This multi-lesson module provides suicide training according to State of Washington requirements. The four lessons cover: (1) "Suicide Risk Factors, Screening, and Assessment," providing in-depth information on how to identify risk factors of suicide, as well as best practices for suicide screening and assessment; (2) "Interventions for Suicide Risk and Postvention for Suicide Loss Survivors," with information about evidence-based, suicide-specific interventions, as well as approaches for suicide postvention; (3) "Community-Based Suicide Prevention," discussing community-based, primary prevention approaches for reducing suicide risk; and (4) "Identification, Prevention, and Treatment of Suicidal Behavior for Service Members and Veterans," discussing suicide in military and veteran populations and its health significance, risks, rates, factors, and interventions.

This course is featured on the Washington State Department of Health's 2017 Model List of approved programs.

Recognizing, understanding, and addressing patient behaviors, as well as the rationales behind these behaviors, is critical to successfully manage patients and to protect practitioners and their practices. This course will review 3 major areas complicating patient care: drug diversion, SUD, and pain management considerations in patients with SUD.

This course for nurses and physicians describes how to assess pediatric pain and recognize the barriers to effectively treating such pain. You will learn pharmacological and nonpharmacological management options and the complexities of managing pain in special populations. You will come away better equipped to appropriately assess and treat pediatric pain in your own setting.

This course explains Medicare health plan options other than the original Medicare. It was developed and approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency that administers Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the federally facilitated Health Insurance Marketplace.

In this course, you will learn about the major categories of medications used in the treatment of mental illness, including antipsychotics, antianxiety medications, antidepressants, and mood stabilizers. You will also learn about the different medications’ indications for use and some of their most common side effects. You will find out about some of the precautions that apply to specific populations taking psychiatric medications, such as older adults and psychiatric medication use during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

This course explains the eligibility, benefits, and administration of Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Also discussed are the implications of the Affordable Care Act on Medicaid and CHIP.

In this course, you will learn the scope of medical and treatment errors within the overall healthcare system and specifically in behavioral health settings. You will explore the types of medical errors, including error-prone situations, and the use of root cause analysis to determine why and how an error occurred. You will explore some best practices that will help improve client safety and outcomes within your organization. Finally, you will learn your responsibilities regarding the reporting of medical errors. With this information, you will be empowered to create a safe environment in which clients can get the care they need.

Hepatic failure is one of the leading causes of death in this country. According to the American Liver Foundation (ALF), one in 10 Americans—approximately 30 million people—has some form of hepatic failure, with 16,000 such patients currently on the transplant list waiting for a new liver. So you can better manage and care for this patient population, this course presents the causes, symptoms, risk factors, complications, treatment strategies, and characteristics of hepatic failure.

Rates of suicide among youth continue to increase, making it essential for mental health clinicians and other professionals working with adolescents to understand the dynamics of suicide. This course explains the scope of the problem and presents prevailing theories concerning suicidal behaviors. Underscoring that suicide is preventable, the course teaches how to effectively screen potentially suicidal youth and ways you can intervene to lower their risk. Equipped with a knowledge of risk factors and warning signs, along with tools you can use to effectively mitigate risk, you may be the critical factor standing between life and death for a vulnerable at-risk teen.

This course will provide you with information about the numerous risk and protective factors of suicide. You will learn effective screening approaches you can use to identify elevated risk. You will also learn how to follow a positive screening with an in-depth clinical assessment, including several different models you can use to guide your assessment. The goal of this course is to provide alcohol and drug counseling, marriage and family therapy, counseling, psychology, and social work professionals in health and human services with skills to identify individuals at increased risk of suicide.

Acuity levels for hospital patients have been rising. To meet this demand and prevent medical complications, healthcare practitioners must observe sound principles of early recognition and treatment when abnormalities arise. Laboratory testing is one of the simplest forms available for effective diagnostics. This course discusses how to recognize normal and abnormal lab reference ranges related to hematology. It explains the physiological process represented by individual lab values and the effect on the body system(s) involved, and covers the process of reporting critical lab values. You will be equipped to confidently identify abnormal lab results, comprehend their meaning, and treat and monitor the pathological cause of deviations, thus ensuring the highest level of care for your patients.

This course focuses specifically on early interventions that are designed to reduce suicide risk. You will learn how these early interventions impact suicide risk. You will also learn of examples and the role that programs highlighting connectedness, life skills, and resilience play in preventing suicide. The goal of this course is to provide social work, psychology, nursing, alcohol and drug counseling, marriage and family therapy, and counseling professionals in health and human services with information about community-based, upstream suicide prevention approaches. 

The public-health problem of domestic violence requires all members of the community to recognize, address, report, and prevent it. Because healthcare professionals often work closely with victims, they are in a unique position to be able to recognize domestic violence. This course provides information on recognizing and responding to domestic violence, and presents strategies you can use to report and even prevent it.

Caregivers who work with older adults with dementia often report that the biggest obstacles they face are related to managing challenging behaviors. This course offers a clinically based overview of such behaviors, along with the most common effects of the pharmacological agents used to treat these behaviors. You will learn practical techniques to use in your own setting to help you determine the most effective strategies for managing the people you serve.

