Professional Education
Our education programs empower professionals with the clinical knowledge, strategic insight, and applied skills required to lead with confidence in today’s evolving healthcare landscape. Built upon evidence-based practice, we design learning experiences that elevate wellness, prioritize prevention, and drive measurable improvements in care.
Continuing Education Courses
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Perfect for nurses picking specific topics. All self-paced, mobile-friendly, with quizzes and certificates.
Implicit Bias Awareness in Nursing Practice
Contact Hours: 1.0
Description: Explore the origins, effects, and mitigation of unconscious biases in patient care. Meets Illinois mandatory requirement with practical strategies for equitable, compassionate practice.
Price: $19 (standalone)
Ideal for: All RNs/LPNs/APRNs renewing by May 31, 2026.
Sexual Harassment Prevention in Healthcare
Contact Hours: 1.0
Description: Illinois-required training on recognizing, preventing, and responding to workplace harassment. Focuses on professional boundaries and safe environments for nurses and patients.
Price: $19 (standalone)
Ideal for: Mandatory compliance.
Diagnosis, Treatment, and Care of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias
Contact Hours: 1.0 (or expand to 2.0 with deeper modules)
Description: From Dr. Leegard’s our flagship Dementia Beyond the Textbook® series—real-world assessment, communication, behavior management, family support, and ethical care for aging adults. Meets Illinois mandatory for nurses working with adults 26+.
Price: $29 (standalone)
Ideal for: Senior care, memory care, and long-term care nurses.
Dementia Beyond the Textbook®: Managing Complex Behaviors
Contact Hours: 2.0
Description: Advanced strategies for de-escalation, risk reduction, high-stakes communication, and leadership in dementia care. Draws from your clinical expertise in senior services.
Price: $39 (standalone)
Ideal for: Nurses in assisted living, home care, or hospitals.
Burnout Prevention and Mental Health for Nurses
Contact Hours: 2.0
Description: Evidence-based tools for self-care, resilience, stress management, and supporting patients with mental health needs—vital in today's demanding environment.
Price: $35 (standalone)
Infection Control Updates for 2026
Contact Hours: 2.0
Description: Post-pandemic best practices, emerging pathogens, PPE, and prevention in various settings.
Price: $35 (standalone)
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These offer the best value—discounts vs. buying individually, focused on renewal needs.
Illinois Mandatory Compliance Bundle
Contact Hours: 3.0
Included Courses: Implicit Bias (1h) + Sexual Harassment Prevention (1h) + Alzheimer's/Dementia Care (1h)
Description: Complete your key Illinois mandates in one affordable package. Perfect for busy nurses needing fast compliance before the May 31, 2026 deadline.
Price: $49 (save $18 vs. individual)
Illinois Renewal Essentials Bundle
Contact Hours: 10.0
Included Courses: All Mandatories (3h) + Dementia Beyond the Textbook®: Managing Complex Behaviors (2h) + Burnout Prevention (2h) + Infection Control (2h) + 1 extra general topic (e.g., Communication Skills)
Description: Cover your required topics plus high-demand skills for professional growth. Local expertise from Dr. Claire Leegard ensures practical, bedside-ready content.
Price: $79 (save $50+ vs. individual)
Full Illinois 20-Hour Renewal Bundle
Contact Hours: 20.0
Included Courses: All Mandatories + Dementia series + Burnout + Infection Control + additional topics (e.g., Communication, Workplace Safety, Evidence-Based Practice) to reach exactly 20 hours.
Description: One-stop solution for RNs/LPNs—meet the full 20-hour requirement with trusted, IDFPR-approved courses from an expert in senior care education. Instant certificates and mobile access.
Price: $99
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Group Live Virtual or In-Person Sessions ( Dr. Leegard’s Signature Team Education): $799 for 60-min group (up to 20 participants) or custom pricing.
Bulk Discounts: 10+ nurses = 20% off bundles.
Individual Learning Session
1 Contact Hour | Live Virtual
Investment: $29.00
Designed for nurses seeking high-impact education in an efficient format.
EDUCATIONAL ENGAGEMENT OPTIONS
Team Education
Private Organizational Training | 60 Minutes
Investment: Starting at $499.00
Ideal for healthcare organizations committed to strengthening dementia care across their clinical teams.
Extended Clinical Intensive
Advanced Team Training | 90 Minutes
Investment: Starting at $999.00
A deeper educational experience allowing for applied case discussion, advanced behavioral strategy, and stronger clinical alignment across teams.
