Course Code: REL-ACU-0-POA
Hours: 1
Type: Online Course
Content Expiration Date: 12/31/2026
Learning Objectives:
Identify factors that lead to polypharmacy in older adults.
Choose approaches to simplify drug regimens in older adults.
State physiologic changes which place older adults are at risk for adverse drug reactions.
Outline:
Section 1: Introduction
About This Course
Learning Objectives
Section 2: Polypharmacy Risk and Occurrence
Mary
A Growing Occurrence
Increased Risk for ADRs
Mary Gets a Workup
Section 3: Drugs at Work
Knowledge Check
Beers Criteria®
Knowledge Check
Chain Reaction of Medications
Knowledge Check
Section 4: Minimizing Polypharmacy and ADRs
Overview
Care Coordination
Education
Medication History
Knowledge Check
Discard Old Medications
Supplements
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Administering Medications
Use One Pharmacy
Medication Containers
Home Evaluation
Mary Gets Discharged
Section 5: Clinical Vignette
Section 6: Conclusion
Course Summary
Course Contributors
Resources
References
Subject Matter Expert: Elizabeth Kellerman, MSN, RN
Elizabeth Kellerman, MSN, RN worked as a critical care nurse in an Intensive Care Unit of a community hospital and that experience provided significant training in caring for older adults. Her experience and knowledge led her to nursing education where she taught at a community college as she received her Master's in Nurse Education at Western Carolina University. As a nursing instructor, she spent time in many types of care settings including medical-surgical inpatient and community living centers. Her passion for education and training has most recently led her to a position as Subject Matter Expert and Curriculum Designer for Relias.
Reviewer: Shalla Newton, MSN, RN, NE-BC
Shalla is a subject matter expert (SME)/writer for Relias. She completed her BSN and two undergraduate degrees with top honors from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Shalla earned her dual MSN degrees from Johns Hopkins University with top honors. She also maintains her post-baccalaureate nurse educator certificate (NE-BC). Shalla’s tenure spans over 20 years of cross-functional leadership and direct clinical roles in healthcare, biopharma/biotech, government affairs, managed care/market access, nonprofit patient advocacy, and research. Her subject matter expertise is in rare, orphan, and complex diseases. Her sub-expertise is in immune-mediated diseases (rheumatology and immunology), genetics, neurology, hematology/oncology, several pediatric diseases, population/public health, and larger systemic healthcare affairs. Shalla is a published author with leading rare disease experts and a global speaker. She also sits on scientific, advocacy, and legislative advisory boards. She has led national advocacy and disease awareness campaigns, including speaking before congress, leading to the first-in-class rare disease biologic approval and investigative treatment protocols.
Target Audience:
The target audience for this course is: Nurses; in the following settings: Acute Care Facility.
Relias Learning will be transparent in disclosing if any commercial support, sponsorship or co-providership is present prior to the learner completing the course.
Relias Learning has a grievance policy in place to facilitate reports of dissatisfaction. Relias Learning will make every effort to resolve each grievance in a mutually satisfactory manner. In order to report a complaint or grievance please contact Relias Learning at support@reliaslearning.com.
All courses offered by Relias Learning, LLC are developed from a foundation of diversity, inclusiveness, and a multicultural perspective. Knowledge, values and awareness related to cultural competency are infused throughout the course content.
To earn continuing education credit for this course you must achieve a passing score of 80% on the post-test and complete the course evaluation.
Course Delivery Method and Format
Asynchronous Distance Learning with interactivity which includes quizzes with questions/answers, and posttests.