Critical Care Management of the Adult Organ Donor after Brain Death Declaration

This presentation provides Advanced Practice Providers with a comprehensive overview of the complex pathophysiological changes that occur during brain death and their impact on organ systems. Participants will learn how to recognize the hemodynamic, endocrine, metabolic, and inflammatory responses that accompany brain death and how these processes affect potential organ viability.
By the end of the session, APPs will understand the physiologic principles of brain death and be equipped with the clinical tools necessary to maximize organ donation outcomes while providing high-quality, ethically grounded care.

*Due to rapidly changing clinical knowledge, once purchased, you have 90 days access to complete this education.

Credits: 1.0 Contact Hours; 0.5 are Pharmacology
This activity is designated for 1.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Approval is valid from 1/1/2026 to 12/31/2026 . PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.
Expiration Date: December 31, 2026
$30

LEARNING OBJECTIVES


After taking part in this educational activity, participants should be better able to:

-Identify key assessment and testing findings critical to diagnosing brain death

-Describe pathophysiological changes associated with brain death

-Identify best practice actions for the organ donor after brain death


Johnny Isenberger

DNP, ACNP-BC,CCRN, Critical Care Nurse Practitioner

Umass Memorial Medical Center

I have been a critical care nurse practitioner for fifteen years at Umass Memorial Medical Center and a clinical instructor at the University of Massachusetts Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing in Worcester, Massachusetts. My clinical and academic interests have focused on the care of the critically ill, particularly those that survive critical illness. I have given lectures and poster presentations at local, regional, and national conferences on this topic. I am currently engaged in writing manuscripts, conducting research, and implementing quality improvement projects focused on the care of the ICU survivor.

CE/CME INFORMATION


Obtain Your Credits

To earn credits for this activity, navigate to the Content(s) tab and complete all course components in the following order: 1) watch the course presentation video; 2) complete the course evaluation; 3) pass the post-test with a score of 2/3 (66.7%) or higher. You may retake the post-test until a passing score is achieved, at which point you will be able to view/print a copy of your certificate of completion. This online certificate will also be saved within your profile 'My Courses/Certificates' -> 'Transcript/Certificates Earned'  for future access.

Designation Statement

NPACE designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 contact hours, of which 0.5 is pharmacology credit. Participants should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

This activity has been reviewed by the American Academy of Physician Associates Review Panel and is compliant with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Approval is valid from 1/1/2026 to 12/31/2026 . PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

Accreditation Statement

Nurse Practitioner Associates for Continuing Education is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

DISCLOSURES


Faculty

Contributing faculty, Johnny Isenberger, DNP, ACNP-BC, CCRN has disclosed no relevant financial relationship. 

Planners

All planners and contributors involved in this educational activity have disclosed no relevant financial relationships. 

Disclaimer

The material presented in this continuing education program is being made available for educational purposes only and is not intended to represent the best or only methods, medications and/or guidelines appropriate for the medical situation discussed. Rather the material is intended to present an approach, view, statement, or opinion of the presenter(s), which may be helpful, or of interest to other practitioners and should not be used by clinicians without the evaluation of their patient’s conditions and possible contraindications on dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities. NPACE disclaims any liability, loss, injury, or damage incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any information given in a presentation.

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use

This educational activity may mention the uses of products that are not approved by the FDA for the indication(s) being discussed. The presenter(s) are instructed to notify participants when they are discussing unapproved uses or investigational agents. The opinions related to unapproved uses of products are solely those of the presenter(s) and are not endorsed or recommended by NPACE. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

Commercial Support

There is no commercial support for this activity.

Key:

Complete
Failed
Available
Locked
Pre-Test
3 Questions  |  1 attempt  |  0/3 points to pass
3 Questions  |  1 attempt  |  0/3 points to pass Please complete this pre-test prior to watching the presentation video - Simply click the 'Take Quiz' button. This pre-test is a non-graded assessment tool we use to establish a baseline and determine a participant's pre-existing knowledge.
Presentation Video
Open to view video.
Open to view video.
Course Evaluation
9 Questions
Post-Test
3 Questions  |  Unlimited attempts  |  2/3 points to pass
3 Questions  |  Unlimited attempts  |  2/3 points to pass Pass this 3 question post-test with a score of 2/3 (66.7%) or higher.
Certificate
1.00 CE/CME category 1 credits (0.50 Pharmacology) credit  |  Certificate available
1.00 CE/CME category 1 credits (0.50 Pharmacology) credit  |  Certificate available You can now view/print a copy of your certificate of completion by clicking the button to the right. This online certificate will also be saved within your 'My Coures/Certificates' --> 'Transcript/Certificates Earned' for future access.