Course Description:

The higher level of acuity of patients seen in home health and skilled nursing settings requires an understanding of the impact of key lab values on clinical presentation and prognosis. Therapy professionals must have an understanding of lab values to provide safe and effective care. Beyond basic knowledge of critical lab values or cut-offs, you should be able to assess for trends in lab values, recognize factors that may be contributing to abnormal values, and use clinical decision-making to weigh the risks vs. benefits of therapeutic intervention. This course guides the interpretation of lab values, including the complete blood count (CBC), electrolyte panel, hepatic panel, bleeding ratio (e.g., INR and prothrombin time), and cardiovascular labs (e.g., troponin).