Crisis Mode Activated: How Nurses Navigate Medication Shortages
Course Overview
Medication shortages have become a persistent and escalating challenge across healthcare settings, affecting inpatient and outpatient populations alike. With more than 300 active drug shortages nationally and documented associations with increased medication errors and adverse outcomes, nurses must be prepared to respond safely and effectively. Frontline clinicians are increasingly required to implement alternative regimens, conserve limited supplies, and communicate complex changes to patients under high-stress conditions. There is a clear need for structured education on ethical allocation, interdisciplinary collaboration, proactive mitigation strategies, and safe substitution practices during medication scarcity.
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Learning Outcomes
Upon the completion of this course, the learner should be able to:
- Identify the primary causes and scope of medication shortages in contemporary healthcare systems.
- Apply evidence-based strategies for managing patient care during medication scarcity.
- Analyze the ethical considerations inherent in resource allocation decisions.
- Analyze leadership approaches that promote patient safety during supply chain disruptions.
- Identify communication techniques for discussing treatment alternatives with patients and interdisciplinary teams.
About the Authors/Presenters
Dr. Candace Pierce, DNP, RN, CNE, COI is a nurse leader committed to ensuring nurses are well prepared and offered abundant opportunities and resources to enhance their skills acquisition and confidence at the bedside. With 15 years in nursing, she has worked at the bedside, in management, and in nursing education. She has demonstrated expertise and scholarship in innovation and design thinking in healthcare and education, and collaborative efforts within and outside of healthcare. Scholarship endeavors include funded grants, publications, and presentations. As a leader, Dr. PIERCE: strives to empower others to create and deploy ideas and embrace their professional roles as leaders, change agents, and problem solvers. In her position as the Sr. Course Development Manager for Elite, she works as a project engineer with subject matter experts to develop evidence-based best practices in continuing education for nurses and other healthcare professionals.
Dr. Patrick Welch is an advanced clinical pharmacist that practices in family medicine with Intermountain Health in Utah. He graduated from the University of Utah college of Pharmacy before completing a two year residency. His current practice includes chronic disease state management which is heavily focused on diabetes management including CGM and insulin pumps. He enjoys giving patients the tools they need to successfully achieve their health goals.
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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