A critical step for service providers in receiving reimbursement is to submit treatment-planning documentation. This course reinforces what you already know about plans of care, while offering suggestions for capturing the real therapeutic relationship on paper. You will learn how to hone in on core principles for clinical documentation; take a fresh look at ways to record your client’s strengths, goals, and treatment objectives; and evaluate methods of accurately representing interventions, outcomes, and discharge plans.

As a behavioral health professional, you know how challenging it can be to understand the complexities of diagnosing and treating personality disorders. Drawing upon guidelines from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and current empirical literature, this course offers you a comprehensive look at the etiology, categories, and diagnostic criteria for personality disorders while considering differential diagnoses and co-occurring disorders. Lastly, this course offers information on best practices for the treatment of personality disorders.

The more familiar you are with the essentials of ethical care, informed consent, and advance directives, the better equipped you will be to provide higher quality patient care in medical and behavioral healthcare settings. This course covers the fundamentals of the Client Bill of Rights, the six principles of ethical care, the process for obtaining informed consent, and how to interpret behavioral health advance directives. Through interactive exercises and vignettes, you will have the opportunity to apply these concepts so you can provide your clients with a higher standard of care.

This course explains how the coordination of benefits works when people have Medicare and certain other types of health coverage. Module 5, Coordination of Benefits, explains the rules that govern payers’ responsibilities when people have Medicare and certain other types of health and/or prescription drug coverage. This module was developed and approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency that administers Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the federally facilitated Health Insurance Marketplace. This course is designed for trainers and other information givers who are familiar with the Medicare program. It can be easily adapted for presentations to groups of beneficiaries.

One of the areas governed by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is the use and disclosure of written and verbal communications that mental health and substance-use disorder providers (behavioral health providers) have with each individual client; with the individual's family members and friends; and with other professionals, health plans, and law enforcement officials; along with the documentation requirements associated with each type of communication. This course addresses some of the most common HIPAA-related legal and ethical challenges faced by behavioral health professionals, including those who work in hospitals, clinics, community mental health centers, addiction treatment centers, and private practices. This course will improve your understanding of HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules and how they apply to your day-to-day professional responsibilities as a behavioral healthcare provider. You'll be better equipped to identify potential legal and ethical issues related to HIPAA, improve your compliance approach, and develop more effective risk management strategies (in consultation with appropriate legal counsel, as needed).

Annually in this country, an average of 800,000 patient hospitalizations involve mechanical ventilation, with an estimated cost of 27 billion dollars, or 12 percent of all hospital costs. Proper ventilator management techniques are imperative in providing safe, quality patient care. This course discusses related respiratory physiology, modes of ventilation, commonly referenced ventilator values, principles for managing the mechanically ventilated patient, and the pharmacology of pain and sedation used during mechanical ventilation. Applying this information in your healthcare setting will help to ensure optimal outcomes for your patients.

Military veterans comprise 22% of suicide deaths that occur in the US. This course, geared toward clinical professionals who work closely with veterans in a variety of health-care settings, focuses on warning signs, risk and protective factors, and the assessment and preventative interventions of suicidality. You will review model programs established within the US Department of Veterans Affairs, address wait-times for treatment, and learn about other barriers related to access for treatment, including the role of military culture. A blend of case studies and interactive exercises will prepare you to apply this knowledge in your own setting.

Given the significant impact medical errors can have on health and safety, all licensed professionals caring for patients must understand how these errors occur and how to prevent them. This course will discuss factors that increase the risk for medical errors and how the root cause analysis process and other evidence-based strategies can aid in preventing them. In addition, five of the most misdiagnosed medical conditions will be reviewed, along with strategies for prevention. 

In these videos, the topic of infection control is discussed within the CMS Conditions of Participation regulations. Specifically, this program will discuss the details and final changes to the infection control standards that went into effect November 2019 and how the CMS Infection Control Worksheet is used to assess compliance. Compliance includes an antibiotic stewardship program (ASP), infection control training and protocol, ISMP IV guidelines, safe injection practices, CDC vaccine storage and handling. Participants will be given examples of infection control programs, tracer tools, and resources to support compliance. This course will also discuss how Environmental Services play an important role in complying with the standards. The CMS infection worksheet will be covered in detail.  Although the worksheet is not being used per se at Critical Access Hospitals (CAH), the standards are similar and the worksheet provides an excellent self-assessment tool.

Discharge planning is not only important to ensure compliance with the CMS standards but also for reimbursement. This webinar will discuss what your hospital must do to be in compliance with the revised discharge planning standards. While every hospital that accepts Medicare and Medicaid must be in compliance with the CMS discharge planning guidelines, the standards must be followed for all patients and not just Medicare or Medicaid. It will also review the discharge planning worksheet which is a valuable tool to understand how to comply.  

This course explains Medicare-Covered Preventive Services, and was developed and approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency that administers Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the federally facilitated Health Insurance Marketplace. It includes information on which preventive services are covered, who can receive them, when said services are covered, how much you pay, and where to get more information.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders diagnosed in childhood, and its symptoms can continue through adolescence and adulthood. Since many children at times exhibit inattentiveness, hyperactivity, or impulsivity, it can be challenging to diagnose and treat individuals with ADHD. This course, appropriate for healthcare professionals with basic to intermediate levels of experience working with children, adolescents, and young adults in a variety of healthcare settings, will give you the tools you need to make an accurate diagnosis and choose the most effective treatment options. Included are the three different presentations of ADHD and key behaviors of each, specific diagnostic criteria, typical symptoms and how they manifest differently in individuals of different ages, possible causes of ADHD, and current treatment options for children, teenagers, and young adults.

