Course ID: FQUEWU106
Course Name: Lifespan Development and Nursing Practice Competencies
Credits: 2

This two-contact hour home study continuing education course will review the concepts of growth and development, developmental theory, lifespan developmental patterns and the application of age appropriate care to nursing practice in accordance with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) requirement that hospitals and healthcare organizations provide on-going in-service education, training and competency validation to assure safe and effective age-specific patient care (standard HR 4.2).

About the Author
Deborah A. Raines is an Associate Professor of Nursing at Florida Atlantic University. Dr. Raines received her bachelor's degree from Syracuse University, a Masters degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. from Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr Raines has a variety of clinical experiences working with women, children and families across the lifespan.

Course Objectives
Upon completion of this home study continuing education course, the participant will be able to:

1. Review theories of human growth and development across the lifespan.
2. Outline life-span development patterns.
3. Describe safety and communication considerations for different age groups.
4. Incorporate physical, psychosocial, cognitive and behavioral needs of the individual into nursing practice actions.
5. Articulate and integrate the JCAHO age-related expectations into the application of nursing process components to nursing care situations.