Hemorrhagic shock gets the e-learning treatment in the latest free continuing education course from ENA, available beginning April 1. In ‘‘Critical Thinking at Triage,’’ an advanced clinical course, Diane Gurney, MS, RN, CEN, FAEN, reviews historical management of hemorrhagic shock and explores recent trauma research that has changed the way the condition is managed in the emergency department. Taking the course from the comfort of your computer, you’ll revisit the pathophysiology of shock and coagulation factors and understand the rationale for how these new methods are saving the lives of trauma patients. The course is available beginning April 1 and is worth 1.0 contact hours. To take this and other courses in the CE catalog: • Go to www.ena.org/freeCE, where you’ll log in as an ENA member (or create a new account). • Add desired courses to your cart and ‘‘check out’’ (courses are completely free for members only). • Proceed to your Personal Learning Page to start or complete any course for which you have registered or to print a certificate when you’re done. • To return to your Personal Learning Page at a later time, go to www.ena.org and find ‘‘Go to Personal Learning Page’’ under the Courses & Education tab. If you have questions about any free e-learning course or the checkout process, e-mail elearning@ena.org.
ENA Connection is published 11 times per year from January to December by: The Emergency Nurses Association 915 Lee Street Des Plaines, IL 60016-6569 and is distributed to members of the association as a direct benefit of membership. Copyright© 2013 by the Emergency Nurses Association. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at the Des Plaines, IL, Post Office and additional mailing offices.
Q: In a recent news story, a “nurse” was named in a situation where there was a refusal of treatment. How do we know it was a nurse? A: As we know, not all news headlines are completely factual. The old saying, “Let the buyer (in this case, the reader) beware,” is important to remember. As a profession, nurses are trusted and respected by the public. As nurses, we have a powerful voice in society. It is our responsibility to ensure that the profession realizes there are times things may be reported inaccurately. Nurses should rise to these occasions by informing our patients and the public about the important work we do and our profession’s moral and ethical responsibility to those entrusted in our care. This particular news story inaccurately named the individual as a nurse. There was no particular designation of nurse, but this omission was cause for much
consternation. When these stories are printed, it is imperative that nurses ask for a fact-check. Questions like: “Was this a registered nurse? What are the person’s credentials? What are the policies of the organization?” and “Where did this happen?” are critical pieces of the story that ensure factual representation of an event. Nurses act as patient advocates every day. We need to be our own advocates as well by calling local news stations and writing letters to the editor to set the record straight. Nurses everywhere should lend a critical eye to these stories to inform our practice and the public about the important nature of nurses’ work. Sometimes the moral and ethical issues of reporting are blurred by the sensationalism of the news item. As nurses, we need to send a clarion call to others so we are represented in the ethical, moral, and upstanding way we do our work. — Paula M. Karnick, Ph.D, ANP-BC, CPNP, Director of the Institute for Nursing Education
Do you have a recent professional or educational success story you want to share about yourself or an ENA member colleague? Tell us! Send an e-mail to connection@ena.org with the subject line “Members in Motion” so that we might share your exciting news with all 41,000-plus ENA members in ENA Connection. Be sure to include names, credentials and, if applicable, photos of the nurse(s) being recognized.
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Editor in Chief: Amy Carpenter Aquino Assistant Editor: Josh Gaby Writer: Kendra Y. Mims Editorial Assistant: Renee Herrmann BOARD OF DIRECTORS Officers: President: JoAnn Lazarus, MSN, RN, CEN President-elect: Deena Brecher, MSN, RN, APRN, ACNS-BC, CEN, CPEN
Secretary/Treasurer: Matthew F. Powers, MS, BSN, RN, MICP, CEN Immediate Past President: Gail Lenehan, EdD, MSN, RN, FAEN, FAAN Directors: Kathleen E. Carlson, MSN, RN, CEN, FAEN Ellen (Ellie) H. Encapera, RN, CEN Marylou Killian, DNP, RN, FNP-BC, CEN Michael D. Moon, MSN, RN, CNS-CC, CEN, FAEN Sally K. Snow, BSN, RN, CPEN, FAEN Joan Somes, PhD, MSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, FAEN Karen K. Wiley, MSN, RN, CEN Executive Director: Susan M. Hohenhaus, LPD, RN, CEN, FAEN