This course will offer a blend of ethical and legal information, clinical vignettes, and strategies that can later be applied in therapeutic settings. The content of this course includes information about informed consent, confidentiality, privacy, boundaries, mandatory reporting, and rules for sharing information. The course assumes the learner has a basic understanding of telehealth technologies and formats. To learn more, you can search the Relias library for additional courses related to telehealth.

The goal of this course is to provide addictions professionals, behavioral health counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychologists, social workers, and nurses in health and human services settings with strategies and information for competent and ethical telehealth practice.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a way of communicating that draws out people’s own thoughts and beliefs in order to help them resolve ambivalence about change. In addition to examining the underlying spirit of MI, you will learn specific skills and techniques that will support the MI processes of engaging, focusing, evoking, and planning with clients as they discover their own reasons for change. The goal of this course is to provide addictions, behavioral health counseling, marriage and family therapy, nursing, psychology, and social work professionals in health and human service settings with the skills to define and demonstrate the core concepts of Motivational Interviewing.

For many of us, social media is a fun way to stay in touch with friends and family. We share photos and stories with people across town and around the world. However, nurses need to be cautious as they engage in social media as it can affect their careers in ways never imagined. Content taken in the wrong context can damage a nurse’s professional reputation.

All healthcare organizations must follow a specific HIPAA rule, known as the Privacy Rule. This rule limits the use and disclosure of protected health information, known as PHI. The Privacy Rule also grants people the right to view and correct their medical records, receive copies, or request that copies are sent. The goal of this course is to provide all staff with knowledge of the HIPAA Privacy Rule.

The goal of the course is to discuss how innovations can be recognized, developed, adopted, and disseminated amongst staff, as well as review areas where innovations are likely to change the provision of care. We will also explore the patient’s role in innovation, and how patient and family-centered care will drive ongoing changes.

Caregiving demands a tremendous amount of compassion and empathy. While this can be incredibly rewarding, it can cause some adverse side effects. The goal of this course is to provide all staff with an overview of caregiving side effects.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects thousands of people each year. It affects people from all social and economic backgrounds, ages, sex, genders, sexual orientations, race, and ethnicities. Those who experience IPV often suffer adverse social and health outcomes that make early recognition, identification, and response a priority for professionals working in healthcare and health and human services.

The goal of this course is to equip nurses in the acute care setting with knowledge of the different bariatric surgical options and the psychosocial, metabolic, and physiological issues that patients may encounter before and after bariatric surgery.

This course will cover an overview of topics surrounding medication administration including pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, safety standards, and legal and ethical guidelines for practice. The learner will use case scenarios to gain a deeper understanding of the foundational practice.

Opioid misuse is a leading cause of unintentional injury and death among adolescents and young adults (Hudgins et al., 2019). More than 80% of adolescents who die from an opioid overdose do so accidentally, reflecting in part their lack of understanding and underestimation of the dangers inherent in the misuse of opioid medications (World Health Organization [WHO], 2023).

Along with the increased risk of lethal overdose, adolescents who misuse prescription opioids are at increased risk of severe medical complications that necessitate emergency treatment, progression to drugs with even greater potential for lethality such as heroin, and the development of a substance use disorder (Davis et al., 2020).

The goal of this course is to provide addictions, behavioral health counseling, marriage and family therapy, nursing, psychology, and social work professionals in health and human services with information on the development, prevalence, and treatment of opioid use disorders in adolescent and young adult populations.

Culturally appropriate interventions must be utilized when working with culturally diverse clients and patients. Cultural competency goes beyond having knowledge of traditional cultures. This course discusses how cultural competency functions to deliver culturally competent care related to diet and nutrition.

The goal of this course is to educate fitness professionals, health education professionals, and nutrition and dietetics professionals with information on developing cultural competency.

This course is about workplace slip, trip, and fall hazards. It alerts you to the serious consequences that can result even from a simple fall or a near fall and provides information about measures that can help you prevent these incidents and reduce potential injuries.

Every year, workers are injured or killed when the equipment they are working with unexpectedly turns on or the residual energy stored in the equipment is released. Lockout/Tagout, or LOTO, is a set of procedures used to control hazardous energy during the service or maintenance of machine and equipment. The aim of LOTO procedures is to protect workers from the release of hazardous energy.  

The goal of this course is to provide all staff with an overview of lockout/tagout procedures.

Sexual harassment in the workplace creates an uncomfortable working environment for employees and can also create hardships for employers. This course will explain to staff working in any healthcare setting what sexual harassment is and what they can do about it.

The current opioid use epidemic has had devastating consequences for those impacted by it. Medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) is an effective, yet underused, approach to the treatment of opioid use disorder. By taking this course, you will have information that you can share with your clients and their family members about what MOUD is, its risks and benefits, and the types of medications used in MOUD. The goal of this course is to provide addictions, behavioral health counseling, marriage and family therapy, nursing, psychology, and social work professionals in health and human services settings with an overview of what MOUD is, how it can help individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD), and the medications used by providers that treat OUD.

The world of legalities, red tape, and ethics can be a daunting one. We have all heard about the importance of confidentiality and trust in healthcare. How do these issues apply to preceptorships? This educational activity addresses integrity in preceptorships and gives you information you can share with preceptees to enhance professional and personal character, confidence, and wisdom in nursing practice. It also reviews important ethical and legal considerations that should be reviewed and incorporated into a preceptorship. The goal of this course is to provide nurses and nurse preceptors in ambulatory care settings with information about integrity, ethical conduct, and legal considerations in nursing practice and preceptorships.

