Course in Advanced Trauma Nursing

  It was announced at the open session of the ENA Board meeting held Tuesday September 21, 2010, at Annual Conference, that a work team will be created to update the CATN II course. A recent call for committee went out for this purpose under the name of “2011 Advanced Clinical Education for Emergency Nurses (ACEEN) Work Team. After April 30, 2011 and during the continuing revision and update cycle of the work team, the current course will not be available.

Today's trauma nurse must possess the ability to correlate broad physiologic / pathophysiologic processes to specific clinical problems. In advanced trauma nursing, physiologic principles and human responses are applied to injury, enabling the nurse to move beyond the traditional roles and responsibilities of the trauma nurse. The practice of trauma nursing encompasses comprehensive knowledge of trauma care systems, expertise in complex decision making, and knowledge of bioethical considerations in trauma care.

Recognizing a need for a course in advanced trauma nursing, the Emergency Nurses Association developed the Course In Advanced Trauma Nursing: A Conceptual Approach. The conceptual approach to trauma care enables the trauma nurse to work in a collaborative role as a member of the trauma team to determine the patient's needs and plan of care. The conceptual approach is used as the framework for teaching CATN as concepts or abstract ideas are the building blocks of a theoretical framework. The CATN concepts correlate broad psychophysiologic and pathophysiologic processes to specific clinical problems and further develop substantive knowledge in trauma nursing. By using a conceptual approach, the course provides the trauma nurse with a mental cataloging system that can be used to quickly retrieve clinical information regarding priorities of care.

By taking this course, trauma nurses can strengthen their critical decision-making skills to optimally impact the outcome of critically injured patients. CATN will benefit nurses caring for patients throughout the trauma continuum. The course was developed to reinforce the interlocking psychophysiologic concepts central to trauma nursing. CATN is a continuing education course rather than a mandatory verification course.

Course Description

The Course in Advanced Trauma Nursing: A Conceptual Approach is an innovative continuing education program which utilizes a case study approach and critical decision-making skills. This 13-hour course combines didactic content with interactive discussions, presented in a flexible format.

Course Participants

The Course in Advanced Trauma Nursing: A Conceptual Approach may be officially attended only by Registered Nurses (RNs). Course participants are expected to be familiar with core anatomy and physiology. A participant manual is provided prior to course attendance. It is also recommended that course participants attend the Trauma Nursing Core Course Provider (TNCCP) prior to CATN.

Course Offerings