The Dementia Excellence Certificate™
Advanced Clinical Preparation for Nurses Caring for Patients with Cognitive Decline
Move beyond foundational knowledge and develop the clinical judgment required to navigate the growing complexity of dementia care.
The Dementia Excellence Certificate™ is a comprehensive continuing education program designed to prepare nurses to anticipate risk, interpret behavioral symptoms, communicate effectively with families and healthcare teams, and deliver safer, more consistent patient care across healthcare environments.
Dementia care demands far more than compassion — it requires advanced clinical awareness, confident decision-making, and leadership at the bedside.
Developed by the Leegard Institute for Education & Leadership, this certificate program bridges the gap between textbook learning and the realities nurses face when caring for patients living with cognitive decline.
Led by doctorally prepared nurse, healthcare operator, and clinical educator Dr. Claire Leegard, DNP, RN, the program integrates evidence-informed education with practical clinical frameworks — including the Leegard Model™, a structured approach to understanding and responding to behavioral symptoms in dementia.
Participants gain practical strategies that can be applied immediately to:
• anticipate behavioral and safety risks
• recognize medical triggers for sudden cognitive changes
• apply structured assessment frameworks in dementia care
• strengthen communication with families and interdisciplinary teams
• support safer, more consistent care environments
Because in dementia care, hesitation can become risk — and preparation changes outcomes.
Dementia Excellence Certificate™
Advanced Clinical Preparation for Nurses Caring for Patients with Cognitive Decline
PROGRAM AT A GLANCE
Total Continuing Education: 7 Contact Hours
Format: Live, Instructor-Led Cohort
Delivery: Virtual or Organizational On-Site Training
Certificate Awarded Upon Successful Completion
Designed for healthcare professionals committed to advancing their clinical capability in dementia care:
Registered Nurses
Nurse Leaders
Memory Care Clinicians
Assisted Living Nurses
Home Health Professionals
Skilled Nursing Teams
Emerging Clinical Leaders
If your practice involves caring for patients living with cognitive decline — this program was designed for you.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Graduates of the Dementia Excellence Certificate™ will be prepared to:
✔ Strengthen clinical judgment when managing complex dementia presentations
✔ Recognize early indicators of escalation and intervene proactively
✔ Reduce preventable safety incidents in dementia care environments
✔ Apply behavioral strategies that minimize patient distress
✔ Navigate challenging family dynamics with confidence and professionalism
✔ Support more consistent, team-based dementia care
✔ Contribute to safer clinical environments across healthcare settings
CURRICULUM
A Structured Pathway to Clinical Excellence
Course I — Dementia Beyond the Textbook™
Foundational Clinical Judgment
Develop a deeper understanding of dementia progression, cognitive patterns, and behavioral interpretation — enabling earlier recognition of risk and more proactive patient care.
1.5 Contact Hours
Course II — Behavioral Complexity & De-Escalation
Learn to identify behavioral triggers, manage resistance to care, respond to agitation, and implement effective non-pharmacologic interventions.
Build the confidence required to navigate high-stress patient interactions while preserving patient dignity.
1.5 Contact Hours
Course III — High-Risk Dementia Patients: Safety & Clinical Decision-Making
Examine the factors that contribute to falls, wandering, environmental hazards, and sudden clinical deterioration.
Strengthen your ability to make sound decisions in rapidly evolving clinical situations.
2 Contact Hours
Course IV — Family Dynamics & Difficult Conversations
Master communication strategies that support productive conversations with families, reduce conflict, and reinforce professional authority during emotionally charged situations.
1 Contact Hour
Course V — Leading Safer Dementia Care Environments
Move beyond task-based care and begin thinking like a clinical leader.
Explore team communication, documentation clarity, escalation pathways, and the leadership behaviors that support a culture of safety in dementia care.
1 Contact Hour
COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS
Participants must:
✔ Attend all instructional sessions
✔ Complete post-program assessments
✔ Achieve a passing score
✔ Submit a brief clinical reflection
Upon successful completion, participants earn the Dementia Excellence Certificate™, issued by the Leegard Institute for Education & Leadership.
WHAT GRADUATES RECEIVE
Official Dementia Excellence Certificate™
Digital credential badge for professional profiles
Printable certificate for workplace recognition
Resume designation:
Dementia Excellence Certified (DEC)
Issued by the Leegard Institute for Education & Leadership.
When clinical capability rises — outcomes follow.
Evidence-based. Instructor-led. Immediately applicable.