Health outcomes are influenced in myriad ways by an individual’s social environment and their community. For example, community is linked to such outcomes as body mass index, homicide rates, and suicidal behavior (Diez Roux & Mair, 2010; Bharmal et al., 2015; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], n.d.). Due to these strong influences on health outcomes, the U.S. Department Health and Human Services Healthy People 2030 campaign identifies social and community context as a domain of the social determinants of health. Social determinants of health are external conditions which exist with the potential to affect a patient’s current and future health, often beyond a patient’s direct control. Of particular importance, however, is how this domain fits into the larger picture of the social determinants of health. The elements in the social and community context have been shown to help negate potentially negative consequences of the other social determinants of health (Bharmal et al., 2015).

Healthcare-associated infections are a serious issue. On any given day, approximately 1 in 31 hospitalized patients has a healthcare-associated infection, and over 75,000 of these infections result in death (CDC, 2018). Astounding, isn’t it? And these numbers don’t account for infections acquired in other healthcare settings. Preventing the transmission of infections from one person to another is critical.

The goal of this course is to provide staff in all healthcare settings with the basics of infection control.

The focus of this course is coagulopathies. In general, the term coagulopathy refers to bleeding disorders. This course will provide a review of the components of a clot. It will also provide you with valuable information about how to care for those with coagulopathies such as immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC), heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), and warfarin-induced coagulopathy.

The goal of this course is to provide nurses in the critical care setting with a general overview of coagulopathies, including the recognition and nursing management of ITP, DIC, HIT, and warfarin-induced coagulopathy. 

The role of a preceptor is vital to an organization’s ability to efficiently and effectively onboard an individual to a new department or work unit. This course is designed to include principles and practices for precepting new employees across healthcare settings. It introduces the learner to the fundamentals of the preceptor role and provides best practices for being an effective preceptor. Preceptors exhibit professionalism and best practices in their work units. Being a preceptor requires skill, talent, and preparation to yield the best outcomes.

In this course, you will learn about pediatric anatomical and physiological differences, which will help you recognize normal variations throughout your assessment. Additionally, you will learn communication methods to help children feel more at ease during your assessment. Finally, you will understand essential warning signs that require immediate referral to additional medical professionals using the available resources and tools.

As the population of the U.S. soars in diversity, healthcare professionals must be prepared to care for childbearing families from many different cultures. All cultures and families should be given the same respect, be assured of the highest quality of care, have their religious, ethnic, and cultural values respected and integrated into their care, and have their physical and educational needs met in a way that honors their spiritual beliefs and individuality. Knowledge of the cultures one is serving and the influence they have on women’s perceptions of childbirth are important for achieving positive outcomes. Equally and perhaps more important is applying the principles of cultural humility to nursing care.

The goal of this continuing education course is to improve the ability of nurses and health educators in acute care settings to assess and meet the sociocultural needs of childbearing families of diverse cultural and social groups. 

Increasing awareness of cultural diversification has challenged traditional institutions and practices. This includes the delivery of treatment services. Outcome studies have consistently demonstrated the need for change in the way that healthcare and other services operate. Awareness of and sensitivity to cultural issues are critical to establishing a positive relationship with the people you are serving and ensuring beneficial treatment outcomes. 

About 70% of adults in the U.S. have experienced at least one traumatic event (Sidran Institute, 2018). Most overcome their trauma responses without formal intervention. Others, however, experience persistent symptoms that need formal intervention. The goal of this course is to provide addiction, behavioral health counseling, marriage and family therapists, nursing, psychology, and social work professionals in health and human services settings with information on how to assess and treat trauma- and stressor-related disorders.

Nurses are required to document everything of significance that happens on their shift. This can be a straightforward process, but there are often challenges. There are all kinds of scenarios that present documentation difficulties. Patients may refuse treatment or want to leave the hospital against medical advice. Your unit may be understaffed, and you want to document a complaint. The computer system can go down and you have to document on paper. Or maybe your documentation just takes too long, and you are wondering how to document faster. This course reviews strategies for documentation in challenging situations and how to document more efficiently.

In this Change Management 2: Leading the Implementation of Change course, you will explore strategies for planning and implementing change, as well as guiding your team through the change process. You will gain an understanding of the common reasons why most change efforts fail. You will learn how to effectively overcome these challenges and have the opportunity to assess the change readiness of your team. Successful change implementation requires a focus on the behaviors and attitudes of your team and employees to ensure they adapt to, and support, the change. You will identify the four stages of change and learn how to help your employees adapt to change effectively. The goal of this course is to provide managers and supervisors with strategies for planning and implementing change, as well as for guiding their team through the change process.

Pain management in the emergency department relies heavily on the use of opioid analgesics, which generates risk for patients to develop long term opioid use or an opioid use disorder.  Multimodal analgesia can improve the patient experience and reduce the risks of opioid use if emergency providers approach pain with a more critical mindset.This activity is designed to help emergency providers improve management of pain while decreasing patient exposure to opioids.  It is also designed to help providers navigate how to manage patients with opioid use disorder.

Establishing an effective corporate compliance program helps healthcare organizations prevent, detect, and correct unlawful and unethical behavior. This course discusses the laws and behaviors related to ethics. It also discusses your responsibilities in preventing and identifying unlawful and unethical behavior. The goal of this course is to familiarize general staff in healthcare settings with the most common types of fraudulent and improper conduct.

Utilizing care management can improve and assist in managing patients with chronic health conditions. Care management provides the opportunity to deliver various medical services to patients recently discharged from the hospital. In addition, care management models in a primary care setting can increase a patient’s access to providers, decrease hospital visits, and reduce readmission. 

The goal of this course is to educate case managers, nurses, care managers, and social workers in ambulatory care, acute care, patient-centered medical homes, and behavioral health homes on care management. 

