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Disciplines:
  • Nursing
  • Advanced Practice Nursing
Hours: 5 Contact Hours (5 Pharm Hours)
Author(s): Thom Kim Nguyen, PharmD, BCPS, CTTS
Peer Reviewer(s):
  • Kristine Willett, BS, PharmD, FASHP
  • Latanja L. Divens, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
Item#: N1717
Contents: 1 Course Book (68 pages)
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Understanding Hypertension: Treatment and Management
Price $26.95
Item # N1717
High-Level Content
When available, the Online Course format is included with the hard copy, eBook, or audio book formats!

Release Date: September 22, 2016

Expiration Date: September 30, 2019

Hypertension (HTN) is a common disease that affects millions of Americans without any warning. It is defined as a persistent elevated blood pressure and is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, thus early detection is imperative. Increasing screening and diagnosis of HTN, and improving control of BP with appropriate treatment are important preventative measures to reduce CV morbidity and mortality. Therefore, a systematic understanding of the management of HTN is essential for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) working in direct patient care to help further improve HTN control.

The purpose of this course is to increase the knowledge of APRNs on the diagnosis, counseling, and management of HTN. Management of treatment-resistant HTN is beyond the scope of this course. After completion of this course, APRNs will be able to select and implement appropriate first-line and add-on treatment for the management of HTN based on current evidence-based practice guidelines. They will be able to identify appropriate therapeutic goals based on stages of HTN and comorbidities. Additionally, they will be able to provide effective education and counseling on medication management and lifestyle modifications. As a result, these clinicians will be able to incorporate evidence-based strategies, tools, and patient resources into the workflow to enhance quality of care.

 

Kentucky APRNs - Fulfills pharmacology requirement.

Course Objectives

  • Define hypertension (HTN), the diagnostic criteria of HTN, and the overall purpose of treating HTN.
  • Compare and contrast the differences between essential HTN and secondary causes of HTN.
  • Describe the pathophysiology of HTN and the regulation of blood pressure (BP).
  • Identify the cardiovascular (CV) complications that are associated with HTN and related targetorgan damage.
  • Interpret the key differences among various clinical treatment HTN guidelines.
  • Recognize appropriate ambulatory and home BP monitoring and measurement.
  • Describe important elements of patient counseling regarding HTN, lifestyle modification, and drug therapy.
  • List clinical considerations of antihypertensive agents.
  • Outline evidenced-based pharmacotherapy options used to treat patients with HTN with or without compelling indications, and describe supporting evidence for these recommendations.
  • Choose appropriate drug therapy and monitoring plans for patients with HTN.

 

Thom Kim Nguyen, PharmD, BCPS, CTTS, is a clinical assistant professor of pharmacy practice at the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in Piscataway, New Jersey. Dr. Nguyen received her doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) degree from the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy. She completed 2 years of postgraduate residency training in pharmacy practice and in pharmacotherapy with a focus on ambulatory care. She also obtained board certification in pharmacotherapy in 2013 and tobacco treatment and medication therapy management in 2014.

Her area of practice is in ambulatory care services at Hunterdon Medical Center in Flemington, New Jersey. Dr. Nguyen’s responsibilities include outpatient care at several family medicine practices and at a cardiopulmonary rehabilitation center. With board-approved collaborative practice agreements, Dr. Nguyen is able to deliver and provide services such as anticoagulation management, smoking cessation, and hypertension management to patients and the healthcare team autonomously.

Dr. Nguyen is a member of several national and state pharmacy organizations, including the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP), and the New Jersey Society of Health-System Pharmacists (NJSHP).

 

Kristine Willett, BS, PharmD, FASHP, completed her doctor of pharmacy degree at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS), School of Pharmacy, Worcester, and a postgraduate residency in pharmacy practice at Aurora Health Care in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Since 2005, she has been on faculty at MCPHS University. She currently is an associate professor of pharmacy practice. Dr. Willett’s content expertise area is adult internal medicine with a focus on cardiology. Her primary teaching responsibilities include sessions in the cardiology and critical care modules in pharmacotherapeutics. She also serves as a clinical preceptor for internal medicine pharmacy students in their advance pharmacy practice experiences. Dr. Willett is a clinical preceptor for Concord Hospital’s ASHP Accredited Pharmacy Practice Residency and an academic preceptor for the Regulatory Affairs Fellowship in Advertising, Labeling and Promotion at Biogen.

Latanja L. Divens, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, is an instructor of nursing in both the undergraduate and graduate nursing programs at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. Dr. Divens earned a bachelor of science degree in biology from Xavier University of Louisiana and a bachelor of science in nursing degree from Our Lady of Holy Cross College. She received both her master degree in nursing as a family nurse practitioner (FNP) and the
doctor of nursing practice degree from Loyola University New Orleans. She is board certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as a primary care FNP and has been in this role for 9 years. As an FNP, Dr. Divens has extensive experience in the areas of family practice, nephrology, and gastroenterology. Her passion lies in caring for patients with chronic diseases and serving the underserved populations.

  • Courses must be completed on or before the expiration date noted in the course description above.
  • You must score 75% or higher on the final exam and complete the course evaluation to pass this course and receive a certificate of completion.
  • Through our review processes, Western Schools ensures that this course content is presented in a balanced, unbiased manner and is free from commercial influence. It is Western Schools’ policy not to accept commercial support.
  • All persons involved in the planning and development of this course have disclosed no relevant financial relationships or other conflicts of interest related to the course content.