Care of the Hospitalized Adult 4
This is the fourth course in a four-course Certificate in Hospital & Acute Care for Nurse Practitioners.
The certificate builds upon the foundational knowledge acquired through entry to practice education and the acquisition of entry-to-practice competencies. The certificate will equip Nurse Practitioners with the knowledge and tools to confidently assess, diagnose and develop a treatment plan for the acutely ill adult patient, hospitalized with a broad range of conditions, and facilitate a foundation for advanced nursing care of the ill or critically ill patient.
This 8-week online course consists of 7 weeks of course material and one week for a final short answer exam. Participants will focus on the role of the nurse practitioner in acute care hospital settings in the context of managing acute presentations in the following clinical areas: hematology (transfusion medicine and coagulation issues, sepsis, gastrointestinal (surgical issues), management of acute allergic reactions, rheumatology, issues related to mobility, nutrition and swallowing.
Prerequisites:
Currently registered as a Nurse Practitioner or a student in a nurse practitioner program.
Audience
Nurse Practitioners who wish to further develop their competency, knowledge, skill and clinical acumen in the care of clients with mental health and addiction issues. Course participants must hold current registration as a Nurse Practitioner in their jurisdiction or be a student in a nurse practitioner program.
Learning Objectives:
At the completion of the 4-course certificate program, learners will be able to:
A. Articulate the role and competencies of a Nurse Practitioner working with hospitalized adult patients.
- Discuss key role and scope issues relevant to the NP role in hospitals.
- Identify accountabilities and necessary skills of NPs in the most responsible provider role.
- Demonstrate confidence to practice independently and collaboratively.
B. Display sound diagnostic reasoning skills by successfully developing a broad differential diagnosis & diagnostic and treatment plan for selected patient conditions.
C. State the clinical care requirements and management for a wide variety of acute clinical conditions in adult hospitalized patients including the ability to:
- Conduct the appropriate advanced health assessment strategy.
- Develop an appropriate differential diagnosis.
- Recognize red flags and how to triage patients who may require a higher level of care and/or patients that are rapidly deteriorating.
- Choose an appropriate diagnostic testing strategy.
- Identify a treatment strategy and an evaluation plan.
- Select appropriate technical interventions and treatments (if relevant).
- Describe indications for necessary consultations and referral.
- Identify accountabilities for communication at transitions in care and for safe discharge.
- Communicate relevant priorities for secondary prevention.
Course Format
This course is a fully online asynchronous course taught through the University of Toronto Learning Portal – Quercus. Each week, participants will view e-learning modules, review required readings and resources and actively engage with learning activities that will focus on the application of learning. Learning activities and assignments will provide opportunity to apply learnings and receive feedback.
Participants can expect to allocate a minimum of 5-10 hours a week for completion of a weekly module and allocate additional time for assignments. The time spent on any one module will vary from student to student based on your learning needs and style of learning.
Each week will consist of a recorded lecture by faculty who are expert clinicians in their field. Faculty will be available for questions through discussion board during the scheduled week for the module.
Each module focuses on one or more health systems or clinical themes, discussion of the appropriate health assessment, relevant differential diagnosis, pathophysiology, red flags, diagnostics, therapeutic plan of care, selection of appropriate technical interventions and treatments, indications for referral and/or consultation, considerations in transitions in care/discharge, and relevant role and scope issues.
Additional clinical resources will be provided such as clinical practice guidelines, relevant practice standards and clinical tools for practice.
Most weeks will include an application exercise such as a learning activity.
