Series Overview:

Since the advent of penicillin in the 1940s, medications have played an important role in the treatment of infectious diseases. Initially focused on the development and use of antibiotics to treat bacterial infections, in recent decades, the focus has broadened to include antifungal and antiviral agents. Because nurses are frequently called upon to administer anti-infective agents, this series was developed to provide the information they need to recognize the signs and symptoms of infection, the medications typically used in treatment and the associated precautions and side effects.

The programs in this series are:

• Anti-Infective Medication Therapy: Assessment of an Infection
• Anti-Infective Medication Therapy: Nursing Implications
• Anti-Infective Medication Therapy: Sulfonamides and Penicillins
• Anti-Infective Medication Therapy: Cephalosporins, Aminoglycosides, Macrolides and Quinolones
• Anti-Infective Medication Therapy: Antifungal and Antiviral Agents
• Anti-Infective Medication Therapy: Antitubercular Agents
  
  

This series is designated for a total of 3 contact hours of continuing nursing education.

Overview:

This program covers an overview of pathogens, the general signs and symptoms of infection and the cultures and tests used to identify them.

Objectives:

After completing this course, the learner should be able to:

• Describe the major pathogen types and some of the major diseases they cause.
• Identify common signs and symptoms of infection.
• Identify the main tests used to identify infectious pathogens