The healthcare provider clinical education program ensures that providers know how to recognize and manage the constantly changing drugs of abuse and less common toxicities that may show up in their emergency departments. To that end, the Washington Poison Center gives talks on these issues to local health jurisdictions, hospitals, and clinical conferences, including critical access hospitals in Central Washington, which are affected by large outdoor electronic dance music events. The discussions focus on allocating resources for critically ill patients and drug toxicity recognition.
WAPC also provides education aimed at snakebite envenomation. The snakebite envenomation program was launched in the summer of 2016, concentrating on those high-risk communities and hospitals that frequently treat snakebites in the state. Healthcare providers were trained in the recognition of venomous species, clinical symptoms of envenomation, and the judicious and appropriate use of antivenin.
Other educational offerings available include:
- Approach to the Poisoned Patient
- Specific Medication Toxicities
- Drugs of Abuse
- Over the Counter Toxic Medications
- Snakebites and other envenomations
- Chemical Terrorism
- Pediatric poisonings
- Case studies/presentations relevant to your healthcare facility/organization
- Topics specific to your needs can be prepared.
Trainings can take place in person or online. Contact Stephanie Garland, PharmD, CSPI at sgarland@wapc.org to learn more and to schedule.