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Sneezing is not always the symptom of a cold. Sometimes, it is an allergic reaction to something in the air. Health experts estimate that 35 million Americans suffer from upper respiratory tract symptoms that are allergic reactions to airborne allergens. This course is the first of a two-part series about airborne allergens. This first part summarizes what health experts know about the causes and symptoms of allergic reactions to airborne allergens, and how health care providers diagnose these reactions. You should complete the VGMU course “Overview of the Immune System” before taking this course, and you should complete this course before taking Part 2 of this series. This course is certified for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC).

Sneezing is not always the symptom of a cold. Sometimes, it is an allergic reaction to something in the air. Health experts estimate that 35 million Americans suffer from upper respiratory tract symptoms that are allergic reactions to airborne allergens. This course is the second of a two-part series about airborne allergens. This second part summarizes what health experts know about how people can prevent or reduce allergic reactions, how to treat these reactions, and what medical researchers are doing to help people who suffer from these allergies. You should complete the VGMU course “Overview of the Immune System” and Part 1 of this series before taking this course. This course is certified for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC).

Health care workers, including HME/DME providers and employees, are at risk of exposure to a variety of infectious diseases, which may cause them illness, and which may be transmitted from them to other staff and patients. Of particular concern is a health care worker’s risk for occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens, including hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS. This course provides information about how health care workers can minimize the risk of occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens. You should complete the following VGMU courses before taking this course: “Overview of the Immune System,” “Hepatitis C: Issues, Economics and Care Strategies,” “Overview of Hepatitis B,” and “Overview of HIV/AIDS.” Note: This course replaces the former VGMU course “Bloodborne Pathogens.”

Health care workers, including HME/DME providers and employees, are at risk of exposure to a variety of infectious diseases, which may cause them illness, and which may be transmitted from them to other staff and patients. Of particular concern is a health care worker’s risk for occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens, including hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS. This course provides an overview of HIV, how it is spread, its symptoms and diagnoses, and its vaccination. You should complete the VGMU course “Overview of the Immune System” before taking this course.

Health care workers, including HME/DME providers and employees, are at risk of exposure to a variety of infectious diseases, which may cause them illness, and which may be transmitted from them to other staff and patients. Of particular concern is a health care worker’s risk for occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens, including hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS. This course provides an overview of hepatitis B, how it is spread, its symptoms and diagnoses, and its vaccination. You should complete the VGMU course “Overview of the Immune System” before taking this course.

The human immune system is a complex network of organs – highly specialized cells and even a circulatory system separate from blood vessels – all of which work together to clear infection from the body. When our immune system malfunctions, a wide array of problems can occur. This course explains how the immune system works, how vaccinations work to ward off existing and emerging infectious diseases, and some of the great strides that are being made to detect, treat and prevent disorders of the immune system. You should complete this course before completing the following VGMU courses: “Hepatitis C: Issues, Economics and Care Strategies,” “Overview of Hepatitis B,” and “Overview of HIV/AIDS.”

This is the first of a two-part series of courses about the relationship between Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and both hypertension (high blood pressure) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). This course provides an overview of OSA, and reviews results of studies linking OSA to hypertension and heart disease. Part two of this series reviews results of studies of OSA treatment on patients with hypertension or heart disease, and explains how health care professionals can improve the medical management of hypertension patients who also suffer from OSA. You should complete this course before taking Part 2. This course is approved for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC), and for 2.0 contact hours Continuing Respiratory Care Education (CRCE) credit by the American Association for Respiratory Care, 9425 N. MacArthur Blvd., Suite 100, Irving, TX 75063.

This is the second of a two-part series of courses about the relationship between Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and both hypertension (high blood pressure) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). This course reviews results of studies of OSA treatment on patients with hypertension or heart disease, and explains how care professionals can improve the medical management of hypertension patients who also suffer from OSA. You should complete Part 1 of this series before taking this course. This course is approved for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC), and for 2.0 contact hours Continuing Respiratory Care Education (CRCE) credit by the American Association for Respiratory Care, 9425 N. MacArthur Blvd., Suite 100, Irving, TX 75063.

