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Acute Agitation Management Across Health Care Settings

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Activity Dates: 04/18/2023 - 04/18/2026

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Session Time and Location

The live session is complete.

Target Audience

If you are a pharmacist, nurse practitioner, or other health care professional involved in the comprehensive medication management of individuals living with mental health and/or substance use disorders, we invite you to participate in this online course.

Session Summary

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), agitation is defined as an excessive motor activity associated with a feeling of inner tension. The activity is usually nonproductive and repetitive, and not necessarily associated with violence or aggression. However, escalation to violent and aggressive behaviors can occur, especially in instances of improper management. Acute agitation frequently occurs in people living with psychiatric conditions as well as some general medical conditions. There is little systematic research in this field which makes determining the prevalence of acute agitation difficult; however, inpatient, outpatient, and emergency therapeutic settings all have different rates of agitation episodes that range from 10.5%to 52%. Appropriate assessment and management remain clinically relevant issues across hospital settings and diagnoses. Involuntary medication, physical constraint, and seclusion may be used unnecessarily due to ineffective early detection and management of agitation. As agitation is linked to an increased risk of aggression and violence, early detection of agitation in a therapeutic environment is critical. In a clinical context, this is critical to protect the patient’s, family’s, and healthcare staff’s safety. To ensure the safety of patients as well as healthcare professionals, it is important to understand the current strategies and pharmacologic treatments available for current management. Additionally, as practitioners, pharmacists should be aware of new and developing therapeutic options for the management of agitation to ensure the most appropriate pharmacotherapy is being utilized. Overall, participants will learn the general management and assessment of acute agitation as well as discover new and emerging treatment options.

Course Requirements

To receive ACPE credit for this session, you must:

  • Sign in (or create a FREE account).
  • Register for this course.
  • Review the full content of the activity and reflect upon its teachings.
  • Complete the post-test at the end of the activity no later than the closing activity date.
  • Complete the evaluation at the end of the activity.
  • If necessary, complete the post-test retest no later than the closing activity date.
  • Receive a passing grade (70%).
  • Provide the necessary details in your profile to ensure correct reporting by AAPP to CPE Monitor.

Upon successful completion, ACPE credit is reported within 24 hours to CPE Monitor although transcripts can be retrieved by participants online in their ACPE Transcript.

Faculty Information

Jennifer Dress, PharmD, BCPP

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Learning Objectives

  1. Recall agitation assessment rating scales and appropriate utilization in various clinical practice settings.
  2. Describe newly approved and emerging treatment options for the management of acute agitation.
  3. Apply nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic approaches to the management of acute agitation across various settings and patient populations.
  4. Identify potential improvements to the current management of agitation, including considerations for treatment barriers such as medication shortages.

Continuing Education Credit and Disclosures

Activity Dates: 04/18/2023 - 04/18/2026
ACPE Contact Hours: 1
ACPE Number: 0284-0000-23-037-H01-P (Knowledge)
Nursing Credit Reminder: Note that ACPE credit is accepted for ANCC Certification Renewal and AANPCB advanced practice provider content. For specific questions related to your organization's acceptance of ACPE continuing education units, please contact your organization directly.

ACPEThe American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.

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