Continuing Education - Clinical Track

Supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Hospira Worldwide, Inc.

Sunday, March 1

1:45- 3:15 p.m.

1-A New Parenteral Drugs and Biologicals 2008: A Review for the Homecare and AIC Practitioner

Faculty: Anna Nowobilski-Vasilios, PharmD, MBA, FASHP, BCNSP, Principal, Anovation, Inc., Chicago, IL

1.5 Contact Hours
ACPE # 207-999-09-102-L01-P

• Review new drugs approved by the FDA since January of 2008 to treat acute and chronic conditions.
• Examine the role of each new drug and biologic in disease management and their clinical application in the alternate care setting.
• Receive a brief overview of FDA approval trends and select pipeline drugs.
• Highlight the pathophysiology and therapeutic goals for each corresponding disease state.

Objectives:

1. Highlight the pathophysiology and therapeutic goals for each corresponding disease state.
2. Discuss the indications and appropriate role of each new agent.
3. Discuss patient education and monitoring interventions that would lead to achievement of therapeutic goals.
4. Describe the major adverse effects, contraindications, and precautions for new agent.
5. List issues related to dosing, administration, and storage for each new agent.

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Monday, March 2

10:45-11:45 a.m.

5-B Perspectives and Evidence-Based Best Practices for Catheter Hub Care

 

Faculty: Wendy Kaler, CLS, MPh, CIC, Manager of Infection Control, Saint Francis Memorial Hospital, San Francisco, CA

1.0 Contact Hours
ACPE # 207-999-09-109-L04-P

• Examine the impact of the CMS value-based purchasing initiative, implemented October 1, 2008, on product and process decisions.
• Understand the importance of evidence-based practice and how it relates to successful decision-making.
• Identify resources and practical approaches for ensuring that evidence-based practices guide these decisions in your business.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Identify the steps necessary to design and perform a useful study
2. Compare the variables which contribute to the risk of catheter-associated bloodstream infections.
3. Describe the steps of successfully implementing evidence-based outcomes in to the practice setting.

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3:15-4:45 p.m.

9-C Managing Risk in an Increasingly Complex Alternate Site Care Environment

Faculty: Nita Meaux RN, CRNI, Director of Risk Management and Heart Failure Program Director, Walgreen’s/Option Care, Buffalo Grove, IL

Lisa Siefert R.Ph., ASQ-CMQ/OE Director of Pharmacy Operations and Residency Program, Walgreen’s/Option Care, Buffalo Grove, IL

1.5 Contact Hours
ACPE # 207-999-09-114-L05-P

• Define risk management, and the potential impact to the organization’s bottom line if not continually monitored.
• Learn which patients and care scenarios pose the greatest risk to an organization, and how that risk can be reduced.
• Examine the role of each person involved in providing patient service to identify potential risks, and the steps needed to reduce the risk level while providing safe and effective patient care.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Define costs associated with failure to appropriately manage risks in the patient care environment
2. Identify factors which may increase risk in providing services to patients in alternate care settings
3. Describe appropriate measures to reduce and manage risks in a home care organization.

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Tuesday, March 3

10:45-12:15 p.m.

13-D Parenteral Nutrition- A Multi-Disciplinary Panel Addresses Issues and Challenges with Home Administration and Patient Monitoring

Faculty: Becky Boley, RN, BSN, CRNI®, Clinical Specialist, Option Care of East and Central Iowa, Cedar rapids, IA; Rex Speerhas, RPh, CDE, BCNSP, Nutrition Support Clinical Specialist, Cleveland Clinic, Department of Pharmacy, Cleveland, OH; Kerry Stone, MS, RD, CNSD, Director of Nutrition Services, Crescent Healthcare, Inc., Anaheim, CA; Colyn Woods, Albany, NY; Patty Woods, Regional Coordinator, Oley Foundation, Albany, NY

1.5 Contact Hours
ACPE # 207-999-09-122-L05-P

• Learn strategies for managing the most common complications associated with PN from a multi-disciplinary of experienced home infusion clinicians.
• Gain the perspective of a PN consumer and caregiver regarding effective communication and transition to home.
• Examine the differences between PN management and monitoring in the home compared to the hospital.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Discuss the most frequent problems & their causes reported for PN.
2. Discuss how we can better inform consumers how to navigate & transition to home & how they can overcome obstacles associated with Home Nutrition Support.
3. Discuss the difference in management and monitoring of patients receiving nutrition support in the home versus the hospital.

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2:45-4:15 p.m.