This program will focus on OCR-enforced federal law that is in effect now for hospitals under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act for grievance procedures. Hospitals must have a grievance procedure and compliance coordinator to investigate any grievances alleging noncompliance with this law including discrimination. The program will also cross walk the CMS grievance interpretive guidelines with relevant standards of The Joint Commission and DNV Healthcare.  Staff should be educated on and follow the hospital’s grievance and complaint policy approved by the Board of Directors. This program will cover what is now required to be documented in the medical record. Although Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) have their own hospital Conditions of Participation, critical assess hospitals as part of a system should know the difference between the two sets of standards and may find this program of interest.

This course on CMS Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) explains how Medigap policies work with Medicare, what Medigap policies cover, how Medigap policies are structured, and when to buy a policy. Included are definitions of key terms, an explanation of guaranteed issue rights, and where to get information on Medigap rights and protections.

The American Stroke Association estimates that 85 percent of all strokes are related to ischemia, and in the United States, ischemic strokes are the leading cause of adult disability. In stroke care, prevention is key. This course discusses patient-monitoring techniques and management principles, along with the use of pharmacological agents that slow or prevent clot development.

The two most common trauma-related disorders are acute stress disorder (ASD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The goal of this educational program is to provide nurses, social workers, marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, and psychologists in health and human services settings with information on the diagnostic criteria for acute stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder, steps in the diagnostic process, and psychological and pharmacological interventions to treat PTSD.

Motivational interviewing (MI) is increasingly being viewed as the most important development in the counseling field in the last 30 years. This course for people in helping professions explains MI’s core principles and how to apply them through such skills and techniques as establishing rapport and commitment language and eliciting change talk. Through a blend of interactive exercises and instructive information—including recent empirical research supporting MI’s effectiveness—you will learn the crucial importance of matching interventions to individuals and stages of change in order to improve the likelihood of success.

The outlook for people with schizophrenia has improved over the last 25 years. Although there is no cure yet, it is important to remember that many people can manage the illness to lead independent, satisfying lives. The main goal of this course is to provide you with the information and current research you need to better understand how to collaborate in the treatment of schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is an effective, yet underused, approach to the treatment of opioid use disorder. Misconceptions about what MAT is, how it is used, and whether it is helpful, are common. Your clients with opioid use disorder may share these misconceptions, creating a barrier to treatment. By taking this course, you will have information that you can share with your clients and their family members about what MAT is, how it helps, its major components, and the medications used in MAT. Note: If you are a prescriber, this course does not meet the federal requirements to qualify for a waiver to prescribe and dispense buprenorphine. You will need to pursue additional training to meet those requirements. The goal of this educational program is to provide alcohol and drug counseling, nursing, professional counseling, social work, and psychology professionals in health and human services settings with an overview of what MAT is, how it helps individuals with opioid use disorder, and the medications used in MAT programs.

Aneurysms are known as silent killers. Without early detection and prompt intervention, their mortality rate can reach as high as 90 to 100 percent. A number of commonly found risk factors and comorbidities can increase the risk of developing an aneurysm. To help you achieve quality outcomes for your patients, this course discusses the symptoms of a potential aneurysm, how to identify aneurysm types and their physical location, and common techniques used in managing the patient with an aneurysm.

This course examines the factors that may contribute to the underutilization of healthcare services, as well as ways to improve cultural understanding and competency in healthcare treatment. More specifically, this course covers the significance of cultural diversity, demographics, as well as individual and cultural diversity factors. The information in this training proposes some helpful conceptual frameworks for embracing cultural considerations in healthcare.

Thoracentesis, also known as thoracocentesis or pleural tap, can be stressful not only for patients and their families, but also for the interdisciplinary team of practitioners involved in the care surrounding this invasive procedure. This course discusses the physiological, pharmacological, and procedural principles surrounding thoracentesis so you can better manage all stages of the procedure and improve patient outcomes and satisfaction.

 This course is appropriate for clinicians with a basic or intermediate knowledge of working with individuals with late-life depression. It is intended to help human service professionals identify the most common symptoms of a depressive disorder and familiarize them with the major types of effective clinical and psychosocial treatments available for older adults. Employing the interactive exercises and case vignettes in this course will teach you the skills you need to recognize depressive disorders among the older adults with whom you work, and provide them with the best information, support, and resources for treatment. DSM™ and DSM-5™ are registered trademarks of the American Psychiatric Association. The American Psychiatric Association is not affiliated with nor endorses this course.

Emergency department (ED) healthcare providers may serve patients who present with symptoms of a behavioral health disorder. In some situations, the ED provider administers psychiatric medications to the patient, while in others it is prudent to wait until the patient is admitted to an inpatient mental health facility or is seen as an outpatient. Often the reason for presentation in the ED is an adverse reaction to a psychiatric medication itself. This course discusses major categories of medications used in treating mental health disorders; precautions for special populations, such as older adults and pregnant and nursing patients; and the major adverse reactions produced by psychiatric medications that are often seen in an ED setting.

