Essentials of Phlebotomy听鈥� Health Assessment and Fundamental Clinical Skills听鈥⑻齀V Therapy: Peripheral and Central Line Care听鈥� Peripheral IV Therapy 鈥� Wound Care: Fundamental and Advanced
Please note:
These courses do not provide proof of competency or certification.
Essentials of Phlebotomy
Participants will learn introductory level indications for phlebotomy and best practices for obtaining blood samples for diagnostic testing, donations to help save lives and therapeutic treatment. The course includes time to practice venipuncture for blood draws using simulation materials.
Intended Learning Outcomes
Following this course, students will be able to:
- describe the history and purposes of phlebotomy (also referred to as venipuncture)
- identify common indications for venipuncture and potential complications
- demonstrate venipuncture procedure, including order of draw, using best practices
Available Dates听
- Thursday, November 6, 2025,听9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
- Thursday, April 9, 2026, 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Health Assessment and Fundamental Clinical Skills
Three days of immersion learning comprised of lectures alternating with hands-on practice of health assessment and clinical skills. Students will have a high-fidelity simulation experience using full scale computerized patient simulators that provide a high level of interactivity and realism to manage and assess select health emergencies.
Content most appropriate for: APRNs/RNs, LPNs听 and other Healthcare Professionals including Primary Care, Health Promotion, Rehabilitation and Diagnostics.
Intended Learning Outcomes
Following this course, students will be able to:
- conduct and document a thorough Health History Interview
- recite a systematic approach to Physical Assessment
- demonstrate Physical Assessment techniques relevant to course content
- identify significant anatomical landmarks pertinent to systems assessment
- conduct and document a head-to-toe assessment
- discuss special considerations for select populations
Available Dates
- Wed - Fri, December 10 - 12, 2025 - 9, 2025, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
- Wed - Fri, May 6 - 8, 2026, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
IV Therapy: Peripheral and Central Line Care
A full day course dedicated to the anatomical placement, utilization and assessment of intravenous lines used in acute and home care settings. The course includes time to practice venipuncture for the placement of peripheral lines using simulation materials. Students will gain a thorough understanding of intravenous nursing care, not competency.
Content most appropriate for:听APRNs/RNs, LPNs and other Healthcare Professionals
Intended Learning Outcomes
Following this course, students will be able to:
- identify and differentiate central venous catheters
- discuss the complications of caring and feeding patients with central venous catheters
- demonstrate insight into both the bedside and procedural world of central access
- relate the basic principles of intravenous therapy
- explain the anatomy and physiology of the venous system
- insert and care for peripheral IV cannula
Available Dates听
- Tuesday, December 9, 2025, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
- Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
- Tuesday, May 5, 2026, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Instructor
Blanche D. Murphy, BSN, RN, VA-BC has been teaching venous access courses at 艾可直播 College for nearly two decades with an expertise in combining lecture with hands-on training using simulated materials. With Vascular Access Board Certification since 2011, she serves as the Assistant Nursing Director for Venous Access at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in 艾可直播, MA, where she has practiced for more than 40 years. Throughout her career, Ms. Murphy has served on numerous committees and task forces while participating in and presenting at professional association conferences, including the December 2024 Organization of Nurse Leaders Poster Presentation: Back to Basics: Nursing Line Care Audits to Reduce Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections. Ms. Murphy earned a Bachelor of Nursing from 艾可直播 College and is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society.
Comments from students:
鈥淭oday was a great experience! I learned so much from Blanche and her power points were very informative. I feel confident in my skills of not only inserting P IVs but also assessing for complications and how to treat them. The anatomy breakdown was very helpful as well! Will definitely recommend this course to colleagues!鈥�
Peripheral IV Therapy
Participants will benefit from a dynamic session describing how and why IV therapy is the fastest way to deliver medications, blood products and more.听The course includes time to practice venipuncture for the placement of peripheral lines using simulation materials.
