Question about TNCC

[seemerun]

I want to take this course and I am hoping I can get my nurse manager to approve education hours/pay. I don't work in the ER though. I work on an orthopedic floor but it is split into 2 units. One unit is basically hips/knees and totally not applicable to the TNCC. The other end is the "trauma" unit. It's still primarily ortho but ortho cases that are the result of trauma. Also, the trauma cases we see are mostly post-op. Do you still think the TNCC would be helpful? I am planning on taking the course regardless - since I want to advance to ED or ICU but I'd really like it if I didn't have to pay for it myself. Do you think this would be a tough sell to get my NM to approve it?

[FlyingScot, RN]

Yes it will be a tough sell. TNCC deals primarily with emergency care immediately after the trauma and the course isn't cheap.

[Dixielee, BSN, RN]

I agree it might be a tough sell. TNCC is a systematic way to organize your assessment of a fresh trauma. It incorporates not only the ABC's of BLS but things like calling the chaplain, alerting family, initial labs and identifying disabilities. It is not as much about treatment like ACLS, but about assessment of the damage and how to evaluate it without missing things.

I'm tired after a long shift, so I hope this makes sense, but that is my take on things. It might be very interesting for you, but I'm not sure your manager would see the value in it.

[akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P]

I haven't taken TNCC... I've taken other trauma courses and TNCC (from my understanding) is similar. What the course covers is the initial assessment and management of trauma, from arrival in the ED through application of definitive care (could be surgery).

Like any formal trauma course, whether it be TNCC, ATLS, PHTLS, or ITLS, it's just a way to teach a systematic means of assessing trauma patients and prioritizing what their needs are. If you take any of those, you'll find that the basics are very similar and an ATLS-trained Physician will understand what another provider trained by TNCC, PHTLS, or ITLS is saying and what was found and the reverse will generally be true too. This way everyone is working from the same "sheet" and teamwork is enhanced for the patient's benefit.

Because of the focus on initial management, I too think it'll be a tough sell to get your manager to send you to TNCC training unless you occasionally float to a trauma specific unit or the ED where you'll care for trauma patients during the initial workup.