Trauma nurses are available to patients during their state of emergency. A trauma nurse must be prepared to handle a variety of medical issues in order save the lives of their patients so that they can continue with their normal lives once their treatment is completed. Careers in nursing have come a long way in the past few decades. The profession of nursing is becoming more advanced and there is a great need for nurses with specialized training in nursing.
Trauma Nurse Job Description
Trauma nurses provide care for patients experiencing emergency medical situations. These specialized nurses must be prepared to handle any medical situation before the diagnosis has been made regarding the nature of the disease or injury. They provide their specialized services in emergency rooms and other environments with chaotic situations.
Trauma nurses process patients in emergency room settings. They must be prepared to coordinate information about the patient with the families, doctors, and other nurses. The job of trauma nurses is extremely stressful and chaotic. The working hours are not always ideal, as emergency situations can occur at any given time during the day. They often work long hours providing their specialized care to patients in need.
Trauma nurses must quickly familiarize themselves with horrifying, severe medical injuries experienced by their patients, and they generally have seconds to begin offering these patients medical attention.
Trauma nurses are usually the first people to see a patient who is critically injured when he or she enters the doors of a hospital. They must quickly triage the patient to evaluate the extent of the patient’s injuries. Trauma nurses must be extremely organized, as they must quickly organize information for medical staff.
They also provide a variety of medical procedures, including monitoring and administering medications, inserting IVs and nasogastic tubes, intubation, and drawing blood. These nurses also must monitor patients closely for any changes, and they must prepare the patients for surgery and diagnostic testing if necessary.
Here’s a brief video about Trauma Nurses:
Trauma Nurse Certification
Receiving trauma nurse certification is a great way for nurses to show their current employers how serious they are about their profession. Employers have a greater sense of knowing that the skills of their certified trauma nurses are very advanced. Trauma nurses have a higher level of confidence in trauma situations in the emergency room. Coworkers and employers also understand that their certified personnel are current in trauma nursing knowledge and that they are in accordance with national nursing standards.
Trauma nurse certification is available through a number of professional nursing organizations. Nurses who want to certify as trauma nurses should check with their local nursing board to determine the specific requirements to certify and to determine the certification that is right for them.
The options to certify in trauma nursing include certified emergency nurse (CEN) and trauma nurse specialist (TNS). The Board of Certification in Emergency Nursing is one of the most widely known certifying bodies. Some choose to take additional nursing courses to certify as trauma nurses. The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) offers a 16-hour course in trauma nursing that nurses can complete in two days.
Trauma nurse certification is not mandatory, but those who want to increase their competitive edge in the field of nursing pursue this certification. Most seek the certification after one to two years of nursing experience that consists of a specific number of hours of trauma nursing experience.
It is important to check the state requirements before pursing the certification. Nurses must currently hold a valid registered nurse certificate by passing the national nursing examination before pursing trauma nursing certification. They must also recertify every few years by completing a certain number of continuing education hours in nursing.
Trauma Nurse Salary
Trauma nurses make annual salaries of $58,000. The average salary ranges that trauma nurses working in major cities can expect are $80,000 to $128,000 annually. Trauma nurses earn higher annual nursing salaries than other nurses do due to the specialized care that they provide and the nature of their work. Nurses holding higher degrees—such as bachelors and masters degrees in nursing—can expect even higher wages.
Trauma Nurse Jobs Outlook
The nursing jobs outlook for trauma nurses is exceptionally promising. The employment of trauma nurses in expected to increase over 20% during the next decade. These specialized nurses are in such high demand due to the high credentialing standards and high stress level that trauma nurses experience.
Trauma nurses must have the ability to overlook the conditions of their patients, assess their injuries, and provide care even before a diagnosis is established. These individuals make critically injured patients feel safe and comfortable during their hospital experiences.