Agitation, Sedation, and Delirium in Adult ICU Patients
Course #90180 - $30 -
- 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.
Optimizing the management of analgesia, sedation, and delirium in adult ICU patients is important for improving outcomes, such as the duration of mechanical ventilation and the duration of ICU stay. Using validated tools to detect and monitor a patient's level of pain and sedation should be part of the treatment plan. There are several agents that can be used to achieve analgesia and sedation, and having a familiarity with their properties, benefits, and risks can help ensure the best therapy is given for each patient.
This course is designed for physicians, physician assistants, and nurses involved in the care of patients in intensive care units.
The purpose of this course is to provide prescribers and other healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to identify and act to avoid or address agitation, inappropriate sedation, and delirium in ICU patients.
Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:
- State the principles of analgesia and sedation in ICU patients.
- Describe appropriate care of ICU patients receiving opioids.
- Compare sedatives commonly used in ICU patients.
- Review monitoring requirements in ICU patients receiving sedatives.
- Discuss the prevention and management of delirium in ICU patients.
Beth Johnston, PharmD, BCPS, is an associate editor at TRC healthcare, publisher of the Pharmacist’s Letter.
Contributing faculty, Beth Johnston, PharmD, BCPS, has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.
John M. Leonard, MD
Mary Franks, MSN, APRN, FNP-C
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.