Atrial fibrillation (AFib), the most common type of arrhythmia, affects approximately 2.2 million people in the US and is a leading risk factor for stroke. Approximately 15 percent of people who experience a stroke have AFib. While AFib is most commonly seen in patients over age 60, many who have the condition are asymptomatic, making it difficult to diagnose. Because strokes resulting from AFib can be prevented with early screening, diagnosis, and intervention, this course covers anatomical and physiological changes that contribute to increased stroke risk, along with interventions for symptom control and stroke-risk management.

This course provides hospice and palliative care providers with detailed information about the pathophysiology, disease trajectory, and unique symptoms experienced by patients with advanced neurological diseases. Learners will identify the clinical features of advanced Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Huntington disease as well as best practices for symptom management. In addition, hospice and palliative caregivers will learn the key clinical indicators and symptoms that should serve as triggers to optimally transition a patient with advanced neurological diseases to palliative and hospice care. The unique disease-related stressors for family caregivers are discussed and resources and suggestions are given for utilizing support from non-profit, disease-specific organizations.

When treating patients for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), medical professionals seek to stabilize the immune system so opportunistic infections (OIs) are less likely to occur. The chief method used is highly active antiretroviral therapy (ART, previously referred to as HAART), an approach that has significantly improved the mortality rates of patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). This module explains the management of HIV-induced lipodystrophy and the criteria for initiating ART. You will learn the prophylactic management of opportunistic infections, along with different classes of antiretroviral drugs used for HIV treatment. 

This course provides the most current and relevant information about the abuse of children, elders, and dependent adults, along with facts about intimate partner violence. This discussion, designed for all Human Service personnel in entry-level training or compliance reviews, includes how to recognize various signs of abuse and what your reporting responsibilities and procedures are. You will come away with the key competencies you need to assist victims of violence and help others to avoid victimization.

This first presentation in a six-part webinar series is intended to help both new and experienced staff in the cardiac catheterization lab to prepare for the Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS) examination. This comprehensive program includes a review of anatomy and physiology, advanced waveform analysis, shunts and treatment modality, right- and left-heart catheterization, interventional equipment, and commonly used cardiac medications.

The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and state narcotic control bureaus closely monitor controlled prescription medications—such as opioids, tranquilizers, and amphetamines—because of the potential for the drugs’ abuse and diversion. In addition, practitioners and pharmacies are required to report the use of these controlled substances and make ethical dispensing decisions based on each patient‘s condition and need for the drug. In this module, pharmacy technicians will learn warning signs of drug abuse and of fraudulent prescriptions, the etiology of substance use disorders, and laws enacted to prevent drug diversion. You’ll come away better equipped to avoid unnecessary judgment or bias regarding these disorders and to assess each patient individually so you can treat them with compassion and respect.

In this course, you will learn about the effects of age and life transitions on alcohol and drug use in women and how these are reflected in treatment methodologies. A host of stressors and life transitions can be accompanied by significant changes in substance use and can be implicated in women's development of a substance use disorder. You will learn ways that you can provide gender-sensitive treatment to women struggling with substance use or at risk of developing a substance use disorder. The goal of this educational program is to provide marriage and family counseling, nursing, professional counseling, social work, and psychology professionals in health and human services settings with information about substance use treatment for women at various stages of development.

Care plans are developed to help residents attain and maintain physical, mental and psychosocial well-being while in your care. The purpose of this course is to provide information on the care plan framework so that you can work together as a team to develop comprehensive care plans that maximize the well-being of each resident. The module covers the use of care area triggers, resources and CAA summary so that decision making can be supported and documented in the care of the resident.

This course is tailored for paraprofessionals who work in hospitals, residential treatment centers, and community-based agencies. Unpredictable and complex situations often arise when people go into crisis. Seeming to “come out of nowhere,” these situations can throw you into a reactive state. But when you understand how crises develop and you are equipped with the skills and tools to address them, you can effectively intervene in a way that supports recovery and safety. This course explains how you can help the individuals you are serving to learn from crisis situations, so they can use coping skills and support networks more effectively whenever they face stressful events.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based, client-centered approach to engaging people in conversations about change. Shown to be effective in a variety of settings, MI is increasingly being adopted by therapists, substance-use-disorder counselors, and healthcare workers to help clients make important behavioral changes. This course is for practitioners who are already familiar with the core skills used in MI (along with its four processes), and who would like to improve their ability to use this approach more effectively with a broad range of clients or apply MI concepts to group therapy.

This second presentation in a six-part webinar series is intended to help both new and experienced staff in the cardiac catheterization lab to prepare for the Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS) examination. This comprehensive program includes a review of anatomy and physiology, advanced waveform analysis, shunts and treatment modality, right- and left-heart catheterization, interventional equipment, and commonly used cardiac medications.

At the organizational level, routine implementation of evidence-based practices that can identify and intervene with at-risk individuals, has been lacking for many years and remains so in many settings. The goal of this course is to provide knowledge about evidence-based, suicide-specific interventions. This course for healthcare professionals will focus on working with at-risk individuals focuses on interventions for those who have made a recent suicide attempt or who are at risk due to suicidal thoughts, feelings, or behaviors. Also discussed are ways to summarize the process for completing a safety plan and for reducing access to lethal means.

In the United States, the use and abuse of opioids, whether through prescriptions or illegal means, has reached epidemic proportions. The problem is compounded by the use of opioids during pregnancy. This course presents best practices for identifying and managing pregnant women who have opioid-use disorder, including screening, treatment recommendations, pain management, complications, and postpartum recommendations.

