CEN, CCRN, or TNCC?

Specializes in Emergency.

I'm about 9 months into my ED job and am making attempts to keep learning and increasing skills and knowledge. I've attended a few day long seminars/workshops but think my next goals should CEN, CCRN, or TNCC.

Any advice on best ways to prepare for CEN or if I should go straight for CCRN? I want to stay in the ED and someday work trauma; my hospital is not a trauma center. I know I could learn a lot in the ICU but I just don't have a desire to work ICU.:uhoh3: Will the CCRN still be just as helpful to me?

23 Answers

If you don't want to work ICU you getting your CCRN wouldn't be too useful.

In your thread you seemed more interested in ER so go for your CEN or TNCC. CCRN doesn't have much content, but more information on cardiovascular (shocks), and pulmonary concepts.

Good luck

Specializes in Cardiac, ER.

I agree,..CCRN won't be of much value in ER. TNCC is required in the ER where I work, after your first year. It is a fairly simple course and the hospital pays for it. CEN isn't required, but we do get $1 an hour raise for having it. CEN is a much more in depth course and a very difficult exam to pass. It is also expensive and if you fail you pay again to take the exam. Check out the ENA website they have info and study tips and if I remember right you have to have 1yr of ER experience to sit for the exam. Good luck to you.

Specializes in icu/er.

As someone who has sat and "fortunately" passed both exams I think its prudent for any nurse to try to obtain a specialty certification. However I don't honestly believe that just having a certification make you a better nurse, but you have to admire a sincere effort to prepare yourself and passing the exam. If you decide to take an exam and pass it, don't let that be the end of you searching for knowledge within your field. continue to review your study guides often, even after you have passed the exam, cause you can't retain everything for an infinite amount of time. It's a good peaceful feeling after you get that pass score. Also feels good in my wallet too, in the sum of additional $2.50/hr.

Specializes in SRNA.

CCRN is a certification for ICU nurses and wouldn't benefit you.

CEN is considered the standard ED staff nurse certification - I'd study for this. I used https://www.mededseminars.net/ for my CCRN review. It was available online and my hospital reimbursed me for the course since it grants CEUs. For CCRN, it was videos accompanied by PowerPoint presentations that also included handouts of study materials. I found it to be thorough and helpful.

TNCC is the trauma nurse core curriculum course, and this is a good certification to have for anyone who deals with trauma patients. I think of this course more like a BLS or ACLS course, though. It pertains to a particular skill set, whereas your CEN would represent an overall certification in emergency nursing.

Good luck!

If you don't work in the ICU....there is absolutely no point in doing CCRN.

Go for CEN

TNCC was pretty easy. I think it is a one or two-day course, as the other poster said, more like ACLS (only easier, I think). CEN, much more involved, but looks great on a resume.

I would take TNCC first. Then worry about CEN. Best of luck!

Specializes in Trauma/ED.
TNCC was pretty easy. I think it is a one or two-day course, as the other poster said, more like ACLS (only easier, I think). CEN, much more involved, but looks great on a resume.

It may depend on who teaches it because where i live the TNCC course is much more challenging than ACLS. Although the last time I took TNCC it was easier because you only had to do one mock trauma station rather than 3 like before. It's a good course but really only teaches you the basics of trauma nursing.

The CEN exam is a much more difficult exam than the TNCC one but should be passed by anyone who works ED for awhile, hence the recommendation for a year experience.

The CCRN would be helpful if you want to do flight nursing but if you want to do that you should probably look at cross-training to the ICU anyway.

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

The CPEN is the only one requiring a certain amount of time. I'm planning on taking the CPEN this Summer, after I have two years of time as an ED RN -- I work in a mixed-age ED, and that's the requirement.

Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, ER, Peds ER-CPEN.

I just finished my TNCC (required within 6 mos of hire/transfer in our ED) I have ENPC next month, and am 1/2 way through the CCRN class, alot of things I studied in depth in CCRN came back around in TNCC which is a 2 day crash course so the back ground knowledge was nice. I don't think I'll try for the CEN until I've been in the ER at least a year, haven't looked up what the requirements are yet either.

Specializes in ED staff.

I agree with others who've said do TNCC first. Here TNCC is no big whoop, lots of common knowledge things. I'd recommend TNCC, there's also a peds course that ENA does that may be helpful to you if your hospital serves the peds population. I wanna say they have a triage course too but I could be wrong about that.

I am not sure what your level of education is... if you have a BS and would consider going to CRNA school having a CCRN would only help you. Here in AL you don't get extra money for CEN, least not where I work.

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
How much does it generally cost to take a TNCC review course? After that, how much does it cost to register for the TNCC exam?

TNCC is a two-day course, not an exam, so there isn't a review course for it. The CEN is the one that's an exam, as is the CCRN. :)

Specializes in Cardiology, ER, Hospice, Pediatrics.

I just took the TNCC course and passed it. We had to learn and test 3 stations on day one. Then the mega trauma test on day 2 was just with one station. Yes we had to learn to remove a helmet but were not formally tested on it. READ the book. You will pass if you read the book. I consider myself of average to above average intelligence and it was a difficult class. The cost was 265 dollars.

Jen

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