Pharmacists

The American Society of Health‑System Pharmacists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. The program provides 2.5 hours (0.25 CEUs) of continuing education credit (program number 204‑000‑07-464-H01P).

Dietitians

This program has been approved by the Commission on Dietetic Registration for 2.5 CPEUs. Learning need codes 3000 and 5000 are associated with this program. (Web activity #08554).

This program is available for continuing education credit from March 1, 2008 through February 28, 2009.

This continuing education activity is an online activity consisting of audio, presentation slides, post test, and activity evaluation tool.  Participants must view the entire presentation, take the activity post test, and complete the course evaluation to receive continuing pharmacy education credit or continuing dietetic education credit. A minimum score of 70% is required on the test for credit to be awarded.  The estimated time required to complete this activity is two and one-half hours.

This continuing education program is beneficial for pharmacists and dietitians interested in best practices to recognize and address malnutrition in hospitalized patients.

Nutritional needs are not being met for all patients in hospitals today. It is estimated that malnutrition is present in over 40% of hospitalized patients. Compelling statistics have demonstrated that malnutrition in hospitalized patients is common and goes unrecognized and untreated in the majority of cases. Unmanaged malnutrition may result in increased morbidity and mortality, increased length of stay (LOS), and various complications such as poor wound healing and sepsis.

This educational activity will review the issue of unmanaged malnutrition in hospitalized patients, and discuss ways to better identify and recognize patients at risk of malnutrition.  The faculty will discuss ways to address the problem with existing nutritional interventions, including an increasing trend toward the use of standardized parenteral nutrition (PN). Additionally, management of electrolytes “outside” of the PN route versus the traditional adjustment of electrolytes in the PN will be addressed, including the increasing use of standardized PN therapies in hospitals regardless of size and availability of PN specialists. The increasing role of pharmacists and dietitians in the management of PN will also be discussed.

After participating in this educational activity, participants should be able to:

• Assess a hospitalized patient's risk for malnutrition, given pertinent clinical information and laboratory values.
• List and describe problems that can result from unmanaged malnutrition in hospitalized patients.
• Describe the role of standardized parenteral nutrition therapies in most practice settings regardless of hospital size.
• List several patient safety challenges associated with the use of parenteral nutrition.
• Describe alternative methods to managing electrolyte imbalances in patients on parenteral nutrition.
• Discuss the collaborative role of pharmacists and dietitians in the management of parenteral nutrition.
  

Todd W. Canada, Pharm.D., BCNSP, FASHP
Moderator
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Critical Care Nutrition Support
University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, Texas 

Mary E. Hise, Ph.D., R.D., CNSD
Associate Professor
Department of Dietetics and Nutrition Support Services
University of Kansas Medical Center
Kansas City, Kansas 

Michael D. Sanborn, M.S., R.Ph, FASHP
Corporate Director of Pharmacy
Baylor Health Care System
Dallas, Texas