Trauma Unit

Altra, BSN, RN · Nov 28, 2007

I work in a Level I trauma center. One or more nurses may be assigned to the trauma bay on any given day, but those will not be your only patients. You will get swamped, like everyone else, with everything else that comes through the ER doors all the while juggling for those 3 MVA patients who are being flown in right about now ...

Trauma overflows too ... one 2- or 3-vehicle crash, a structure fire, or drive-by shooting w/multiple GSW victims will fill up the trauma bay quick. Traumas received after that will go to "regular" rooms to be cared for by other ER nurses even if they're not assigned to trauma that particular day.

Traumas are not always the big dramatic stuff either ... you'll see countless elderly falls who need to be evaluated for subtle head bleeds, hip & pelvic fractures, etc. These patients can turn out to be way more involved than the guy who was helicoptered in, had negative x-rays & CT scans, and is currently hopping off the stretcher as he's being discharged.

As a new grad you'll probably spend some orientation time in trauma but then not be assigned there for a while - possibly up to a year. Your facility's one year period of internship for new grads sounds promising. Make the most of it!

Good luck to you. :)

CainRN · Nov 28, 2007

Great input. I appreciate it!

TRAMA1RN · Nov 28, 2007

Having worked in trauma and emergency medicine for 8 years I recommend that you get your basics down and learn to be organized and get your priortization skills down solidly. Trauma is very busy and most can make it but it makes it harder on the experienced nurses if they end up babysitting you.

cmo421 · Nov 28, 2007

Having worked in trauma and emergency medicine for 8 years I recommend that you get your basics down and learn to be organized and get your priortization skills down solidly. Trauma is very busy and most can make it but it makes it harder on the experienced nurses if they end up babysitting you.

While I agree that one should get some experience prior to ER nursing, I would not call it babysitting. Usually a new grad or new hire to the ER can not work the trauma alley until they have gathered sometime in the basic ER. Also they have certification that is required by most to work there. ACLS,BLS, Trauma course. Trauma alley as we call it,is a fast paced scary area when the big things come rolling in. Tempers are high and people want things done and assessed now. New grads and hires should work up to this gradually. IMO the more u know ,the better pt care and assesssments u can do. Take some time and get ur mojo,and then do trauma. Believe me,its a great place to work. We do not "babysit" as was said, we enjoy teaching, but we want u to have the basics down first. Have fun and enjoy! Good luck

meandragonbrett · Nov 30, 2007

I would think it would depend on if your facility has an Emergency Dept and a Trauma Dept. My hospital has two separate departments and separate sets of staff members.

scattycarrot, BSN, RN · Dec 6, 2007

While I agree that one should get some experience prior to ER nursing, I would not call it babysitting. Usually a new grad or new hire to the ER can not work the trauma alley until they have gathered sometime in the basic ER. Also they have certification that is required by most to work there. ACLS,BLS, Trauma course. Trauma alley as we call it,is a fast paced scary area when the big things come rolling in. Tempers are high and people want things done and assessed now. New grads and hires should work up to this gradually. IMO the more u know ,the better pt care and assesssments u can do. Take some time and get ur mojo,and then do trauma. Believe me,its a great place to work. We do not "babysit" as was said, we enjoy teaching, but we want u to have the basics down first. Have fun and enjoy! Good luck

Well said! I don't like the term 'babysitting' either. Its derogatory and doesn't exactly exhibit respect for new interns. We were all new once, how easily some people forget that.

S.T.A.C.E.Y, LPN · Dec 6, 2007

Ours doesn't always have trauma patients in the ER, so we use float nurses to go into the the trauma room, or pulls someone from their regular assignment while everyone else covers her assignment.

Everyone gets a chance to do trauma, once you've been oriented to it.

NativeSundance, LPN · Dec 7, 2007

Ours doesn't always have trauma patients in the ER, so we use float nurses to go into the the trauma room, or pulls someone from their regular assignment while everyone else covers her assignment.

Wow! Your ER puts FLOATS in the trauma rooms? I can honestly say we have NEVER EVER put a float in with a trauma. Float nurses have a hard enough time functioning in our little corner of chaos (the ER) without assigning them to what could be a massively overwhelming patient that is WAAAY out of their normal scope of practice and expertise. That would be a huge liability to the patient, the float nurse and the hospital. Our med/surg floats usually only work in the express care part of the ER and our critical care floats take any assignment EXCEPT trauma. While they may be ACLS and sometimes CCRN certified, they are not TNCC trained and immediate care of fresh trauma patients is out of their normal scope of practice and expertise. Not to say they don't come in and help if needed, but they will never be assigned to the trauma rooms.

In our facility, only experienced ACLS+PALS+TNCC nurses are assigned to trauma and even then, only if they have level heads and can think quickly and clearly on their feet in the trauma environment. They are now beginning to mandate that assigned trauma nurses are also CEN certified. The ER got it's collective butt burned a few years ago and have made these changes to assignments accordingly.

S.T.A.C.E.Y, LPN · Dec 7, 2007

Wow! Your ER puts FLOATS in the trauma rooms?

Our ER float nurses. They usually float around the dpt to help with other people's assignments, and are always ER nurses. We don't take nurses from outside the dpt to help out.