17-E Implementing Measures and Strategies to Identify and Prevent Medication Errors

Faculty: Matt Grissinger, RPh, FISMP, FASCP, Director, Error Reporting Programs, Institute for Safe Medication Practices, Horsham, PA

1.5 Contact Hours
ACPE # 207-999-09-126-L05-P

• Learn strategies for reducing medication errors associated with the most commonly administered drugs in the alternate site setting.
• Analyze methods for collecting data to identify medication safety risk points.
• Review error reduction strategies, including the goals and principles of medication error prevention and harm reduction, and develop an organizational action plan.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Discuss strategies for reducing medication errors associated with top drugs administered in the alternate care setting.
2. Set priorities for action and select high-leverage error reduction strategies based on sound safety principles.
3. Describe two methods that can be used to identify risk and provide meaningful data on the relative safety of your organization’s medication use process.

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4:30 -5:30 p.m.

21-F Surviving Drug Recalls: What You and Your Organization Need to Know!

Faculty: Don Filibeck, PharmD, MBA, National Director, Pharmacy Services, Critical Care Systems, Nashua, NH

1.0 Contact Hour
ACPE # 207-999-09-130-L05-P

• Learn critical strategies for evaluating recall notices and identifying the response needed;
• Develop guidelines for carrying out various levels of recalls, including tracking processes and patient and physician communications;
• Take home tools that will help you prepare for an FDA audit as it relates to recall response.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Describe the FDA recall process.
2. Implement a patient-level recall.
3. Develop an action plan to respond to an FDA Recall Audit.

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Wednesday, March 4

9:15- 10:45 AM

25-G Understanding pH and Osmolarity

 

Faculty: Marc Stranz, PharmD, Vice President Operations, East, Critical Homecare Solutions, Conshohocken, PA

1.5 Contact Hours
ACPE # 207-999-09-136-L01-P

Infusion nursing standards have long advised against short peripheral and midline catheters use for medications with a pH below 5 or above 9 and/or an osmolarity above 600 mOsm/Liter. The challenge is identifying the osmolarity of a drug that has been compounded in an infusion pharmacy. This presentation will provide an overview of vascular physiology and the impact of pH and osmolarity. Case studies will be utilized to demonstrate the impact of clinic al decision making regarding vascular access and drug delivery.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Describe the impact of pH and osmolarity on vascular endothelium
2. Review the data on phlebitis as a result of pH and osmolarity exposure.
3. Demonstrate the ability to adjust pH and osmolarity of infusion solutions.
4. Apply pH and osmolarity data in patient care.

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11:00-12:00 p.m.

29-H Infection Control In the Home Environment: Critical Information for Today—and the Future!

Faculty: Susan Poole, BSN, MS, CRNI®, CNSN, Director, Accreditation, Walgreen’s/Option Care, Deerfield, IL

1.0 Contact Hours
ACPE # 207-999-09-140-L01-P

• Learn key information about MRSA and other Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms (MDROs) that are an increasing concern in home care.
• Identify specific steps that should be taken to minimize or eliminate the risk of infection in your home infusion patients and staff.
• Understand the current Medicare initiatives that are driving change in how hospitals handle infections, and the proactive steps you can take to minimize their potential impact in the home infusion setting.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Discuss the known and unknown in prevention and treatment of resistant microbes (MRSA, VRE, C. diff)  
2. List specific tasks to minimize or eliminate risk of infection in home care patients.
3. Discuss issues and effect on homecare of Medicare non-reimbursement for hospital-acquired MRSA infections.
4. Describe training issues and specific examples related to prevention of infection in health-care workers and patients.

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2:00-3:00 PM

33-I Delivering the Best Care Possible: Simplifying Competency Assessments

Faculty: Cathy Sasser, RPh, Clinical Operations Performance Manager, Critical Care Systems, Nashua, NH

1.0 Contact Hours
ACPE # 207-999-09-145-L04-P

One of the challenges facing home infusion organizations is looking beyond the regulatory requirements for competency assessment and to develop a competency assessment program that assures the delivery of the best possible care. Managers often get stuck in the mindset of assessing competency “because it is required” and overlook the elements that are most important for the delivery of solid clinical care.

This session is designed to help the home infusion manager simplify the competency assessment process by looking at alternative, innovative approaches in the design and implementation of their competency assessment programs and focusing on the elements that relate to care their clinicians are delivering.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Verbalize the differences between competency assessment and performance evaluation.
2. Create a meaningful competency assessment program.
3. Develop useful competency assessment tools and techniques.