ENPC

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Hi all! I am not sure where the best place to post this so I will start here. I am a recent new grad who has been working on a Med-Surg floor for almost 1 year. Recently my director mentioned having me take an ENPC course next month. I am totally excited but this only the second time I have heard of this course can anyone offer me some insight on what this class is like? It's a two day class. Thanks so much!

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Check the ER nursing board. There are several threads there about it if you do a search.

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If you work Med-Surg why does the director recommend ENPC?

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Specializes in ED.

I'm also curious as to why your director recommends ENPC on a med-surg floor. I work in the ED and probably won't take that certification for another year or so.

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Maybe they want you to have a specialty since you're an amazing nurse. Like the go-to guy for peds.

Just my guess...

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I think specifically because we take pediatrics on our floor. We ship them if they are critical , but during flu and RSV seasons we get quite a few sick kiddos with respiratory distress. Pediatrics can be a challenge for us because the nurses on our floor aren't specifically trained in pediatrics, so when we are assigned a pediatric patient they count as 2 patients D/T the hourly iv checks and q2 hr respiratory vitals. I had expressed an interest in getting more training/experience with pediatrics. She said this class will be a good learning experience for assessment and signs of deterioration. I also had a meeting with the ER director who wanted me to come and precept down there after I had helped fill in a few nights-I told him I didn't feel like I had enough confidence and experience yet. He also recommended me to take both EPNC and TNPC along with ACLS and PALS.

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Specializes in ED.

Well bless you. I do an internal scream when peds patients roll through my ER, lol. They make me nervous, so much room for error. I'm trying to get approved as a designated CP nurse so I don't have to deal with the kids, haha.

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I agree. Whenever I see a pediatric crash cart in the hallway coming into work I hold my breath and cross my fingers they aren't assigned to me. I'm hoping this class will give me more knowledge in this area of nursing. Knowledge is power, face your fears- haha.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

ENPC is just what it says - Emergency nurse pediatrics is the focus. I do not think you will use much of it in your area. Same with TNCC. It is for nurses treating trauma cases and focuses on the initial therapies, not after they are stable enough to go to MedSurg.

PALS and ACLS are more focused on code situations. I see the point of those courses for the floor nurses.

Do you have Micromedex at your facility? If so, there is a screen with links to algorithms for PALS/ACLS. Because kids weight varies drastically between 2 months and 2 years or 12 years, we insert the data into the calculator then print out the recommended drug doses for a patient that weight. The print out goes on the chart in case of emergency. No one has to waste time calculating!

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Specializes in Emergency.

I respectfully disagree with classicdame. While the focus is on emergency presentations I think you will learn a great deal about the assessment of pediatric patients, how to gauge level of illness in a child and also gain confidence with pediatric patients in this course.

Also, let's face it, the kids you see have actually made it into the hospital and so are automatically more ill than 80 percent of what you will see in my ER.

ENPC is a great course and I recommend it to anyone working with a peds population. Take what applies, and much of it will. The course involves lecture, skills demonstration/practice and a practical/written exam. The exam scenarios are in the back of your textbook. The expectations of the course are very clear and if you are prepared you will do fine.

I also think TNCC will be beneficial even if all you take away is the A-I assessment. If you ever do want to work ER these courses will also be a huge asset!

Good Luck!

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Thank you codeteam B! While I agree I am not working in the ER yet, it is a future goal of mine. Because I do work with pediatrics I want all the tools and experience I need to be able to quickly and accurately assess a child or infant and know whether their current state of health is beyond our capabilities. Same with med-SURG, we may not need to "triage" Pts as they come in the door, but we do need to be able to accurately prioritize our Pts,and again-quickly and accurately decide if they are deteriorating. If these classes will help me achieve these goals I'm all over them.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

Thanks, CodeTeamB. I also believe that any knowledge is never wasted.

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