Complex Care of the Aging Adult (Honors)

Catalog description

Prerequisite: Admission to the nursing program or permission of instructor, participation in the honor program, and NUR 332. Corequisite: NUR 353. This honors didactic course examines the complex health needs of aging adults through a scholarly lens, emphasizing critical analysis of evidence-based care for acute and chronic conditions. Students will engage in higher-level inquiry into concepts such as infection, intracranial regulation, and social determinants of health while integrating geriatric principles such as how to screen for potentially inappropriate medications, and safety concerns in older adults. Learners will critically appraise current practice guidelines and Evidence Based Practice (EBP) related to disease states such as acute confusion, acute myocardial infarction, cancer, dementia, HIV, heart failure, sepsis, and stroke. Honors students will demonstrate leadership in applying advanced assessment skills - such as Assessment skills such as CAM for delirium, basic EKG interpretation, and comprehensive geriatric evaluation - while synthesizing interprofessional perspectives and ethical considerations.