Older Surgical Patient Case

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Product ID: 20907

Abstract:

During the surgery clerkship, medical students are exposed to many elderly patients and cover age-related issues on a case-by-base basis. The purpose of this educational initiative is to reach all of the medical students during their surgery clerkship to ensure a baseline of knowledge, skill, and attitude for caring for the older surgical patient. Through a problem-based learning case and working in teams, students will address the following topics: co-morbidity and frailty assessment, discussion of peri-operative assessment and decision-making with regard to surgery, and transitional care planning of the older surgery patient.

Documents associated with this product:

You must log in to view documents and videos.

Educational objectives:

Students will appreciate the unique problems of the increasing number of older adult patients undergoing abdominal surgery
Students will characterize the medical and surgical causes of acute abdominal pain in the older adult patient
Students will discuss the approach to an older adult patient with an acute abdomen
Students will appreciate the complex decision-making and rationale for the management options for an older adult surgical patient (i.e. emergent surgery, serial abdominal exams, and non-operative management)
Students will recognize the peri-operative complications common in the older adult surgical patient
Students will recognize different sites of care for older adults to recover after surgery

Date posted:

Fri, 09/30/2011

Date last updated:

Mon, 04/04/2011

CME credits available:

Has this product been peer reviewed?:

Geriatrics topic areas:

Aging Principles

Approach to the Geriatric Patient

Geriatric Syndromes

Models of Care

Transitions of Care

Discipline/specialty:

Surgery

ACGME competency checklist:

Practice-Based Learning and Improvement

Medical Knowledge

Patient Care

Systems-Based Practice

Learning resource types:

Case-Study/Case Series

Learner Assessment

Intended learner audience:

Medical Student Clinical

Minimum geriatric competencies:

16. Accurately identify clinical situations where life expectancy, functional status, patient preference or goals of care should override standard recommendations for treatment in older adults.

18. Generate a differential diagnosis based on recognition of the unique presentations of common conditions in older adults, including acute coronary syndrome, dehydration, urinary tract infection, acute abdomen, and pneumonia.

22. Identify potential hazards of hospitalization for all older adult patients (including immobility, delirium, medication side effects, malnutrition, pressure ulcers, procedures, peri and post operative periods, transient urinary incontinence, and hospital acquired infections) and identify potential prevention strategies.

25. Communicate the key components of a safe discharge plan (e.g., accurate medication list, plan for follow-up), including comparing/contrasting potential sites for discharge.

Authors:

Amy Corcoran

Rachel Kelz

Creative Commons License:

Conflict of Interest Guidelines:

I have NO financial relationships to disclose.

NLM Citation:

Corcoran, A and Kelz, R. Older Surgical Patient Case. POGOe - Portal of Geriatric Online Education; 2011 Available from: http://www.pogoe.org/productid/20907

APA Citation:

Corcoran, A and Kelz, R. (2011). Older Surgical Patient Case. POGOe - Portal of Geriatric Online Education. Retrieved November 03, 2011 from http://www.pogoe.org/productid/20907

141 reads
Login or register to post comments
Printer-friendly version

Home

Secondary links