Pulmonary Embolism

In this lesson, we are going to go over what a pulmonary embolism is and what can cause one to occur.  We will determine signs and symptoms that nurses need to pick up on immediately along with testing that will aid in confirming the diagnosis. This is a condition with potentially fatal consequences, so we will identify priority assessments and interventions that nurses need to be familiar with.

Learning Objectives:

Upon the completion of this lesson, learners will be able to:

1. Describe the cause of a pulmonary embolism
2. Recognize causes and risk factors for developing a pulmonary embolism
3. Explain signs and symptoms of a pulmonary embolism
4. Understand diagnostics testing used to confirm a pulmonary embolism
5. Predict medications used to treat a pulmonary embolism