Sterilization, Disinfection, and Handwashing Learning Objectives Covered LO 01.05 – Identify proper handwashing techniques for medical and surgical situations   LO 02.01 – Differentiate when handwashing, antiseptic handwashing, and use of an alcohol-based hand rub are to be used.   LO 02.04 – Differentiate between sterilization and disinfection   LO 02.05 – Identify and describe […]

Identify proper handwashing techniques for medical and surgical situations   LO 01.06 – Identify 10 parts of a microscope   LO 01.07 – Describe how to use a compound microscope   LO 02.03 – Describe how to apply medical asepsis and surgical asepsis   Career Relevancy   The roles and responsibilities of a medical assistant […]

As an advanced practice nurse, you will run into situations where a patient’s wishes about his or her health conflict with evidence, your own experience, or a family’s wishes. This may create an ethical dilemma. What do you do when these situations occur?   In this Lab Assignment, you will explore evidence-based practice guidelines and […]

Patients are frequently uncomfortable discussing with healthcare professional’s issues that involve the genitalia and rectum; however, gathering an adequate history and properly conducting a physical exam are vital. Examining case studies of genital and rectal abnormalities can help prepare advanced practice nurses to accurately assess patients with problems in these areas.   In this Lab […]

Imagine not being able to form new memories. This is the reality patients with anterograde amnesia face. Although this form of amnesia is rare, it can result from severe brain trauma. Anterograde amnesia demonstrates just how impactful brain disorders can be to a patient’s quality of living. Accurately assessing neurological symptoms is a complex process […]

A woman went to the emergency room for severe abdominal cramping. She was diagnosed with diverticulitis; however, as a precaution, the doctor ordered a CT scan. The CT scan revealed a growth on the pancreas, which turned out to be pancreatic cancer—the real cause of the cramping.   Because of a high potential for misdiagnosis, […]

Most ear, nose, and throat conditions that arise in non-critical care settings are minor in nature. However, subtle symptoms can sometimes escalate into life-threatening conditions that require prompt assessment and treatment.   Nurses conducting assessments of the ears, nose, and throat must be able to identify the small differences between life-threatening conditions and benign ones. […]

Properly identifying the cause and type of a patient’s skin condition involves a process of elimination known as differential diagnosis. Using this process, a health professional can take a given set of physical abnormalities, vital signs, health assessment findings, and patient descriptions of symptoms, and incrementally narrow them down until one diagnosis is determined as […]

Diabetes and Drug Treatments Each year, 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes (American Diabetes Association, 2019). If left untreated, diabetic patients are at risk for several alterations, including heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, neuropathy, and blindness. There are various methods for treating diabetes, many of which include some form of drug therapy. The type […]

Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics As an advanced practice nurse assisting physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders, it is important to not only understand the impact of disorders on the body, but also the impact of drug treatments on the body. The relationships between drugs and the body can be described by pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. […]