The early recognition of stroke symptoms and subsequent intervention have been identified as key factors in the outcomes of patients with completed strokes. This includes the initial assessment and stabilization of critical respiratory, circulatory, hemodynamic, and neurologic status, and obtaining crucial elements of a patient’s history. Distinguishing ischemic from hemorrhagic strokes requires diagnostic applications performed within narrow windows of opportunity, so that appropriate treatment options can be accurately selected and effectively administered. This course discusses the knowledge and skills needed to care for patients with an acute stroke, from onset through the first 24 hours.

This training introduces you to several models to enhance your communication with individuals from a range of diverse backgrounds. You will also learn about cultural barriers to treatment, several health belief systems, and factors to consider in a culturally responsive assessment. It is worth noting that culture is always at play, regardless of the healthcare provider’s capacity to recognize and/or respond to it appropriately.

Many individuals with behavioral health problems are unable to access behavioral healthcare. Telehealth (enhancing health care through the use of telecommunications technologies) is designed to provide everyone with access to health care, regardless of their location. In this course you will learn what telehealth is, its history, potential advantages and challenges, and the research base supporting telehealth for behavioral health services. You will be equipped with practical strategies you can apply in your own setting to use telehealth for adults with behavioral health issues.

As the number of older adults increases, especially those who are older and frailer, the incidence of elder abuse is expected to increase. Mistreatment of older adults often occurs in isolation and often remains undetected. The first step to addressing the problem is to heighten awareness of abuse of the old, in particular among those who serve them or have frequent contact with them. Throughout this course, you will learn about types of elder abuse, indicators, consequences, risk factors of abuse, and interventions. You will have the opportunity to test what you have learned in each section through brief quizzes. The course also offers typical elder abuse case scenarios drawn from actual case material from Adult Protective Services or other elder abuse program caseloads.

This course will guide you through understanding best practices in incident report writing. It will assist you in understanding how those practices help protect the health and safety of the person you support, while at the same time protecting you. In this course, you will identify factors that affect the quality of incident reports and investigate elements that affect memory and recall. You will focus on reducing factors that negatively impact the completeness and accuracy of incident reports. Demonstrating your understanding of the guidelines taught in this course will ensure your documentation adheres to legal, ethical, and programmatic standards. While completing this course, you will review incident report notes and apply what you have learned to identify unclear, subjective, and ungrammatical elements within the notes. This course is intended for direct support professionals

Due to increasing demands on healthcare providers—along with dwindling resources with which to provide care—telehealth services (enhancing healthcare through the use of telecommunications technologies) offer immense value to your organization and the people you serve. This course for licensed providers in behavioral health settings focuses on delivery systems and specific remote clinical services that begin with remote intake and referral processes. You will learn helpful approaches for establishing rapport during the comprehensive intake process, and gain information about screening assessments, interventions, and treatment referrals. Interactive exercises and practical examples will help you to incorporate these assessment strategies in your own setting.

Cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs), or strokes, are the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. The early care that patients receive, preferably in the first four and a half hours, is critical in their prognosis and in the preservation of their functional status. Clinicians need a thorough understanding of stroke pathophysiology, along with how to assess, diagnose, and determine the appropriate plan of care. The goal of this course is to equip you to make the best possible decisions in caring for stroke patients.

This entry-level course in pain assessment and management is for direct-care staff and activity professionals in long-term care, hospice, and home-health settings. It covers types and classifications of pain, pain assessment tools to use with both verbal and nonverbal individuals, the basics of pain assessment, some pain management strategies, and federal regulations that address quality of life and quality of care.

This course will provide an overview of innovative ways that data are being applied to improve healthcare costs, quality, and outcomes. You will begin with a broad perspective of what experts are calling the “data revolution” in healthcare, or the “age of big data,” and dive into what this means from a technology perspective. Following this, you will learn how data are being applied in ways never before seen by payers and providers to drive healthcare improvement through an analytic approach.

Next, you will dig down to the micro level of healthcare data application within the payer setting. You will examine the different ways in which data are helping payers to improve overall population health, manage healthcare costs, and inform the creation of innovative pilot programs. Finally, you will learn about the application of healthcare data from the case management perspective within the payer setting. An overview will be provided about member case management selection, the intersection of healthcare data and member preference, and how data are being used to inform best practices through medical necessity criteria and clinical guidelines.

This course is intended for all case managers and care coordinators with payer organizations.

The incorporation of screening for alcohol use disorders in a general medical setting can significantly increase the number of individuals with alcohol use disorders who are identified and treated. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 4 medications to treat alcohol use disorder, making treatment in primary care and other general medical settings a viable alternative to specialty care. This course will give you valuable information about these medications as well as several medications used off-label, empowering those you serve and increasing the likelihood of their recovery.

The OR is a complex environment. Highly trained individuals interact in a specialized setting with sophisticated and technically complicated devices, instruments, and equipment. There also are substantial differences among team members related to education, experience, skill level, influence, and formal and informal power. This module will inform nurses and surgical technologists of the evidence-based steps to take to create a culture of safety in the OR.

This course provides an overview of how anxiety impacts children and adolescents. You will learn about the specific types of anxiety disorders and the multiple pathways by which anxiety can develop. As you progress through this course, you will learn assessment strategies and evidence-based interventions that you can implement to identify and treat these disorders in children and adolescents.