The role of risk management has a significant impact on the quality outcomes of acute care organizations. It includes systems and validated processes aimed at assessing and developing interventions to mitigate risk factors and optimize quality outcomes. Nursing leaders are stakeholders in the risk management process and can benefit from understanding risk management strategies and objectives.  In this course, you will learn about risk management in the acute care setting.

The goal of this course is to provide nursing professionals in acute care settings with information to enhance their understanding of the role they play in risk management along with proven strategies for ensuring quality outcomes in their professional practice in acute care settings.

Anesthesia administration has become increasingly safer, but is not without risk. Patient- and family-centered care and the desire to save costs has led to a shift in perioperative care needs from “stabilize and admit” to “stabilize and discharge.” Each patient undergoing anesthesia requires competent, professional nursing staff to assist in timely and safe medication administration, maintenance, and recovery. Knowledge of anesthetic techniques, agents, and adjuvants is vital to this competence.

The federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was implemented in 1996 and has evolved significantly. While HIPAA regulations have many varying components, the part of HIPAA most relevant to healthcare professionals, however, centers around the protection of an individual’s healthcare information. Because you play a key role in the production of healthcare information, you play a key role in its protection.

The goal of this course is to provide licensed professionals with an understanding of HIPAA, privacy, and security.

Education access and quality is a pillar of the social determinants of health for Healthy People 2030 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.). This course outlines the effects of education on an individual’s health. The four components of education access and quality include early childhood education and development, high school graduation, enrollment in higher education, and language and literacy.

All healthcare professionals must be aware of bias and the challenges that bias can create in healthcare. This includes knowing some of the challenges people face with the healthcare system. In this course, you will learn best practices to help recognize and manage bias.

It was once assumed that addressing underlying conditions was the best way to treat suicidality. We now know that suicidal people need interventions that directly target suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Suicide-specific interventions will give you the tools to help clients manage suicide risk.

In this course, you will learn about specific evidence-based and research-informed interventions that directly target suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Through case examples, you will gain a better understanding of ways to implement these strategies.

The goal of this course is to provide addictions, behavioral health counseling, marriage and family therapy, nursing, psychology, and social work professionals with knowledge about evidence-based, suicide-specific interventions.

A common complication of pregnancy is gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). GDM is a type of diabetes that develops in pregnant people who normally do not have diabetes. Proper diet, exercise, and pharmacological interventions can help your patient have a healthy pregnancy and newborn.

The goal of this course is to educate the healthcare team on current screening recommendations, diagnostic criteria, blood glucose goals, and treatment interventions for GDM.

To know documentation principles and to apply them in daily practice are musts for every nurse. These are essential to protect patients and to safeguard every nurse’s license. Documentation is the foundational proof that care was provided to a patient. Requirements and methods of documenting are ever-changing amongst a variety of documentation modalities. Although nurses sometimes view documentation as a process that takes precious time away from direct patient care, it is one of the most critical skills they perform. In fact, appropriate and effective documentation is at the core of nursing practice.

The goal of this course is to provide nurses working in acute care settings with information about the value of laws and standards governing nursing documentation, legal basics for appropriate documentation, and provide awareness of documentation practices that can lead to legal issues.

Supervisors and managers are challenged by change every day and must consistently demonstrate self-confidence to their teams in the face of these challenges. In this course, you will explore the characteristics, behaviors, and actions of being an effective “change agent,” (one who guides, supports, or leads change) which is a critical role in guiding your teams through change. The goal of this course is to provide managers and supervisors with an understanding of the common reasons for resistance to change and learn ways to counteract it.

People have used substances since ancient times. Sometimes substances were used as a medicine to treat an ailment, for recreation, or to support spiritual practices. The desire to find ways to feel or think differently is a normal part of the human experience. However, some people who use drugs develop patterns of compulsive use that are hard for them to control due to how the drug impacts their brain. They can experience harmful, even fatal, consequences. In 2019, the results from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimated that 20.4 million people, or 7.4% of the population of the U.S. had a substance use disorder (SAMHSA, 2020a). As behavioral health providers, we have opportunities in our interactions with clients to address thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors around substance use. We can support clients around learning about substances, the impact of substances, work to prevent or identify problematic use and substance use disorders, as well as offer information about treatment or provide treatment to clients.

Obesity rates in the U.S. have risen to the level of an epidemic, as 1 in 3 adults are affected by this disease. Obesity is a disease that significantly affects a person’s health and is not simply due to poor diet and lack of exercise. This course introduces healthcare professionals to the causes, management, and treatment options for adult obesity.

The goal of this course is to familiarize healthcare professionals with the growing epidemic of obesity among adults in the U.S.

In the operating room, patient safety depends on high quality communication and shared knowledge among the surgical team. Several factors in this setting can contribute to communication failures like time constraints, shift changes, environmental barriers, the complex nature of surgical procedures, and clashing communication styles. All members of the surgical team must understand the risks to patient safety associated with communication failures, what information must be communicated and when, and how to use an assertive communication style.

The goal of this course is to equip nurses and CSTs with best practices for effectively communicating in the operating room. 

Healthcare professionals witness the impact on patients’ quality of life and also see how hard it is for people to make changes in their health. Motivational interviewing is a patient-centered way to have a conversation that supports those struggling to make behavioral changes. The provider helps the patient explore personal motivators and identify their own goals. The approach is based on what matters to the patient. When each member of an interprofessional team practices from this point of view, the results can be positive for the patient and for the practitioners.

Good communication can be challenging because of the many distractors in today’s workplace, such as technology, stress, and multitasking. If communication is weak, it can lead to poor work relationships and decreased satisfaction for everyone. It is essential for you to learn how to communicate effectively with everyone you come into contact with. This course discusses how to communicate clearly, concisely, and professionally.

