Robin Gilbert – Managing Patient Emergencies: Critical Care Skills Every Nurse Must Know

Outline

Identifying the RED Flags

• Critical Thinking During a Crisis
• Vital Signs & ABCDs
• Methods for Establishing and Maintaining Airway
• Breathing: More Than a Rate Issue Circulation & Perfusion
• Rapid Assessment Techniques
• Critical Questions to Ask Your Patient
• Identifying High-Risk Populations
• Sick or Not Sick…Who would you see first?

Cardiovascular Prevention, Presentation, Action for: “I’m having chest pain”

• Recognizing Arrhythmias – Stable, Unstable and Lethal
• Rhythm Recognition & Treatment for: VT, VF, SVT, and Heart Blocks
• Acute Myocardial Infarction: STEMI/ NSTEMI
• Key Assessments & Interventions​ tPA Guidelines
• Laboratory Parameters
• Recognizing Subtle Changes
• Hemodynamic Monitoring:
  • MAP, CO, SV, CI
  • Preload, Afterload, Contractility
• Skills Practice: EKG Interpretation

Respiratory Prevention, Presentation, Action for: “I can’t breathe”

• Capnography Basics
• Assessment & Critical Interventions for:
  • Pulmonary Embolism
  • Respiratory Failure
  • COPD
  • ARDS
  • The Patient Who Needs Assistance
  • O2, CPAP, BiPAP
  • Indications for Intubation
  • Positive Pressure Ventilation
  • Chest Tube Management
  • Easy ABG Analysis…Really!

Endocrine Prevention, Presentation, Action for: “I don’t feel right”

• The Differences of DKA and HHNK
• Early Recognition of Hypoglycemia
• Critical Lab Findings
• Differentiating the Diagnosis – Case Studies
• Which Intervention Should you do FIRST
• What is the Likely Problem
• Anticipating the Solutions

Neurological Prevention, Presentation and Action for: “My head hurts!”

• Elevated Intracranial Pressure
• Clues When you Don’t have a Monitor
• Ischemic vs. Hemorrhagic Stroke
• Inclusion/Exclusion for tPA
• Critical Labs
• Malignant Headache
• Delirium
• Autonomic Dysreflexia
• Simulation Lab Review
  • Interpreting the Patient’s Presentation

Fluid Imbalance/Circulatory Emergencies

• Sepsis
• Shock
• GI Bleed
• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
• Compartment Syndrome

Managing the Decompensating Patient

• No Pulse, No Blood Pressure, No Respirations…Now What?
  • Common Medications
  • Monitor/Defibrillator Review
  • Roles & Responsibilities During a Code

What’s New & Trending

• Ethical Considerations
• Documentation Pitfalls
• Staffing Considerations & High Acuity Patients