Analgesic Overdose
Course Overview
Over-the-counter analgesics acetaminophen, aspirin, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen are very popular. Unfortunately, they are also the cause of thousands of intentional and unintentional overdoses each year. Because they are inexpensive and widely available, these agents are often used with the intent to cause self-harm. With the proper treatment, patients who have taken a toxic dose of one of these medications should recover without sequelae, and the treatment of deliberate overdoses of acetaminophen, aspirin, and the other NSAIDs is best described in one word: simple. However, poison center experience indicates a knowledge gap in what many nurses know and what they need to know to deliver good care in these situations. These knowledge gaps can and do cause errors in treatment, some minor and some serious. This course will provide nurses with comprehensive and up-to-date information about acetaminophen, aspirin, and NSAID poisoning. Assessment and treatment will be thoroughly explained, and common management errors (what they are and how to avoid them) will be discussed. This knowledge will allow nurses to provide the best possible care in cases of analgesic overdose, improving patient outcomes and avoiding potentially damaging long-term effects.
Learning Outcomes
Upon the completion of this course, the learner should be able to:
- Describe the pathophysiology of acetaminophen poisoning.
- Identify the toxic dose of acetaminophen and components of the assessment of patients with suspected overdose.
- Evaluate approaches available for the treatment of acetaminophen poisoning.
- Outline the initial assessment and care of a patient who has taken an overdose of aspirin.
- Discuss antidotal therapies and specific interventions used for the treatment of aspirin poisoning.
- Cite the toxic dose of ibuprofen and signs and symptoms of ibuprofen overdose.
- Describe the treatment of a patient who has taken an overdose of ibuprofen.
About the Author/Presenter
Dana Bartlett, RN, BSN, MSN, MA, CSPI, is a Certified Specialist in Poison Information. He worked at the Poison Control Center in Philadelphia as a hotline operator from 1993 until 2011. From 2011 to the present, he has been working as a hotline operator at the Connecticut Poison Control Center. Mr. Bartlett received his BSN from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in 1976; his MSN from Boston University in 1978; and his MA in journalism from Temple University in 1988. His clinical experience includes 6 years as an ICU nurse and 10 years as an ER nurse. He has authored more than 100 continuing education modules for RNs and allied health personnel, and he has been published in Nursing Magazine, OR Nurse, Journal of Emergency Nursing, Legal Nurse Consultant, American Nurse Today, Journal of Emergency Services, and Orthopedics Today. He has also authored textbook chapters and NCLEX material and has edited and reviewed for several major publishers.
Audience/Accreditations and Approvals
TRC Healthcare/ NetCE
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by TRC Healthcare/ NetCE. TRC Healthcare/NetCE is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
This course is designed for the following healthcare professions (select your profession for details):
Nursing
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