Cultural competence in healthcare refers to the delivery of quality care. It refers to meeting the needs of people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and those from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Cultural competence must be a two-way system to benefit people with differing beliefs, attitudes, values, and behaviors. This course discusses cultural competence and how organizations can use cultural competency to create an atmosphere of inclusion.

Substance use is linked to millions of deaths worldwide each year (Ritchie & Roser, 2019). Supporting individuals’ long-term recovery from substance use can help save lives. Recovery is a lifelong process that aims to keep an individual substance-free while improving their overall quality of life. Wellness strategies enhance recovery outcomes by focusing on optimal health across all dimensions of an individual’s life.

Although medical care can be often concrete, healthcare professionals, including nurses, are faced with ethical dilemmas that are not as clear-cut. In healthcare, sometimes situations arise where there is an “area of gray.” In those moments, thoughtful analysis using reason and ethical principles is needed. Many healthcare institutions have developed ethics committees to navigate patient care in difficult situations.

The goal of this course is to equip nurses in the acute care setting with knowledge of key terms, theories, and principles of bioethics, as well as the procedures, functions, roles, and responsibilities associated with an ethics committee in the acute care setting.

No matter how much we know, there is always something more to learn about communication, teamwork, and interprofessional/interpersonal work relationships. Healthcare is a continuously evolving, fast-paced, multigenerational, and multicultural work environment. Communication and teamwork are vital components of safe and effective healthcare. Preceptors must incorporate these elements into preceptorships to successfully transition new staff into ambulatory care and clinical patient care arenas. This becomes particularly important when transitioning preceptees into specialty practice that requires them to work interdependently, such as in ambulatory care. The goal of this course is to provide nurses and nurse preceptors in ambulatory care settings with information about communication and teamwork in preceptorships.

Abdominal pain is the single most common ED complaint (up to 10% of visits) and is in the top four for emergency medicine litigation. Emergency providers must be proficient in diagnosing abdominal pain to provide excellent care to patients and reduce their risk of being named in litigation. This course will address abdominal pain diagnosis and treatment in the ED for the elderly, adults, children, and young women (of childbearing potential).

Boundaries are important in guiding acceptable and unacceptable interactions. People working in service or care professions are often in situations where the lines between a professional and social relationship become blurred. Setting and keeping professional boundaries are key to protecting your clients, yourself, and the service or care process. The goal of this course is to provide paraprofessionals in health and human services settings with information about professional boundaries, boundary crossings and violations, and situations when crossing a boundary may be acceptable.

Heart failure (HF) treatment is costly and requires a multidisciplinary approach. Evidence-based treatment guidelines improve patient outcomes, and it is essential to become familiar with these guidelines to reduce patient mortality. Healthcare team members play a significant role in treating acute HF (AHF), helping to reduce the morbidity and mortality of the disease and decrease the use and costs associated with care. This course aims to educate nurses and nutrition and dietetics professionals in the acute care setting about evidence-based heart failure treatment guidelines.

Perioperative professionals must have a fundamental understanding of the anatomical, physiological, psychological, and emotional differences of children compared to adults and how these differences impact the care needs of pediatric patients in the perioperative period.

As someone who works in healthcare, you know that many of the people you see are likely to be taking one or more psychiatric medications. However, some healthcare professionals do not have a working knowledge of the types of medications used to treat various psychiatric disorders, nor are they aware of these medications’ potential side effects. In this course, you will learn about the major categories of medications used in the treatment of mental illness, including antipsychotics, antianxiety medications, antidepressants, and mood stabilizers. You will also learn about the different medications’ indications for use and some of their most common side effects. You will find out about some of the precautions that apply to specific populations taking psychiatric medications, such as older adults and psychiatric medication use during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

There are many reasons that it can be difficult working with certain people. There may be communication breakdowns, personality clashes, or conflicting work habits. You may not like everyone you work with, but you do have to respect everyone. By learning ways to reduce conflicts, you’ll likely become more respected, too. In this course, you’ll learn strategies to calmly address misunderstandings before they become actual conflicts. Professional relationships can improve when you know how to deal with differences, communicate clearly, and listen respectfully.

This course provides an overview about the safety of patients undergoing a trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC) to attempt a vaginal birth after cesarean delivery (VBAC). Research evidence has influenced where VBACs are performed, which women are eligible and how the practice is conducted, including the safe use of induction/augmentation medications. The safety of VBAC for mother and newborn always remains the primary underlying principle that guides care.

The goal of this course is to provide nurses and prescribing providers (physicians) in all healthcare settings with best practices to improve their care team approach to patients with depression and anxiety.

Nurses, respiratory therapists, and emergency medical professionals who care for children must have the requisite skills and training on the unique characteristics of a pediatric patient’s respiratory system. Children have significant respiratory system differences compared to adults. These include, but are not limited to: Anatomy, physiology, signs and symptoms of respiratory distress, and respiratory emergencies. In children, the leading cause of cardiopulmonary arrest occurs from etiologies within the respiratory system. Clinicians must understand these differences and be prepared to work collaboratively to quickly respond and provide safe and competent care to any child who is in respiratory distress.

Healthcare workers will often interact with patients who make up stories or memories that are inaccurate, sometimes wildly so. These patients are not lying, they are confabulating. A nurse who knows how to manage confabulation can help these patients. With proper interventions, most patients can stop confabulating or learn to manage the condition. This course will give you a solid foundation of knowledge about and skills to handle confabulation by explaining what it is, who does it, what causes it, and how to manage it.

The goal of this course is to inform nurses in the acute care setting about confabulation and how to assess and manage patients with confabulation.

Interpreting and using data are essential components of evidence-based nursing practice, which has been linked to improved patient outcomes and quality of care. However, many nurses do not use evidence-based practice (EBP) or participate in nursing research efforts. 

