Care of the Hospitalized Adult 4

This is the fourth course in a four-course Certificate in Hospital & Acute Care for Nurse Practitioners.

The certificate builds upon the foundational knowledge acquired through entry to practice education and the acquisition of entry-to-practice competencies. The certificate will equip Nurse Practitioners with the knowledge and tools to confidently assess, diagnose and develop a treatment plan for the acutely ill adult patient, hospitalized with a broad range of conditions, and facilitate a foundation for advanced nursing care of the ill or critically ill patient.

This 8-week online course consists of 7 weeks of course material and one week for a final short answer exam. Participants will focus on the role of the nurse practitioner in acute care hospital settings in the context of managing acute presentations in the following clinical areas: hematology (transfusion medicine and coagulation issues, sepsis, gastrointestinal (surgical issues), management of acute allergic reactions, rheumatology, issues related to mobility, nutrition and swallowing.

Prerequisites:

Currently registered as a Nurse Practitioner or a student in a nurse practitioner program.

Audience

Nurse Practitioners who wish to further develop their competency, knowledge, skill and clinical acumen in the care of clients with mental health and addiction issues. Course participants must hold current registration as a Nurse Practitioner in their jurisdiction or be a student in a nurse practitioner program.

Learning Objectives:

At the completion of the 4-course certificate program, learners will be able to:

A. Articulate the role and competencies of a Nurse Practitioner working with hospitalized adult patients.

  • Discuss key role and scope issues relevant to the NP role in hospitals.
  • Identify accountabilities and necessary skills of NPs in the most responsible provider role.
  • Demonstrate confidence to practice independently and collaboratively.

B. Display sound diagnostic reasoning skills by successfully developing a broad differential diagnosis & diagnostic and treatment plan for selected patient conditions.

C. State the clinical care requirements and management for a wide variety of acute clinical conditions in adult hospitalized patients including the ability to:

  • Conduct the appropriate advanced health assessment strategy.
  • Develop an appropriate differential diagnosis.
  • Recognize red flags and how to triage patients who may require a higher level of care and/or patients that are rapidly deteriorating.
  • Choose an appropriate diagnostic testing strategy.
  • Identify a treatment strategy and an evaluation plan.
  • Select appropriate technical interventions and treatments (if relevant).
  • Describe indications for necessary consultations and referral.
  • Identify accountabilities for communication at transitions in care and for safe discharge.
  • Communicate relevant priorities for secondary prevention.

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Course Format

This course is a fully online asynchronous course taught through the University of Toronto Learning Portal – Quercus. Each week, participants will view e-learning modules, review required readings and resources and actively engage with learning activities that will focus on the application of learning. Learning activities and assignments will provide opportunity to apply learnings and receive feedback.

Participants can expect to allocate a minimum of 5-10 hours a week for completion of a weekly module and allocate additional time for assignments. The time spent on any one module will vary from student to student based on your learning needs and style of learning.

Each week will consist of a recorded lecture by faculty who are expert clinicians in their field. Faculty will be available for questions through discussion board during the scheduled week for the module.

Each module focuses on one or more health systems or clinical themes, discussion of the appropriate health assessment, relevant differential diagnosis, pathophysiology, red flags, diagnostics, therapeutic plan of care, selection of appropriate technical interventions and treatments, indications for referral and/or consultation, considerations in transitions in care/discharge, and relevant role and scope issues.

Additional clinical resources will be provided such as clinical practice guidelines, relevant practice standards and clinical tools for practice.

Most weeks will include an application exercise such as a learning activity.

Care of the Hospitalized Adult 1

This is the first course in a four-course Certificate in Hospital & Acute Care for Nurse Practitioners. The certificate builds upon the foundational knowledge acquired through entry-to-practice education and the acquisition […]

Care of the Hospitalized Adult 2

This is the second course in a four-course Certificate in Hospital & Acute Care for Nurse Practitioners. The certificate builds upon the foundational knowledge acquired through entry-to-practice education and the acquisition […]

Care of the Hospitalized Adult 3

This is the third course in a 4-course Certificate in Hospital & Acute Care for Nurse Practitioners. The certificate builds upon the foundational knowledge acquired through entry to practice education and […]

TimeEvaluative Components

Week 1

Transfusion Medicine

Learn to recognize the clinical care requirements and successfully manage patients requiring the transfusion of blood products including an introduction to massive blood transfusion management.

Learning Activity

Week 2

Hematology, Coagulation, bleeding and HIT & Anticoagulation and VTE

Learn to recognize the clinical care requirements and successfully manage indications for anticoagulation; including a review of Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT).

