TNCC Course, Nepean 2005
I was delighted to hear that I had been accepted to attend the Trauma Nursing Core Course conducted at Nepean Hospital in May of this year. Many of my emergency colleagues that I have worked with over the years have completed this highly esteemed course, and have thoroughly recommended to me that it is definitely one that I should do.
"Whilst I proudly display a certificate of accomplishment, and it looks good in my CV, the people who truly benefit from this course are the patients with whom I use this knowledge."
On the other hand, each of these people has also commented with a bewildered look on their face how ‘full-on’ the course is, and that I should be prepared for a big weekend.
I mostly have a perioperative background, and have only been working in an emergency nursing capacity for 5 years. Even in this time however my role in emergency nursing has been mainly as a primary care nurse in a small rural NSW hospital (Trundle). This type of nursing has been wonderful, as the level of assessment, diagnostic thinking, and implementation of therapeutic procedures is very demanding of the isolated ED nurse. This isolation and level of autonomy un-nerves some nurses, and quite understandably so. But I thrived on it. I have learnt so much about primary/emergency care in the last five years. So much so that I have just become authorised this year as a Nurse Practitioner.
As there are very few to no positions available for Nurse Practitioners, I decided earlier on this year that despite the wonderful experience and knowledge that I have gained in emergency nursing, I still lacked the experience that only a bigger hospital could provide. Therefore I am now working in a permanent fulltime position as a registered nurse in the ED at The Maitland Hospital. This is quite interesting; the presentations are far more plentiful, and I am learning quite a lot about the more sophisticated medications, procedures and equipment that I have never had to use, however the skill and experience that I have in autonomous patient care is going mostly unused. I am happy though learning these new aspects of emergency nursing, which will only benefit my abilities in the future. So for the time being I will continue as is.
As I mentioned, I was expecting a big weekend, with all of the horror stories about the TNCC fresh in my mind. The pre-reading despite being extensive was easier to read and grasp than I thought. So I went into the course fairly well prepared. The lecturers were excellent. They were concise, fair and yet uncompromising, but most importantly they believed in what they were teaching. One knew that if they were to pass then they would have earned it; the TNCC is no ‘gimme’.
Now I am using these skills in the real situation. Whilst I proudly display a certificate of accomplishment, and it looks good in my CV, the people who truly benefit from this course are the patients with whom I use this knowledge. I would recommend this course to all ED nurses.
Jason Maher RN. M.Nurs (Nurse Prac).
TNCC Course, Wesley 2005
The Wesley Centre in Queensland hosted the TNCC program in July this year. Twenty participants from across the southern part of Queensland undertook the program with a little trepidation but a great degree of excitement. Some of the comments from the students included:
- Instructors so encouraging, human and humorous - helped me relax and cope with the stress.
- I am absolutely saturated
- Lecturers were absolutely wonderful in every way - reassuring, informative, clear in their communication,
- Non intimidating, encouraging, patient and appropriately light hearted when needed.
- Feel overladed, but learnt some valuable information
- Use of mnemonics very helpful
- Excellent course
- Great lectures, fast, informative with the necessary information
- Great added life experience stories that reinforce the information given
- Lectures fun / teacher great
The instructors Liz Cloughessy, Cate Salter and Vicki Martin were very impressed with the level of preparation and participation showed by all the participants who achieved a 100% success rate.
Thank you to Kay Ahern from PA and Andrea Nagle from the Wesley for being fantastic course coordinator.
ITLS Course, Portland 2005
TRAUMA COURSE A HIT!!!
On the 12th and 13th of February Portland District Health hosted the first ever Basic Trauma Life Support (B.T.L.S.) Course to be held in regional Australia. A group of 15 nursing staff members and 1 General Practitioner attended the intensive 2 day course, which covered a range of life saving techniques and practices in trauma care.
"Those completing the course have been brought closer together, and have recounted many of the techniques learnt to others on shift."
Twenty two hours of course material, including a three hour exam component, comprised the weekend course, with almost 90% of those undertaking the course passing and being accredited as BTLS providers.
Although a highly intensive and sometimes stressful weekend, we enjoyed ourselves immensely. A general feeling of camaraderie was felt amongst those completing the course and team work consolidation was immeasurable. Our usual humor was appreciated and encouraged! (Who have thought that spinal packing could be so much fun!!) Those completing the course have been brought closer together, and have recounted many of the techniques learnt to others on shift. We would highly recommend this course to rural and remote are nurses.
The course instructors provided a fun, yet highly informative and motivating approach to education. Their tales of personal experience provide a realistic and refreshing account of trauma care. The obvious skill in the practical skill stations enabled an easy transfer of knowledge, allaying any fears that course participants may have had. The relaxed approach of the instructors made a serious and somewhat daunting course enjoyable.
Portland is a coastal rural community in the South West of Victoria, with a population catchment of 15-20,000, seasonally variant. The community has a high degree of major industry and farming areas, providing a high proportion of trauma per capita. Travel time is 4 hours by road to a major trauma centre, and air ambulance retrievals are often a five hour wait. Our Emergency Department has 2-3 staff per day/evening shift, utilising need to be kept up to date, to enable a high level of patient care.
And finally, a huge thanks to Rural Ambulance Victoria, for their ongoing support and supply of equipment, to enable the running of the course.
Has TNCC made a difference in your workplace? or do you want to showcase the unit’s successes? Drop us a line and we will happily publish your achievements.
ENPC Course, Alice Springs 2008
I work as an RN in the Alice Springs Emergency Department, which services the whole population of central Australia (pop. 39,559) and covers an area of 1,605,680 sq. kms. Being located over 1500kms from the nearest city, it provides all aspects of emergency care including paediatrics.
Not being a specialized paediatric RN, means that personally I find nothing more challenging while at work than caring for the critically sick or injured child and their families. Therefore, to endeavour to improve my knowledge, skills and confidence in delivering best practice emergency paediatric care, I attended the ENPC, in Alice Springs, in May 2008.
"It was a very full-on two days, during which I learnt so much and felt a great sense of personal achievement at the end once I had successfully completed the course. The course facilitators were knowledgeable, approachable, supportive and great lecturers."
About a month prior to the course I received the provider manual which upon reading I found to be easy to understand and well set out. It provided me with an excellent basis which the lectures expanded on, and prepared me for the assessments I was to undertake during the course.
The lectures themselves were fast, informative and extremely well-delivered by the three ENPC instructors, who evidently brought with them a whole wealth of experienced emergency paediatric practice and knowledge.
The whole course is based upon a systemized approach to delivering emergency care. I found using the A-I mnemonic for assessment and treatment and the mnemonic CIAMPEDS for triage helped me to insure I included all the critical aspects of care both in my ENPC assessments and after the course in my nursing practice.
The assessments comprised of a multiple choice question paper, a management of the sick or critically injured paediatric patient skill station and a triage skill station. I have to own up to being very nervous prior to taking the assessments which took place at the end of the course on the second afternoon, but now I am convinced that the attack of pre-exam nerves was well worth it, as I have gained so much more knowledge, skill and confidence in looking after paediatric patients and their families.
It was a very full-on two days, during which I learnt so much and felt a great sense of personal achievement at the end once I had successfully completed the course. The course facilitators were knowledgeable, approachable, supportive and great lecturers.
There were RN’s from Emergency, Paediatrics, ICU and the RFDS on the course I attended. I highly recommend the ENPC to any nurse who performs any degree of emergency paediatric care during their practice.
By Avril Cooper RN (Alice Springs Hospital).