Understanding data collection and presentation methods is an important first step to greater nurse participation in EBP and quality improvement (QI) initiatives.

Computed tomography (CT) scans are essential for emergent and urgent diagnosis of brain injuries. CT scans are preferred over other forms of imaging due to their availability, lower comparable costs, and the brief amount of time it takes to perform. According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association guidelines, a patient presenting with stroke-like symptoms should have a CT scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) completed within 20 minutes of arriving to the emergency department (ED) (Powers et al., 2019). Understanding the anatomy of the normal, injured, or diseased brain can help improve awareness of common brain injuries that can be diagnosed with a CT scan. The goal of this course is to educate nursing and radiology professionals in the acute care setting on common disorders that affect the brain and the role of the CT scan.

Despite great strides in the reduction of medical errors, mistakes that result in patient harm remain too frequent in American healthcare institutions. In recent years, healthcare systems and institutions have sought to emulate the model of the high reliability organization or HRO. HROs are known for their safe operation and limited degree of failure despite engaging in potentially hazardous and highly complex activities. Researchers have identified several distinctive qualities specific to HROs that may be applied to healthcare contexts, with some caveats. Due to their unique and ubiquitous role within healthcare institutions, nurses have the potential to make significant contributions to this process.

The goal of this course is to equip nurses with knowledge of the characteristics and principles of high reliability organizations and the role of nurses in supporting high reliability.

This course is designed to provide greater awareness of sexual harassment in the workplace, steps to take to prevent it, and methods to deal with it if it does occur. The course will focus on federal laws, liability issues, harassment policies, employee rights, supervisor responsibilities, and investigation procedures.

You work for a company that provides services to many people. You may need to discuss personal information about the people you serve, but this must be done thoughtfully. Everyone’s personal information must be kept safe.

Recent movement toward diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is encouraging for historically overlooked individuals. It brings a variety of frequently ignored perspectives and experiences, but it has also uncovered the depth of implicit biases.

Biases are among the most significant factors for healthcare. This course presents the impact of implicit biases and other forms of discrimination on the provision of healthcare, as well as best practices to reduce implicit bias.

The goal of this course is to provide healthcare employees with training about implicit bias in healthcare.

Antibiotic stewardship is a movement to improve antibiotic use through evidence-based practice. Team members become the stewards of antibiotics. This helps these medications continue to effectively fight infections. Antibiotic stewardship follows core elements to improve the use of antibiotics and their outcomes. This course discusses the core elements and benefits of an antibiotic stewardship program.
 

While much of the responsibility for nurse retention has been placed on the administration hierarchy, nurses themselves must take an active role in understanding why colleagues choose to remain in their jobs. Nurses play a vital role in developing and implementing strategies that create an engaging and rewarding work culture. Improving nurse retention also directly improves patient outcomes.

This course is intended to provide nurses with knowledge of pediatric stages of development, mechanisms of injury, and assessment best practices including the pediatric assessment triangle as they relate to trauma.

hen your life’s work is on the line, you need more than expertise. You need people who understand what’s at stake and who listen to you. Our business is about helping Members overcome their obstacles as quickly as possible to achieve a good outcome.

This nursing leadership module educates nurses about trends in the healthcare industry, discusses skills nurses can learn to influence change, and challenges every nurse to become a strong leader and a supportive team member.

Healthcare providers are constantly challenged to quickly adapt to organizational change and respond to turbulent environments with many interconnected and moving parts. Experts maintain that interprofessional healthcare teams can improve the quality of care, problem-solve more effectively, and improve outcomes. Building a team with diverse backgrounds and unique perspectives has been shown to have a positive impact on performance. Nurses can make a distinct impact by influencing the design of care delivery and improving the practice environment as part of strategic interprofessional planning . 

eams with talented people and a skilled leader are often unable to maintain optimum results over a long period of time. Team leaders must continually assess, evaluate, and monitor the team’s motivation level toward achieving its goals. They must also facilitate emotional buy-in and commitment. This course provides healthcare staff with an overview of how to motivate and enhance a team.

Healthcare supervisors and managers are presented daily with challenges. These challenges present as process failures or those surrounding staff behaviors. An organization’s management team maps a path to support their supervisor’s success in dealing with these challenges. The approach is defined by proven characteristics, skills, and experiences. This course discusses the basic tools needed for supervisors and managers to be successful in their roles. 

Improving hospital processes surrounding discharge and transitions of care can reduce adverse events and readmissions. Process improvements may also lead to better patient adherence to the treatment plan and their overall experience with care. The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey is a national standardized survey required for hospitals participating in Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) programs. Survey results are linked to hospital reimbursement from CMS. This course provides updated information for clinicians about care coordination and transitions of care in relation to HCAHPS.

Pediatric patients experience pain from minor procedures on a regular basis in acute care settings. To help reduce pain in these children, nurses must be knowledgeable about the typical minor procedures and procedural sedation performed. In addition, they must have knowledge regarding validated pain assessments, medications and adjuncts, and non-pharmacological management of pediatric pain.

The goal of this course is to equip nurses with knowledge of evidence-based practices for nursing management of pediatric pain associated with minor procedures.

The Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN®) is required to demonstrate competency in the domain of emergency nursing which includes knowledge of gynecological and obstetrical conditions and diseases, their signs and symptoms, management, and applicable nursing interventions.

In healthcare there is a saying that if it was not documented, it did not happen. While this saying is typically used by healthcare providers and nursing staff, it is also true for managers and human resource professionals. Your goal for documentation is to officially record agreements with employees, actions taken, goals set, and employee issues. Documentation not only helps protect your organization, it also helps make important staff decisions. When you understand your documentation responsibility and when documentation is necessary and helpful, you will be in a better position to lead your staff. Good documentation promotes clarity and understanding. This course discusses when and what people managers should document. It also discusses documentation best practices.