Live session (or alternate learning activity)

Week 3

Shock

Learn to identify a patient in shock, to initiate and manage the first steps of care for a patient with shock (until transfer to Critical Care), including types of volume resuscitation and ACLS protocols; includes indications for critical care management.

Case Study 1 due

Week 4

The Surgical Abdomen

Learn the clinical care requirements to successfully manage a patient with acute abdominal pain secondary to mechanical or non-mechanical bowel obstruction and perforation, pancreatitis, gallbladder disease and mesenteric ischemia.

Learning Activity

TimeEvaluative Components

Week 5

Acute Allergic Reactions

Recognize the clinical care requirements and successfully manage patients presenting with acute allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis.

Week 6

Acute Rheumatology

Recognize the clinical care requirements and successfully manage patients presenting with acute rheumatology.

Live session (or alternate learning activity)

Case Study 2 due

Week 7

Nutrition, Mobility and Dysphagia

Recognize the clinical care requirements for identifying the appropriate strategies to mobilize acutely ill patients with considerations; assess the nutritional requirements in hospitalized patients; identify patients with dysphagia while learning its types, causes and management.

Week 8

Exam Week

Short Answer Exam

Course Director

Marnee Wilson

Assistant Professor, Teaching-Stream, Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, Centre for Professional Development, University of Toronto
Professional Practice Leader for Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Practitioner, Cardiovascular Surgery, St. Michael’s Hospital/Unity Health Toronto

Faculty

William Fung

Adult Rheumatology & Internal Medicine

Cecily Bos, MD, MSc, FRCSC DRCPSC

Trauma, Acute Care & General Surgeon, Hamilton Health Sciences 
Assistant Professor of Surgery, McMaster University

Gloria Lim

Staff Hematologist, St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto

Alexandra Taran, M. SLP, SLP (Reg. CASLPO)

Speech Language Pathologist, Heart, Lung and Vascular Program, St. Michael’s Hospital – Unity Health Toronto

Mary Mustard

Nurse Practitioner, St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health
Adjunct Lecturer, Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing

Joanna Parkes

Physiotherapist, St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health
Lecturer, Physical Therapy, University of Toronto

Katerina Pavenski

St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health
Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto

Christine Song

Program Director, Clinical Immunology and Allergy, St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto.

Anthea Tonelli

Dietician, Heart, Lung and Vascular Program, St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health

Eric Tseng

Staff Hematologist, St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto

Teaching Assistant

Sarah Marshall, MScN, NP-PHC

Nurse Practitioner, Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, St. Michael’s Hospital – Unity Health Toronto
Adjunct Lecturer, Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Torontos

Kirsty Nixon, MScN, NP-PHC

Nurse Practitioner, Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, St. Michael’s Hospital – Unity Health Toronto
Adjunct Lecturer, Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing

Fees

$870 + HST
$970 + HST
$825 + HST
$825 + HST
$825 + HST

Site Groups

A group discount rate of 15% is available for site groups of three or more people. To book please contact pd.nursing@utoronto.ca.

Please Note

  • Refund Policy – To withdraw from a course, send a written request to pd.nursing@utoronto.ca by August 9, 2024.  No refunds will be given after this date. All refunds are subject to an administrative fee of $100 + tax. Alternatively, a colleague may attend in your place. Please send your substitution request at least 3 days prior to the course to pd.nursing@utoronto.ca.
  • Registration Deadline: September 9, 2024.
  • *U of T Nursing Alumni discount is available to participants who hold a BScN, MN, PMNP Diploma, MScN or PhD from the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto.
  • **U of T Nursing Faculty discount is available to participants who hold a current (at time of registration) faculty position, an adjunct appointment or a status appointment to the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto
  • ***NPAO (Nurse Practitioner Association of Ontario) members may register at the NPAO rate which is 15% off the regular rate. NOTE: All submissions will be checked and verified for current NPAO membership status using the registrant’s name.
  • Applicable taxes (13% HST) will be added to the registration fees.
  • Course Cancellation Policy – The Centre for Professional Development reserves the right to cancel courses due to circumstances. The decision to cancel a course is normally made 15 days prior to the course. If you are enrolled in a course which is subsequently cancelled, you may apply your fee to another course, or receive a full refund. The Centre is not responsible for any travel or other expenses incurred by you.

OSAP for Micro-credentials

The Ontario Student Assistance Program now offers funding for micro-credentials (short training programs offered by post-secondary institutions), including a number of courses offered by the Centre for Professional Development. This funding initiative is part of Ontario’s micro-credentials strategy, helping learners access more opportunities to train or upskill for in-demand jobs through loans and grants.

Contact Us

Centre for Professional Development
Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing
University of Toronto
155 College Street, Suite 130
Toronto, ON, Canada
M5T 1P8