Intended Learning Outcomes
Following this course, students will be able to:
- understand the basic principles of intravenous therapy
- describe the anatomy and physiology of the venous system
- demonstrate insertion technique and care for peripheral IV cannulas
Available Dates听
- Tuesday, October 21, 2025, 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Instructor
Blanche D. Murphy, BSN, RN, VA-BC has been teaching venous access courses at 艾可直播 College for nearly two decades with an expertise in combining lecture with hands-on training using simulated materials. With Vascular Access Board Certification since 2011, she serves as the Assistant Nursing Director for Venous Access at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in 艾可直播, MA, where she has practiced for more than 40 years. Throughout her career, Ms. Murphy has served on numerous committees and task forces while participating in and presenting at professional association conferences, including the December 2024 Organization of Nurse Leaders Poster Presentation: Back to Basics: Nursing Line Care Audits to Reduce Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections. Ms. Murphy earned a Bachelor of Nursing from 艾可直播 College and is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society.
Comments from students:
鈥淭oday was a great experience! I learned so much from Blanche and her power points were very informative. I feel confident in my skills of not only inserting P IVs but also assessing for complications and how to treat them. The anatomy breakdown was very helpful as well! Will definitely recommend this course to colleagues!鈥�
Wound Care
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Fundamentals of Wound Care
听
This course provides a comprehensive overview of wound care, focusing on the characteristics and treatment approaches for various types of wounds, including surgical wounds, burns, arterial and venous ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, and pressure injuries.听
Learning Outcomes
Following this course, students will听evidence increased knowledge by demonstrating:
- Thorough wound assessments听Identification of infection signs and symptoms
- Accurate documentation of wound characteristics
- Safe practice for all aspects of wound management
The course also covers pressure injury prevention and staging, including the assessment of darkly pigmented skin. Hands-on practice will be provided for wound cleansing, dressing selection, and deep wound packing.听
Target Audience
Ideal for all听nurses/clinicians who are motivated听to learn the latest evidence-informed practices in fundamental wound assessment and management.
Available Dates
- Saturday, October 4, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
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Advanced Wound Care
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Designed to equip nurses and clinicians with the skills needed to handle more complex wound care scenarios, the course includes advanced wound care concepts and techniques, including vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) dressings and compression bandaging for venous leg ulcers.听 Advanced wound care products will be听discussed, including cellular skin substitutes (e.g. Dermagraft听庐听and Apligraf听庐). Participants will receive tips and tricks with hands-on practice, including VAC dressing application and removal, compression bandaging, and surgical staple removal.听
Target Audience
听Perfect for nurses and clinicians interested in mastering advanced wound care techniques, including negative pressure therapy dressing changes, unna boots and 4-layer compression wraps. This course is especially beneficial for those who will serve as wound care champions or unit resources, and/or who will be performing complex dressings, including negative pressure wound management for deep wounds, compression bandaging for venous leg ulcers, and surgical staple removal.
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听
Available Dates
- Saturday, October 25, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Instructor
Beth McNutt-Clarke, D.N.P., M.B.A., RN, CWOCN, is an assistant professor of the practice at the Connell School of Nursing.听She is an advanced practice nurse who specializes in pressure injury prevention and wound management. McNutt-Clarke has been an educator for over two decades, having taught primary health care and population health nursing at the University of Pennsylvania, Villanova University and the University of Toronto before coming to 艾可直播 College. In addition to her nursing credentials, she also holds an M.B.A. from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec.
Education
B.Sc., McGill University
M.Sc.(A.), McGill University
M.B.A., Concordia University
WOCNEP, LaSalle University
D.N.P., 艾可直播 College
Research Interests
Wound, ostomy, continence care across the continuum; health promotion; home care;听fall prevention in older adults
Selected Appointments and awards
2023: Award for Excellence in Clinical Education and Mentorship, 艾可直播 College; Mentorship Award, Sigma Theta Tau
2022: Award for Excellence in Teaching and Clinical Practice, 艾可直播 College;听Spirit of Sigma Award, Sigma Theta Tau
2021: Award for Excellence in Clinical Education and Mentorship, 艾可直播 College
2020: Award for Excellence听in Clinical Education and Mentorship, 艾可直播 College
2019: Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching, 艾可直播 College
2018: Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching, 艾可直播 College
2017: Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching, 艾可直播 College
2016: Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching, 艾可直播 College
Diabetes Management for the Primary Care Provider:
Update 2025
A two-part series addressing Diabetes Management for Advanced Care Providers
Technology: An Evidence-based Review
Designed to empower primary care providers to close the technology gap and improve patient outcomes with confidence, this program provides a review of the latest diabetes technologies, including continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), insulin pumps, automated insulin delivery (AID) systems, and smart insulin pens.
