MEDICAL-SURGICAL REVIEW AND UPDATE 2012
Enhancing Medical-Surgical
Nursing Practice
Improve Your Practice and Prepare for Certification
AN ONLINE COURSE for REGISTERED NURSES
SUMMER COURSE
June 11 - August 19, 2012
AUTUMN COURSE
September 10 - November 19, 2012
Co-Providers
University of Washington School of Nursing, Continuing Nursing Education
University of Washington Medical Center/UW Medicine
MEDICAL-SURGICAL REVIEW & UPDATE 2012
Enhancing Medical-Surgical Nursing Practice
Improve Your Practice and Prepare for Certification
A 10-Week Online Course
For registered nurses, including experienced medical-surgical nurses, nurse educators,
ambulatory care and specialty care nurses, nurses in transition to new units and work
settings, and nurses re-entering the nursing profession.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This online continuing education course is designed to:
• Update and enhance your medical-surgical nursing knowledge and practice.
• Support you in preparing for certification in medical-surgical nursing.
The course is presented in an online format tailored to adult learners who are busy
health care professionals. Teaching methods include lectures, supplementary media
presentations, case studies, simulated testing, online discussion, reflective learning, and
a comprehensive online syllabus.
ONLINE COURSE FORMAT

Schedule: The course is presented over 10 weeks with modules assigned weekly.
You can follow the recommended schedule or work ahead on your own timeline.
All requirements must be completed by the last day of the 10-week period to earn
contact hours.

Time required: A typical week requires 5-7 hours of study and begins with an
overview from the instructor. Course work includes watching 1-2 lectures per
week, reviewing supplementary resources, taking weekly practice tests, reviewing
annotated answers and test-taking tips, completing weekly evaluations, submitting
three clinical examples, and completing the final course evaluation.
 Content: The course includes 17 lectures presented by expert clinicians and recorded
January-April 2012 during a course transmitted to over 500 nurses at 25 clinical
agencies in seven states.
 Course syllabus: Handouts for each lecture are provided online, along with
templates for creating and organizing your course binder.
 Hone your test-taking skills: Brief practice tests are provided for each module to
promote self-assessment and test-taking experience. Annotated answers and testtaking tips are included. Tests are required but not graded.
 Learn with a mentor and small group of colleagues: The course instructor is an
experienced medical-surgical nurse educator who guides you through the course,
answers questions, and monitors your progress towards course completion. You can
submit questions and discuss practice issues with your instructor and with other
nurses in the course.
 Earn continuing education contact hours: You will receive a certificate for 50 contact
hours after successfully completing course requirements: online course forms, weekly
practice tests, weekly and overall course evaluations, and three “Clinical Examples”
describing situations in which you apply course content or experience an “ah ha!”
moment that enhances your practice.
I loved it--the quality of the speakers was superb!
I thought I had a pretty good grounding in most of
these topics but I took away new knowledge and
practical tips from each lecturer.

What
participants
are saying
about this
course...
Excellent course. I wasn’t sure how viewing online
lectures would be, but I found it worked very well.
Speakers were engaging and I felt like I was at the
seminar!
The pace was perfect, the incentives to keep up were
helpful, and the topics were great! I really enjoyed
the course.
The ability to replay lectures was “oh so cool!”
I gained a lot of confidence that I have the knowledge
to practice safe, effective and evidence-based nursing.
I think every nurse should take this course.
OBJECTIVES
After completing this course, you will be prepared to:
• Discuss the etiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, nursing process, and patient education
related to common medical-surgical diagnoses.
• Apply evidence-based strategies to nursing assessment and interventions.
• Discuss strategies that enhance patient safety.
• Explain the process of applying for national certification in medical-surgical nursing.
• Describe a situation in which course content is applied to nursing practice.
CONTINUING EDUCATION CONTACT HOURS
50 contact hours will be awarded for successful completion of this course.
Requirements:
1. Complete course lectures, study questions, and an evaluation for each module.
2. Submit a minimum of 3 clinical examples.
3. Complete the overall course evaluation.
Accreditation:
• The University of Washington School of Nursing (UWSON) is accredited as a provider of
continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on
Accreditation.
• Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #07218, for 50
contact hours.
• UWSON is approved as a Washington state clock hour provider by the Washington State Board
of Education.
UPCOMING CONFERENCE
10th Annual Update in Medical-Surgical Nursing
SAVE THE DATE!
