Program List

Recognizing and Managing Life Threatening Complications

Course Description

As acuity levels of patients continue to rise, today’s healthcare providers are confronted with patients developing life threatening complications with more and more frequency. This two-day seminar covers a variety of commonly seen and clinically significant patient pathologies including sepsis, ARDS, acute kidney injury and life threatening coagulation disorders. Critical thinking skills are challenged using a variety of complex case studies.

Program Learning Outcomes

This program prepares the learner to:

• Discuss current sepsis bundle recommendations and the nurse’s responsibilities.
• Describe the common etiologies, presentation and treatment modalities for the patient with acute adrenal insufficiency.
• Describe the presentation for the patient with acute pancreatitis, laboratory assessment and the nurse’s role in treatment.
• Differentiate the syndrome of HIT from the DIC patient including presentation and treatment.
• Discuss acute renal causes, presentation and interventions, as well as determining the etiology of renal failure by examining lab values.
• Differentiate between the presentation and treatment of ARDS from other acute respiratory failure causes.
• Differentiate between cardiogenic and hypovolemic shock, including clinical presentation and current treatment interventions.

Agenda

Sign-in begins at 7:30 am. Each day includes a one-hour lunch (on your own), as well as a morning and afternoon break of 15 minutes each. The order of lectures presented and break times may vary according to speaker preference.

Day 1, 8:00 am to 3:30 pm

• The Clinical Continuum of Sepsis
  Terminology | Chemical Mediators | Systemic Complications | Cellular Oxygenation Research Findings | New Treatment Options | Antibiotics and Source Control
• Acute Adrenal Insufficiency
  Etiology, Pathophysiology, Presentation | Treatment Options
• Interpreting the Chest X-Ray
• Acute Pancreatitis
  Etiologies, Pathophysiology | Clinical Presentation and Lab Findings | Treatment Options
• Life Threatening Coagulopathies: Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation
  Types, Pathophysiology, Laboratory Markers | Clinical Presentation | Interventions: Anticoagulation vs. Replacement Therapy, AT-III Concentrates
• Life Threatening Coagulopathies: Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia and Thrombosis Syndrome
  Etiologies, Pathophysiology | Clinical and Laboratory Presentation | Therapeutic Interventions Including New Drug Therapies

Day 2, 8:00 am to 3:30 pm

• Acute Kidney Injury
  Types, Etiologies, Pathophysiology | Clinical and Lab Findings | Medical Therapy | Indications for Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy and Hemodialysis
• Laboratory Interpretation
  RBC Indices, Diagnosis of Anemias | WBC Differential | Electrolyte Imbalances, Calcium Correction | ABG Interpretation | Metabolic Acidosis and Anion GAP: Implications for Diagnosis and Treatment | Metabolic Alkalosis
• Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome
  Oxygenation Variables | Inflammatory Mediators | Pathophysiology, Clinical Presentation | Protective Lung Ventilation: The Pros and Cons of Conventional, Bilevel, HFOV | Experimental Interventions: Proning, Liquid Ventilation, Nitric Oxide
• Acute Coronary Syndromes and Cardiogenic Shock
  Etiologies, Pathophysiology | Ischemic Changes Seen on ECG with Inferior, Posterior, Anterior, Lateral and Septal MIs | Clinical Presentation, Hemodynamic Findings | Anticipating and Preparing for Complications | Treatments: Drug Therapies, Mechanical Circulatory Assist Devices