Critical Care Course

Overview

Course Description:

Our Adult Critical Care Nursing online course is designed to empower registered nurses with the essential knowledge and skills needed to excel in the critical care discipline. By doing so, they ensure the delivery of safe, holistic, and high-quality care to patients.

This certificate signifies that students have completed a comprehensive range of classes focused on caring for adult critical care patients. Graduates will acquire specialized skills and knowledge essential for becoming proficient critical care nurses, capable of recognizing and supporting the unique needs of critical care patients. To obtain the certificate, students must complete eight classes within the adult critical care series, as outlined below. The course structure is conducive to a broad range of learning styles and professional requirements, offering a dynamic and interactive online learning environment.

Course Outline (Weekend Classes):

  • Day 1 & 2: Basic EKG-Arrhythmia Identification Workshop
  • Day 3 & 4: Cardiac Dysfunction
  • Day 5: Metabolic & Endocrine and Hematology
  • Day 6: Neurologic Dysfunction
  • Day 7: Pulmonary Dysfunction / Ventilator Workshop
  • Day 8: Renal & GI Dysfunction / Review & Final Exam

Key Features of the Course:

  1. Synchronous Online Learning: Engage in real-time instructor lead learning from anywhere, with all sessions conducted online. This format provides flexibility and accessibility, eliminating the need for in-person lectures.
  2. High Success Rate: We are proud to maintain a high course completion rate, reflecting the effectiveness of our teaching methods and course design.
  3. Opportunity for Remediation and Retesting: Understanding the challenges of mastering a new skill or knowledge, we offer students the option to remediate and retest if necessary. This ensures that all participants have the best chance to succeed and fully grasp the course material.
  4. Certification and CEU Credits: Upon successful completion of the program, participants will receive a digital certification sent directly to their email. Additionally, this program is approved for 63 clock hours of Continuing Education Units (CEU), valuable for professional development.
  5. Attendance is mandatory, and students are expected to maintain a minimum of 80% attendance throughout the course. Missing the entire day or physiological system results in disqualification.

By the end of this program, you will have a solid foundation in Critical Care nursing, a skill that is crucial in all critical care settings. We are committed to providing you with the knowledge and support needed to excel in this field.

Course Material: Soft copy will be sent via email.

CE Hours
Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing (Provider Number 17440), for 63 contact hours.

This course aims to equip acute care nurses with a comprehensive understanding of critical care nursing through a body systems approach. Participants will gain in-depth knowledge and skills related to the assessment, diagnosis, and management of common injury and illness states within the critical care environment.

The course will focus on the following key areas:

Acute Cardiovascular System:

  • Describe basic cardiac anatomy and physiology.
  • Correlate circulation through the heart to auscultatory characteristics.
  • Explain the mechanics of breathing.
  • Identify determinants of cardiac output.
  • Recognize the effects of alpha, beta, and dopaminergic receptors.
  • Understand cardiovascular pathologies, diagnostic criteria, therapies, and nursing management for conditions such as Acute Coronary Syndromes, MI/Angina, Congestive Heart Failure/Cardiomyopathies, Arrhythmias, Cardiogenic shock, and post-cardiac surgery.

Respiratory System:

  • Describe the respiratory system’s anatomy and physiology.
  • Explain the mechanics of breathing and its relationship to acid-base balance.
  • Analyze ABG results to determine acid-base balances and oxygenation status.
  • Understand different modes and goals of mechanical ventilation.
  • Examine common respiratory pathologies in the critical care environment, including Pneumonia, Pleural effusions/Pneumothorax, COPD, and ARDS.

Neurologic System and Trauma:

  • Describe the anatomy and physiology of the central nervous system.
  • Differentiate between normal and pathological assessment findings for nervous system injuries.
  • Understand the pathophysiology and medical management of patients with increased intracranial pressure.
  • Recognize and assess stroke scenarios.
  • Describe various types of seizures and their nursing management.
  • Understand neurologic disease pathophysiology, diagnostic tests, and nursing evaluation and management for conditions like meningitis, encephalitis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, and Myasthenia Gravis.
  • Identify nursing assessment criteria and management for patients with head injuries and spinal cord injuries.

Multisystem Trauma and Shock States:

  • Define primary, secondary, and tertiary elements of nursing assessment and care for critical trauma patients.
  • Describe pathophysiology and care for closed head injuries, skull fractures, and spinal flexion injuries.
  • Understand the management of epidural, subdural, and intracerebral hematomas.
  • Recognize critical care nursing roles in assessing and managing patients with chest trauma, including pneumothorax, hemothorax, tension pneumothorax, and cardiac tamponade.
  • Describe the assessment and management of abdominal trauma.
  • Understand different types of multisystem trauma and their physiological responses.
  • Identify types of shock and initiate appropriate nursing responses based on signs and symptoms.

