NerdNurse Training Modules

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.     Identify legal penalties for abuse and neglect.

2.     Define different kinds of abuse and neglect.

3.     List ways to prevent abuse and neglect.

4.     Recognize signs of abuse and neglect.

5.     Know how to report abuse and neglect.

6.     Identify symptoms of caregiver stress that may lead to abuse or neglect.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.     Explain the purpose of Advance Directives.

2.     Describe the kinds of Advance Directives.

3.     State the difference between DNR and comfort care orders.

4.     Respond correctly to Advance Directive instructions.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:                                

1.     Describe some of the physical changes that occur at different stages of adult life.

2.     Describe some of the psychosocial issues of each stage of adult life.

3.     Explain some of the underlying reasons for the changes of aging.

4.     Apply this knowledge to provide the best possible care for adults of all ages.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.     Recognize signs of Alzheimer’s disease.

2.     Apply techniques that make caring for the client with Alzheimer’s disease easier.

3.     Use methods of handling difficult behaviors in a compassionate way.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.     Name the symptoms of arthritis.

2.     Describe different types of arthritis.

3.     Discuss how to prevent arthritis from occurring or getting worse.

4.     Explain how to treat and care for people with arthritis.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.     List causes of behavior problems.

2.     State common triggers of agitation behavior.

3.     Make changes in the environment to reduce agitation behavior.

4.     Implement ways to overcome behavior problems.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.     Explain what client rights are.

2.     Name and describe some of the most important client rights.

3.     State the rules about restraints and how they should be used.          

4.     Discuss the meaning and importance of confidentiality.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.     Define communicable disease, outbreak, epidemic, and pandemic.

2.     Describe symptoms, treatment, and prevention of some common or dangerous infectious diseases.

3.     Recognize immunizations that adults need.

4.     Use precautions that will help prevent the spread of communicable diseases.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1. State the reasons, definitions, and methods for proper cleaning and disinfecting.
2. Use safe and appropriate cleaning and disinfecting routines and schedules.
3. Clean spills of biohazardous materials such as blood and urine.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.    Describe who their customers are.

2.    Explain the importance, benefits, and principles of customer service.

3.    Describe different ways to provide quality customer service.

4.    Use rules of courtesy to create a good impression.

5.    Describe how to make the most of personal appearance and attitude.

6.    Use good telephone techniques.

7.    Name common complaints and causes of customer dissatisfaction.

8.    Explain how to help unhappy or dissatisfied customers.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1. State the definition and symptoms of dementia.
2. Describe some good ways to respond to difficult behavior.
3. Explain the importance of trying to understand what a client with dementia is thinking and feeling.
4. Discuss the difficulties faced by someone with dementia.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will:

1.    Be able to define depression and anxiety and their causes.

2.    Know the signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety.

3.    Know some ways to prevent depression and anxiety.

4.    Know how to care for people with depression or anxiety.

5.    Know the warning signs of suicide and how to prevent it.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will:

1.     Be able to discuss the difference between curing and caring.

2.     Know the goals of end-of-life care.

3.     Understand the rights, issues, and decisions of end-of-life care.

4.     Know the meaning and purpose of advance directives.

5.     Be able to describe his/her role in providing care for people who are dying or have terminal illnesses.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.     Understand special challenges faced in caring for AD clients at end of life.

2.     Understand when hospice care might be an option for end-of-life AD clients.

3.     Participate in effective strategies for communicating with end-stage AD clients.

4.     Participate effectively in care strategies for clients at end of life.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1. Respond to emergencies.
2. Recognize emergency signs and symptoms.
3. Know the content of the first aid kit.
4. Provide basic first aid for some common injuries.

Note: This lesson does NOT deal with CPR or choking, as those emergencies are usually taught in a CPR class.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.     Explain basic fire prevention and safety measures.

2.     Describe basic disaster preparation and response protocols.

3.     Use the organization’s disaster preparation and response procedures.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.     List the causes and symptoms of foodborne disease.

2.     Explain how a foodborne illness is transmitted.

3.     Discuss the problem of foodborne illness in the ill and elderly.

4.     State the factors that cause food to become unsafe.

5.     Describe appropriate attire and personal hygiene in the kitchen.

6.     Describe the four methods for thawing food.

7.     Explain the difference between cleaning and sanitizing.

8.     State how to prevent foodborne illness and protect themselves and others.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.     Explain the purpose of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

2.     Describe the privacy and confidentiality policies and procedures required by law.

3.     Implement procedures to protect client information.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.     Define the meaning and goals of assisted living and hospice.

2.     Describe the services and care provided in assisted living communities.

3.     Describe the services and care provided by hospice.

4.     Explain how hospice organizations and assisted living communities should work together.

This is a more advanced training, written at the 10th-grade level and intended for workers who take leadership roles.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.     Explain the causes of common urinary and bowel elimination problems.

