Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: An Overview of Signs, Symptoms, Assessment & Management - SOD

Course overview

In the geriatric population Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a very prevalent disease. The focus on COPD in healthcare has increased exponentially recently due the rate of frequent re-hospitalizations in this population. In order to reduce this rising number of re-hospitalizations, all healthcare professionals must play an active role, including rehabilitation professionals. The role for rehabilitation includes the acute treatment of the disease, patient/family education, and long term management. This course discusses at an in-depth level how to treat patients with COPD at all stages of the disease. This includes evaluation components, assessment techniques, properly monitoring vital signs, coordinating care between all disciplines, treatment interventions, energy conservation techniques and education. In addition, this course provides the health care professional with an overview of normal pulmonary and cardiac anatomy and physiology as well as the normal aging process.