This course provides information about the dynamics of intimate partner violence, or IPV, risk factors, safety concerns, screening measures, and how staff can be the most helpful in these situations.

The goal of this course is to help administrative staff, general staff, and direct care staff in all healthcare settings gain a basic understanding of the dynamics of intimate partner violence.

Age-specific competency is not only a regulatory requirement but a professional necessity. Patients of differing ages are prone to different risks and have specific needs. For instance, infants require lots of attention; toddlers require constant supervision; and older adults depend on healthcare professionals (HCPs) to help them avoid potentially life-threatening complications. Nurses who have developed age-specific competencies are sensitive to these needs and risks. They are also adept at assessing, diagnosing, planning, implementing, and evaluating the care for these patients. Ensuring staff members are competent in caring for patients of differing ages is one important way that healthcare organizations ensure safe, high-quality care.

The goal of this course is to provide nursing professionals and health educators in acute care with an overview of age-specific competency requirements needed when planning and delivering healthcare.

Athens is both the capital and the largest city of Greece. With its urban area's population numbering over three million, it is also the eighth largest urban area in the European Union. Athens dominates and is the capital of the Attica Region and is one of the world’s oldest cities, with its recorded history spanning over 3,400 years, and its earliest human presence beginning somewhere between the 11th and 7th millennia BCE. The city was named after Athena, the Greek war goddess.
 

This course is about harassment in the workplace, including sexual harassment and other types of workplace harassment. It looks at the basic skills needed to deal with situations involving harassment. This course will provide information that will help produce a healthy work environment that is free of harassment. It will also help you understand your role if you encounter harassment in the workplace. The content in this course is applicable to all employees.

Earthquakes and tsunamis unleash powerful forces of nature. They cause catastrophic infrastructure and property damage and can result in tremendous loss of life. This course presents some basic facts about earthquakes and tsunamis, including considerations for preparedness and protective actions.

The goal of this course is to provide all staff with a basic overview of earthquakes and tsunamis.

The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing in the U.S. and worldwide. However, if the condition is well managed, it can result in a healthy pregnancy. Maternal child health professionals must understand the condition, risk factors, and how to treat it.

You know the medical error statistics all too well, and, at times, they occur too close to home. The purpose of this course is to help you recognize error-prone situations and the factors that impact medical errors so you can prevent them. 

Failing to properly onboard employees results in poor performance and unnecessarily high turnover. In this course, we’ll cover best practices and lay out a plan for the first 6 months of a new employee’s orientation and performance expectations. We’ll also explore the importance of culture development as it relates to onboarding.

You have probably heard about an “IQ” score that measures intelligence, but have you ever heard of “emotional intelligence” or EQ? Emotional intelligence is your ability to understand, express, and manage your emotions, as well as your insight into what the people around you are feeling. EQ can add to your quality of life and contribute to career success. In this course, you’ll learn about developing emotional awareness, which is the foundation of emotional intelligence.

The use of technology has bloomed in the healthcare industry. While technology’s use has improved the delivery and continuity of care, it increases the chance that an unauthorized person will be able to access individuals’ protected health information, or PHI. Therefore, to protect electronic PHI, your organization is required to follow a specific HIPAA rule, known as the Security Rule.

The goal of this course is to describe the Security Rule and ways you can prevent breaches.

Hospitals and providers currently receive reimbursement by meeting criteria established by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Quality measures and length of stay data are measures that affect hospital reimbursement. Yet the patient’s experience of care also remains a key factor in hospital reimbursement models. CMS uses the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey to measure the patient’s experience, and nursing care is one part of the survey. Hospitals that perform well on the HCAHPS ratings are more likely to receive better reimbursement and bonuses. Nurses impact hospital ratings and reimbursement by providing the patient with a positive care experience.

Culture affects how individuals talk about and recognize their mental health symptoms. It also affects how providers conceptualize and work with individuals with diverse backgrounds. It is important to recognize how culture influences the ways individuals and providers approach mental health. Healthcare providers should be encouraged to use interventions and strategies that assist in delivering culturally competent care.

This course will examine the reasons for healthcare disparities among culturally diverse individuals, how both the cultural backgrounds of patients and their providers can impact patients’ mental health outcomes, and what kinds of actions providers can take to provide more effective care to patients of diverse cultures.

Health inequities in pain management are prevalent across different healthcare settings. The cultural, ethnic, and social differences influence patients’ and providers’ perceptions and responses to pain. Several studies report higher incidences of pain, disability, and suffering in women and people of color compared to non-Hispanic White people. This course covers influential sociocultural factors grouped into the patient, the provider, and systemic factors. This course helps healthcare professionals become familiar with cultural differences associated with pain perceptions and management. Pain variables such as culture, religion or ethnicity are not part of standardized pain scales. Healthcare workers need to provide culturally competent care to their patients by asking about specific practices, beliefs, and values regarding pain that impacts the patient’s quality of life.

The goal of this course is to provide nurses, physicians, and social workers with an overview of cultural sensitivity in the management of pain.

The Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN®) is required to demonstrate competency in the domain of emergency nursing which includes knowledge of maxillofacial and ocular emergencies, their signs and symptoms, management, and applicable nursing interventions. 

The goal of this course is to review the knowledge domains specific to maxillofacial and ocular emergencies included as a part of the Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN®) exam.

This course is not affiliated with the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN).

