Atrial Fibrillation: Evidence-Based Management for Clinical Nurses

Course overview

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice. Its complexity demands a nuanced understanding of electrophysiology, risk stratification, stroke prevention, and therapeutic decision-making. This continuing education course offers LPNs, RNs, and APRNs a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to AF recognition, management, and patient-centered care. Topics include rhythm vs rate control strategies, anticoagulation therapy, cardioversion protocols, procedural interventions, and emerging concepts in atrial remodeling. Learners will gain clinical insight into AF across acute, chronic, and special populations through diagnostic frameworks, decision support tools, and real-world scenarios. This course prepares nurses at all levels to optimize outcomes and reduce complications associated with AF. Learning Objectives By the end of this course, the participant will be able to: Describe the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and common contributing factors in atrial fibrillation. Distinguish between rhythm control and rate control strategies, including indications and limitations of each. Evaluate pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions for stroke prevention in AF patients. Analyze criteria and protocols for electrical and pharmacologic cardioversion in AF. Apply current evidence and clinical tools, scoring and anticoagulant selection algorithms, to individualize AF management.