Through practical guidance and interactive case studies, participants will learn to:
- interpret CGM data
- evaluate technological options, and
- incorporate device-based tools into routine type 2 diabetes (T2DM) care.
Course Date:
- Wednesday, November 5, 9:00 - 10:30 am
Presented by:
听Katherine Wentzell, Ph.D., CPNP, BC-ADM
Pharmacologic Treatment across the Life Span
This program provides the most current evidence-based recommendations for prescribing diabetes medications, including newer pharmacologic classes such as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1r) and sodium glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLTi) medications. Using robust case studies, participants will practice and gain confidence in applying new knowledge to successfully manage complex adult patients with T2DM.
Participants will learn to:
- co-create glycemic goals with patients
- prescribe insulin regimens, and
- select medications to treat type 2 diabetes (T2DM) along with other comorbidities.
Course Date:
- Wednesday, November 12, 9:00 - 10:30 am
Presented by:
Patricia Underwood, Ph.D., FNP-BC, RN, CDCES
Instructors
Patricia Underwood, Ph.D., FNP-BC, RN, CDCES
Patricia Crowley Underwood, Ph.D., FNP-BC, RN, is an assistant听professor at the Connell School of Nursing. She is also an Endocrine Nurse Practitioner at the听VA 艾可直播 Healthcare System. She earned her undergraduate degree in nursing from the University of Pennsylvania and her master鈥檚 and doctoral degree from 艾可直播 College. Dr. Underwood鈥檚 pre- and post-doctoral work focused on identifying biomedical and genetic markers associated with hypertension and听diabetes mellitus (DM). Subsequent work focused on developing and evaluating nurse-led interventions to improve health outcomes for surgical patients with poorly controlled DM. Her clinical practice focuses on veterans with diabetes and the delivery of DM self-management technology (insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors) in the virtual setting. She is the recipient of many awards including听Young Investigator Award at NINR/NIH as well as a statistics fellowship at听the听University of Basel, Switzerland.听
Katherine Wentzell, Ph.D., CPNP, BC-ADM
Katherine Wentzell, Ph.D., CPNP, BC-ADM, is an assistant professor at the Connell School of Nursing. She is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and is Board Certified in Advanced Diabetes Management. Her research focuses on understanding the emotional burden of living with diabetes during adolescence and emerging adulthood. Her current work aims to听understand objective financial burden and subjective financial distress, as well as associations with social determinants of health, cost-coping behaviors, health insurance access, and glycemic outcomes in emerging adults living with type 1 diabetes.听听Dr. Wentzell completed a NIH T32 funded post-doctoral fellowship and then was named the Mary K. Iacocca Senior Fellow at the Joslin Diabetes Center and Harvard Medical School. Dr. Wentzell maintains a clinical practice in the Pediatric, Adolescent and Young Adult Section at the Joslin Diabetes Center.听
Researchers
Tam H. Nguyen, Ph.D., M.S.N./M.P.H., RN
Tam. H. Nguyen, Ph.D., M.S.N./M.P.H., RN, is听an associate professor and the Strakosch Family Faculty Fellow in Community Health at the Connell School of Nursing. She teaches courses on evidence-based practice and population/public health. Dr. Nguyen鈥檚 primary line of research focuses on preventing chronic disease, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, among minority populations. Given the challenges many minorities have with health literacy her research also examines the association and impact of health literacy on health outcomes among minorities. Dr. Nguyen was the Principal Investigator on a grant titled, 鈥淗ypertension and Health Literacy among Vietnamese Americans in 2012,鈥� and is currently engaged in research that aims to adapt and translate diabetes prevention interventions for Asian Americans.