The Woman Who Couldn’t Wake Up
Course Overview
This course presents a complex case of progressive hypersomnia and neuropsychiatric decline initially misdiagnosed as a psychiatric disorder. Learners will explore the diagnostic process that led to the identification of paraneoplastic hypothalamic dysfunction, a rare syndrome in which an occult tumor triggers an autoimmune response against the brain’s sleep-wake regulatory centers. The course highlights the importance of recognizing red flags in psychiatric presentations, interpreting subtle laboratory abnormalities, and advocating for comprehensive neurologic and oncologic evaluation. Nurses will gain tools to differentiate psychiatric illness from neurologic and metabolic mimics.
Listen, Learn, and Earn CE Hours with this podcast course. Available on Apple, Spotify, and other podcast apps.
Learning Outcomes
Upon the completion of this course, the learner should be able to:
- Recognize clinical features of paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes that may mimic psychiatric illness.
- Interpret persistent hyponatremia and hypersomnia as potential indicators of hypothalamic dysfunction.
- Apply a multidisciplinary approach to evaluating unexplained neuropsychiatric symptoms.
- Evaluate the utility of advanced imaging and antibody testing in diagnosing occult malignancies.
- Advocate for thorough history-taking and re-evaluation of prior benign pathology in complex clinical scenarios.
About the Author/Presenter
Mike Linares MSN, RN has over 15 years of experience in healthcare, including work as a Registered Nurse, EMT and paramedic. After a challenging nursing school experience he was motivated to create and found SimpleNursing, a platform dedicated to providing accessible and effective study resources for nursing students. Having helped over 1 million students become nurses, he continues to focus his efforts on educating and inspiring the next generation of nurses.
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
If you require special accommodations, please contact Colibri Healthcare Support by clicking here: Contact Us
