Program Objectives

Medication Errors In Anesthesia Practice

• Delineate common medication errors encountered in anesthesia practice.
  
• Apply knowledge of medication errors to practice situations.
  
• Implement risk reduction strategies that help to diminish the occurrence of medication errors
  

Current Concepts of Shock and Anesthetic Implications

• Discuss common pathophysiologic changes characteristic of a shock state.
  
• Describe current shock management strategies.
  
• List the most important methods of evaluating levels of perfusion.
  
• Discuss anesthetic implications of managing a patient in shock.
  

Brachial Plexus: Applied Anatomy for Better Blocks

• How to guide to master interscalene, supraclavicular, and infraclavicular blocks. Includes block selection, essential anatomy, motor responses, and more useful and practical tips. In addition, choice of local anesthetic agents and methods to improve onset speed discussed.

So You Wanna Be An Expert Witness?

• Discuss factors that impact on willingness to be an expert witness
  
• Describe methods attorneys use to procure expert witness services
  
• Identify available expert witness certifications
  

Practical Strategies in Management of Routine and Difficult Airways

• Delineate common clinical presentations which may result in a difficult airway.
  
• Describe effective and practical methods to deal with a difficult airway.
  

Alternative Dispute Resolution

• Describe methods other than trial to resolve a malpractice claim.
  
• Delineate methods used in alternative dispute resolution.
  

State of the Art Ambulatory Anesthesia

• List at least two advantages of regional anesthesia for ambulatory surgery.
  
• Discuss the role and benefits of inhalation induction in adults for ambulatory surgery.
  
• Describe the concepts of fast tracking and phase II PACU care in ambulatory surgery.
  

Airway Misadventures and Implications: Case Studies

• Apply knowledge of anesthetic principles to selected case studies related to patients experiencing an airway alteration.

Regional Anesthesia and Anticoagulation

• A review of current literature guidelines pertaining to the practice of regional anesthesia in patients on anticoagulants. Covers a spectrum of oral and parenteral agents, lab testing, and an in depth review of standard heparin and low molecular weight heparin.

Management of the Pregnant Trauma Patient

• Be able to delineate the physiologic changes experienced during pregnancy discuss how normal physiologic changes of pregnancy impact anesthesia care.
  
• Discuss how to safely manage the anesthetic care of a pregnant trauma patient.
  

Malpractice Insurance Crisis

• Discuss trends in malpractice insurance claims.
  
• Describe factors that affect malpractice claims.
  

Spinals and Epidurals in the Difficult Back

• Discuss applicability of central neuraxial blocks in patients with back pain or previous back surgery.
  
• Relate at least two advantages of the paramedian technique.
  
• Describe the effect of age or arthritis on block technique.
  
• Name disease states that produce difficult access for spinals and epidurals.
  

Trauma Anesthesia Principles: Current Concepts in Management?

• Be able to name the proper method of evaluation for all trauma patients
  
• Be able to discern difficult airway patients in the trauma theater
  
• Be able to discuss 3 important tools used to treat trauma patients
  
• Be able to name one physiologic "disaster" to look for by symptom
  
• Be able to discuss top ten things anesthesia needs to handle in traumas
  

PONV: Still a Problem

• Review causes of PONV, identification of high-risk groups, physiology and pharmacology of available agents including non-pharmacologic techniques, and framework to develop treatment plans.
  

Red Flags in Documentation

Explain areas of documentation that may be particularly problematic when providing anesthesia.

Distinguish between types of documentation that are available to the CRNA.

Utilize knowledge of documentation principles in light of obstetrical case examples.

Management of Neurotrauma: The Cervical Spine

Identify and protect the trauma patient who presents with a cervical spine injury.

Delineate steps undertaken to safely manage the airway of a patient with a suspected cervical spine injury.

Understand the concept of mechanism of injury and patient presentation as it applies to the examination of the trauma patient.

Faculty

Bill Howie, MS, CRNA.
Pat McMullen, DNSc, JD, CNS, CRNP