Because hematologic conditions affect every system within the body, caring for a patient with a blood disorder can be challenging. Nurses should be familiar with hematological conditions and how to recognize their symptoms, along with understanding diagnostic tests, treatment and management strategies, and the education patients need to optimize quality of life and prevent complications. This course is designed to equip nurses with essential knowledge necessary for caring for patients with these conditions.

This final presentation in a six-part webinar series is intended to help both new and experienced staff in the cardiac catheterization lab to prepare for the Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS) examination. This comprehensive program includes a review of anatomy and physiology, advanced waveform analysis, shunts and treatment modality, right- and left-heart catheterization, interventional equipment, and commonly used cardiac medications.

Anxiety disorders, the most common psychiatric illnesses, affect millions of American adults, filling their lives with overwhelming anxiety, fear, and uncertainty out of proportion to any actual danger. These symptoms often persist for significant periods of time, and if not treated, can grow progressively worse. Anxiety disorders frequently occur in conjunction with other psychiatric or physical illnesses, making symptoms even worse. This course provides an overview of signs and symptoms as well as the most effective psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatments available. New and improved therapies can help most people with anxiety disorders lead productive, fulfilling lives. This course will help you recognize anxiety disorders in those you serve and implement the most appropriate form of treatment.

This course for entry-level nurses, direct-care staff, and dietary professionals provides information on basic medication actions, with a focus on the physiological changes and potential reactions specific to older adults. Included are federal requirements related to antipsychotic medication prescriptions and administration.

In the United States, stroke affects some 795,000 people per year and is the fifth largest cause of death. Of those patients who survive, many experience impairments requiring special care. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) is a tool used to measure the severity of stroke symptoms and to aid in the identification of the injury location. The NIHSS has also been shown to strongly predict the likelihood of a patient’s recovery after stroke. This course will help clinicians in the acute care setting care for patients suffering from acute stroke. 

This fourth presentation in a six-part webinar series is intended to help both new and experienced staff in the cardiac catheterization lab to prepare for the Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS) examination. This comprehensive program includes a review of anatomy and physiology, advanced waveform analysis, shunts and treatment modality, right- and left-heart catheterization, interventional equipment, and commonly used cardiac medications.

Rising costs of health care in the U.S. have required clinicians to utilize cost-effective measures in patient management. Not only is laboratory testing one of the most effective evaluative tools available, it is also the most fiscally responsible. Minute changes in expected values can indicate a considerable change in a patient status. The ability to confidently identify abnormal results in frequently measured labs, to comprehend the pathophysiological meaning, and to treat or monitor the cause enables healthcare workers in acute-care facilities to provide proper patient management. This course will also help you understand the physiology of acid-base balance and be able to identify select disturbances so you can ensure the highest level of care for your patients.

This fifth presentation in a six-part webinar series is intended to help both new and experienced staff in the cardiac catheterization lab to prepare for the Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS) examination. This comprehensive program includes a review of anatomy and physiology, advanced waveform analysis, shunts and treatment modality, right- and left-heart catheterization, interventional equipment, and commonly used cardiac medications.

The rise of the serious problem of multidrug resistant organisms (MDROs) has been linked to the inappropriate prescribing and use of antibiotics. In response, antibiotic stewardship programs have been developed to guide best practice in treating this powerful group of medications resourcefully. The goal is for healthcare providers to steward antibiotics in such a way that these medications can continue to be used to fight infections. This course discusses the Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and how you can apply components of the program to your nursing practice.

This simulation, intended to provide a challenging, real-world experience regarding the prevention of readmissions, includes best practices for care management, medication management, medication reconciliation, and screening.

Substance use and abuse represents a serious health concern in the United States, with the number of deaths from tobacco use and illicit-drug overdoses increasing at alarming rates. Based on content from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), this course provides an overview of the biopsychosocial model of addiction. It emphasizes the interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors that contribute to addiction, and includes information about various drug types, stages of addiction, risk factors, and treatment options. New and seasoned clinicians will learn how to identify who may be at risk for addiction, as well as how to help clients engage in the recovery process.

During the imaging process, it is essential for radiographers to identify challenges and errors in techniques, and understand how they affect patient outcomes during the imaging process. In order to help radiologic technologists in acute care facilities identify common pathologies in differential diagnostics, this course describes the sectional anatomy of the head, neck, chest, and abdomen. It also discusses radiation safety, imaging techniques, common pathologies resulting from radiographic imaging, and the importance of patient safety during imaging procedures.

This third presentation in a six-part webinar series is intended to help both new and experienced staff in the cardiac catheterization lab to prepare for the Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS) examination. This comprehensive program includes a review of anatomy and physiology, advanced waveform analysis, shunts and treatment modality, right- and left-heart catheterization, interventional equipment, and commonly used cardiac medications.

Cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs) or strokes are the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. However, they can be treated if the patient is helped within the first four and a half hours of the event, according to the American Stroke Association. This course for healthcare providers identifies medical and lifestyle risk factors that can lead to a stroke, describes diagnostic measures used to assess stroke risk, and outlines stroke-prevention strategies and lifestyle changes. You will be equipped to educate patients on how their lifestyle can significantly impact their stroke risk and how making key changes can help them to avoid medical emergency.