Thursday-Friday • October 25-26, 2012
Shoreline Conference Center, Seattle
COURSE TOPICS
Module 1 A Caring Model
Kristin Swanson
Module 2
Fluid and Electrolytes Acid /Base Balance
Cindy Sayre
Module 3
Neurological Impairment
Barb Otto
Module 4 Renal System Nancy Colobong Smith
Module 5 Sepsis Management
Mary Jo Kelly
Module 6
Infection Prevention
Will Shelton
Module 7
Respiratory Disorders Jeni A. Brooke
Module 8 Orthopedic Topics
Joanie Santucci
Module 9 Cardiovascular Impairment Sheryl Greco
Module 10
Caring for the Older Adult
Barbara Albertson
Module 11
Legal and Ethical Issues
Patsy Treece
Module 12
Hematologic Disorders Lenise Taylor
Module 13 Wound Care Colleen Karvonen
Module 14 Mental Health Issues Carrol Alvarez
Module 15 GI Disorders Nancy Unger
Module 16 Acute Pain Management Sheri Wyant
Module 17
Endocrine Disorders
Cindy Sayre
Module 18
Course Wrap-Up
Connie Hirnle
MEDIA PRESENTATIONS (Supplementary)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Applying for Certification
Clinical Questions
Part 1: Navigating Your Way Towards a Good Clinical Question
Part 2: Locating Clinical Information—FAST!
Part 3: Evidence-Based Resources for Answering Clinical Questions
Discharge Planning
Domestic Violence
Fall Prevention
Joint Replacement
Nursing Process
Nursing Research & Quality Improvement Patient-Centered Care: The Cultural Component
Preparing for the Exam
Professional Issues
Test-Taking Tips
SPEAKERS
Barbara Albertson, MN, RN-BC, Clinical Nurse Educator, UWMC
Carrol Alvarez, MS, RN, CS, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Clinical Education, HMC
Jeni A Brooke, RRT, Respiratory Care Practitioner, HMC
Sheryl Greco, MN, RN, CCRN, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Critical Care/Cardiovascular, UWMC
Colleen Karvonen, MN, RN, CMSRN, CWON, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Wound/Ostomy, UWMC;
Clinical Faculty, BNHS, School of Nursing UW
Mary Jo Kelly, RN, MN, CCRN, CCNS, ACNS-BC, Acute Care Surgery and Pain CNS, HMC
Barb Otto, MSN, RN, CNRN, OCN, Neurosurgery Clinic Nurse, Swedish Neuroscience Institute,
Cherry Hill Campus
Joanie Santucci, MN, RN, ONC, CWCN, Clinical Nurse Specialist, HMC; Clinical Faculty, BNHS, UW
Cindy Sayre, MN, ARNP, Director, Professional Practice and Patient-Family Centered Care, UWMC;
Clinical Faculty, BNHS, School of Nursing, UW
Will Shelton, M(ASCP), CIC, Director, Epidemiology and Employee Health, Swedish Medical Center,
Seattle
Nancy Colobong Smith, MN, ARNP, CNN, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Renal and Transplant, UWMC
Kristin Swanson, PhD, RN, FAAN, Dean and Alumni Distinguished Professor, School of Nursing,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Lenise Taylor, MN, RN, AOCNS, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Hematologic Malignancies/BMT, Seattle
Cancer Care Alliance/UWMC
Patsy Treece, MN, RN, Critical Care Research Nurse, HMC; Clinical Faculty, BNHS, UW
Nancy Unger, MN, MPH, RN-BC, COCN, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Acute Care, HMC; Clinical Faculty,
BNHS, UW
Sheri Wyant, MSN, RN-BC, OCN, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Pain Management, UWMC; Clinical
Faculty, BNHS, UW
BNHS=Biobehavioral Nursing & Health Systems, School of Nursing
HMC=Harborview Medical Center/UW Medicine, Seattle
UW=University of Washington, Seattle
UWMC=University of Washington Medical Center/UW Medicine, Seattle
CLASS SCHEDULE
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Summer 2012
June 11-17
June 18-24
June 25-July 1
July 2-July 8
July 9-15
July 16-22
July 23-29
July 30-Aug 5 Aug 6-12
Aug 13-19
Autumn 2012
Sep 10-16
Sep 17-23
Sep 24-30
Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14
Oct 15-21
Oct 22-28
Oct 29-Nov 4
Nov 5-11
Nov 12-19
Modules
1, 2
3, 4
5, 6
7, 8
9
10, 11
12, 13
14, 15
16 17, 18
Media
1
10, 12
3, 7
5, 6
2
4, 11
9
8
COURSE TEAM
Online Course Instructor
Constance Hirnle, MN, RN-BC
Course Co-Director; Senior Lecturer, BNHS,
School of Nursing, UW; Clinical Education
Specialist, Virginia Mason Medical Center,
Seattle
Course Facilitators
Colleen Karvonen, MN, RN, CMSRN, CWON, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Wound/Ostomy,
UWMC; Clinical Faculty, BNHS, School of Nursing, UW
Constance Hirnle, MN, RN-BC, Senior Lecturer, BNHS, School of Nursing, UW; Clinical
Education Specialist, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle
Cindy Sayre, MN, ARNP, Course Co-Director; Director, Patient Care Services, UWMC;
Clinical Faculty, BNHS, School of Nursing, UW
Nancy Colobong Smith, MN, ARNP, CNN, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Renal and Transplant,
UWMC
Sheri Wyant, MSN, OCN, RN-BC, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Pain Management, UWMC;
Clinical Faculty, BNHS, School of Nursing, UW
Planning and Advisory Committee
Martha DuHamel, MPH, Assistant Dean, CNE
Constance Hirnle, MN, RN-BC*
Colleen Karvonen, MN, RN, CMSRN, CWON*
Cindy Sayre, MN, ARNP*
Nancy Colobong Smith, MN, ARNP, CNN*
Shannon Summers, MEd, MCHES, Continuing Education Specialist, CNE
Joie Whitney, PhD, RN, CWCN, FAAN, Professor, BNHS, School of Nursing, UW
Lorie Wild, PhD, RN-BC, CNAA, Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Associate Administrator,
Patient Care Services, UWMC; Clinical Faculty, BNHS, UW
Sheri Wyant, MSN, OCN, RN-BC*
BNHS=Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Systems
CNE=Continuing Nursing Education, School of Nursing, UW
UW=University of Washington, Seattle
UWMC=University of Washington Medical Center, UW Medicine, Seattle
*Also listed under Course Facilitators
TEXTBOOKS (Optional)
1.Craven, H, Ed. (2009). Core Curriculum for Medical Surgical
Nursing, 4th Edition. Pitman, NJ: AMSN (Academy of MedicalSurgical Nurses). Available online at www.amsn@ajj.com
or call 866-877-2676.
