ED learning opportunities? Need input!

[alkaleidi]

I'm new to the ED and I was wondering what kind of opportunities are out there for learning about trauma/general ED nursing?

I realize there's TNCC, TNS, ENPC, ACLS, CEN, and SANE that our facility tries to get you through -- but their time frame for all but ACLS (I'm scheduled for December) is "after you've been here 1-2 years" -- and I can respect that, but I'd like to learn some more NOW.

Are there more certifications or even just college courses specific to ED nursing? I've looked at a few nearby and even distant Illinois colleges/universities and I can't find any "Emergency Nursing" or "Trauma Nursing" type courses that you can take individually. I'd even take a telecourse or internet course in another state if the tuition wasn't insanely high.

Another question: how long before you more experienced ED nurses recommend taking things like TNCC, TNS, ENPC, and SANE courses? Are there some that have really thorough education that a new-to-ED nurse could take early-on that would be helpful as learning? Or do you recommend having a year or two of ED experience under your belt BEFORE taking?

Please respond with any help/advice!!!

-A

[Larry77, RN]

You've got a good start coming to this site. There is a ton of great info and good resources on allnurses. I also like to visit the ENA website www.ena.org plus there are a ton of great books out there like Sheehy's Emergency Nursing.

At my facility we try to have all of our certs done within the first year and our CEN after 2 yrs.

[bigsyis]

Try for a Basic Trauma Life Support Course (BTLS). It is similar in structure to an ACLS course, but focuses strictly on Trauma and the integrated body systems. It is usually a two-day course and I absolutely LOVED it when I took it. If it isn't offered at your hospital, check with your local Fire/EMS. They will know where you can tak eit. If your facility won't pay for it, do it yourself-it will be worth every penny!

[neneRN, BSN, RN]

TNCC and ACLS are both excellent...we used to have new nurses wait a while before taking them, but have changed our practice to get them into these classes as soon as possible- and I think this is much better...I say take those right away so that you can make some sense out of everything you're seeing...with CEN, I'd say get a year or two of experience in before you attempt...I got my CEN about a year and a half after I graduated. There's also an ASLS (Advanced Stroke Life Support) course out there now, but I don't know if its offered everywhere in the country yet...but its an excellent class.

[alkaleidi]

Thanks so much for your responses -- everything was very helpful. I'm probably not going to wait for the facility I'm at to schedule me for the ENPC and TNCC -- I'm really wanting to take those to learn more, and like neneRN said, make some sense of what I'm seeing. Everything is coming to me really quickly -- I think I'll be ready to be on my own faster than planned, but I want to be more prepared for the more acutely ill patients and traumas that come in.

Thanks again!