PC 8: Geriatric Emergency Medicine

Course Directors

  • Aine Mitchell, Ireland

Faculty

  • James Wallace, UK
  • Pieter Heeren, Belgium
  • Arjun Thaur, UK
  • Rosa McNamara, Ireland
  • Ruth Sneep, the Netherlands
  • James van Oppen, UK
  • Bas de Groot, the Netherlands

Participants

The course is designed for 24 participants (Emergency clinicians, residents, nurses and paramedics more than welcome).

Course description  

The number of older patients in the Emergency Department is rising. Many of these older patients suffer from complex comorbidities, frailty and are at risk of adverse outcomes. Working with frail older patients can be difficult for those working in Emergency Medicine, however it is becoming more and more important.

This  ‘hands on’ pre-course has the goal to improve the knowledge and skills regarding Geriatric Emergency Medicine of the participants. We start with one lecture after which the rest of the day will be filled with working groups and scenario’s with small groups.

The participants will be provided with practical tips and clinical education points with which they can start working when they are back in their own hospital.

Using several themes the main issues of working with older patients in the ED will be discussed, such as frailty, the older trauma patient, sepsis, pain management, syncope, polypharmacy, cognitive impairment and end-of-life care.

Learning objectives

  • To teach participants about general concepts of Geriatric Emergency Medicine such as frailty and its implications when working in the ED
  • To give participants clinical education about older patients with:
    • Trauma
    • Sepsis
    • Deprescribing / polypharmacy
    • Pain management
    • Abdominal pain
    • Syncope
    • Delirium and cognitive impairment
  • To give participants training on how to discuss end of life care in the ED

EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL

Prior to the course a information pack will be sent to the participants with background information to study, this way we can focus on practical work during the pre-course.

To be handed over onsite at the course:
A ‘take home info pack’ will be provided to give the delegates an appreciation of the impact what having a diagnosis of frailty can mean for the trajectory/outcomes of an older person presenting to the emergency department, with written information about the wider implications of frailty on outcomes. This will contain a number of carefully selected review articles as food for thought for interested candidates. Also handouts of the slides and the summary of the key learning points will be provided.

Schedule thursday 28 october

08:30-08:40

General introduction (program, general notices)

08:40-09:00

General introduction into Geriatric Emergency Medicine

09:00-10:40

Working groups 4x25 minutes 

Station 1: Scenario 

Station 2: Scenario 

Station 3: Table top discussion

Station 4: Table top discussion 

10:40-11:00

Coffee break 

11:00-12:40

Working groups 4x25 minutes 

Station 1: Scenario 

Station 2: Scenario 

Station 3: Table top discussion

Station 4: Table top discussion

12:40-12:55

Summary of key-learning points

12:55-13:00

Closing & evaluation