Nurses continuing education – Vitamin D Overview

Created June 2014

Vitamin D Overview

Nursece4less Course author: Dana Bartlett, RN, MA, MSN

Contact Hours: 3.0 , Price: $6.00 (had been $8.97)

Price includes all materials and certificate of completion.

Target audience:

  • Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, Registered Nurses,

  • Licensed Practical Nurses, and Medical Assistants

Difficulty level: Intermediate, Format: Homestudy, This course expires on: 4/30/2017

Course Description

Nursing knowledge of the physiological functions of vitamin D and the systemic effects of vitamin D deficiency will help them educate patients on the prevention and treatment of vitamin D deficiency. Patients treated for vitamin D deficiency should be aware of the signs of acute and chronic vitamin D intoxication. This course will help nurses identify signs and symptoms of vitamin D deficiency and its treatment.

Learning Objectives

  • Discuss two ways the body can attain vitamin D

  • List three functions of vitamin D

  • List three causes of vitamin D deficiency.

  • List three diseases that may be caused by vitamin D deficiency.

  • Identify three signs/symptoms of vitamin D intoxication.

  • Identify three drugs/drug classes that may be affect vitamin D status.

Course Outline

Introduction

Vitamin D: Overview

The Physiological Functions of Vitamin D

Vitamin D: Sources And Daily Requirement

Food sources of vitamin D

Sunlight as a source of vitamin D

Daily vitamin D requirement and serum levels

Vitamin D Deficiency

Breast-fed infants

Skin pigmentation

Obesity

The Health Effects Of Vitamin D Deficiency

Bone health: osteomalacia/rickets

Autoimmune diseases

Cancer

Cardiovascular disease

Cognitive impairment, dementia and alzheimer's disease

Drug Interactions With Vitamin D

Vitamin D Toxicity: Acute And Chronic

Prevention And Treatment Of Vitamin D Deficiency:

    Therapeutic Use Of Vitamin D Supplementation

Summary

$25.00 buys all 108 courses – 443 hours (as of June 2014)

Anyone can buy it for $9. When it asks for your nurses license just enter none

VitaminDWiki grade = B

  • Fail to differentiate between vitamin D from wild vs farmed salmon

  • Mentions vitamin D product varies with skin type and age

    • – but does not mention that it is a VERY SIGNIFICANT variation: 3X - 5X

  • Quite up to date – many 2014 references

  • Error: Says IU of vitamin D is equal to 0.25 mcg of ergocalciferol or cholecalciferol. (IU= 0.025 mcg)

  • Error: the number of American black mothers that are vitamin D deficient has been found to be very low.

  • The possibility exists that a low level of vitamin D is an effect, and not a cause

    • Seems to be totally unaware of the 45+ clinical trials in which the addition of vitamin D prevented/treated diseases.
  • Echoed the literature - but in error: Individuals who get 10-30 minutes of sunlight between 10 am and 3 pm, two times a week, will most often have enough vitamin D. Exposing the arms and face
    • NOPE, arms and face were not enough when it was thought that 1,000 IU was enough, and it is far too little now that it is known that 3,500 IU is needed
    • especially for those at high risk such as: shut-in, dark skin, obese, winter, far from equator, elderly, etc.
  • Error: research that has focused on vitamin D supplementation as a preventative measure or as a treatment has yielded ambiguous results.
  • Error: gave example of 3 children who had problems with 1,400 IU of vitamin D
  • Error: stated Pneumonia was not related to vitamin D: see Pneumonia in seniors was 2.5X more likely if low vitamin D – June 2014

See also VitaminDWiki