Trauma NP????

Editorial Team / Admin · Jul 20, 2006

hello, joeydog,

this is a post from a sticky in the ccu forum that i made a while back. might be something you would consider:

emergency nurse practitioner (enp) scope of practice
the emergency nurse practitioner (enp) program prepares advanced practice nurses with the knowledge and skills needed to provide emergency and urgent health care services to individuals of all ages. emphasis is on the management of acute illnesses, trauma, and/ or chronic unstable illnesses requiring immediate attention, stabilizing the individual’s condition, and determining appropriate referral and follow-up care. enps provide care in ambulatory, urgent care, and emergency department settings. many graduates are prepared to be recognized as advanced practice nurses by the board of nurse examiners and to take the family nurse practitioner national certification examination through the american nurses credentialing center or the academy of nurse practitioners
and, many consider the apn role as a critical care/trauma specialist:
american association for critical care nurses ~ ccns
the critical care/trauma clinical nurse specialist
because inpatient care focuses increasingly on treating the sickest of the sick, the need for advanced practice nurses to provide and coordinate care in emergency rooms, trauma, critical care, and intensive care units has never been greater.
critical care/trauma clinical nurse specialists fill that role. they bring clinical expertise to acute care across a variety of health care settings, and lead the care management processes that are essential in today's health care environment. many also play a vital teaching and research role; from the front lines they lend a unique and essential perspective to understanding a range of issues confronting nurses.

elkpark · Jul 20, 2006

I worked a few years ago at a large, urban teaching hospital which was the Level I trauma center for the region and had several NPs on the trauma team. Although they did respond to incoming trauma cases in the ED, that was not their assigned location and they seemed to spend more time in the ICU, burn unit, etc., managing the trauma cases throughout their hospitalizations. I was on the psych consultation-liaison team for the medical center and we worked v. closely with the trauma team -- they asked for psych consults/support for many of the trauma victims, so I got to know most of them over time. They all seemed to really enjoy their jobs. I don't know anything, unfortunately, about what their educational background was and how they got to those positions.

That's the only time I've ever encountered trauma NPs, but that's also the only time I've ever worked at a Level I trauma center facility. If you want to try getting in touch with them and see if you can find out some info, PM me and I'll give you the name/contact info for the medical center. One or more of them might be willing to talk with you by 'phone or e-mail. Or you may try seeing if there are trauma NPs at the Level I facility nearest you, and make a contact that way.

If I weren't already well-established as a psych CNS, I would be interested in that (trauma NP) myself ... Best wishes for your studies --

LBH32C · Jul 24, 2006

I shadow a NP at a level one trauma unit. They respond to all Level Ones as well as oversee pt care of each individual in the Trauma Unit. It is always very exciting seeing as that you NEVER know what will come through the ED doors. My advice is to look at Level One units in your area and research to see whether or not they utilize NPs and what the NP protocols are for that unit.

mmutk, BSN, RN, EMT-I · Jul 31, 2006

check out the vanderbilt website..

Most all of the providers in the critical care (trauma unit) are NPs

mt33133 · Aug 17, 2006

Hello all,
I am still an undergrad student but plan on getting my MN asap. I was interested in becoming an NP of trauma but was really wondering what kind of job prospects there are for trauma NP's. I've done some looking around on the net and most of the jobs out there are for FNP and pediatric NP's. Also I was curious as to what the scope of practice was for trauma NP's. I know at our local hospital NP's in the ED only do fast track and that was not really what I had in mind. Any information would really be appreciated thanks so much! :wink2:

According to an article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Pulse magazine, there are only 4 ENP Programs in the entire US. They are located at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, in Loyola, IL, Arlington, TX and Houston, TX. According to the article these programs have been started to address ER staffing shortages. Sounds like the Emory program is very, very impressive. You can check it out at www.emory.edu.

Thanks!

Tweety, BSN, RN · Aug 17, 2006

Our ER has a trauma team that's ready when the patient arrives(nurse, RT, radiology, MD, etc.), but the primarily management and assessments, etc. are done by the MD's (of course we all know the ER RN is doing the bulk of the true assessment and work). Our ER does use NP's but they don't do the traumas, other than suturing non-trauma alert injuries. I shadowed her for 8 hours for a class I took and loved her role, even if it wasn't trauma.

After admission the traumas are managed by NPs on the floors, one for critical care and step down, and one for med-surg. They have to report to the various trauma docs and please them by their standards, which is a liability in my opinion, but it seems to work.

Good luck in all that you do.

pmednurse, RN · Aug 27, 2006

University of Maryland uses NPs on all three of their trauma teams and most of their specialty teams