Trauma team requirements

[joyful_wanderer]

Just wondering if other hospitals have requirements for their nurses to meet in order to be on or apart of the trauma "team"? I work at a level two trauma center right now and currently the only requirement is to have TNCC. The nursing memebers of the team is 1 ICU nurse and 1 ER nurse. Recently we are discovereing that perhaps we need to have more requirements or expectations such as at least 1 year expereince in either ER or ICU, be able to demonstrate ability to use a rapid infusor or set up equipment. Also, do most hospitals have ICU nurses attend the traumas? Im used to the ER nurses being the primary team members. Just wondering and any advice would be appreciated. I've been tasked with trying to build a stronger team between departments and not sure where to start.

[Sun0408, ASN, RN]

I will post back later. Time for bed

[Sun0408, ASN, RN]

I'm in the ICU. We are required to respond to the ED if a level one trauma comes in or if multiple traumas come in at the same time. We require one year in our unit before taking TNCC. Once you have completed both you will then respond to traumas. We are checked off yearly on the rapid infusers etc. CT insertion, RSI, central lines skills are gained during that first year in the ICU. We stay with the trauma until the trauma doc let's us go back to the unit or once the pt is admitted and taken to the unit. If the pt goes to the OR we are not required to go with them unless we are needed to run the rapid infuser during the case.

[APRN., DNP, RN, APRN, NP]

I work in a level ll Trauma center that sees a lot of daily activity.

The Rapid Response/Resource RN in the ICU responds to all "Full Traumas", and does not attend the "Limited Traumas".

As one of the responders from ICU, I am required to demonstrate competency in the Rapid Infuser as well as all other equipment, yearly. Additionally, I am required to be TNCC certified.

[russianbear]

I work in a level one ED. We have three categories of trauma. 2 and 3 have five people present. Attending, resident, respiratory therapist, medic, and the RN charts. Category one sees surgical staff and respond and run it. Much busier. They tend to go quickly to the OR then straight to the trauma ICU.

[NoEmergency]

Level 1 trauma ER. We mandate the following for our trauma nurses: tncc or atcn, acls, pals, 1 year experience and have demonstrated competence in all 3 levels of trauma. For level 1's we have a pretty large response including surgery attending, senior resident, er resident (airway & ultrasound only), blood bank, OR/anesthesia staff, ekg, radiology, lab, pharmacy, AOD, icu charge (planning only). ED nurses run the show entirely until care is handed off to either OR or ICU. All staff not in direct patient care is either outside or behind the red line on the floor.

[LV3677]

Level 1 trauma center. Two ED RN's for level one traumas- one primary, one circulating. EMT's run the Belmont and chart. ED resident does airway, trauma team does primary and secondary assessment. Other team members include pharmacy, RT, lab, pulmonary tech, XR and CT, and consulting services for the specific trauma, like neurosurg, ortho, etc. RN's are required to have TNCC and standard ED certifications, i.e., PALS, ACLS, etc. RN's must demonstrate the following set ups- RSI, chest tube, art line, CL, blood admin, ventilator management, tourniquet application...and other basic skills necessary for traumas.

Only time we use ICU RN's is with ED initiated ECMO, in which the ED RN runs the code while the CVICU RN's and CT surgery manage the ECMO.