Care of the Hospitalized Adult 1
This is the first course in a four-course Certificate in Hospital & Acute Care for Nurse Practitioners. The certificate builds upon the foundational knowledge acquired through entry-to-practice education and the acquisition […]
Care of the Hospitalized Adult 2
This is the second course in a four-course Certificate in Hospital & Acute Care for Nurse Practitioners. The certificate builds upon the foundational knowledge acquired through entry-to-practice education and the acquisition […]
Care of the Hospitalized Adult 3
This is the third course in a 4-course Certificate in Hospital & Acute Care for Nurse Practitioners. The certificate builds upon the foundational knowledge acquired through entry to practice education and […]
| Time | Evaluative Components | |
|---|---|---|
|
Week 1 |
Transfusion Medicine Learn to recognize the clinical care requirements and successfully manage patients requiring the transfusion of blood products including an introduction to massive blood transfusion management. |
Learning Activity |
|
Week 2 |
Hematology, Coagulation, bleeding and HIT & Anticoagulation and VTE Learn to recognize the clinical care requirements and successfully manage indications for anticoagulation; including a review of Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). |
Live session (or alternate learning activity) |
|
Week 3 |
Shock Learn to identify a patient in shock, to initiate and manage the first steps of care for a patient with shock (until transfer to Critical Care), including types of volume resuscitation and ACLS protocols; includes indications for critical care management. |
Case Study 1 due |
|
Week 4 |
The Surgical Abdomen Learn the clinical care requirements to successfully manage a patient with acute abdominal pain secondary to mechanical or non-mechanical bowel obstruction and perforation, pancreatitis, gallbladder disease and mesenteric ischemia. |
Learning Activity |
| Time | Evaluative Components | |
|---|---|---|
|
Week 5 |
Acute Allergic Reactions Recognize the clinical care requirements and successfully manage patients presenting with acute allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. |
|
|
Week 6 |
Acute Rheumatology Recognize the clinical care requirements and successfully manage patients presenting with acute rheumatology. |
Live session (or alternate learning activity) Case Study 2 due |
|
Week 7 |
Nutrition, Mobility and Dysphagia Recognize the clinical care requirements for identifying the appropriate strategies to mobilize acutely ill patients with considerations; assess the nutritional requirements in hospitalized patients; identify patients with dysphagia while learning its types, causes and management. |
|
|
Week 8 |
Exam Week |
Short Answer Exam |
Course Director
Marnee Wilson
Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, Centre for Professional Development, University of Toronto
Professional Practice Leader for Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Practitioner, Cardiovascular Surgery, St. Michael’s Hospital/Unity Health Toronto
Faculty
William Fung
Adult Rheumatology & Internal Medicine
Cecily Bos, MD, MSc, FRCSC DRCPSC
Trauma, Acute Care & General Surgeon, Hamilton Health Sciences
Assistant Professor of Surgery, McMaster University
Gloria Lim
Staff Hematologist, St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto
Alexandra Taran, M. SLP, SLP (Reg. CASLPO)
Speech Language Pathologist, Heart, Lung and Vascular Program, St. Michael’s Hospital – Unity Health Toronto
Mary Mustard
Nurse Practitioner, St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health
Adjunct Lecturer, Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing
Joanna Parkes
Physiotherapist, St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health
Lecturer, Physical Therapy, University of Toronto
Katerina Pavenski
St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health
Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto
Christine Song
Program Director, Clinical Immunology and Allergy, St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto.
Anthea Tonelli
Dietician, Heart, Lung and Vascular Program, St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health
Eric Tseng
Staff Hematologist, St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto
Teaching Assistant
Sarah Marshall, MScN, NP-PHC
Nurse Practitioner, Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, St. Michael’s Hospital – Unity Health Toronto
Adjunct Lecturer, Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Torontos
Kirsty Nixon, MScN, NP-PHC
Nurse Practitioner, Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, St. Michael’s Hospital – Unity Health Toronto
Adjunct Lecturer, Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing
Fees
- Early Bird price (ends August 9, 2024)
- $870 + HST
- Regular price (starting August 10, 2024)
- $970 + HST
- U of T Nursing Alumni save 15%*
- $825 + HST
- U of T Nursing Adjunct and Status Faculty save 15%**
- $825 + HST
- NPAO Member save 15%***
- $825 + HST
Site Groups
A group discount rate of 15% is available for site groups of three or more people. To book please contact pd.nursing@utoronto.ca.
Please Note
- Refund Policy – To withdraw from a course, send a written request to pd.nursing@utoronto.ca by August 9, 2024. No refunds will be given after this date. All refunds are subject to an administrative fee of $100 + tax. Alternatively, a colleague may attend in your place. Please send your substitution request at least 3 days prior to the course to pd.nursing@utoronto.ca.
- Registration Deadline: September 9, 2024.
- *U of T Nursing Alumni discount is available to participants who hold a BScN, MN, PMNP Diploma, MScN or PhD from the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto.
- **U of T Nursing Faculty discount is available to participants who hold a current (at time of registration) faculty position, an adjunct appointment or a status appointment to the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto
- ***NPAO (Nurse Practitioner Association of Ontario) members may register at the NPAO rate which is 15% off the regular rate. NOTE: All submissions will be checked and verified for current NPAO membership status using the registrant’s name.
- Applicable taxes (13% HST) will be added to the registration fees.
- Course Cancellation Policy – The Centre for Professional Development reserves the right to cancel courses due to circumstances. The decision to cancel a course is normally made 15 days prior to the course. If you are enrolled in a course which is subsequently cancelled, you may apply your fee to another course, or receive a full refund. The Centre is not responsible for any travel or other expenses incurred by you.