General Description

The Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses (ATCN) course is an advanced, specialized training program designed for registered nurses seeking to enhance their knowledge and practical skills in managing multiple trauma patients . This course is taught concurrently with the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) course for physicians, where nurse participants audit the ATLS lectures and are separated during skill stations and practical testing to receive specialized training tailored to their nursing role .

The course employs an interactive, scenario-based educational approach using moulaged patient models to simulate various trauma situations . It aims to enhance the professional competence of nurses working in emergency departments, intensive care units, operating rooms, and pre-hospital settings by providing them with life-saving theoretical knowledge and practical skills according to the latest global standards accredited by the American College of Surgeons and the Society of Trauma Nurses .

The Goals

Master the concepts and principles of primary and secondary patient assessment in trauma .
Establish management priorities in critical trauma situations .
Develop the ability to resuscitate and stabilize the patient according to identified priorities .
Enhance communication and teamwork skills within a unified team approach to trauma care .
Enable participants to arrange appropriate definitive care and patient transfer when needed .

Target Auidence

Experienced registered nurses working in emergency departments .
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurses .
Operating Room (OR) nurses .
Pre-hospital and ambulance services nurses .
Nurses seeking to increase their knowledge and practical skills in managing multiple trauma patients .

The Features

- Trusted Accreditation: Accredited by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the Society of Trauma Nurses (STN) .
- Integrated Approach: Taught concurrently with the ATLS course for physicians, unifying the language of care and team approach between nurses and doctors .
- Intensive Practical Training: Includes interactive, scenario-based skill stations and simulations using moulaged patient models .
- Course Duration: Typically 2 intensive training days .
- Continuing Education Hours: Provides accredited continuing education (CE) hours .
- Hybrid Learning Option: Blended learning option combining online modules with in-person training (1 to 1.5 days) .

Topics

Didactic Lectures:

Primary and Secondary Patient Assessment .
Airway and Ventilatory Management .
Shock: Hemorrhagic Shock and other types .
Head and Spinal Cord Injuries .
Thoracic and Abdominal Trauma .
Musculoskeletal and Extremity Trauma .
Burns .
Pediatric Trauma .
Trauma in Pregnancy .
Stabilization and Safe Transportation .

Practical Skill Stations:

Initial Assessment and Management .
Airway and Ventilatory Management .
Hemorrhagic Shock .
Head Trauma .
Spinal and Extremity Immobilization .
Pediatric Trauma .

Learning outcomes

Successfully pass the written and practical exams to obtain course completion certificate .
Ability to rapidly and accurately assess the trauma patient's condition .
Ability to establish care priorities and efficiently manage critical situations .
Ability to apply the principles of a unified team approach in trauma care .
Ability to recognize situations exceeding facility capabilities and arrange appropriate care .
Enhanced professional confidence and competence in managing multiple trauma patients.

Requirements And Conditions

The applicant must be a licensed nurse or a qualified healthcare professional.
Prior experience in emergency or critical care units is considered an advantage.
A valid Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from an accredited provider is required.
Basic knowledge of emergency care and trauma management is essential.
Ability to attend intensive theoretical and practical training sessions.
Full commitment to course requirements and successful completion of all assessments and final evaluations.

FAQs

ATCN (Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses) is an advanced training course for nurses in multiple trauma patient management, taught concurrently with the ATLS course for physicians, and accredited by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the Society of Trauma Nurses (STN)

ATCN is an advanced course taught alongside ATLS (the physicians' course), focusing on a unified team approach and critical trauma care in the emergency setting . TNCC is a foundational course focusing on trauma care basics and is suitable for nurses new to the field .

Domains include: primary and secondary assessment, airway management, hemorrhagic shock, head and spinal cord injuries, chest and abdominal trauma, pediatric trauma and burns, and practical skill stations in all these areas .