Immunosuppressed Patient: How It Impacts Critical Care

Activity Summary

Required reading for all learners: Implicit Bias impacts patient outcomes

Immunotherapy is a type of biological therapy which employs substances to stimulate or suppress the immune system to help the body fight against what it perceives to be a foreign substance. The antigen-antibody reaction results in a cytokine storm that hopefully destroys the target. Immunotherapy includes monoclonal antibodies, checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cellular therapies which can lead to an inflammatory response, resulting in significant clinical deterioration that requires critical care interventions. Pharmacology content = 50%.

Objectives

Articulate how care of the immunosuppressed patients is impacted by these new therapies.
Compare immunotherapy agents and their side effects regarding patients.
Differentiate care of the immunosuppressed patient from the care of other critically ill patients.

Continuing Education Disclosure Statement

Successful Completion

Learners must attend/view/read the entire activity and complete the associated evaluation to be awarded the contact hours or CERP. No partial credit will be awarded.

Disclosure

This activity has been reviewed by the Nurse Planner. It has been determined that the material presented here shows no bias. No conflicts of interest have been identified for any individual with the ability to influence the content of this activity. Accreditation refers to recognition of continuing education only and does not imply AACN or ANCC approval or endorsement of any commercial products discussed or displayed in conjunction with this educational activity.

Accreditation

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's (ANCC's) Commission on Accreditation, ANCC Provider Number 0012. AACN has been approved as a provider of continuing education in nursing by the California State Board of Nursing (CBRN), California Provider number CEP 1036. This activity is approved for 1.00 contact hours.

AACN programming meets the standards for most states that require mandatory continuing education contact hours for license and/or certification renewal. AACN recommends consulting with your state board of nursing or credentialing organization before submitting CE to fulfill continuing education requirements.