Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Course #98932 - $60 -
- Participation Instructions
- Review the course material online or in print.
- Complete the course evaluation.
- Review your Transcript to view and print your Certificate of Completion. Your date of completion will be the date (Pacific Time) the course was electronically submitted for credit, with no exceptions. Partial credit is not available.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is common in the general population and has a significant medical and socioeconomic impact. IBS has long been viewed as a functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder, which means the symptom complex of chronic abdominal pain and altered bowel habits cannot be explained by identifiable structural or biochemical abnormalities. Education on the recent breakthroughs in etiology, pathophysiology, and treatment will empower healthcare providers to optimize treatment of their patients with IBS.
This course is designed for physicians, physician assistants, nurses, and other healthcare providers who may improve the identification and care of patients with irritable bowel syndrome.
The purpose of this course is to provide primary care physicians and nurses a review of irritable bowel syndrome, emphasizing pathophysiology, clinical assessment, and principles of care that take into account the biopsychosocial features of this common disorder. The goal is to improve clinical recognition and treatment and to promote management strategies that lead to better patient outcomes.
Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:
- Describe the incidence and prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
- Identify conditions that are commonly comorbid with IBS.
- Outline the natural history and disease burden of IBS.
- Review the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of IBS.
- Discuss risk factors for the development of IBS and underlying etiology.
- Describe the assessment of patients with suspected IBS, including presenting signs and symptoms, testing, and clinical diagnostic criteria.
- Identify conditions that should be included in the differential diagnosis of IBS.
- Discuss the role of laboratory studies and alarm features in reaching a diagnosis of IBS.
- Evaluate the role of nonpharmacologic therapies for the treatment of IBS.
- Compare and contrast available pharmacotherapies for the treatment of the various IBS subtypes.
Mark Rose, BS, MA, LP, is a licensed psychologist in the State of Minnesota with a private consulting practice and a medical research analyst with a biomedical communications firm. Earlier healthcare technology assessment work led to medical device and pharmaceutical sector experience in new product development involving cancer ablative devices and pain therapeutics. Along with substantial experience in addiction research, Mr. Rose has contributed to the authorship of numerous papers on CNS, oncology, and other medical disorders. He is the lead author of papers published in peer-reviewed addiction, psychiatry, and pain medicine journals and has written books on prescription opioids and alcoholism published by the Hazelden Foundation. He also serves as an Expert Advisor and Expert Witness to law firms that represent disability claimants or criminal defendants on cases related to chronic pain, psychiatric/substance use disorders, and acute pharmacologic/toxicologic effects. Mr. Rose is on the Board of Directors of the Minneapolis-based International Institute of Anti-Aging Medicine and is a member of several professional organizations.
Contributing faculty, Mark Rose, BS, MA, LP, has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.
John V. Jurica, MD, MPH
Jane C. Norman, RN, MSN, CNE, PhD
The division planners have disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.
Sarah Campbell
The Director of Development and Academic Affairs has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.
The purpose of NetCE is to provide challenging curricula to assist healthcare professionals to raise their levels of expertise while fulfilling their continuing education requirements, thereby improving the quality of healthcare.
Our contributing faculty members have taken care to ensure that the information and recommendations are accurate and compatible with the standards generally accepted at the time of publication. The publisher disclaims any liability, loss or damage incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents. Participants are cautioned about the potential risk of using limited knowledge when integrating new techniques into practice.
It is the policy of NetCE not to accept commercial support. Furthermore, commercial interests are prohibited from distributing or providing access to this activity to learners.
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The role of implicit biases on healthcare outcomes has become a concern, as there is some evidence that implicit biases contribute to health disparities, professionals' attitudes toward and interactions with patients, quality of care, diagnoses, and treatment decisions. This may produce differences in help-seeking, diagnoses, and ultimately treatments and interventions. Implicit biases may also unwittingly produce professional behaviors, attitudes, and interactions that reduce patients' trust and comfort with their provider, leading to earlier termination of visits and/or reduced adherence and follow-up. Disadvantaged groups are marginalized in the healthcare system and vulnerable on multiple levels; health professionals' implicit biases can further exacerbate these existing disadvantages.
Interventions or strategies designed to reduce implicit bias may be categorized as change-based or control-based. Change-based interventions focus on reducing or changing cognitive associations underlying implicit biases. These interventions might include challenging stereotypes. Conversely, control-based interventions involve reducing the effects of the implicit bias on the individual's behaviors. These strategies include increasing awareness of biased thoughts and responses. The two types of interventions are not mutually exclusive and may be used synergistically.