Endocrine, Gastroenterological, and Renal Systems:

  • Describe the anatomy, physiology, and feedback mechanisms of hormones like insulin, cortisol, thyroid hormones, and antidiuretic hormone.
  • Understand the pathophysiology and systemic manifestations of disorders related to the pancreas, adrenal, thyroid, and posterior pituitary glands.
  • Learn methods for assessing the endocrine system and interpreting laboratory and diagnostic tests.
  • Formulate care plans for patients with hyperglycemic crises, hypoglycemic crisis, SIADH, diabetes insipidus, and other endocrine disorders.
  • Review the anatomy and physiology of the renal system.
  • Understand the pathophysiology of acute renal failure, methods for assessment, and medical management.
  • Discuss nursing care for patients receiving renal replacement therapy.
  • Describe basic anatomy and physiology of the gastrointestinal system.

Understand the assessment and management of acute gastrointestinal bleeding, hepatic failure, acute pancreatitis, and other gastrointestinal disorders

 

This course aims to equip acute care nurses with a comprehensive understanding of critical care nursing through a body systems approach. Participants will gain in-depth knowledge and skills related to the assessment, diagnosis, and management of common injury and illness states within the critical care environment.

The course will focus on the following key areas:

Acute Cardiovascular System:

  • Describe basic cardiac anatomy and physiology.
  • Correlate circulation through the heart to auscultatory characteristics.
  • Explain the mechanics of breathing.
  • Identify determinants of cardiac output.
  • Recognize the effects of alpha, beta, and dopaminergic receptors.
  • Understand cardiovascular pathologies, diagnostic criteria, therapies, and nursing management for conditions such as Acute Coronary Syndromes, MI/Angina, Congestive Heart Failure/Cardiomyopathies, Arrhythmias, Cardiogenic shock, and post-cardiac surgery.

Respiratory System:

  • Describe the respiratory system’s anatomy and physiology.
  • Explain the mechanics of breathing and its relationship to acid-base balance.
  • Analyze ABG results to determine acid-base balances and oxygenation status.
  • Understand different modes and goals of mechanical ventilation.
  • Examine common respiratory pathologies in the critical care environment, including Pneumonia, Pleural effusions/Pneumothorax, COPD, and ARDS.

Neurologic System and Trauma:

  • Describe the anatomy and physiology of the central nervous system.
  • Differentiate between normal and pathological assessment findings for nervous system injuries.
  • Understand the pathophysiology and medical management of patients with increased intracranial pressure.
  • Recognize and assess stroke scenarios.
  • Describe various types of seizures and their nursing management.
  • Understand neurologic disease pathophysiology, diagnostic tests, and nursing evaluation and management for conditions like meningitis, encephalitis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, and Myasthenia Gravis.
  • Identify nursing assessment criteria and management for patients with head injuries and spinal cord injuries.

Multisystem Trauma and Shock States:

  • Define primary, secondary, and tertiary elements of nursing assessment and care for critical trauma patients.
  • Describe pathophysiology and care for closed head injuries, skull fractures, and spinal flexion injuries.
  • Understand the management of epidural, subdural, and intracerebral hematomas.
  • Recognize critical care nursing roles in assessing and managing patients with chest trauma, including pneumothorax, hemothorax, tension pneumothorax, and cardiac tamponade.
  • Describe the assessment and management of abdominal trauma.
  • Understand different types of multisystem trauma and their physiological responses.
  • Identify types of shock and initiate appropriate nursing responses based on signs and symptoms.

Endocrine, Gastroenterological, and Renal Systems:

  • Describe the anatomy, physiology, and feedback mechanisms of hormones like insulin, cortisol, thyroid hormones, and antidiuretic hormone.
  • Understand the pathophysiology and systemic manifestations of disorders related to the pancreas, adrenal, thyroid, and posterior pituitary glands.
  • Learn methods for assessing the endocrine system and interpreting laboratory and diagnostic tests.
  • Formulate care plans for patients with hyperglycemic crises, hypoglycemic crisis, SIADH, diabetes insipidus, and other endocrine disorders.
  • Review the anatomy and physiology of the renal system.
  • Understand the pathophysiology of acute renal failure, methods for assessment, and medical management.
  • Discuss nursing care for patients receiving renal replacement therapy.
  • Describe basic anatomy and physiology of the gastrointestinal system.

Understand the assessment and management of acute gastrointestinal bleeding, hepatic failure, acute pancreatitis, and other gastrointestinal disorders

 

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Tuition $510
Registration Fees (nonrefundable) $90
Total Course Fees $600

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