Research indicates that screening and brief interventions by health-care professionals can have a significant impact on individuals with drug or alcohol difficulties. This course presents step-by-step guidelines about how to integrate screenings, how to conduct brief interventions that “meet people where they are” in their stage of change, and how to refer individuals to appropriate resources when they suffer from more severe substance issues. This training illustrates best practices using the SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) approach outlined by SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. You will be equipped with the tools you need to successfully screen and provide brief interventions for substance use issues in your own health-care setting.

This course was created to give you the tools you need to accurately identify individuals with BPD and provide you information about the treatment options available. You will learn about how BPD develops, the theoretical perspectives and conflicting theories of BPD, the goals of treatment, and the challenges you might experience when working with this population. Finally, you will learn some of the most common issues that individuals with BPD experience while in treatment.

One of the hormones used by the endocrine system to finely regulate and maintain the human body is Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH). By increasing water absorption, ADH helps control the body’s fluid balance when the circulating blood volume becomes too low. However, a condition known as Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone (SIADH) develops when an excessive amount of ADH is secreted or when the body has an increased response to ADH. In this course, you will learn about SIADH, how to identify patients at risk and their clinical presentation, nursing care for those with SIADH, how to identify complications associated with treatment, and the monitoring required for prevention.

This course presents an overview of multicultural care and service delivery. You will be guided through the national standards in the United States for working with individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures, along with key concepts that relate to your role in the alleviation of health disparities. Examples of individual and organizational applications of multicultural care will help you to apply these concepts in your own setting. You will learn about ways that you and your organization can improve quality of care by considering health literacy, cultural responsiveness, and structural disparities.

The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) establishes new ways to reimburse physicians for providing care to Medicare beneficiaries. This course explores MACRA, its various quality measures, and ways you can implement change and sustain best practices.

As they age, many patients find themselves developing one or more chronic diseases, but they don’t know how to navigate this country’s fragmented and exorbitantly expensive healthcare system in order to receive appropriate care. Care coordination by the medical team—providing additional services such as education and close monitoring of the disease process—has been shown to decrease healthcare costs while improving patients’ health. Unfortunately, standardized techniques or processes for care coordination are not in place. This course for nurses discusses care coordination’s process, its various components, current efforts, ideas for improvement, and a review of practical applications for your nursing practice.

An important tool to address the opioid crisis in America is to perform better assessments of patients within the health care system. Addiction has a genetic component, and assessing opioid abuse in families may be a way to a way to lower risk. This webinar will provide information regarding the background issues related to the opioid epidemic, and also provide the listener with the tools to perform better assessments of opioid risk in families.

While bronchoscopy provides valuable diagnostic and therapeutic benefits, it also carries risk for complications, some potentially life-threatening. This course for nurses in the acute care facility discusses conditions for which bronchoscopy is used, its potential benefits, and its possible complications. You will also learn identify safety risks for staff, patients, and visitors, as well as describe nursing interventions before, during, and after a bronchoscopy.

Early identification, management, and treatment of stroke by utilizing best practice protocols can help prevent disability and death and ensure that patients have the best possible outcomes. This course presents the most up-to-date best practices for managing the patient with an acute stroke.

Although palliative care can be a tremendous benefit for individuals with chronic, life-limiting conditions, many qualifying individuals are not referred to such care because of a lack of understanding of the services. Another point of confusion is how palliative care and hospice care differ. This course explains each type of care, including when they are appropriate, the services offered, team-member roles, and payer sources. Thus equipped, healthcare professionals can better advocate for the most appropriate care, provide education and guidance to individuals and their families, and, when necessary, ease the transition from palliative care to hospice care.

In the United States, stroke affects some 795,000 people per year and is the leading cause of long-term disability. Every patient discharge from a health-care facility comes with the potential effects of disability and need for environmental and lifestyle adaptations. Discharge planning should be an integral part of the process to help ensure safety and quality of life for the patients. This course discusses environmental barriers in the home for patients who have experienced a stroke, home safety strategies to help avoid injury and promote independence, and community resources and support groups available to assist patients and their families.

This course describes how key terms within the Emergency Medical Treatment And Labor Act (EMTALA) are interpreted and how they apply to hospitals with a dedicated emergency department. Included is a review of cases in which EMTALA violations have been alleged and courts have applied judgments.

Rising costs of health care in the United States have required clinicians to utilize cost-effective measures in patient management. Not only is laboratory testing one of the most effective evaluative tools available, it is also the most fiscally responsible. Minute changes in expected values can indicate a considerable change in a patient’s status. The ability to confidently identify abnormal results in frequently measured labs, comprehend their pathophysiological meaning, and treat or monitor the cause enables healthcare workers in acute-care facilities to provide proper patient management. This course will also help you understand the physiology of acid-base balance and be able to identify select disturbances so you can ensure the highest level of care for your patients.

The U.S. is one of just eight countries to see a rise in maternal mortality during the past decade, with a ranking of 60 out of 180 countries for maternal deaths. High-risk pregnancies with mothers who are surviving childhood conditions into adulthood are among the reasons for the high rate; however, a large proportion of maternal deaths are still considered preventable, indicating that further improvement is possible. This course provides comprehensive knowledge about medical conditions the pregnant woman might face and how access to other disciplines such as cardiology, dermatology and rheumatology may improve the health and outcomes for the mother and fetus.

