Michigan Level I Trauma Centers

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Oct 31, 2012

I worked at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit in the ED almost 10 years ago. The location was ideal for a variety of trauma-related ED admission from violence-related gunshot wounds and stab wounds to smoke inhalations and burns from fires to high speed motor vehicle crashes from nearby Lodge Freeway. There are other Trauma Centers within a 10 mile radius (Detroit Receiving is also Level I, Sinai-Grace isn't but still admitted trauma patients in their ED). Speaking from experience, the hospital prepares you well for this setting. Orientation is adequate and required classes (ACLS, PALS, TNCC, ENPC) are scheduled timely and paid for. Henry Ford does not get pediatric traumas frequently though and if they ever did, they are quickly transferred to Children's Hospital once stabilized. The busy times are at night and during Detroit events that are notorious for getting rowdy.

ED Nurses rotate between the various ED triage levels from Urgent Care to Trauma Bay. You don't always get assigned to the Trauma Bay each time you work to allow for every nurse to have the exposure to every aspect of ED nursing. There are typically two nurses assigned to the Trauma Bay each shift and they respond to Trauma admissions. There are two Trauma rooms and there are instances when both rooms have patients being resuscitated -- the Charge Nurse and nurses assigned in the Critical Care ED area help out in those situations. I enjoyed my experience there but would also recommend that you also seek exposure to nursing in the Trauma ICU (which is the SICU at Henry Ford) to get the whole picture of how patients are stabilized in the ED, treated definitively in the OR, and managed post-operatively in the SICU.

ARock&AHardplace · Nov 2, 2012

ED Nurses rotate between the various ED triage levels from Urgent Care to Trauma Bay. You don't always get assigned to the Trauma Bay each time you work to allow for every nurse to have the exposure to every aspect of ED nursing. There are typically two nurses assigned to the Trauma Bay each shift and they respond to Trauma admissions. There are two Trauma rooms and there are instances when both rooms have patients being resuscitated -- the Charge Nurse and nurses assigned in the Critical Care ED area help out in those situations. I enjoyed my experience there but would also recommend that you also seek exposure to nursing in the Trauma ICU (which is the SICU at Henry Ford) to get the whole picture of how patients are stabilized in the ED, treated definitively in the OR, and managed post-operatively in the SICU.

While I am sure there are a few people who are mad they do not get to stick in one area every time, I do believe that that kind of rotation truly improves your ability to do your job. Knowing the full circle of things definitely gives you good perspective and really helps you better understand where you fit in that circle.

I appreciate your insight, I just can't wait to get into the career field!

Anyone else work in the level 1 centers in Michigan?

MrsClarkRN · Nov 2, 2012

I worked at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit in the ED almost 10 years ago. The location was ideal for a variety of trauma-related ED admission from violence-related gunshot wounds and stab wounds to smoke inhalations and burns from fires to high speed motor vehicle crashes from nearby Lodge Freeway. There are other Trauma Centers within a 10 mile radius (Detroit Receiving is also Level I, Sinai-Grace isn't but still admitted trauma patients in their ED). Speaking from experience, the hospital prepares you well for this setting. Orientation is adequate and required classes (ACLS, PALS, TNCC, ENPC) are scheduled timely and paid for. Henry Ford does not get pediatric traumas frequently though and if they ever did, they are quickly transferred to Children's Hospital once stabilized. The busy times are at night and during Detroit events that are notorious for getting rowdy.
ED Nurses rotate between the various ED triage levels from Urgent Care to Trauma Bay. You don't always get assigned to the Trauma Bay each time you work to allow for every nurse to have the exposure to every aspect of ED nursing. There are typically two nurses assigned to the Trauma Bay each shift and they respond to Trauma admissions. There are two Trauma rooms and there are instances when both rooms have patients being resuscitated -- the Charge Nurse and nurses assigned in the Critical Care ED area help out in those situations. I enjoyed my experience there but would also recommend that you also seek exposure to nursing in the Trauma ICU (which is the SICU at Henry Ford) to get the whole picture of how patients are stabilized in the ED, treated definitively in the OR, and managed post-operatively in the SICU.

Thanks for the insight! I want to get into the ED department when I graduate!

Noemi RN · Nov 5, 2012

hi can you guys help me, im waiting for my visa and hopefully i could have it mid next year, do you have any suggestions where to apply near muskegon MI? i have 3 years and half OR experience and 2 years in clinical...or any place near it... i hope you can give me suggestions when will be the beat time to start applying ? im from the philippines

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Nov 7, 2012

hi can you guys help me, im waiting for my visa and hopefully i could have it mid next year, do you have any suggestions where to apply near muskegon MI? i have 3 years and half OR experience and 2 years in clinical...or any place near it... i hope you can give me suggestions when will be the beat time to start applying ? im from the philippines

The job market is very tight here in the US. As many as 50% of nurses cannot find a position is an acute care facility when they graduate and pass NCLEX. I think you need to investigate the process of getting a nursing license here in the USA, which can be a LONG process, before you think about applying for a position. Many foreign nurses are finding it difficult to apply for their license and be eligible to sit for the licensing exam called NCLEX.

Please visit the Nurse registration in our world form here on AN........

,Nurse Registration, where you can discuss registration in a different country to where you lived and/or trained. This is an area where issues and support can be offered from others already going through or have gone through the process. If information is required on immigration please post in Advice on Immigration.