Learning through the eyes of students abroad

Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) dissemination in Abu Dhabi

How many times have you signed up for a continuing education course only to wake up the morning of the class and consider not attending? You might be too tired, your “to do” list might be too long, or perhaps the topic doesn’t interest you as much as it did when you registered. Did you take the necessary time to fully prepare for the course, or did you hope to “get by” on the knowledge you had already accumulated figuring there wasn’t much new to learn?

For the last week I have had the honor and the privilege of sharing ENA’s Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) with emergency nurses in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. I am here with a team of ENA members including Margot Daugherty from Ohio and Sandy Waak from Maryland, and lead by Tim Murphy of New Jersey. By the end of this week, we will have completed two provider courses and two instructor courses, with the goal of creating a solid foundation for the nurses from Al Rahba hospital to grow their trauma program.

Preparing for an international dissemination is fairly straightforward. Read about the culture, create agendas for the courses, divide the content among the team members, and make sure your passport is ready to go. Nothing, however, prepared me for the first day of the course.

When we arrived at the hospital on the first day of the course, we were met by 16 very enthusiastic and excited students. Their energy was palpable and it became easy as instructors to get swept up in the excitement. What was completely unexpected, however, was just how prepared these nurses were for the course. Each one had read the book, cover to cover. They had formed small study groups to help each other learn. They had every mnemonic committed to memory. They were all eager participants in the hands-on portions of the course. They were engaged during the lectures and asked great questions. They considered it a privilege to attend the course, and were going to take full advantage of the opportunity.

Tim, Sandy, Margot and I were stunned. And humbled. This level of commitment, investment, and preparation was inspiring. The students told us how much it meant to them for us to come from the U.S. to teach. In reality, we were the ones honored to be standing in front of them. It was a privilege for us to engage with this group. It reminded us why opportunities to learn are so important. And it made me start to think differently about the continuing education programs I attend.

It’s easy to consider continuing education to be a pain in the you know where. Many of us have to do it to keep our RN licenses current. It’s required to maintain certification. We consider it something to check off our list of things to do. I have never considered it a privilege. Maybe it is? As emergency nurses, we MUST continue to grow and learn. Nursing science changes, practice changes, guidelines and recommendations change. To deliver safe care, we need to be up-to-date on what’s new and what works. Most of us get that information as part of the continuing education process. Many of these programs are offered by ENA chapters and state councils, hospitals, or in our local community. We are privileged to have these opportunities in our own backyards. So come to class prepared. Be on time. Come with an open mind and be prepared to learn something new. Pay attention. Put your smartphone away. Be engaged. Ask questions. Take advantage of the opportunity to bring something back to your practice that will make you a better nurse–something that will help you stay safe and keep your patients safe. Our patients and families are counting on us.

As an instructor, it’s a pleasure to stand in front of the group and share knowledge. I know I am learning more from them than they are from me. How fortunate I am to be able to be here. Thank you to John, Norman, and all of the nurses from Al Rahba and the other hospitals represented. You have truly opened my eyes and my mind, and for that I am forever grateful.

ENA Takes Over Washington DC

ENA Members attending Day on the Hill – Click to Enlarge Photo

Yesterday was Florence Nightingale’s birthday, and officially marked the end of Nurses Week.  Usually, Nurses Week is full of festivities, and in my ED there was quite a bit of celebrating that went on all week.  This year, Nurses Week had a whole different meaning for me.  I spent a few days last week with over 100 emergency nurses from all over the US in Washington, DC.  We had one goal…to educate our legislators about issues that are important to emergency nurses.

Tuesday, we spent the day learning how to speak to our elected representatives.  Congressional staffers gave us tips and strategies to ensure our voices were heard.  We heard from experts about the two issues we were bringing to the Hill…funding for trauma systems and mental health first aid.  We ended the day networking with each other, sharing strategies and coming up with a game plan for Wednesday.  Those who had been to the Hill before offered to help first timers find their way.  It was teamwork in action.

Wednesday we headed to Capitol Hill.  We started the morning with Senators Burgess, Capps, and Black addressing the group as a whole.  And then I said to the group “go forth and change the world”!  And I have no doubt we did just that.  We celebrated Nurses Week by leveraging our strengths as emergency nurses and advocating on behalf of the patients and families we serve.  We told stories of trauma centers that closed due to a lack of funding, and patients who had to travel longer distances to receive the life saving care they needed.  We told stories about patients who had no access to a trauma center within the “golden hour” and how that impacts morbidity and mortality.  We told stories about patients waiting for days for inpatient psychiatric beds, and how we need to do a better job providing outpatient community resources for mental health patients.  We told stories about patients and families that come through our doors in crisis, because they have nowhere else to seek care.  We are emergency nurses, and we don’t mince words.  We told it like it is.

As nurses, we are the most trusted group in healthcare.  We celebrated Nurses Week by standing up and speaking out on behalf of the patients and families we serve.  The elected officials and their staffers we spoke with listened to what we had to say.  I was blessed to have the opportunity to stand with more than 100 emergency nurses and share our stories to change the face of healthcare.  I am so in awe of this group, their passion and commitment to advocating on behalf of the patients and families they serve.  Nurses Week is about celebrating the contributions nurses make in this world.  This year, I am celebrating the difference one emergency nurse can make in this world.  I am astonished by the power of more than 100 emergency nurses.  Together, there is nothing we can’t achieve!