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Behavioral Health
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PTSD: Diagnosis and Treatment

Build nursing competence in recognizing, assessing, triaging, and supporting evidence-based treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder across care settings.

A registered nurse sits at eye level with an adult patient in a private behavioral health room, using an open posture during a calm, trauma-informed assessment.
Contact hours
2
Format
Self-paced, online
Last reviewed
Sep 19, 2026

$10.00or included with All-Access

$5 per contact hour · 2 contact hours

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  • No post-test required · unlimited retakes · evaluation and attestation always required

Course Purpose

Build nursing competence in recognizing, assessing, triaging, and supporting evidence-based treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder across care settings.

Continuing Education Credit Designation

This educational activity is credited for 2 contact hours at completion of the activity.

Overview

After completing this course, the nurse will be able to recognize PTSD symptom patterns, use trauma-informed interviewing practices, distinguish screening from diagnosis, and identify findings that require urgent safety intervention. The nurse will also be able to explain first-line psychotherapies and medications, monitor treatment response and adverse effects, and coordinate individualized, recovery-oriented care within nursing scope and organizational policy.

Objectives

Upon completion of this independent study, the learner will be able to:

  1. Differentiate posttraumatic stress disorder from acute stress disorder and common medical or psychiatric differential diagnoses.
  2. Recognize the required trauma exposure, symptom clusters, duration, functional impairment, and exclusion criteria used to diagnose PTSD.
  3. Apply trauma-informed principles when obtaining a history, conducting a mental status examination, and screening for suicide risk.
  4. Distinguish the purposes and appropriate uses of the PC-PTSD-5, PCL-5, and CAPS-5 assessment instruments.
  5. Compare recommended trauma-focused psychotherapies and pharmacologic options for adults with PTSD.
  6. Develop a nursing plan for monitoring symptoms, medication safety, sleep, substance use, functioning, and continuity of care.

Policy Statement

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the policies of FastCEForLess.com. This course should be used for informational purposes only and should not be used to diagnose, treat, prescribe, recommend, or initiate therapies or treatments in any setting. This course is copyrighted by Fast CE For Less, Inc. and may not be replicated, copied, or dispersed without written consent.

Disclosures

Fast CE For Less, Inc. and its authors have no disclosures. There is no commercial support.

Who this course is for:

Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, registered nurses, licensed practical or vocational nurses, and other healthcare providers in any setting who want continuing education on PTSD: Diagnosis and Treatment.

Course outline

9 sections · finish in any order across devices

  1. 1

    PTSD: Diagnosis and Treatment Case Study

  2. 2

    Introduction

  3. 3

    Pathophysiology Related to PTSD

  4. 4

    Diagnosing PTSD

  5. 5

    Conducting a Mental Health Exam

  6. 6

    Treatment Considerations for PTSD

  7. 7

    Pharmacological Treatment

  8. 8

    Pharmacology Considerations

  9. 9

    Conclusion

References

The full reference list is included inside the course, after the Conclusion.

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