Poisonings in the Home and Community: Assessment and Emergency Response

Clinical Toxicology: Poisons in the Home and Community will cover clinical assessment & emergency response.

Here are the overall learning objectives for this course:

1.    Describe the epidemiology of poisonings to include most common age groups, scenarios, substances involved, and outcomes.

2.    List the steps taken if confronted with a poisoning to include appropriate first-aid, history necessary to assess a poisoning, and appropriate emergency response (poison control center, 9-1-1).

3.    Recognize the hazard potential among common household products (cleaning agents, personal care products, hydrocarbons, caustics).

4.    Describe the clinical presentation and emergency treatment for poisonings caused by plants and mushrooms, venoms, stimulants, and depressants.

5.    Identify useful clinical signs and symptoms to diagnose a suspected poisoning.  

6.    Describe the advantages and disadvantages of methods to decontaminate a poisoned patient.

7.    List the steps taken to manage a comatose poisoned patient to include supportive care and use of antidotes.

Lectures will be provided by the following speakers as follows:

Week 1: General Principles & Household Hazards — Tom Kearney

Week 2: Plants & Mushrooms — Ilene Anderson

Week 3: Venoms — Lee Cantrell

Week 4: Stimulants — Patil Armenian

Week 5: Depressants — Kent Olson

Week 6: ED Management & Assessment — Craig Smollin

Week 7: Final exam