Nurses! Acute Care Update
10.50
CPD
Hours
10.50
RCNA
Points
Event Type:
Duration:
Cost:
Relevant To:
Seminar
Two Days
$473.00
Nurses
General Description
This seminar will assist nurses in their early recognition and care of people who develop an unexpected, acute health problem that requires rapid intervention so as to minimise the risk of further deterioration and possible cardiac or respiratory arrest. With increasing awareness of the importance of the early identification of deteriorating patients/ clients and the development of Rapid Response Teams in health care agencies it is essential that all staff increase their clinical assessment skills.
This clinical program is suitable for all nurses - including those who work in acute care settings, aged care, disability services or community health.
If you have identified a professional need to improve your understanding of acute care nursing as part of your planned learning activities, then this program will offer you an opportunity to gain continuing professional development (CPD) hours related to this topic.
Need for Program
As increasingly complex patients are being seen in all healthcare organisations it is imperative that RNs and ENs who are recently graduated, moving into higher acuity care environments or who want to refresh or update their basic knowledge, have ongoing access to high quality, appropriate continuing education to enable them to work to the full scope of their practice. Nurses are required to obtain a minimum of 20 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) hours – related to their area of practice – in order to comply with mandatory registration requirements - and this seminar provides 10.5 CPD hours.
Aims and Objectives
This seminar is designed to review key knowledge required to increase participant’s confidence and skill when caring for patients with common acute cardiovascular and respiratory problems. An awareness of the recent national recommendations for workplace changes in relation to rapidly recognising and responding to deteriorating patients is emphasised
At the conclusion of this program it is anticipated the participants will be able to:
- Outline the recent changes in approach to assessment and documentation relating to the recognition and response to deteriorating patients.
- Demonstrate a knowledge of the causes and initial management of common cardiac and respiratory emergencies – such as airway obstruction, respiratory distress, chest pain, shock and unexpected collapse.
- Outline RN/EN professional responsibilities in responding to the collapsed or deteriorating patient/client.
8.30 am Registration and Refreshments
9.00 am Identifying Learning Needs and Setting the Scene
This session will introduce the seminar and review key concepts
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Reinforce current knowledge and identify your learning needs for day one.
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Understand the physiological basis for meeting patient needs in acute care nursing
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Review of key basic science concepts.
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Role of the cardiovascular, respiratory & nervous systems.
9.45 am Recognising and Responding to the Deteriorating Patient
Exploring a new approach to patients assessment and documentation
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Rapid response systems in Australian health care organisations
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"Track and Trigger" charting and MEWS/ADDS scoring
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Identifying "at risk" individuals – key indicators of deterioration.
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Decision making role of the nurse in acute care – when to call for help.
10.30 am Morning Tea and Coffee
11.00 am Changing Respiratory Status (Part 1)
1. Assessment and Management of the Airway
Can you recognise and deal with airway problems - an in-depth review of causes, assessment and nursing management of airway obstruction.
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Review of respiratory anatomy and common causes of airway obstruction
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- choking, sedation/unconsciousness, oedema, layngeal spasm.
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Clinical signs and symptoms of airway obstruction.
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Important nursing interventions to reopen the airway.
12.30 pm Lunch Break and Networking
Changing Respiratory Status (Part 2)
2. Assessment and Management of Breathing and Oxygenation
Maintaining breathing and cellular oxygenation are critical to an individuals survival – it is essential that you can recognise and deal with abnormal breathing and hypoxia?
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Causes of breathing & oxygenation problems - chest infections, trauma, pulmonary oedema, bronchospasm & chronic lung disease.
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Review of respiratory physiology and assessment of normal respiratory function
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clinically and via pulse oximetry and ABG's
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Recognition of hypoxia / respiratory distress or inadequacy
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Nursing responsibilities in initiating appropriate interventions to restore adequate ventilation and oxygenation - nursing care, oxygen therapy and assisted ventilation.
2.30 pm Afternoon Tea and Coffee
3.00 pm Practical Application – Respiratory Patient Scenarios
Clinical scenarios for review - including nurse role
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Airway obstruction – what to do?
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The hypoxic patient - improving oxygenation
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Abnormal/absent breathing - assisting ventilation
4.00 pm Close of Day One of Program
9.00 am Changing Cardiovascular Status
Management of the cardiac patient is constantly changing as medical knowledge increases. This session looks at how to recognise impaired circulatory function and intervene appropriately. Topics include:
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Review of cardiac A&P and assessment of normal cardiovascular status.
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Common causes of impaired circulation and cardiac function.
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Assessment of cardiac function – clinically and via ECG /monitor.
10.00 am Morning Tea and Coffee
10.30 am The Person with Chest Pain
This session will assist in bringing you up to date with current concepts in the assessment and management of patients with angina and acute coronary syndrome. It includes:
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Possible causes of chest pain and questions to ask in differentiating likely cause.
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Clinical and ECG assessment findings and their physiological basis.
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Current nursing & medical management principles for chest pain and acute Myocardial Infarction MI.
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The role of the nurse in caring for the cardiac patient.
11.30 am The Shocked Patient
Shock is a condition of inadequate circulation resulting in possible cellular damage – do you understand possible causes and pathophysiology of shock?
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Pathophysiology and recognition of shock
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Types of shock - hypovolaemic, cardiogenic and vasogenic/distributive.
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Possible causes of each type and differing assessment findings.
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The three key stages of shock and required urgent interventions.
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Key nursing responsibilities in assessment and management of patients in shock.
12.30 pm Lunch Break and Browse the Book Display
1.30 pm What to do When a Patient Collapses
Unexpected patient collapse is an emergency and immediate response is required. Are you confident to deal with this? In this session you will enhance your knowledge about:
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Possible causes of collapse – fainting, low BP, drug overdose, CVA, cardiac arrest?
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Recognition of specific cause - assessment findings and their significance.
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Management of the unconscious patient who is breathing normally.
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Management of the cardiac arrest victim - review CPR and AED defibrillation Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) guidelines for basic life support.
2.30 pm Afternoon Tea and Coffee
3.00 pm Practical Application – Cardiovascular Patient Scenarios
In this final session you will have an opportunity to consolidate your new knowledge through the use of clinical scenarios. Includes:
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Clinical scenarios for review - chest pain, shock, cardiac arrest.
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Professional and legal responsibilities of the nurse in acute care.
4.15 pm Close of Program and Evaluations
Heather Schubert OAMHeather has extensive experience and qualifications in acute care nursing and education including management roles in ICU and CCU. She teaches Basic and Advanced Life Support and has an interest in assisting all nurses – regardless of their training level - to develop enhanced clinical assessment skills and to take a more active role in the management of emergencies. Heather was a founding member of the S.A. Branch of the Australian College of Critical Care Nurses (previously CACCN), is a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing, Australia and is on the SA committee of the Australian Resuscitation Council. She has her own business as a Consultant Nurse Educator, is a Clinical Associate of the Adelaide University and has taught aspects of emergency and acute care extensively in metropolitan and rural communities throughout South Australia. She was awarded an Order of Australia in 2009 for her services to critical care nursing and education in SA.
