Preparing for trouble: identifying needs of a trauma training program

Purpose of Project: To provide directed recommendations for the development of a nurse trauma training program. These recommendations are based on the confidence that nurses have in various scenarios Methodology: The study intervention consisted of a questionnaire that included both demographic information and questions about the respondent’s confidence in caring for certain types of patients. The first part collected information related to the respondents experience in nursing and level of education Results: All respondents reported less confidence in taking care of patients that had a spinal cord injury, penetrating thoracic injury, or burns. Confidence responses had a higher degree of correlation with experience and frequency in trauma then with education and number of certifications. TNCC had the lowest correlation with confidence compared to ACLS, PALS, and CPR/BLS Implications on Practice: Using these findings, the education department can develop a custom-tailored training program that addresses the weakness of staff. With further dissemination, this project can be expanded to other areas of the hospital that care for trauma patients to enhance their level of confidence.D.N.P.Includes bibliographical reference