Diabetes, the leading cause of adult blindness, non-traumatic amputation, renal failure, and cardiovascular disease, affects 29 million people in the U.S., putting a tremendous strain on healthcare costs. The National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) partnered with numerous health organizations to produce Guiding Principles for the Care of People with or at Risk for Diabetes. The publication includes 10 principles developed to guide healthcare providers in delivering quality care to adults who have or are at risk for diabetes. This introductory course, appropriate for nurses, dieticians, rehab professionals, nurses’ aides, and anyone interested in learning more, presents three of the publication’s guidelines (Principles 7–10) related to current evidence-based diabetes management and prevention.

People living with hypertension, coronary artery disease (CAD), and congestive heart failure (CHF) are among healthcare payers’ highest cost members. People may have these conditions simultaneously, and having even just one of them—especially if not well-managed—often increases a patient's risk of developing the others. Early detection and treatment of hypertension reduces disease progression and drives down costs. This course provides evidence-based recommendations on how to provide clinically appropriate care, how to teach patients self-management techniques for their conditions and create an action plan, and how to identify other factors that could impact their condition.

Diabetes, the leading cause of adult blindness, non-traumatic amputation, renal failure, and cardiovascular disease, affects 29 million people in the US, putting a tremendous strain on healthcare costs. The National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) partnered with numerous health organizations to produce Guiding Principles for the Care of People with or at Risk for Diabetes. The publication includes 10 principles developed to guide healthcare providers in delivering quality care to adults who have or are at risk for diabetes. This introductory course, appropriate for nurses, dieticians, rehab professionals, nurses’ aides, and anyone interested in learning more, presents three of the publication’s guidelines (Principles 4–6) related to current evidence-based diabetes management and prevention.

With healthcare policies shifting from fee-for-service to performance-based payment models that hold providers accountable for poor outcomes, a better understanding of factors that contribute to non-adherence is needed, along with effective strategies for improvement. This course covers the wide array of contributing forces behind non-adherence, along with evidence-based interventions for optimizing outcomes. You will also learn how to apply interventions best suited to individual patients based on their needs and risks related to adherence.

The American Stroke Association estimates that 85 percent of all strokes are related to ischemia, and in the United States, ischemic strokes are the leading cause of adult disability. Since early intervention is key, this course discusses pharmacological agents (thrombolytics) that destroy clots and are often used as part of the treatment plan.

In the United States, more than 80 percent of adolescents who die from an opioid overdose do so accidentally, a reflection of their lack of understanding of the dangers inherent in the misuse of opioid medications. Along with the risk of lethal overdose, adolescents who misuse opioids are at increased risk of severe medical complications that require emergency treatment, progression to drugs that are even more dangerous, and the development of a substance-use disorder. This course discusses the biological and psychosocial factors, unique to adolescents, that increases their vulnerability to the negative effects of opioids. Increased understanding of the scope of opioid-use disorders among adolescents and young adults will improve your ability to effectively identify and treat problematic, nonmedical use of prescription and other opioids.

Chest-tube placement and maintenance can be stressful not only for patients and their families, but also for the nursing staff. A thorough understanding of the principles surrounding chest-tube placement and maintenance—along with the risks, complications, and need for emotional support before, during, and after this procedure—allows the nurse to properly manage such patients, resulting in better patient outcomes and satisfaction. This course is intended to equip nurses to safely manage patients before, during, and after chest-tube placement and to properly operate—and troubleshoot—chest-tube drainage systems.

All health centers funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) must have in place a system to improve patient care and outcomes, which is your center’s quality improvement (QI) program. While the primary benefit is improving patient care and outcomes, there are also financial benefits. The Department of Health and Human Services has allocated $36.3 million to fund centers that meet or exceed quality improvement measures. Although most health centers have established some QI functions, this course will enable you to take a comprehensive approach to implementing QI systems. You will learn about the essentials of QI infrastructure, systems, and programs, along with how to identify quality-related problems using proactive strategies, such as peer review and patient satisfaction surveys, as well as reactive strategies, such as patient complaint tracking systems. Also included is how to put the FOCUS-PDSA model into action.

Ensuring that employees are free from harassment in a safe and healthy work environment is key to achieving your company's goals. This course examines various types of workplace harassment, the basic skills needed to understand and deal with such situations, and information concerning your role in ensuring a harassment-free work environment.

Acute kidney injury (AKI)—a sudden, temporary loss of kidney functioning—is associated with an increased incidence of hospitalizations and mortality. This course presents the signs and symptoms of AKI as well as examination strategies that can lead to early identification of renal compromise. You will also learn nursing care and prevention strategies for patients and those at risk for AKI.

Diabetes, the leading cause of adult blindness, non-traumatic amputation, renal failure, and cardiovascular disease, affects 29 million people in the U.S., putting a tremendous strain on healthcare costs. The National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) partnered with numerous health organizations to produce Guiding Principles for the Care of People with or at Risk for Diabetes. The publication includes ten principles developed to guide healthcare providers in delivering quality care to adults who have or who are at risk for diabetes. This introductory course, appropriate for nurses, dieticians, rehab professionals, nurses’ aides, and anyone interested in learning more, presents three of the publication’s guidelines (Principles 1–3) related to current evidence-based diabetes management and prevention.