Courses by Credit Type

In the current era of antibiotic stewardship, with the prevalence of bacterial resistance to multiple antibiotic agents, there has been an interest in using perioperative antiseptics to reduce microbial contamination in the surgical site before closure and possibly reduce the need for antibiotic agents. This program is intended to better understand the proper implications of the different types of wound irrigations in relation to SSIs, cost, and efficiency.

Apheresis is a procedure with significant physiologic outcomes, so the care of TA patients requires knowledge and skill of leading practices and innovative devices. This educational activity discusses the rationale for TA procedures and the nursing considerations in the delivery of apheresis care. Access methods will be reviewed along with the risks and adverse events associated with vascular access procedures.

Early mobilization is a key component for optimizing patient outcomes in the ICU. A standardized progressive mobility protocol provides an outline to develop and implement evidence-based interventions that will improve patient mobilization safely and effectively.

This program traces the evolution of methods of surgical hemostasis, reviews the risk factors for perioperative bleeding, highlights the steps in the coagulation cascade, and details the properties, mechanisms of action, components, and safety considerations for several categories of hemostatic, sealant, and adhesive agents.

This program identifies concerns currently associated with intraoperative transfusion and describes effective PBM strategies, including the use of topical hemostatic agents. The importance of using a validated intraoperative bleeding scale to assess and compare the efficacy of these agents is emphasized.

Management of bleeding is an important part of any invasive procedure, and a wide variety of topical adjunctive hemostatic agents are available to supplement the surgeon’s application of conventional approaches to this critical outcome. This course begins with a description of the components of whole blood and the natural process of hemostasis, followed by an explanation of where topical hemostats act within this sequence of events.

Learn about how an evidence-based and team-based approach for positioning is needed to ensure a safe surgery. Evidence-based guidance from AORN and other safety sources is outlined in this elearning, including specific safe positioning recommendations for all surgical positions, even high-risk positions such as steep Trendelenburg.

Informatics competencies, defined as acceptable levels of knowledge, skill, and ability, are essential for nurses to effectively adopt and use healthcare technologies to achieve these goals. Nursing leaders have an influential role in making sure digital technology is used effectively in their organization.

This educational program identifies the clinical considerations related to surgical instrument care, cleaning, test functioning, routine maintenance, and basic repairs. This information will help you keep instruments in excellent condition so patients can receive the best care possible.

This program is specifically designed to enhance the skills of all team members. The focus is on the essential steps of cleaning, disinfecting, and maintaining surgical instruments, particularly clip appliers fundamental in heart surgeries.

Guidelines for the care and maintenance of surgical instruments are provided, along with recommendations for the proper handling of these items. Methods for the decontamination, sterilization, and high-level disinfection of surgical instruments are discussed in detail.

This continuing education program will examine the potential benefits of using an instrument management system to facilitate instrument optimization, organization, and manual count confirmation through a series of visual, mechanical, and educational aids incorporated into the design.

This program defines the characteristics of hazardous drugs, identifies groups of HCWs at greatest risk, and describes potential routes and effects of occupational exposure. Recommendations offered by government agencies and professional associations for the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) are summarized, focusing on the proper use of gloves and gowns when handling chemotherapy drugs.

The increased need to navigate to areas impossible to locate through touch, and an increased focus on oncoplastic approaches, have led to the development of several wire-free localization techniques that alleviate some of the evidence-based disadvantages of wire-guided localization. This program aims to educate a broader audience on the latest localization techniques for breast conservation surgery with a specific focus on Radar Localization.

Preventing disease transmission is a major concern for all members of the perioperative team. This continuing education activity discusses the triangle of concern presented by bacterial penetration of barrier fabrics (ie, surgical gowns, face masks, and sterilization wraps) through forced air currents and its implications for the perioperative nurse.