Geriatric Special Topics: General Surgical Care of the Older Adult- 5HRs

Course overview

Target audience: The target audience for this education program is nurses who want to increase their knowledge of best practice evidence regarding the general surgical care of the older adult. Course overview: Older adult surgical patients offer unique challenges for the multidisciplinary team from the postoperative period to discharge. Physiological changes of aging (e.g., decreased cardiac and respiratory reserve, impaired kidney and liver function, and loss of muscle mass) can significantly affect the recovery time of older adult surgical patients and put them at greater risk of postoperative complications. This course provides the latest evidence and guidelines for the management of the stable older surgical patient in each of these key areas outlined by the ACOVE (AGS, 2007) and NIA Expert Panel quality indicators. In addition, the nurse’s responsibilities related to discharge planning will be highlighted. The discussion also provides, where applicable, the identification of applicable Joint Commission (TJC) National Patient Safety Goals (TJC, 2015) and National Quality Forum (NQF) National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators. LEARNING OBJECTIVES On completion of this course, the learner will be able to: Identify the unique challenges associated with the care of older adults following surgery. Integrate preoperative and perioperative assessment and plans into the postoperative care plan for older adults following surgery. Synthesize current best practices in the assessment and interdisciplinary management of the older adult surgical patient. Describe evidence-based nursing and collaborative interventions to improve outcomes among older adult surgical patients.