Thyroid Dysfunction
Course #38504 - $24 -
- 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.
More than 20 million people in the United States, have some type of thyroid dysfunction. Internationally, the incidence is even greater. In this course, the anatomy and physiology of the thyroid gland will be outlined. The types of thyroid dysfunction, including include hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, nodules, goiters, autoimmune disorders, thyroiditis, Graves disease, and thyroid cancer, will be discussed, including clues for differential diagnosis. Recent changes in the diagnostic criteria and treatment of these conditions that will be explained. Also included will be surgical options and nursing care of the thyroid dysfunctional patient. Sections on preventive measures and resources for patients and their families will also be provided.
This course is designed for nurses, allied surgical professionals, and other healthcare workers in all practice settings who may care for patients with thyroid dysfunction.
As a result of the high prevalence of thyroid conditions, nurses and other healthcare providers encounter thyroid dysfunctional patients every day. The purpose of this course is to provide the most current information regarding thyroid disease diagnosis, treatment, and management to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment and optimum patient outcomes.
Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:
- Describe thyroid anatomy and physiology.
- Outline the pathophysiology of hypothyroidism, including possible causes and associated conditions.
- Identify signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism and effective treatment options.
- Distinguish between various types of thyroid nodules and multinodular goiters.
- Discuss thyroid cancer, including staging and treatment.
- Describe special considerations when diagnosing and treating thyroid dysfunction in older patients.
- Discuss the management of the patient with thyroid disease.
Marilyn Fuller Delong, MA, BSN, RN, received her basic nursing education at St. Luke's School of Nursing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, her BSN from Coe College and her MA from California State University, Long Beach. She has worked throughout the United States both clinically and as an educator. Her continuing education classes have focused on the case management aspects of the care of orthopedic and pulmonary patients, with particular focus on the long-term care needs of the elderly and disabled.
Contributing faculty, Marilyn Fuller Delong, MA, BSN, RN, has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.
Mary Franks, MSN, APRN, FNP-C
The division planner has 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.