2.     Describe the best ways to help clients with urinary and bowel elimination problems.

3.     Use appropriate interventions for urinary and bowel incontinence and constipation.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.     Explain how diseases move from one person to another.

2.     Discuss the four disease transmission categories.

3.     Describe Standard Precautions and how and when to use them.

4.     Describe Additional Precautions and how and when to use them.

5.     Use precautions that will help protect both workers and clients from disease.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.     Explain physical and chemical changes in the ill and elderly that affect the way their bodies absorb nutrients from food.

2.     Explain why the body needs fluids.

3.     Recognize symptoms that may be caused by not getting enough nutrients or fluids.

4.     Describe foods, nutrients, and fluids that are needed every day.

5.     Describe ways to encourage healthful eating and drinking.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1. Correctly assist with or administer different forms of medication.
2. Accurately document medications with appropriate abbreviations.
3. Explain the Six Rights of medication administration.
4. Respond correctly to a medication error.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1. Explain how certain basic classes of medication affect the human body.
2. Describe some ways medications interact with food.
3. Recognize possible signs of negative drug reactions and food/drug interactions.
4. Apply knowledge of medication actions, interactions, and precautions when assisting with medication administration and food preparation.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.     Recognize symptoms of mental illness.

2.     Describe characteristics of mental illness.

3.     List treatments and care measures for mental illness.

4.     Discuss medicines used in the treatment of mental illnesses.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.     Explain the basic elements of good nutrition and why they are important.

2.     Describe what makes up a balanced diet, including foods and amounts.

3.     State the relationship between calories, activity, and body weight.

4.     Explain some of the changes that occur with aging and illness that affect nutrition.

5.     List things that may help a sick or elderly person get good nutrition.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1. Recognize problems associated with providing adequate nutrition for those with Alzheimer's disease (AD).
2. State common signs and symptoms of nutritional deficits in clients with AD.
3. Make environmental and nutritional changes to support AD clients.
4. Summarize successful approaches to nutrition with clients with AD.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

• Explain the importance of observing, reporting and recording.
• Identify what observations need to be reported and recorded.
• Describe appropriate reporting and recording procedures.
• Maintain complete and accurate records.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.    List the causes and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD).

2.    Describe the care and treatment of clients with Parkinson’s disease.

3.    Give appropriate care to clients with Parkinson’s disease in areas of mobility, nutrition, elimination, and communication.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the risk factors for falls.
2. Implement effective interventions for preventing falls.
3. Respond appropriately to fall hazards.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.     Respect the client’s rights and privacy during the personal care process.

2.     Maintain the client’s comfort and safety while providing personal care.

3.     Correctly provide and assist with all major aspects of personal grooming.

4.     Observe the client’s condition and appropriately report problems.

A person completing this lesson will be able to:

1. describe the purpose of psychotropic medications
2. discuss psychotropic medications commonly used by the elderly
3. recognize & report side effects of psychotropic medications

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.     Explain the importance of range of motion exercises and proper positioning

2.     Demonstrate range of motion exercises

3.     Use positioning skills to assist clients with limited mobility

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.    Explain the breathing process.

2.    Recognize and report symptoms of respiratory disease.

3.    Use knowledge of respiratory disorders to provide care for clients.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.   Recognize problems associated with providing a safe environment for those with Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

2.    Summarize interventions for successful approaches to environments with clients with AD.

3.    Make changes in the environment to support safety for those with AD. 

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.     Define seizure, seizure disorder, and epilepsy.

2.     Recognize when someone is having a seizure and respond appropriately.

3.     List care measures for people on anticonvulsant medications.

4.     List risk factors for strokes.

5.     State the most common symptoms of stroke.

6.     Recognize the symptoms of stroke and respond appropriately.

This module was recently updated with the F.A.S.T. symptom guidance.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.     Describe the structure and functions of the skin.

2.     Explain what happens to the skin as people age.

3.     Care for elderly clients’ skin in a way that will prevent skin problems.

4.     Recognize and report skin problems.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.     Describe regulations that apply to your organization.

2.     Locate policy and procedure manuals and other essential information.

3.     Describe important policies and procedures in your organization.

4.     Explain how to respond when a surveyor visits your organization.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

• Support and work with team members.
• Define goals for a team.
• Apply principles of teamwork.

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.    Explain why people with dementia wander and elope.

2.    Use multiple techniques to manage clients who wander or elope.

3.    Provide a safe environment for clients who wander.

4.    Respond appropriately to an elopement.

Caring for Seizures and Strokes, Spanish Version

Building an excellent team, in Spanish.