Gillespie, PharmD

Bradley Gillespie, PharmD, trained as a clinical pharmacist, has practiced in an industrial setting for the past 20+ years.  His initial role was a Clinical Pharmacology and Biopharmaceutics reviewer at FDA, followed by 15 years of leading Early Development programs in the pharma/biotech/ nutritional industries.  Currently, he supports efforts at the National Institutes of Health to develop therapeutics for rare and neglected disease.  In addition to his industrial focus, he remains a registered pharmacist and operates a medical writing business, with a focus on developing health professional continuing education programs.  

About the Course

Audience:  This course is intended for bedside and advanced practice nurses who are responsible for the care of children who are diabetics or who may experience a diabetic emergency 

Course Overview:  The prevalence of children with diabetes in this country is staggering. This course presents a pediatric pharmacology case study with critical thinking decision making of how to handle a child who is experiencing a diabetic emergency.  

Learning objectives

• Identify three signs of diabetes.
• Describe one antibody that may be present in patients presenting with Type 1 diabetes.
• Name one potential cause of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
• Identify one cause of hypokalemia in patients receiving fluid therapy to treat hyperglycemia and DKA.
• Name two types of insulin used in the treatment of Type 1 diabetes.
• Describe the etiology of cerebral edema in patients being treated for DKA.
• Provide two instances that may lead to a need for an increased dose of insulin in diabetic patients.
• Name three early symptoms of hypoglycemia.

About the Author

Brad Gillespie, PharmD

Bradley Gillespie, PharmD, trained as a clinical pharmacist, has practiced in an industrial setting for the past 20+ years.  His initial role was a Clinical Pharmacology and Biopharmaceutics reviewer at FDA, followed by 15 years of leading Early Development programs in the pharma/biotech/ nutritional industries.  Currently, he supports efforts at the National Institutes of Health to develop therapeutics for rare and neglected disease.  In addition to his industrial focus, he remains a registered pharmacist and operates a medical writing business, with a focus on developing health professional continuing education programs.  

About the Course

About the Author

Brad Gillespie, PharmD

Bradley Gillespie, PharmD, trained as a clinical pharmacist, has practiced in an industrial setting for the past 20+ years.  His initial role was a Clinical Pharmacology and Biopharmaceutics reviewer at FDA, followed by 15 years of leading Early Development programs in the pharma/biotech/ nutritional industries.  Currently, he supports efforts at the National Institutes of Health to develop therapeutics for rare and neglected disease.  In addition to his industrial focus, he remains a registered pharmacist and operates a medical writing business, with a focus on developing health professional continuing education programs.  

About the Course

Audience:  This course is intended for bedside and advanced practice nurses who are responsible for the care of children.  

Course Overview:   Caring for children is a specialty and unless it is part of everyday practice, a child having a seizure can be a frightening event.  This course presents an overview of status epilepticus and challenges the reader to make the correct decisions for care. 

Learning objectives

• Identify at least two seizure triggers.
• Distinguish between the two varieties of seizures related to traumatic brain injury.
• Name two actions that must be taken within the first two minutes of treatment.
• Describe the most common adverse event associated with the use of lorazepam in the treatment of pediatric status epilepticus.
• Suggest a third-line treatment to employ in the case when first- and second-line treatments for pediatric status epilepticus fail.
• Identify two anti-convulsant drugs sometimes associated with hyperactivity.

About the Author

Brad Gillespie, PharmD

Bradley Gillespie, PharmD, trained as a clinical pharmacist, has practiced in an industrial setting for the past 20+ years.  His initial role was a Clinical Pharmacology and Biopharmaceutics reviewer at FDA, followed by 15 years of leading Early Development programs in the pharma/biotech/ nutritional industries.  Currently, he supports efforts at the National Institutes of Health to develop therapeutics for rare and neglected disease.  In addition to his industrial focus, he remains a registered pharmacist and operates a medical writing business, with a focus on developing health professional continuing education programs.  

About the Course

Audience: This course is intended for nurses who work with peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) in any setting.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify the indications for PICC use.
2. Associate clinical symptoms with PICC complications.
3. Describe the care of a PICC throughout the duration of its use.

About the Authors

Sarah L. Krein, PhD, RN and Vineet Chopra, MD, MSc

Sarah L. Krein, PhD, RN, and Vineet Chopra, MD, MSc, of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System and Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; and Britt Meyer, MSN, RN, CRNI, VA-BC, NE-BC, of Duke University Hospital and Health System, Durham, N.C.

About the Course

Audience

This course is designed to challenge the knowledge and skills of registered nurses who are responsible for calculating and adding medications to IV solutions.  This course is especially good for nurses who may be returning to an acute care setting or nurses who have not been responsible for drug calculations for a while and now are responsible for accurately making such calculations.

