Trauma nurses work in the trauma center/emergency department, providing medical care to critically ill and injured patients.
It includes treating illnesses/conditions like cardiovascular disease, severe infections, substantial injuries/trauma, and other medical emergencies.
These specialists treat various ailments, prep patients for procedures, and support patients through recovery.
They also assist physicians and medical professionals with stabilizing patients’ conditions.
As a result, trauma nurses must have sufficient training and expertise to provide life-saving procedures and treatments.
No two patients share the same injury or response to an illness.
Therefore, trauma nurses must handle each situation as new and unique and with extreme care.
A patient’s life is often at risk if something goes wrong in this profession.
What Do Trauma Nurses Do?
There are numerous responsibilities trauma nurses perform to ensure patients receive adequate care.
Psychologically, they must be confident, competent, and emotionally prepared to manage unforeseen emergencies.
They must also think quickly and decisively in life-threatening situations to ensure patients receive exceptional care.
Being well-focused, organized, and team-oriented is vital for keeping staff informed, supported, and timely.
Regarding tasks, trauma nurses triage patients, perform nursing assessments, administer medications, provide wound care, and distribute IVs.
In addition, they prep patients for procedures, provide emotional support and assist physicians with medical tasks.
Trauma Nurse Duties
- Deliver triage
- Conduct nursing assessments
- Administer medications
- Prep patients for surgery
- Distribute IVs
- Provide wound care
- Delegate medical tasks
- Perform CPR and emergency interventions
- Coordinate treatments with physicians
- Update and maintain medical records
- Resolve patient concerns
Trauma nurses receive comprehensive training and education in critical care before taking on their present position.
It enables them to provide adequate medical support, critical thinking, and professionalism in unpredictable emergencies.
Every emergency is unique and tests the skills trauma nurses develop from their critical care background.
Essentials Skills
There are numerous skills trauma nurses must master to provide exceptional care and treatment.
It includes good communication skills, critical care experience, emotional stability, leadership, and critical thinking.
The following section discusses vital skills trauma nurses must master to be effective healthcare professionals.
Communication Skills
Being able to communicate effectively and efficiently is vital for the care of the patient.
As a result, trauma nurses must have excellent communication skills to coordinate team members and keep them informed.
In addition, they must understand complex concepts, medical terms, and procedures and communicate them effectively to the unit.
Critical Care Experience
As stated earlier, critical care experience is a must in trauma departments.
It ensures medical staff can rely on trauma nurses to perform their duties effectively, efficiently, and timely.
It also provides trauma nurses with the skills and knowledge necessary to manage unexpected emergencies confidently.
Emotional Stability
Emotional stability ensures trauma nurses aren’t overwhelmed, frustrated, or upset in emergencies.
Getting emotional when handling injured or sick patients is easy in this profession.
As a result, trauma nurses must have compassion but manage their emotions well and stay focused on the task.
Leadership and Assertiveness
There are times when trauma nurses need to lead their team and make critical decisions vital to their patient’s health.
Therefore, they must develop leadership skills and not be afraid to speak up when necessary.
Making vital decisions and being assertive ensures the medical team stays focused, organized, constructive, and on task.
Critical Thinking Skills
Critical thinking allows nurses to take necessary action to improve various situations.
Trauma nurses do not have the luxury of procrastinating or taking their time when managing severe illnesses or diseases.
Accordingly, they must trust their training and education to make crucial decisions when medical intervention is needed.
Team Oriented Mindset
Trauma nursing is not a one-person position.
Instead, these healthcare professionals work with a team of medical experts to ensure adequate, timely care.
Trauma nurses must have a team-oriented mentality to provide the best patient care possible.
In addition, the team’s collective knowledge and training help improve patient care and recovery/survival rates.
Each member plays a vital role and must coordinate to create an optimal outcome.
How to Become a Trauma Nurse
There are numerous steps aspiring trauma nurses must take to earn their roles in patient care.
For instance, they must obtain a nursing license and acquire experience in critical care.
They must also pursue valid certifications and consider becoming certified as trauma nurses.
The following section explores the requirements healthcare professionals must meet to work as part of a trauma team.
It also covers the time needed to transition into this occupation.
1. Obtain a Nursing License
The first step to becoming a trauma nurse is to obtain an Associate Degree in Nursing or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from an accredited university.
It takes two years to complete the ADN and four years to obtain a BSN degree.
Students must also complete one to two years of required prerequisite courses to enter the nursing program.
At the end of the nursing program, aspiring registered nurses must pass the NCLEX-RN exam to receive their license.
Regardless, students with a four-year BSN stand a better chance of progressing into advanced trauma nursing roles.
Many healthcare facilities look for nurses with a BSN that provides a broader scope of practice.
2. Gain Critical Care Experience
The next step registered nurses must take to acquire critical care experience.
As a result, looking for positions in an emergency department, trauma unit, or critical care environment is beneficial.
Alternatively, students pursuing their BSN may pick a specialty rotation in the ED, trauma team, or acute care setting.
Critical Care Fields
- Emergency department
- Trauma department
- Intensive care unit
- Burn unit
3. Aquire Relevant Certifications
Acquiring trauma and critical care certifications allows nurses to expand their capabilities and scope of practice.
It also shows emergency departments and trauma units are serious about becoming trauma nurses.
Obtaining valid certifications help aspiring trauma nurses transition into the ED or trauma unit more quickly and easily.
4. Become Certified in Trauma Nursing
The final step is to consider becoming certified in trauma nursing to receive the best options and pay for this position.
Certification may be optional depending on the healthcare facility and its hiring conditions.
As a result, you’ll want to determine whether a particular trauma department requires employee certifications.
The Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing recommends two years of experience before taking the exam.
However, two years isn’t required, and aspiring trauma nurses may pursue certification earlier.
It’s also important to mention that trauma departments have requirements for hiring trauma nurses.
Even if they don’t require certification, they require specific work experience before allowing nurses to apply for positions.