Abscess Management: A Guide for the Healthcare Team
Target Audience: Pharmacist
Course Overview
Abscesses are collections of pus in the dermis or deeper skin tissues and are commonly caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections. Furuncles, or boils, result from staphylococcal infections that affect a hair follicle and the surrounding tissue. This course provides an overview of the common risk factors, pathophysiology, etiology, and epidemiology of abscesses. The clinical manifestations and diagnosis of abscesses will also be reviewed within a patient-centered approach that uses an interdisciplinary healthcare team framework.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this educational activity, participants should be able to:
- Describe clinical manifestations of abscesses
- Recall treatment strategies for furuncles and carbuncles
- Compare and Contrast antibiotics used in the management of abscesses
- Educate patients and caregivers on the appropriate use of antibiotics to manage abscesses
- Describe the collaborative roles and responsibilities of healthcare professionals, including pharmacists and physicians, in the diagnosis and treatment of abscesses
Faculty
I. Introduction
II. Terminology & Classification
III. Etiology & Epidemiology
IV. Pathophysiology
V. Clinical Manifestations & Diagnosis
VI. Management Strategies
VII. Roles of Care Team Members
VIII. Summary
From December 30, 2024 through December 30, 2027, participants must:
- Read the "learning objectives" and "author and planning team disclosures"
- Study the section entitled "educational activity"
- Complete the Course Test and Evaluation form. The Course Test will be graded automatically. Following successful completion of the Course Test with a score of 70% or higher, a statement of participation will be made available immediately. (No partial credit will be given.)
Credit for this course will be automatically uploaded to CPE Monitor®.
Faculty Planner Disclosure
The following individuals were involved in developing this activity: L. Austin Fredrickson, MD, FACP, Liz Fredrickson, PharmD, BCPS, and Pamela Sardo, PharmD, BS. Pamela Sardo, L. Austin Fredrickson, MD, FACP, and Liz Fredrickson, PharmD, BCPS, have no conflicts of interest or financial relationships regarding the subject matter. There are no financial relationships or commercial or financial support relevant to this activity to report or disclose by RxCe.com or any of the individuals involved in the development of this activity.
Unlabeled Use Disclosure
The information provided in this course is general in nature and it is solely designed to provide participants with continuing education credit(s). This course and materials are not meant to substitute for the independent, professional judgment of any participant regarding that participant’s professional practice, including but not limited to patient assessment, diagnosis, treatment and/or health management. Medical and pharmacy practices, rules, and laws vary from state to state, and this course does not cover the laws of each state; therefore, participants must consult the laws of their state as they relate to their professional practice. Healthcare professionals, including pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, must consult with their employer, healthcare facility, hospital, or other organization, for guidelines, protocols, and procedures they are to follow. The information provided in this course does not replace those guidelines, protocols, and procedures but is for academic purposes only, and this course’s limited purpose is for the completion of continuing education credits. Participants are advised and acknowledge that information related to medications, their administration, dosing, contraindications, adverse reactions, interactions, warnings, precautions, or accepted uses are constantly changing, and any person taking this course understands that such person must make an independent review of medication information prior to any patient assessment, diagnosis, treatment and/or health management. Any discussion of off-label use of any medication, device, or procedure is informational only and such uses are not endorsed hereby. Nothing contained in this course represents the opinions, views, judgments, or conclusions of RxCe.com LLC. RxCe.com LLC is not liable or responsible to any person for any inaccuracy, error, or omission with respect to this course, or course material.
Please ensure the device you plan to use meets these requirements:
- Operating System: Windows 7, 8, 10, or 11 / Mac OS X 10.9 or later / iOS / Android
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- A connection to the internet
Accreditation
In support of improving patient care, RxCE.com is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.