Healthcare professionals working in magnetic resonance (MR) environments must be aware of warnings and contraindications for MRI examination and know requirements for careful initial patient screening, accurate determination, and characterization of permanent implanted or temporary devices. Medical devices and ferromagnetic objects may malfunction in a magnetic field or pose a projectile risk which could cause harm or injury to patients and staff. Controlling access to the environment and properly screening patients can help prevent accidents and injury. Only properly trained personnel are authorized to perform final patient screening and access equipment. Proper safety and security require plans for facility design and emergency preparedness.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law that mandates unpaid leave, job protection, and other benefits for eligible employees who face specific family or medical challenges. As an employer or supervisor, you need to know what obligations the FMLA imposes on your organization when an employee requests leave from their job. This course introduces you to key provisions of the FMLA such as which employees have rights under the FMLA and the circumstances under which they are eligible to take protected leave. 

The goal of this course is to educate administrators and human resource (HR) professionals in all healthcare settings about the Family Medical Leave Act. 

This course is intended to provide nurses with knowledge on interventions for pediatric trauma, including injuries to the head, chest, abdominal cavity, and extremities. Interventions for asphyxiation, drowning, burns, and electrical shock will also be presented. This course is the second part of the Managing Pediatric Trauma series. The first course in this series is Managing Pediatric Trauma: Assessment.

Crisis is broadly defined as an exceptional event that is disruptive and beyond a person‘s usual coping skills. The goal of crisis intervention is to return individuals or families to the optimum level of functioning they experienced before the crisis. In addition, a potential for growth exists when people develop new and effective coping skills. Nurses need to understand crises and assessment and intervention strategies because they are often the first medical personnel to spend enough time with patients to recognize the signs of crisis.

Though active shooter events are rare, it is practical and necessary to be well-prepared for the possibility, especially when you work with the public. Between 2010 and 2020, The Joint Commission (TJC) received 39 reports of active shootings that resulted in 39 deaths at accredited hospitals (TJC, 2021). As a result, the Center for Medicare Services (CMS) and TJC require hospitals to prepare for all hazards, including active shooter or hostage events, and to work with their local law enforcement and emergency response agencies to prepare for and respond to active shooter events. Understanding the risks and motivations behind active shooter events, how your body and mind may respond to stress, and how best to prepare for an active shooter event is the best way to protect yourself and others should the unthinkable occur in your facility.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, commonly called HIPAA, protects the confidentiality and security of healthcare information. HIPAA creates and protects individual privacy rights for protected health information and governs the use and disclosure of that information.

The goal of this course is to provide all staff with an overview of the principles of HIPAA.

The content of this course is sourced from 45 CFR Parts 160,162, and 164 (2020) or HIPAA-related resources from the Health and Human Services (HHS) unless otherwise noted.

This is an exciting time to work in the field of behavioral health treatment. The field has changed dramatically in the direction of operating on the principles of recovery. Recovery treatment involves changing our attitudes and beliefs about serious mental illness and the long-term effects of these illnesses over the lifespan to reflect the belief that recovery is the expected outcome. The field continues to expand into areas of advancing the integration of mental health to physical health, connecting to multiple dimensions of wellness and alternative medicine, as well as incorporation of peer recovery specialists. Each of these areas supports the recovery of persons with behavioral health issues.

This course explains the concept of a professional therapeutic boundary and how it differs from a personal relationship. You will learn about the ethical role of the clinical practitioner in establishing appropriate roles and boundaries, the difference between boundary crossings and boundary violations, how to appropriately use social media and other technology, and how to recognize situations with high potential for harmful boundary violations. As you master these skills, you will become more effective in maintaining an appropriate relationship between you and your clients.

While most health centers have some quality improvement (QI) functions established, many have not implemented a comprehensive, organization-wide QI program. Improving patient care and outcomes is the primary goal of QI programs. There are also financial benefits to providing quality care, especially as our healthcare system, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), moves towards a “pay for performance” model (NEJM Catalyst, 2018b). This course will explain a comprehensive approach to implementing QI systems. You will learn about the essential elements of a QI program, including principles, program infrastructure, and process components. You will also learn how you can put the Model for Improvement QI methodology into action. Finally, you will learn how to identify quality-related problems using proactive and reactive strategies.

Healthcare and behavioral health professionals providing services on the front lines of a sustained health crisis are exposed to traumatic events on a regular basis. Staff deemed essential have little escape from the grueling demands of their daily work. Professional self-care routines are often insufficient or seemingly impossible during times of heavy demand. Without healthy work-life balance, effective self-care practices, and social connection, maladaptive coping mechanisms may surface or return. Many professionals experience feelings of helplessness when, despite their best efforts, they are unable to provide clinical solutions for their clients or patients. Based on what is known about trauma, it is imperative for professionals to effectively address self-care needs in a timely manner, for themselves and for those they serve.

The purpose of this program is to inform the emergency nurse of medical emergencies, including a comprehensive assessment and appropriate intervention.

Septic arthritis is caused by infection and inflammation in the joint and can result in significant damage to the joints. Early recognition and treatment are critical to the preservation of joint function. This course will discuss how to quickly identify and treat septic arthritis.  

The goal of this course is to provide physicians, nursing professionals, and radiologic technologists with information about septic arthritis.

Military cultural competence is essential to effectively engage, understand, and support active duty service members, reservists, and veterans in behavioral health treatment. Those in the military represent a specific cultural group. This course will provide you with an introduction to military culture. You will learn about the overall structure of the military, the core values of the primary branches, and the unique experiences of specific sub-populations within the military. This information will help you more effectively engage with, understand, respect, and support the military service members who seek your services.

The goal of this course is to provide addiction, behavioral health counseling, case management/care management, marriage and family therapy, nursing, psychologist, and social worker professionals in health and human services settings with information about military culture in general, the effects of military culture on sub-populations, and how behavioral health concerns affect military service members and veterans.

