Point-of-care (POC) tools provide clinicians with immediate access to evidence-based medical information, facilitating informed decision-making at the time of patient care. These resources are invaluable for nurse practitioners (NPs) who need quick, reliable guidance on various diagnoses, treatments, and disease management strategies. This guide explores a range of essential POC tools categorized by medical specialty, summarizing key clinical practice guidelines and offering links to detailed practice briefs.
Cardiology Point-of-Care Tools
Several prominent organizations, including the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC), offer vital POC tools for managing cardiovascular conditions:
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Lifestyle Management to Reduce Cardiovascular Risk: This AHA/ACC guideline provides evidence-based recommendations for lifestyle modifications to mitigate cardiovascular risk factors.
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Management of Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: The AHA, ACC, and Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) offer comprehensive guidance on diagnosing and managing atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm disorder.
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Management of Acute Ischemic Stroke: The AHA’s guidelines for acute ischemic stroke management provide clinicians with up-to-date recommendations for evaluation, treatment, and secondary prevention.
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Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults: This guideline offers updated recommendations for managing hypertension in adults, deviating from previous JNC 7 guidelines.
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Management of Patients With Return of Spontaneous Circulation after Cardiac Arrest: These guidelines from AHA and the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine provide best practices for post-cardiac arrest care to optimize survival and functional recovery.
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Management of Patients With Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage: The AHA’s updated guidelines address the evaluation, treatment, and management of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.
Point-of-Care Tools in Other Specialties
Beyond cardiology, numerous POC resources exist across various medical disciplines:
Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat
- Allergic Rhinitis Clinical Practice Guideline: This guideline by the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation promotes accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of allergic rhinitis.
Genetics
- Genetic Counseling and Testing by Advanced Practice Providers: This resource addresses the increasing role of NPs in genetic counseling and testing.
Health Promotion and Wellness
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Assessment and Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder: The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) offers updated guidelines for managing autism spectrum disorder in young patients.
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Sleep Disorder Management Diagnostic Treatment Guidelines Summary: AIM Specialty Health® provides guidance on diagnosing and managing sleep disorders using polysomnography and home sleep testing.
Infectious Disease
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Management of Post-COVID-19 Conditions: This resource offers guidance on managing the various long-term health issues that can arise after a COVID-19 infection.
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Measles: Recommendations for Assessment, Treatment and Prevention: The CDC provides comprehensive information on measles prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
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Mpox: This resource offers up-to-date guidance on the epidemiology, recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of Mpox.
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Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for HIV Prevention — Injectable and Oral: These resources provide detailed information on implementing PrEP for HIV prevention in at-risk populations.
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Sepsis and Septic Shock: The Surviving Sepsis Campaign offers regularly updated guidelines for managing sepsis and septic shock.
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Strategies to Prevent Clostridium Difficile Infections in Acute Care Hospitals: SHEA and IDSA provide updated guidelines for preventing C. difficile infections in healthcare settings.
Nephrology
- Diabetic Kidney Disease: KDIGO guidelines offer recommendations for monitoring and mitigating the risk of diabetic kidney disease progression.
Obesity and Weight Management
- Pharmacological Management of Obesity: The Obesity Management Association (OMA) provides an algorithm for incorporating pharmacotherapy into the comprehensive management of obesity.
Oncology and Hematology
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Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines Summary: This resource summarizes key recommendations from the ACS, ACOG, and USPSTF for breast cancer screening.
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Colorectal Cancer Screening Guidelines Summary: This guide provides clinicians with the latest USPSTF recommendations for colorectal cancer screening in average-risk individuals.
Pain Management
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Guidelines for Prescribing Opioid Medications: The CDC offers updated recommendations for safe opioid prescribing practices for non-cancer pain.
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Opioids for Chronic, Non-cancer Pain: The American Academy of Neurology provides a position paper on the long-term use of opioids for chronic non-cancer pain.
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Acute and Preventive Treatment of Migraine in Children and Adolescents: The AAN offers guidelines for managing both acute and preventive migraine treatment in pediatric populations.
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Primary Care Management of Headaches in Adults: Toward Optimized Practice (TOP) of Alberta provides evidence-based guidelines for managing headaches in adult primary care settings.
Psych and Mental Health
- Primary Care Diagnosis and Management of Adults With Depression: The Michigan Quality Improvement Consortium offers guidelines for diagnosing and managing depression in primary care.
Pulmonary and Respiratory
- Global Strategy for the Diagnosis, Management and Prevention of COPD: The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) provides regularly updated guidelines for managing COPD.
Women’s Health
- Menopausal Symptoms: Comparative Effectiveness of Therapies: The AHRQ offers a report comparing the effectiveness of various therapies for managing menopausal symptoms.
Conclusion
Point-of-care Tools are indispensable resources for NPs, providing readily accessible information to enhance patient care. By utilizing these tools, NPs can stay abreast of the latest evidence-based guidelines and make informed decisions that improve patient outcomes. Accessing and regularly reviewing these resources are crucial for providing high-quality, patient-centered care.
