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Perioperative Series: Intro to Perioperative Nursing
As defined by the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) (2019), the perioperative nurse’s goal is to help patients achieve or exceed the level of well-being they had at the pre-procedural baseline. The nurse is required to have the clinical knowledge, judgment, and clinical reasoning skills necessary to safely plan, deliver, and evaluate care for surgical patients.
The goal of this course is to equip perioperative nurses with knowledge of the nursing process and the roles and responsibilities within the perioperative team.
Identify the perioperative nursing process throughout the phases of surgery.
Define the roles and responsibilities of the members within the surgical team and the AORN standards of perioperative practice.
Adult Obesity in the U.S.
Obesity rates in the U.S. have risen to the level of an epidemic, as 1 in 3 adults are affected by this disease. Obesity is a disease that significantly affects a person’s health and is not simply due to poor diet and lack of exercise. This course introduces healthcare professionals to the causes, management, and treatment options for adult obesity.
The goal of this course is to familiarize healthcare professionals with the growing epidemic of obesity among adults in the U.S.
Identify the current problem and contributing factors of obesity in the U.S.
Describe the management and treatment options for obesity.
Septic Joint: Diagnosis and Treatment
Septic arthritis is caused by infection and inflammation in the joint and can result in significant damage to the joints. Early recognition and treatment are critical to the preservation of joint function. This course will discuss how to quickly identify and treat septic arthritis.
The goal of this course is to provide physicians, nursing professionals, and radiologic technologists with information about septic arthritis.
Recall how septic arthritis is acquired and its typical presentation.
Identify the laboratory and radiological tests used to make a diagnosis of a septic joint.
Recognize the principles of septic joint treatment.
Perioperative Series: Communication in the OR
In the operating room, patient safety depends on high quality communication and shared knowledge among the surgical team. Several factors in this setting can contribute to communication failures like time constraints, shift changes, environmental barriers, the complex nature of surgical procedures, and clashing communication styles. All members of the surgical team must understand the risks to patient safety associated with communication failures, what information must be communicated and when, and how to use an assertive communication style.
The goal of this course is to equip nurses and CSTs with best practices for effectively communicating in the operating room.
Describe best practices for facilitating communication in the OR.
Identify four communication styles and which style is most effective for ensuring patient safety.
List common barriers to effective communication in the OR.
Reducing Medical Errors in the OR
The OR is a complex environment. Highly trained individuals interact in a specialized setting with sophisticated and technically complicated devices, instruments, and equipment. There are also substantial differences among team members related to education, experience, skill level, influence, and formal and informal power. This course will inform nurses and surgical technologists of the evidence-based steps to take to create a culture of safety in the OR.
Identify the communication processes that aid in reducing medical errors and review recommendations for the safe transfer of patient care information.
Name organizations that are helping to create a culture of patient safety and their recommendations to meet this goal.
Determine the components of a just culture that promote trust and accountability and recall a 10-step process for creating a culture of safety in the OR.
Perioperative Specimen Handling
Proper surgical specimen handling is essential for patient safety. This course covers best practices for intraoperative personnel to prepare, label, and transfer specimens accurately. Adhering to these protocols ensures that specimens are identified and handled appropriately, minimizing the risk of harm to the patient.
This course provides OR nurses and surgical technologists with knowledge of best practices for specimen handling.
Describe the considerations and methods of preparing specimens for various pathologic and examination types.
Recall care standards for the appropriate handling, labeling, and transportation of specimens.
Identify common mistakes made during specimen management and prevention methods to avoid these errors.
A Look at Malignant Hyperthermia
Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a life-threatening syndrome associated with an anesthetic trigger. Awareness of MH by all perioperative team members, from those working in the preoperative holding area to those in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), is important in preventing negative patient outcomes.
Define risk factors for MH and preventive measures for improving patient outcomes.
Identify the signs and symptoms of MH along with diagnostic and genetic considerations.
Describe the best practices for managing and treating MH.
Managing Mechanical Ventilation
Mechanical ventilation is a cornerstone of critical care, offering life-saving therapy for patients experiencing respiratory failure for many disease processes. Before 2020, it was estimated that over 300,000 patients receive mechanical ventilation in the U.S. per year (NHSN, 2019). That number is now likely much higher considering the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although it is a lifesaving intervention, patients who receive mechanical ventilation are at an increased risk for complications, such as ventilator-associated pneumonia, sepsis, volutrauma/barotrauma, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and others. These complications may lead to longer ICU and hospital stays, increased risk of disability and death, and increased healthcare costs. For these reasons, clinicians at every level need to understand the concepts, theories, and practices guiding the management of patients receiving mechanical ventilation.
Describe the underlying physiology that is supported by mechanical ventilation.
Discuss two principles of managing the mechanically ventilated patient
Perioperative Series: Anesthesia and Medication Management
Anesthesia administration has become increasingly safer, but is not without risk. Patient- and family-centered care and the desire to save costs has led to a shift in perioperative care needs from “stabilize and admit” to “stabilize and discharge.” Each patient undergoing anesthesia requires competent, professional nursing staff to assist in timely and safe medication administration, maintenance, and recovery. Knowledge of anesthetic techniques, agents, and adjuvants is vital to this competence.
Define the different types and stages of anesthesia.
Describe anesthetic agents and adjuvants commonly used for the perioperative patient.
Identify perioperative preparation, complications, and nursing interventions.
Anesthesia: Perioperative
The perioperative nurse plays a primary role in the anesthesia experience. Knowledge of techniques, patient assessment, and care management for the patient receiving or recovering from anesthesia positively impacts patient outcomes. This course discusses anesthetics and adjuvant medications used in the perioperative setting, anesthesia-related complications, and the nurse’s role in assisting with anesthesia management.
This course provides nursing professionals with information about the principles and practices of anesthesia care in the perioperative setting.
Identify the stages and types of anesthesia, and associated medications commonly used in the perioperative setting.
Recognize important assessment areas and nursing interventions for the perioperative patient receiving or recovering from anesthesia.
Describe complications of anesthesia and their treatments.