Recognizing and Responding to Deteriorating Patient Conditions                              (Recognizing & Responding to Early Signs of Clinical Deterioration)

Course Description:
Did you know that up to 84% of cardiac arrests are preventable?
According to the literature, patients begin to show signs and symptoms of clinical deterioration 8-12 hours prior to a code situation.  As nurses, we are responsible for recognizing these changes in our patient's status and responding to them quickly and effectively.  While many hospitals have resources such as Rapid Response Teams and Code Teams, the bedside nurse's ability to recognize and respond to problems largely impacts the outcomes for their patients.

This simulation-based program will provide a hands-on interactive opportunity to develop and practice the skills needed to recognize the often subtle changes in a patient's status to prevent further deterioration and cardiac arrest.

During this program, learners will have the opportunity to participate in one of four realistic immersive simulations to help promote critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and effective communication techniques.  After each scenario, an interactive debriefing session allows time to reflect and discuss assessment techniques, interventions, and effective communication methods.

Objectives:
1. Recognize early signs and symptoms of deterioration/critical illness.
2. Initiate early intervention and treatment of the deteriorating patient to prevent unnecessary transfers and cardiac arrests.
3. Discuss initial assessment and early treatment for select conditions.
4. Incorporate age specific and culturally sensitive care.
5. Complete systems-based 5 minute physical exam.
6. Engage in discussion about nursing scope of practice.
7. Integrate data from medical records to complete assessment and impact decision making.
8. Incorporate effective communication methods.

Intended Audience:
Although all nurses may benefit from attending this program, this was designed for nurses caring for patients in medical or surgical areas.

Comments from past participants:
Realistic Scenarios!
The debriefs helped to pull the information into my practice.
Instructors are very knowledgable.
A great safe environment to practice our assessment and communication skills.
Debriefing helped me organize.
Overall a great learning experience.
Scenarios & debriefing provided me with a mini refresher on physiology.
Simulation and discussion is much more helpful than just a PowerPoint.
I think that this is a great class.  It is very helpful in aiding nurses/staff in responding to situations in any setting and recognizing declining status quickly.

Register: 
Click here to register

Location:
HealthPartners Clinical Simulation & Learning Center
Regions Hospital  C7100
640 Jackson Street
St. Paul, MN 55101

Cost:  $75.00

Faculty & Planning Committee: 
Gail Johnson, MS, BSN, CCRN, CHSE
Krista Kipper, BSN, CHSE
Heather Anderson, MA, BSN, CCRN
Cathy Meadows, MSN, RN
Sarah Linhoff, MSN, RN
Stacy Chew, MSN, RN

Length of Program:  4 hours

---

Continuing Education:
HealthPartners Institute for Education and Research is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Wisconsin Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. 
This program provides 3.8 contact hours of continuing nursing education.