Emergency Department Management of Elderly Patients

Course overview

Persons 65 years and older make up 20% to 40% of Emergency Department (ED) patients in the United States. Nationally, ED visits by elderly patients have increased by more than 34% in the last decade. One of the reasons for this is that many elderly patients are surviving with multiple, complex, chronic health conditions. As a result, elderly patients in the ED are more likely to have complex illness presentations with multiple comorbidities, which presents unique challenges in this vulnerable population. As the "boomer" generation comes of age, the number of older people will continue to grow, as will their need for ED care. The purpose of this course is to review the common geriatric syndromes and other ‘aging’ concerns encountered in the ED as well as the appropriate strategies that ED nurses and other healthcare professionals can utilize to improve outcomes.