Program List

Tricky, Testy and Sick: Special Patient Populations

Course Description

The job of the nurse would be easy if all of our patients were exactly the same. If each patient were the same age, the same shape and the same personality, we would be able to apply a “cookie cutter” approach to the care of the patient. But as any nurse will tell you, every patient is unique, and with each unique characteristic comes unique care considerations. This seminar is designed to present a number of unique patient populations and the care challenges that these populations present. Considerations such as age, body size and personality will be presented. Participants will not only be provided with information about each unique patient population, but will also be given suggestions on caring for each patient population.

Program Learning Outcomes

This program prepares the learner to:

• Identify patient populations which require unique considerations.
• Verbalize assessment parameters specific to unique patient populations.
• List interventions which are unique to special patient populations.

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 4:00 pm

• The Pregnant Patient: Someone Boil the Water!
  Normal Physiological Changes During Pregnancy | Laboratory Changes During Pregnancy | Recognition and Treatment of Common Complications
• The Pediatric Patient: They’re not just Little Adults
  Unique Physiological Characteristics | Developmental Characteristics | Treatment Considerations
• The Difficult Patient and Family: Take Off the Boxing Gloves!
  Tools for Effective Complaint Management | Complaint Resolution Techniques
• Bariatrics: An Increasing Challenge
  Physiological Challenges in the Bariatric Patient | Treatment Considerations | Caring for the Patient Who has Undergone Gastric Bypass Surgery
• Dealing with Cultural Diversity
  Overview of Major Cultures | Treatment Considerations for Selected Cultures

Day 2, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

• Geriatrics: They’re not just Big Children
  Physiological Changes Associated with Aging | Lab Values | Treatment Considerations
• The Palliative Patient
  Changing the Mindset from Treatment to Palliation | Physiological Considerations | Emotional Care of the Patient and Family
• Ethical Challenges
  Actual Case Studies Involving Medical Ethical Dilemmas | Framework for Making Ethical Decisions | Proper Utilization of the Ethical Committee
• The Psychiatric Patient
  Overview of Common Psychiatric Illnesses | Treatment Considerations for Specific Psychiatric Illnesses | Management of Aggressive Behavior
• “I’m Allergic to All Non-Narcotics” Care of the Drug Seeking Patient
  Entrepreneurial Drug Seeking | Main-Stream Drug Seeking | Dependent Drug-Seeking | Care Plan for Patients Who Seek Drugs