Risk managers, administrators, and managers should be aware that there are always risks involved with business operations. Consequently, they must have solid risk management practices and programs to help identify, assess, and manage risks of all sorts. Risk management practices should be integrated across major organizational departments, initiatives, and programs, such as service delivery, safety, security, business and public communications, and supply chain, to name a few.

The goal of this course is to provide administrator professionals with an overview of risk management principles.

Substance use is a growing problem across populations. As a helping professional, you need a basic understanding of how substance use affects your clients. This information will help you to provide support and resources to help clients seek treatment and recovery. In this course, you will explore substance use disorders, how they develop, and their impact on individuals. The course also explains your role as a paraprofessional when working with individuals with substance use disorders. You will be provided an overview of evidence-based interventions and the types of substance use treatment programs available, when additional treatment may be necessary. Detailed examples will help you to apply this information in your own work. The goal of this course is to provide paraprofessionals and peer support specialists in health and human service settings with information on substance use disorders and evidence-based interventions.

As a healthcare professional, you may find yourself in situations where issues with professional boundaries develop. Some boundary violations can be quite serious for you, your team members, your organization, and the people you provide care for. For this reason, it is important for you to be aware of these risks.

You should understand the difference between a boundary crossing and a boundary violation. You must also be able to recognize situations that may lead to a boundary crossing or violation and know how to prevent problems.

The goal of this course is to share with general staff in any setting the basics of how to maintain professional boundaries.

 The goal of this continuing education module is to help nurses advance their understanding of perinatal HIV transmission, prevention factors, and related legal and ethical issues.

Approximately 30 million Americans have some form of hepatic failure. There are 11,886 people in the U.S. on the transplant list waiting for a new liver (Health Resources & Services Administration, 2021). Hepatic failure is rated as one of the leading causes of death, yet we know much less about this condition compared to other chronic diseases. Clinicians should be familiar with signs of liver failure and related conditions, risk factors for the disease, and treatment strategies.

The purpose of this course is to educate healthcare professionals on the causes, complications, and characteristics of hepatic failure to better manage and care for this patient population.

The OR is a complex environment. Highly trained individuals interact in a specialized setting with sophisticated and technically complicated devices, instruments, and equipment. There are also substantial differences among team members related to education, experience, skill level, influence, and formal and informal power. This course will inform nurses and surgical technologists of the evidence-based steps to take to create a culture of safety in the OR.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021a), more than 795,000 people experience a stroke each year in the U.S. Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S. and is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability. Over half of individuals 65 years old or older who survive a stroke have mobility deficits. Up to 40% of people who suffer a stroke continue to have moderate to severe impairments and require extra care (American Stroke Association, 2019). By understanding the cause of stroke and how to both treat and prevent it, you have the power to improve the lives of the people in your care. This course discusses how to identify when someone is having a stroke as well as treatment both during and after a stroke.

Within any healthcare organization, there are systems, policies, and procedures that can be improved or events that could have been prevented. A root cause analysis is a tool that helps healthcare organizations improve their systems by using a team process of discovery. When you understand how to use a root cause analysis, you can apply it to create better solutions, prevent adverse events, and create more effective and efficient systems. This course discusses what a root cause analysis is and how to use it.

As a professional nurse, you are expected to be familiar with many aspects of care. You are not exempt from malpractice or negligence claims because you were following orders. You are responsible for assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating appropriate nursing care. What you document can and does reflect the care provided and the outcomes of that care. Documentation that is factual, complete, timely, and detailed is required. In this course, you will learn about concepts and rules regarding documentation in the medical record. Legal aspects to be aware of while practicing will also be discussed. The goal of this course is to educate nursing professionals in post-acute care settings about the legal implications of documentation.

Aneurysms can be deadly and can come on suddenly. Knowing what to do to help your patient with an aneurysm could be the difference between life and death for them. Early detection and management are the best tools to prevent a fatal outcome. Healthcare professionals should know what an aneurysm is, which of their patients are at highest risk, the signs and symptoms of an aneurysm, and how to manage an emergency rupture. This course focuses on central arterial aneurysms of the abdominal and thoracic aorta.

The purpose of this program is to inform the emergency nurse of common orthopedic emergencies, including a comprehensive assessment and appropriate interventions.

Writing incident reports is an important part of providing direct support services. Your reports help the person's support team respond effectively to their needs and keep them safe in the future. 

The goal of this course is to teach DSPs in IDD settings the key elements of an incident report, why they are important, and how to write them effectively.

Listening skills are an often-undeveloped component of effective communication. Leaders and managers with strong listening skills build more productive and engaged teams and increase their own effectiveness. In this course, you will learn the consequences of not listening effectively and how adapting the techniques of active listening will benefit you. You will develop a greater understanding of why and how managers and leaders must listen actively, not passively, to build stronger teams and increase their impact. You will learn the importance of establishing common ground and practicing empathy as you apply the techniques for becoming a better listener.

Throughout this course, you will gain knowledge about common challenges encountered during telehealth appointments and learn ways to overcome those challenges. You also will learn about effective techniques to communicate, interact, build rapport, and engage with your clients via telehealth. The course will also explore how to improve clinical effectiveness and client outcomes through the use of telehealth within integrated care. Information and vignettes will be blended to offer practical strategies that you can apply in your own setting to use telehealth for adults with behavioral health issues.

In an emergency department, information often flows amongst providers and patients quickly because of urgent, sometimes life-threatening, situations. Due to the volume of information being shared, as well as the need for it to be shared quickly and accurately, emergency department providers must be especially careful to safeguard patient information.

The goal of this course is to update nursing professionals in the acute care setting with basic information about the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and 42 CFR Part 2.