Continuing Education (CE) class catalog

Course Description

Following acute Covid-19 infection, a significant proportion of people experience a broad array of persistent, debilitating symptoms known as long Covid. Studies estimate that about 17 million U.S. adults have long Covid and as many as 4 million are struggling to return to work or perform day-to-day activities. Long Covid is a multifaceted, disabling condition that can impact nearly every organ system for which there is no treatment or cure. Inadequate workplace and public health protections and cuts to long Covid programs and scientific research will render more people vulnerable to a disabling disease. This course will discuss the latest scientific updates on long Covid, implications for health inequities, and what nurses can do to advocate for safe working and patient care conditions.

Course Description

Nurses and other health care workers experience some of the highest rates of work-related injuries and illnesses of any occupation in the United States. Most nurses experience back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders at some point in their career. Workplace violence continues to accelerate and can cause both physical injuries and significant anxiety, stress, and trauma for nurses. Both musculoskeletal injuries and workplace violence are major contributors to nurses leaving the profession. And the reality is, when nurses are at risk, patients are also at risk.

Health care employers have a legal and ethical obligation to provide a safe and healthy care environment free from hazards. This class will analyze the issues of workplace violence and back injuries and how they threaten nurses’ health and safety at work. We will examine the evidence on available prevention measures that would effectively protect nurses and patients. The class will conclude with a discussion regarding the tools that nurses can use to advocate for safer patient care conditions.

This is a two-part, in-person CE Class from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (6 hours of CE credits). If you're a UC nurse, an extra hour will be available from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Participants must be in attendance all day to receive the full 6 CEU CE credits, even if they have taken one of the classes prior to the sign-up date.

Part 1: Our Patients are Safe When We Are Safe: Workplace Violence and Back Injury Prevention in Health Care Facilities

Description

Nurses and other health care workers experience some of the highest rates of work-related injuries and illnesses of any occupation in the United States. Most nurses experience back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders at some point in their career. Workplace violence continues to accelerate and can cause both physical injuries and significant anxiety, stress, and trauma for nurses. Both musculoskeletal injuries and workplace violence are major contributors to nurses leaving the profession. And the reality is, when nurses are at risk, patients are also at risk.

Health care employers have a legal and ethical obligation to provide a safe and healthy care environment free from hazards. This class will analyze the issues of workplace violence and back injuries and how they threaten nurses’ health and safety at work. We will examine the evidence on available prevention measures that would effectively protect nurses and patients. The class will conclude with a discussion regarding the tools that nurses can use to advocate for safer patient care conditions.

Part 2: Environments of Harm: How Health Care Facility Buildings Can Endanger Patient and Nurse Health & Safety in a Changing Climate

Description

Hospitals and other health care settings should be places of refuge and healing in which nurses play a vital role in providing care to patients. But the reality is that nurses and patients can face hazards associated with poorly maintained and aging hospital infrastructure, including waterborne pathogens, poor air quality and ventilation, extreme temperatures, and slips, trips, and falls. Human-induced climate change is only amplifying those hazards through increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, such as wildfires, heatwaves, winter storms, and hurricanes, as well as the increased emergence of infectious diseases. Increasing extreme weather events and other emergencies can disrupt critical power and water supplies, damage hospital infrastructure, and overwhelm and prevent health care systems from delivering lifesaving care when facilities are not prepared.

This class will investigate building-related hazards that can impact the health and safety of nurses and patients, including water and air quality, the safety of the physical environment, and disaster preparedness. We will discuss the measures needed to ensure that health care facilities provide a safe care environment for nurses and patients.