A Master’s of Nursing degree with a focus in Acute Care prepares you to assess, treat and manage acute and chronic conditions, particularly complex and life-threatening injuries and illnesses among teens, middle adults and the elderly. The nursing profession is becoming more demanding, and there are many new patient needs and challenges requiring specialized care. They usually aid patients with serious injuries such as heart attacks, stroke, suicide attempts, car accidents, and other injuries related to work. In the end, it is a very rewarding position, but only if the nurse can cope with the demands and stress that comes along with the title. Registered nurses may then go on to obtain a specialty certification in the field of trauma. You will need to complete courses in physiology, anatomy, pharmacology, health promotion, ethics, and risk reductions. These nurses can be found working in emergency rooms, intensive care units (ICUs), and trauma centers. Patients in critical condition may have erratic or extremely unhealthy vital signs. This type of nursing position is extremely demanding, requiring a good deal of dedication and attention to work functionally. He should be very organized and calm in times of emergency situations. In the case of emergency nursing, trauma nurses should be prepared to provide specific and careful nursing interventions when in emergency settings. Trauma nurses are thoroughly trained in emergency care - focusing on serious medical conditions. Search nursing programs by distance from your location. The majority of data we provide on this website come from the following sources: Copyright 2012-2020 Nursing Explorer. http://ccn.aacnjournals.org/content/34/4/64/T1.expansion.html https://www.researchgate.net/publication/288981746_Workplace_Stress_for_Nurses_in_Emergency_Department Accidents are inevitable - a person, at some point, will experience physical injury or illness. Several people noted how they were treated like human beings, that the nurses became like friends, and were good at accommodating the many and differing needs of the individuals under their care…Some people said they felt like children because they needed nurses to do everything for them. The common tasks of trauma nurses are to handle minor and acute problems, prepare patients for an emergency operation, and assist surgeons during an operation. To land an entry-level position, you will need at least a two-year nursing degree (associate degree). Percentages and amounts are subject to change. Concerning career outlook, all registered nurses will increase at a faster rate as compared to other professions. Critical care nurses, also called trauma nurses or ICU nurses, have the same basic duties and responsibilities as traditional staff RNs but are also responsible for closely monitoring patients recovering from serious illness or injury. And in emergency medication situations, trauma nurses are usually among the first healthcare professionals to provide medical assistance. A trauma nurse will have to provide different kinds of emergency medical procedures, such as IV insertion, intubation, administration of medicine or drugs, monitoring, and even drawing blood. You may also consider earning an advanced nursing degree if you plan on specializing your career. The nature of this job can be chaotic and very stressful—the shifting work schedule is not always ideal and the work hours can be str… As for the recertification, it is done every several years, although this depends on your state rules. They should monitor carefully and watch out for any changes. Trauma nurses are well-trained and well-versed registered nurses rendering care to patients suffering from different injuries, many are serious and life-threatening injuries. Action and emergency situations are what trauma nurses live for. Sources: They must be quick to respond to the patients’ needs and offer medical intervention. The core tasks of trauma nurses include providing immediate and effective medical care, administering emergency medication and drugs, and performing emergency medical procedures as needed to stabilize patients in the ICU or other emergency care setting. You need to have experience in special areas such as intensive care nursing before one can secure employment in a trauma unit. HealthTalk.org, a partnership between Oxford-based charity DIPEx and the Health Experiences Research Group at the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Primary Healthcare Sciences, traveled all around the United Kingdom to find out about the experiences patients had with ICU nurses. The nursing profession is becoming more demanding, and there are many new patient needs and challenges requiring specialized care. Trauma nurses are the first line of health care professionals to attend to seriously injured patients. Just to add, you can get certification in pediatric emergency (CPEN), flight (CFRN), emergency (CEN), and critical care ground transport (CTRN) nursing. The authors also reported that as many as 20 percent of U.S. deaths from trauma in 2014 may have been preventable with optimal trauma care—the type of care provided by trauma nurses. These dedicated professionals are often instrumental in assessing the initial condition of an emergency patient and ensuring correct treatment is given. Once you obtained the required clinical experience, apply for an emergency nursing certification from the BCEN (Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing. Trauma nurses are highly trained, and may spend years in school learning a wide and varied skill set. When applying for emergency nursing certification, you are required to have at least two years of experience in emergency nursing prior to application for the certification exam. http://www.sccm.org/Communications/Pages/CriticalCareStats.aspx. In the case of emergency nursing, trauma nurses should be prepared to provide specific and careful nursing interventions when in emergency settings. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK390316/ Sources: Working hours appear to be inflexible and unattractive; however, many trauma nurses express satisfaction with their work. Trauma nurses, also known as emergency nurses, are nursing professionals who specialize in caring for patients who have suffered from an acute injury or illness and who may be in critical condition. Air & Surface Transport Nurses Association, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (CPNP), Radiology Nurse/Certified Radiology Nurse (CRN), Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. (ACEN). See which RN to MSN program is right for you. Trauma Nurse Practitioners from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine further explain some of the specific tasks charged to critical care nurses: In addition, critical care nurses play an important caregiving role for patients and their families who may be struggling with the gravity of their situation. Please include attribution to https://onlinenursingms.com/rn-to-msn/ with this graphic. Having said this, there is also a huge need for nurses with advanced training. Online Nursing MS Degrees is owned and operated by 2U, Inc. Ready to start comparing programs? Trauma nursing, as a discipline, covers the content and process of all the various roles nurses assume when caring for a trauma patient. An advanced degree may also increase your earning potential and help you step into an educational or leadership role within trauma nursing. ), Work closely with case managers, social workers and financial counselors to help coordinate the discharge process, Function as liaison for the trauma coordinator, research nurses, bedside nurses and ancillary staff attached to the patient, Provide follow-up with ICU patients after discharge (e.g., wound care), Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse (CPEN), Certified Transport Registered Nurse (CTRN). http://www.css.edu/the-sentinel-blog/avoid-nurse-burnout.html Nurses must be highly qualified before becoming a trauma nurse - proper training is a requirement. You can find these nurses working in emergency rooms, critical care units, and as part of an emergency flight team where they alleviate a patient's condition by providing proper medical intervention. A trauma nurse immediately should triage the patient and evaluate the degree of injury or the extent of a patient’s need for prioritization. Perform a variety of procedures on patients daily (monitoring patient progress, assisting in wound … You can obtain recertification by completing continuing education or retaking the exam. * The Board Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN) provides certifications across the emergency and trauma nursing spectrum, including: *Note: Although experience is not required to sit for the above trauma nursing certifications, the BCEN recommend two years of trauma nursing experience at an average of 1,000 practice hours per year across the trauma care continuum before sitting for the exam. Because of such high demands, trauma nurses will constantly have job security. https://dc.cod.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1442&context=essai All Rights Reserved. The common annual salary of trauma nurses is between $60,000 and $90,000, excluding the extra benefits and bonuses that the job may include.