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Get One Nursing Contact Hour with this Online Course!

Patients whom an organization may consider difficult are more than just those who negatively effect staff satisfaction. Difficult patients are also those who require increased resources, have a greater risk for negative encounters and outcomes (which could lead to future litigation), and tend to have prolonged lengths of stay. This course outlines how you and your staff can identify and cope with difficult patients and their families. The lessons specify the needs for assessing a patient's mental status, physical status, and possible substance abuse, as well as the benefits of working in an interdisciplinary care team. You will learn verbal and non-verbal techniques to combat anger, guidelines for restraint, and appropriate methods of documentation. The course also offers skills and tips for managing patients' families nursing liability.

Upon completion of this course, the learner will be able to

• identify patient populations that are often considered difficult for organizations.
• describe the benefits of early identification and effective management of difficult patients.
• practice verbal and nonverbal techniques for de-escalating anger.
• assess key ways in which treatment and/or medication impact physical behavior.
• list restraint alternatives for patients at risk for falling and patients who become anxious or agitated.
• identify best practices for dealing with patient families.
• identify proper documentation methods.
• discuss benefits of working with the interdisciplinary care team to manage the patient.

Intended audience:

• Nurse Managers
• Nurses
• Nurse Practitioners
• Certified Nursing Assistants
• Licensed Vocational Nurses

Accreditation/Designation Statement

This educational activity for one nursing contact hour is provided by HCPro, Inc. HCPro is accredited as a provider of continuing education in nursing by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

This course is pending approval by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC) for 2 (two) clock hours.

Faculty

Richard A. Bryan, BSN, RN, CCM, is the director of risk management, safety, and security at Overlake Hospital Medical Center in Bellevue, WA. Bryan has more than 10 years' experience in medical-legal consulting, case management, and risk management. He has provided consultative services across the western United States to insurance companies, municipalities, government agencies, employers, attorneys, and healthcare facilities on a variety of medical-legal, case management, risk management, and health-related issues.

Spanning more than 20 years, Mr. Bryan's healthcare background includes staff and management roles in medical-surgical, cardiac surgery, critical care, and emergency nursing in both civilian and military settings. In addition to his duties at Overlake, Bryan continues his active nursing practice at a rural hospital emergency department. He also serves as a commissioned officer in the United States Naval Reserve. Disclosure Statement: Mr. Bryan has disclosed that he has no financial interest in this course.

Table of Contents

Introduction

• Defining difficult patients
• Identifying and dealing with difficult elderly patients
• Immigrant/migrant patients: Improve your cultural competency
• Identifying and dealing with the chronically mentally ill and substance abusers

Assessment

• Assessing a patient's mental status
• Assessing suspected substance abusers
• Assessing a patient's physical status
• Case Scenario #1

Communication and Management

• Benefits of working with an interdisciplinary care team
• Benefits of effectively managing difficult patients

Under Control: Techniques to Combat Anger

• De-escalating anger in difficult patients
• Verbal techniques
• Nonverbal techniques
• Case scenario #2

Guidelines for Restraint

• Using restraints with difficult patients
• Background on federal guidelines
• Today's restraint culture
• Protecting yourself through documentation
• Alternatives for patients at risk for falling
• Alternatives for patients who become anxious or agitated

Proper Documentation

• Documenting the difficult patient experience
• Developing a consistent approach for dealing with difficult patients
• Protecting yourself and your facility from legal troubles through good documentation
• Documenting phone calls from patients or families

Communicating with Families

• Dealing with difficult families
• Analyzing your communication environment
• Keeping your conversations with families constructive
• Conclusion

Final Exam

If you have 50 or more staff to train you are eligible for discounts and FREE trial access to any course. E-mail Dave Miller at dmiller@hcpro.com or call Dave toll-free at 888/209-6554 to learn more. Be sure to let Dave know your name, organization, address, and phone number (optional). Ask Dave about our multi-year or multi-library discount plans!

This course is part of HCProfessor's Nursing CE Series

For more information on other courses in the series, click on the Online Learning section of this Web site. Or call Dave Miller toll free at 888/209-6554, or e-mail Dave.

Benefits of Online Learning at www.hcprofessor.com include

• Tough questions (and answers) about confusing regulatory standards
• Steps on how to solve pressing nursing needs
• Exam
• Instant test scores
• Case studies
• Test until success: The option of taking the exam as often as you need during password access
• Certificate of completion
• Student course history and documentation of training
• Discussion groups
• Note-taking and bookmark options
• Internet resources on nursing guidelines and regulations
• Reference materials and recommendations on how to progress to the next step in your courses on nursing.

Computer Requirements

• PC users must use Internet Explorer 4.0 or above
• MAC users must use Netscape Navigator 4.0 or above (the use of Internet Explorer may cause technical difficulties)
• Some courses and quizzes may require Adobe Acrobat Reader. To download Adobe Acrobat Reader, click here.
• Try our FREE DEMONSTRATION for both MAC and PC users

For full course descriptions, outlines, and special combination deals, go to www.hcprofessor.com.

Online learners will get 30-day access to the course materials and will be e-mailed their user name and password within 24 to 48 hours after HCPro receives payment.

If you have questions, e-mail Customer Service or call 877/727-1728.

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