This is the first of a two-part series of courses that introduces you to ostomies and the basics of ostomy care and management. This first course will explain what an ostomy is, types of ostomies, and detail the ostomy that most people think about when they hear the word “ostomy:” colostomy. This course is approved for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification. Part 2 of this course will explain the two other major types of ostomies - ileostomies and urostomies - and discuss common problems and issues associated with ostomies.

This is the second of a two-part series of courses that introduce you to ostomies and the basics of ostomy care and management. This course will explain ileostomies and urostomies, and discuss common problems and issues associated with ostomies. This course is approved for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification. You should complete Part 1 of this series before taking this course.

The number of commercially marketed skin cleansing agents continues to grow, providing clinicians with an increasingly large variety of products from which to choose. This variety may lead to confusion about which product to choose, particularly for persons without expertise in the area of skin care. This course reviews common types of skin cleansers, their formulation, ingredients, skin compatibility, pH, and related infection control issues. This course is approved for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification.

This course will provide you information about managing ostomies following ostomy surgery. You will learn about products that are available for patients to care for their stomas and the skin surrounding the stomas. This course will also provide other ostomy management suggestions such as dietary tips. Because of the multitude of brands of ostomy products on the market, this course will cover ostomy products in the broadest generic terms. For specific information related to a particular brand of ostomy products, please consult the manufacturers. This course also includes links to ostomy product manufacturers. This course is approved for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification. You should complete the VGMU courses “Overview of Ostomies - Part 1” and “Overview of Ostomies - Part 2” before taking this course.

This course introduces you to spirometry. This measurement can help the clinician determine whether an individual has a disease in the lungs, and help determine whether the disease is obstructive or restrictive. Because of the variety of spirometry systems and accessories on the market, this course will cover spirometry systems in the broadest generic terms. For specific information related to a particular brand of system, please consult the manufacturers. This course also includes a link to VGM Participating manufacturers of spirometry systems and accessories, and of peak flow meters. You should complete the following VGMU courses before beginning this course: “Overview of Cystic Fibrosis,” “Overview of Tuberculosis,” “Asthma Management: Interventions and Strategies,” and “Intervention and Strategies of the COPD Population.” This course is approved for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification.

This course introduces the new home medical equipment staff member to breast pumps. Because of the number of breast pumps and accessories on the market, this course will cover breast pumps in the broadest generic terms. For specific information related to a particular brand of breast pump, please consult the manufacturers. This course also includes links to VGM Participating breast pump manufacturers. This course is approved for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification.

This course identifies the benefits and limitations of CPAP humidification to help patients and to build trust with referral sources. This course was developed from an article titled “Dew Diligence is Recommended,” which appeared in the February 2006 issue of DealerProvider magazine. You should complete the following VGMU courses before taking this course: “Introduction to CPAP, autoCPAP and Bi-Level,” “OSA Diagnosis and Treatment,” and “The Great Awakening: Obstructive Sleep Apnea.” This course is approved for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification.

This course offers continuing education credit for Case Managers and Disability Management Specialists. If you are NOT a Case Manager or Disability Management Specialist, please take the corresponding non-CEU course “Patient Lifting (Non-CEU).” This course consists of a series of six articles designed to assist you in understanding contemporary patient lifting technology, and the ramifications upon patients being discharged and their caregivers. The course document was reprinted from CareManagement magazine, Vol. 9, No. 2, April/May 2005, and republished as a course by permission from Mason Medical Communications. The fee for obtaining continuing education credit for this course has been waived through an educational grant from Liko, Inc.

This course offers continuing education credit for nurses. If you are NOT a nurse, please take the corresponding non-CEU course “Sharps Injury Prevention (Non-CEU).” This course contains two articles: one addressing the implementation of a sharps-injury prevention program, and the other addressing health care workers’ roles in preventing needle-stick and other sharp-object injuries. The course is approved for 1.0 contact hour of continuing education by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. (APIC), an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (ANCC). The fee for obtaining CEUs for this course has been waived through an educational grant from Tyco Healthcare/Kendall.

This course introduces the new home medical equipment staff member to aerosol nebulizer systems. Because of the multitude of brands of nebulizers and other system components on the market, this course will cover the devices in the broadest generic terms. For specific information related to a particular brand of nebulizers and system components, please consult the manufacturers. This course also includes links to several manufacturers. This course is certified for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC).

