Drug Therapy for Geriatric Patients with Critical Illness

Drug Therapy for Geriatric Patients with Critical Illness is organized by American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN).

Released/Updated: Dec 01, 2018
Expires: Dec 31, 2020

Accreditation:
• Contact Hours: 1.25
• CERP A: 1.25
• AACN programming meets the standards for most states that require mandatory continuing education contact hours for license and/or certification renewal.

Topics: Patient Safety, Pharmacology

Level: Expert

Population: Geriatric

Role: APRN

Description:
Age plays a crucial role in the high number of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in geriatric patients. This age group is more vulnerable to adverse effects, is likely to be using more prescription drugs including one or more from the cardiovascular, central nervous system, and anticholinergic classes. This lively session uses complex real-life case studies to explore in-depth age-related physiologic changes and drug metabolism processes and their impact on critical illness in the elderly. Clinicians have opportunities to integrate multiple drug- and age-related factors with complex data in analysis of scenarios which emphasize complicated clinical presentations and high-risk drug groups and populations. Participants’ critical thinking is enhanced with knowledge and collaborative strategies for ensuring the geriatric patient’s pill minder contains the safest and most appropriate drugs possible. APRN Pharmacology content = 100%.

Objective:
• Identify physiologic changes, drug metabolism differences and high-risk drugs associated with adverse drug effects in older patients.
• Describe the major assessment findings and diagnostic results necessary for prevention and recognition of ADRs in geriatric patients.
• Discuss collaborative strategies for improved medication safety and best-practice prevention of ADRs in elderly patients.

Additional details will be posted as soon as information is available.