Purpose Statement

This course will provide you with a review of your knowledge, as well as opportunity to practice your skills and abilities to calculate accurate dosages and solution rates using ratio and proportion.  The course involves basic mathematics as well as review and challenges to calculate dosages using ratio and proportion methods.

Learning Objectives

1. Perform basic arithmetic calculations.
2. Relate the equivalents for a household measurement system.
3. Relate the equivalents for the apothecaries system.
4. Relate the equivalents for the metric system.
5. Convert among the systems of measurement.
6. Accurately calculate oral, parenteral and intravenous dosages using ratio and proportion, including for pediatric dosages that are based on body weight.

About the Author

Arlene Burke, MSN, RN

Alene Burke, MSN, RN. Alene received her Master of Science in Nursing Administration and Nursing Education from Adelphi University, and has completed coursework towards a Ph. D. Alene has been consulting on the development, design, and production of competency and educational activities since 1998. She has authored several publications including resource books and textbook chapters. She has provided continuing education for numerous medical professionals, including pharmacists.  She is currently the president of Alene Burke and Associates.

About the Course

Target audience: The target audience for this education program is acute registered nurse practitioners who want to practice evidence-based care when treating patients with controlled substances. 

Learning Objectives

• Demonstrate how to diagnosis pain.
• Describe the role of patient-centered care in the treatment of patients with pain.
• Identify methods to monitor opioid compliance (e.g., urine drug screens, prescription drug monitoring).
• Recall appropriate patient counseling points on controlled substances.
• Discuss the incidence of substance abuse and methods to help deter it.
• Report the ethical issues with prescribing controlled substances.
• Summarize the legal aspects of controlled substance prescriptions.
• List the benefits and risks of using medical marijuana to treat patients.
• Distinguish between low-, medium-, and high-risk patients when prescribing opioids.
• Calculate the appropriate dose when converting opioid products.

About the Author

Jodi Dreiling, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP

Dr. Jodi Dreiling completed her doctor of pharmacy degree at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio. Subsequently, she completed a pharmacy practice residency at Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Dreiling is currently a critical care pharmacotherapy specialist at Cleveland Clinic Akron General. She is also board certified in pharmacotherapy and critical care. She is involved with the education of other health care professionals and holds several college appointments.

• Upon completion of this course, the learner should be able to: 
• Define sexual harassment.
• Discuss federal mandates related to sexual harassment in the workplace. 
• Explain how to report sexual harassment in the workplace.
• Discuss the impact of sexual harassment in the workplace.
• Identify interventions to help persons who have been sexually harassed. 
• Discuss ways to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. 

About the Course

Learning Objectives

1. Describe the roles of the DEA, FDA, and HHS in scheduling controlled substances and enforcing controlled substance laws and regulations.
2. Understand the different DEA Controlled Substance Schedules and prescribing regulations associated with the different DEA Controlled Substance Schedules.
3. Describe important considerations when prescribing any controlled substances, including regulatory exceptions and clinical concerns.
4. Discuss rationale for using opioids in acute and non-cancer related chronic pain management.
5. Assess patients to identify and monitor for patient-specific risks of opioid medications.
6. Differentiate between opioid equianalgesic doses and morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) and their roles in pain management therapy.
7. Discuss strategies to ensure appropriate and safe prescribing and use of opioid analgesics in patients with acute and chronic pain.

About the Author

Kathleen J. Vieson, PharmD

Kathleen Vieson, PharmD, is a clinical pharmacist living in the Tampa, Florida, area. Kathy graduated from the Ohio State University in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy. She gained clinical and hospital pharmacy experience during a general hospital residency at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. She went on to receive her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Kentucky in 1991 and completed an oncology specialty pharmacy residency at the Pittsburgh Cancer Institute/University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy in 1993. After completing her training, Kathy worked as clinical pharmacist at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, where her experience included oncology, malignant and non-malignant hematology, pain management, critical care, and oncology ambulatory care. Kathy then spent the next part of her career at Gold Standard/Elsevier Clinical Solutions where she served in various roles including oncology specialty editor, managing editor of drug databases, vice president clinical drug information resources (clinical pharmacology and ToxED), editor-in-chief, clinical drug information, and vice president, diagnosis, treatment and care content. During her time at Elsevier, she developed numerous drug information applications, clinical decision support databases and tools, and directed content development for physicians, nurses, pharmacists and patients. Currently, Kathy is the senior director of product management and drug information for MedKeeper, which provides pharmacy workflow solutions, including IV Workflow Management software (PharmacyKeeper).