Nearly one-third of the world's population is infected with Tuberculosis (TB), and it kills almost 3 million people per year. However, in the United States, through a broad range of Federal and community initiatives, national TB rates have declined steadily over the past decade. The number of reported TB cases and the national TB case rate are now at their lowest levels since TB reporting began in 1953. This course provides an overview of the disease, distinguishing between active and latent TB, and explaining how a person is tested for TB. This course is certified for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC).

Almost 14 million children -- 24 percent of the U.S. population ages 2 to 17 -- are obese. An additional 8.6 million children are at risk for obesity. Differences in health between obese and non-obese children are not great. However, obese children often remain obese in adulthood. This course examines the group of children ages 2 to 17 with Body Mass Index (BMI) values at or above the 95th percentile (referred to as obese), and those with BMI values between the 85th and 95th percentiles (referred to as at risk for obesity). This course is certified for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC).

This course contains two articles: one addressing how nursing practices can help prevent aspiration pneumonia due to enteral tube feeding, and the other addresses early enteral nutrition following cardiovascular (CV) surgery. The course is approved for 1.5 contact hours of continuing education by the Vermont State Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (ANCC). The fee for obtaining CEUs for this course has been waived through an educational grant from Tyco Healthcare/Kendall.

This course introduces the new home medical equipment staff member to Continuous Passive Motion (CPM) units. Because of the multitude of CPM units and accessories on the market, this course will cover CPM units in the broadest generic terms. For specific information related to a particular brand of CPM unit, please consult the manufacturers. This course also includes links to CPM manufacturers. This course is approved for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC).

This course contains two articles: one addressing safe nursing practices for enteral nutrition and hydration in long-term care, and the other addressing safe nursing practices in long-term wound care. The course is approved for 1.7 contact hours of continuing education by the Vermont State Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (ANCC). The fee for obtaining CEUs for this course have been waived through an educational grant from Tyco Healthcare/Kendall.

• Introduction to Apnea Monitors
• Introduction to Bone Growth Stimulators
• Introduction to Enteral Nutrition Pumps
• Overview of Multiple Sclerosis
• Overview of Cystic Fibrosis
• Overview of Parkinson’s Disease

This course introduces the new home medical equipment staff member to phototherapy units. Because of the multitude of phototherapy units and accessories on the market, this course will cover phototherapy units in the broadest generic terms. For specific information related to a particular brand of phototherapy unit, please consult the manufacturers. This course also includes links to several phototherapy unit manufacturers. This course is approved for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC).

This course introduces the new home medical equipment staff member to low air loss mattresses. Because of the multitude of low air loss mattresses and accessories on the market, this course will cover low air loss mattresses in the broadest generic terms. For specific information related to a particular brand of low air loss mattress, please consult the manufacturers. This course also includes links to several low air loss mattress manufacturers. This course is approved for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC).

This course introduces the new home medical equipment staff member to TENS units. Because of the multitude of TENS units and accessories on the market, this course will cover TENS units in the broadest generic terms. For specific information related to a particular brand of TENS unit, please consult the manufacturers. This course also includes links to several TENS unit manufacturers. This course is approved for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC).

Introduction to Oxygen Cylinders

This course introduces the new home medical equipment staff member to compressed oxygen cylinders used for home oxygen therapy. Because of the multitude of brands of compressed gas cylinders and accessories on the market, this course will cover cylinders in the broadest generic terms. For specific information related to a particular brand of cylinder, please consult the manufacturers. This course also includes links to several manufacturers of oxygen cylinders and accessories. You should complete the VGMU course “Home Oxygen Therapy” before completing this course. This course is approved for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC).

This course introduces the new home medical equipment staff member to liquid oxygen systems used for home oxygen therapy. Because of the variety of liquid oxygen systems and accessories on the market, this course will cover liquid oxygen systems in the broadest generic terms. For specific information related to a particular brand of system, please consult the manufacturers. This course also includes links to several manufacturers of liquid oxygen systems and accessories. You should complete the VGMU course “Home Oxygen Therapy” before completing this course. This course is approved for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC).

