Antidepressant use in the United States has increased nearly 65% over a 15-year timeframe (from 1999-2014) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2017). This rise in antidepressant use increases the risk of serotonin syndrome for patients in both the perioperative setting and in pain clinics where the administration, and/or prescribing, of opioid analgesics is common practice. This online education module is specifically intended for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) who work in the perioperative setting, pain clinics, or other areas where opioid analgesics are commonly administered or prescribed but can be useful to other healthcare professionals as well. When serotonin syndrome is misdiagnosed or not recognized and treated in a timely manner, it can rapidly become a life-threatening condition.

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ACCREDITATION STATEMENT

AdventHealth University Division – echelon® is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

echelon® is an approved CE provider by the Florida Board of Nursing.

AdventHealth University Division echelon is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing. Provider Number CPE16352.

NOTE: This activity may be available in multiple formats or from different sponsors; individuals may not repeat and report a self-learning activity for credit twice in the same biennium.

Upon completion of this course, program participants will be able to:

1. Defining and understand the causes of serotonin syndrome.
2. Determining the impact healthcare professionals can have on improving the gap in knowledge regarding serotonin syndrome development in patients taking antidepressant medications presenting to pain clinics or for surgery where opioid analgesics are prescribed and administered.
3. Reviewing the signs and symptoms of a patient experiencing serotonin syndrome.
4. Discussing patient populations who are at an increased risk of developing serotonin syndrome.
5. Specifying serotonergic antidepressants and opioid analgesics medications associated with serotonin syndrome as well as other pro-serotonergic drugs and their association with serotonin syndrome.
6. Selecting opioid analgesics that have not been associated with serotonin syndrome to assist with pain management of patients at an increased risk of developing serotonin syndrome.
7. Utilizing the Hunter Serotonin Toxicity Criteria for diagnosing serotonin syndrome.
8. Analyzing the necessary treatment plan for patinets presenting with mild to severe signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome.
9. Differentiating between conditions that closely resemble serotonin syndrome.

Completion Requirements: To receive continuing education credit commensurate with the credit awarded for this on-line activity, the participant must:

• View all modules and cases studies.
• Participate and pass all Self-Checks and Post Test(s).
• Complete and submit the on-line evaluation.

Certificates of Completion: will be available to print immediately upon finishing the completion requirements. You are encouraged to print and save your certificate for your portfolio as required by your licensing body. Interdisciplinary accredited activities, activities having multiple accreditors, will be listed individually on the Certificate of Completion.

Non-Endorsement of Products: echelon®, as an accredited provider, has demonstrated proficient experience and viable resources to provide for valid and reliable evaluation of CE activities. The accuracy of the facts and opinions contained in this activity are the responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of echelon® or its sponsors. Practitioners should consult primary resources, state regulations, and their healthcare facility policies and procedures for specific application of said content to their local situation. echelon® does not imply that there is real or implied endorsement of any product, service, or company neither referred to in this activity nor of any company subsidizing costs related to this activity. All information contained in this activity is for educational purposes only.

Electronic Record Retention: All activity records are kept on file for a minimum of six (6) years.

Relevant Financial Relationships: echelon® also chooses full disclosure with each activity to report any relevant financial relationship affiliation or support in conjunction with the planning or development of any activity.

*There are no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies for those involved with the ability to control the content of this activity.