Altered Mental Status

This scenario is based on an adult altered mental status.  Learners will complete a primary assessment of a patient with an altered level of consciousness. They will collaborate to establish a treatment plan based on the assessment findings for a patient with altered mental status and they will discuss common causes of AMS including intoxication, diabetic emergencies, and seizures. Physical and therapeutic treatments will be reviewed.

In this scenario, the learner will describe the pathophysiological process by which exposure to an antigen result in an anaphylactic reaction. The learner will feel confident in knowing the clinical findings that would be consistent with a mild, moderate, and severe allergic reaction. The educational goal of this scenario will be to explain the assessment-based approach to assessment and management of an anaphylactic reaction and a biphasic anaphylactic reaction in the adult or pediatric patient.

This scenario helps the learner Identify the different causes of chest pain.  They will describe the history and physical exam of a patient with chest pain as well as outline the evaluation of a patient with chest pain.  They will discuss the roles of the interprofessional team in caring for patients with chest pain. The learner will describe the various clinical presentations of ACS and the differential diagnosis.  They will be able to define and recognize a STEMI as well as discuss the issue of timing in selecting reperfusion therapy for patients with STEMI.

The congestive heart failure scenario helps learners to describe heart failure and describe expected clinical assessment findings for patients with heart failure. The learner will also define expected outcomes for therapeutic management of patients with heart failure. Participants will focus on the respiratory effect, the heart condition, and gain a better understanding of the mechanics of the heart and its effects on other bodily systems when it is not functioning properly.

The Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease scenario allows the learners to recommend interventions based on the risk factors, status, and progression of respiratory disease. The participants will define the roles of the different healthcare professionals and the contributions they each make to the healthcare team (or describe your own role and the roles of those in other professions). Learners will review etiological factors (i.e., risk factors, prevalence, co­morbidities) associated with respiratory disease.

This scenario is developed for both the pediatric and the adult patient.  Learners will describe the pathophysiology of hypoglycemia and explain the diagnostic approach on how to determine that a patient has hypoglycemia. Signs and symptom of Hypoglycemia will be discussed, and they will review the management options available for hypoglycemia treatment.

This scenario educates participants on the recommended interventions based on the risk factors, status, and progression of adult respiratory disease with accompanying respiratory distress and respiratory failure.  The learners will define the roles of healthcare professionals and the contributions they make to the healthcare team (or describe your own role and the roles of those in other professions) This scenario will review etiological factors (i.e., risk factors, prevalence, co­morbidities) associated with respiratory disease.  Asthmatic triggers will be reviewed, and the learners will demonstrate how to provide care for a patient in respiratory distress.

In this scenario the learner will discuss the SIRS criteria and how it relates to sepsis recognition as well as demonstrate an appropriate sepsis assessment.  They will express an understanding of the importance of early recognition and treatment for patients with sepsis/severe sepsis and septic shock and they will review the interventions to treat sepsis/severe sepsis and septic shock in the adult patient.

In this Sepsis scenario, the participants will discuss atypical assessment findings common in the older adult with sepsis. They will also demonstrate an understanding of importance of early recognition and treatment for patients with sepsis. The learners will discuss the roles and importance of wound care management for patients that are high-risk for Sepsis.  Etiology and the early signs and symptoms will be reviewed. 

The smoke inhalation scenario covers the adult or pediatric patient as it identifies the mechanism of injury for burns to the lower airway.  This scenario allows the learner to discuss pathophysiological changes to tissues in various burn injuries. Participants will review ventilation techniques to enhance oxygenation of the burned lower airway and pulmonary system as well as recognize and perform early management of respiratory distress and failure.

In the adult Stroke scenario, learners will review stroke epidemiology and explain the difference between an Ischemic and a hemorrhagic stroke. They will review and discuss adverse events associated with intravenous alteplase, including hemorrhage and angioedema. The learners will describe the components of prehospital and emergency department evaluation and management as well as the guidelines for early treatment and management of patients with acute stroke. The participants will review and discuss the multiple different Stroke assessment scales and tests.

The traumatic accident scenario for the adult patient will generate a differential diagnosis of potential traumatic injuries based on history, mechanism, and physical exam.  Learners will describe the components of a primary survey in a patient with abdominal trauma. They will also discuss the ongoing assessment and acute management of the critically injured trauma patient.  Working together as a team, learners will discuss the importance of past medical history and current medications as it relates to patient assessment and management. Discuss specifically how this pertains to the elderly trauma patient.

This complex multi trauma scenario helps the learner to distinguish the presence of a pneumothorax, the pathophysiology of a tension pneumothorax, and determine the correct treatment for it.  The scenario also expresses the importance of a tourniquet to control life-threatening bleeding from an arm or leg. In this scenario, the learner will demonstrate the application of a tourniquet, and how to apply pressure to control bleeding. The learner will also discuss neurological deficits from a head injury, and the need for rapid transport to an appropriate location.