This course introduces the new home medical equipment staff member to oxygen concentrators. Because of the multitude of brands of oxygen concentrators and accessories on the market, this course will cover oxygen concentrators in the broadest generic terms. For specific information related to a particular brand of oxygen concentrator, please consult the manufacturers. This course also includes links to several oxygen concentrator manufacturers. You should complete the VGMU course “Home Oxygen Therapy” before completing this course.  This course is approved for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC).

This course introduces the new home medical equipment staff member to the standard manual wheelchair. Because of the multitude of brands of manual wheelchairs and accessories on the market, this course will cover manual wheelchairs in the broadest generic terms. For specific information related to a particular brand of manual wheelchair, please consult the manufacturers. This course also includes links to several manual wheelchair manufacturers.  This course is approved for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC).

This course introduces the new home medical equipment staff member to standard respiratory assist devices (RADs): CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure), Auto Adjust CPAP and Bi-level. Because of the multitude of brands of RADs and accessories on the market, this course will cover the devices in the broadest generic terms. For specific information related to a particular brand of CPAP, Auto Adjust CPAP or Bi-level, please consult the manufacturers. This course also includes links to several manufacturers. This course is approved for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC).

More and more people are using oxygen therapy outside the hospital, permitting them to lead active, productive lives. This course explains what home oxygen therapy is, the types of home oxygen therapy available today and how the therapy can benefit the patient. 

• Challenges for the Bariatric Resident
• Overview of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
• Medical Terminology – Part 1
• Medical Terminology – Part 2
• Medical Terminology – Part 3
• Disease Management Programs: Improving Health While Reducing Costs?
• Overview of Diabetes
• Understanding Obesity
• Eating and Diabetes
• Am I at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes?
• Health Risks of Being Overweight
• Obesity Among Older Americans
• Overview of Osteoporosis

This is the first of a 3-part series of modules designed to assist physical therapists (PT), physical therapist assistants (PTA), case managers and registered nurses (RN) in developing a practical approach to using electrical nerve stimulation (ENS) as an important tool in patient care. This series of modules is provided by Rehabilicare. This first module is approved for 1 contact hour of continuing education for PTs, PTAs, case managers and RNs.

This is the second of a 3-part series of modules designed to assist physical therapists (PT), physical therapist assistants (PTA), case managers and registered nurses (RN) in developing a practical approach to using electrotherapy as an important tool in patient care. This series of modules is provided by Rehabilicare. This second module addresses transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), and is approved for 4 contact hour of continuing education for PTs, PTAs, case managers and RNs.

This is the final part of a 3-part series of modules designed to assist physical therapists (PT), physical therapist assistants (PTA), case managers and registered nurses (RN) in developing a practical approach to using electrotherapy as an important tool in patient care. This series of modules is provided by Rehabilicare. This third module addresses neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), and is approved for 4 contact hour of continuing education for PTs, PTAs, case managers and RNs.

This course focuses on wound healing and local aspects of wound care. The course is approved for 1.2 contact hours of continuing education by the Vermont State Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (ANCC). The fee for obtaining CEUs for this course have been waived through an educational grant from Tyco Healthcare/Kendall.

This course contains two articles: one addressing safe nursing practices for enteral feeding of the acutely ill patient, and the other addressing safety issues for enteral feeding of babies. The course is approved for 2.0 contact hours of continuing education by the Vermont State Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (ANCC). The fee for obtaining CEUs for this course have been waived through an educational grant from Tyco Healthcare/Kendall.

This course will review the elements of asthma and the aspects of properly managing patients with the disease. This course will provide case managers a comprehensive picture of asthma patients, and how to assist them in the design and implementation of their plan of care. The course will also give the case manager an understanding of long-term management issues with the asthmatic population. This course is approved for 2.0 contact hours by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC), and for 2.0 contact hours Continuing Respiratory Care Education (CRCE) credit by the American Association for Respiratory Care, 9425 N. MacArthur Blvd., Suite 100, Irving, TX 75063.

This course will define sleep-disordered breathing and aspects of long-term management of the patient with this illness. The course is approved for 1.5 contact hours of continuing education credit (CEU) by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC).

This course contains three separate presentations on inhalation aerosol therapy given at the 1998 American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) International Respiratory Congress Symposium. The course is approved for 3.0 hours of AARC Category 1 credit, and 2.5 contact hours of credit by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC). The course is provided courtesy of Respironics’ Asthma & Allergy Division.