2.Roberts D, Ed. (2008). AMSN Medical Surgical Nursing Review
Questions. Available online at www.amsn@ajj.com or call
866-877-2676.
3.Springhouse (2007). Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification, 4th Edition.
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Available through UW Book Store, 1-877-335-7323
or 206-543-6582. (Shipping and handling are free.)
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Early registration is advised.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
To enroll in this course, you must have:
1. The ability to learn in an independent setting.
2. Access to a computer with DSL or broadband connection and a printer. Before you register,
test your computer setup to be sure you can hear sound, view streaming media and work with
Word and PDF documents. To test your computer, go to:
www.uwcne.org/streamtest.asp
HOW TO REGISTER
Register online
at uwcne.org!
To register, follow the simple steps below:
1. Go to the UWCNE website at uwcne.org and click on Special Programs at the top of the page
and choose Med-Surg Nursing.
2. Scroll down to Medical-Surgical Nursing Review & Update—Online and choose the Summer or
Fall 2012 Course. Click on Registration.
3. Put a check mark on your choice under Click to Register and click on Add to Cart. Follow the
directions on the screen to submit your registration. You are then ready to Go to Class.
4. Please write down your email and password used to register for this class. You will need to enter
this login information when entering the course website.
You can take breaks and log off at any time. To resume study, just click on Log In at the top of
uwcne.org and go directly to class. Keep track of your progress with your My CE!
COURSE FEE Individual Rate
Summer Course: June 11-Aug 19, 2012 ...................................................... $695.00
Autumn Course: Sept 10-Nov 19, 2012 . ..................................................... $695.00
Register online at uwcne.org. On the first day of class, you will receive email instructions to access
an orientation and begin the course. Check your “junk mail” if you do not receive a confirmation
email after registering or the welcome email on the first day of class!
Refund Policy: If you register and then withdraw prior to the first class, you may request a refund
less $50 for processing.
Discounts: There are no faculty, student or group discounts for this course.
REGISTRATION DEADLINES
After these dates, registrations will be accepted on a space available basis.
SUMMER COURSE June 10, 2012
AUTUMN COURSE
September 9, 2012
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COURSE?
For more information, visit uwcne.org. Click on Special Programs/Med-Surg Nursing.
Contact Shannon Summers at sbb82@uw.edu or 206-221-4963.
University of Washington Continuing Nursing Education • UWCNE
Box 359440, Seattle, WA 98195-9440
PH: 206-543-1047 • FAX: 206-543-6953 • WEB: uwcne.org • EMAIL: cne@uw.edu
Box 359440
Seattle, WA 98195-9440
67-3944
MEDICAL-SURGICAL REVIEW & UPDATE 2012
Enhancing Medical-Surgical Nursing Practice
Improve Your Practice and Prepare for Certification
A 10-WEEK ONLINE COURSE
Summer Course: June 11 - August 19, 2012
Autumn Course: September 10 - November 19, 2012
Eight Benefits of this Online Course!
Earn 50 contact hours.
Learn at your own pace in your own home.
Save travel and lodging expenses.
Watch lectures by expert clinicians.
yInteract online with course instructors who are expert medical-surgical nurses.
zPractice your test-taking skills online.
{Access class resources for a year after the course.
|Gain self-confidence, competence, leadership, and initiative.
This course is supported in part by funds from a training grant from the Division of Nursing, Bureau of
Health Professions, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and
Human Services(DHHS) under grant #D11HP14630-01-00, “Using Technology to Enhance MedicalSurgical Nursing,” 2009-2012.