As Adult/Geriatric clinical nurse practitioners working in internal medicine offices and managing caseloads of sub-acute patients in long term care, we are keenly aware of the issues that nurses encounter on the job every day. These programs are offered by Education Solutions for Long Term Care in accordance with the Massachusetts Board of Registration for Continuing Education, 244-CMR.

Our seminars and workshops include didactic training, hands-on practicum on individual units, and/or clinical mentoring sessions. Our clinical mentoring sessions, for example, focus on teaching nurses how to perform and organize a comprehensive assessment and nursing diagnosis, as well as systematically gather vital patient data that include subjective and objective data essential to positive patient outcomes.

We believe that this approach to gathering patient data is key to ensuring that all members of a multi-disciplinary medical team receive information necessary to making decisions that best meet a patient's needs.

The following is a partial list of the programs that we offer. All programs have individual objectives and content, with an emphasis on the nursing process and enhancement of critical thinking.

•  Geriatric considerations of physical assessment
  
•  Cardiac assessment in the elderly
  
•  Interpreting laboratory data as related to aging
  
•  Documentation (SOAP)
  
•  Differentiating dementia, delirium, and depression
  
•  Urinary incontinence assessment and protocol
  
•  Pharmacological issues of the elderly: HCFA
  
•  Anticoagulation therapy in long term care
  
•  Geriatric aspects of IV's, and bolus medication
  
•  Palliative care and terminal dehydration
  
•  Respiratory disease among the elderly
  
•  Common infectious disease in the hospital setting and long term care
  
•  Assessing and treating dehydration
  
•  The changing paradigm in long term care
  
•  Assessment skills workshops
  

Below is an overview of our Assessment Skills Workshop, which is one of our most requested programs. This workshop is designed to enhance the clinical assessment skills of nurses and increase their confidence.

Vascular/Arterial Assessment

Reviews anatomy and physiology of the arterial and vascular system. Identifies common disease presentations (DVT) and patients at risk for vascular and arterial injury. Reviews common diagnostic testing and pharmacology.

Musculoskeletal Assessment

Reviews common musculoskeletal conditions including non-inflammatory vs. inflammatory arthritis, vertebral fractures, vertebroplasty, and bone density testing. Offers an improved understanding of commonly ordered diagnostic procedures and testing. Includes review of post-op orthopedic patient.

Geriatric Physical Assessment

Offers a comprehensive review of each body system to organize a comprehensive physical assessment, nursing diagnosis, implementation plan and evaluation. Offers pearls and assessment mnemonics.

Respiratory Assessment

Reviews basic anatomy and physiology of respiratory system. Offers brief overview of clinical presentation, etiology, and treatment of common respiratory infections including pneumonia, COPD, and asthma. Includes role of diagnostic testing, treatment and factors that predispose elderly to respiratory disease.

Neurological Assessment

Reviews basic anatomy and physiology of neurological system, and normal age-related change in functional abilities of neurological system. Offers differentiation between delirium, dementia and depression. Reviews types of dementia including Alzheimer's and vascular dementia. Includes concepts of nursing assessment and interventions as applied to older adults with neurological changes and disorders.

Cardiac Assessment

Offers brief review of anatomy and physiology of cardiac system, prevalence of cardiac disease in extended care, physical assessment specific to CHF and angina, and common cardiac medication and side effects.

Abdominal Assessment

Offers brief overview of abdomen and pelvis, understanding of common diagnoses, presentations, assessment techniques, and treatment. Includes review of commonly ordered tests and procedures, as well as diseases of abdominal organs: GERD, gallbladder, pancreas, appendix, urinary tract, liver (hepatitis), colon (diverticulitis).

Assessment of dehydration in elderly patients

Identifies normal aging, disease symptoms of dehydration, and other factors contributing to fluid volume deficit. Describes physical assessment findings in relation to dehydration and clarifies treatment options for dehydrated patients. Includes analysis of laboratory data.