Hospitalists' Guide to the Care of Older Patients / Hospital Medicine - Current Concepts (ePub)

The first book designed specifically for hospitalists and other
hospital-based staff who need concise, evidence-based guidance on
the vital topic of caring for older hospitalized patients

Hospitalists' Guide to the Care of Older Patients is an
up-to-date, practical reference in geriatric medicine for
hospitalists, as well as other physicians and nurses working in the
hospital setting. The book uses numerous tables, figures, and
images to highlight the areas of geriatric medicine that are most
relevant to hospitalists.

Written by nationally recognized experts, chapters broadly
follow the course of hospitalization, from admission through daily
care and active management of the transition to post-hospital
settings, providing practical, evidence-based guidance at each
point. Contents include:

* A systematic approach to the care of older patients,
emphasizing clinical skills and daily activities that can be
implemented in today's hospital environment

* Techniques for effective communication with patients and their
caregivers

* Tools and "pearls" for quickly and accurately assessing the
whole patient, including risk for in-hospital complications,
function, decision-making capacity, and home support

* Best practices for prevention and management of the
complications of hospitalization, including delirium, falls,
pressure ulcers, and hip fractures

* Specific recommendations in areas with wide practice variation,
such as psychopharmacology and nutrition in older hospitalized
patients

* Practical guidance on complex issues, such as establishing
goals of care, managing patients who lack decision-making capacity,
and managing the discharge transition

* Methods to improve the daily work and communication of the
whole hospital team, including physicians, nurses, and other
healthcare providers

As the population ages, hospitalists are caring for an
increasing number of older patients. This book helps hospitalists
expand their knowledge, incorporate key clinical skills into daily
practice, build more efficient patient care teams, and teach more
effectively in today's fast-paced, complex hospital
environment.