Emergency Nursing has developed into a distinct specialist area of practice and
given the acuity of patients who present to Emergency Departments, it is recognised that there is a need to develop additional clinical expertise among emergency nurses to meet the demands of patients. Developing the clinical expertise of nurses within Emergency Departments supports the achievement of the goals of the HSE National Emergency Medicine Programme (EMP) programme to improve access, quality and cost in Emergency Medicine in Ireland.
Within the nursing context, the EMP envisages that emergency nurses work as part of the interdisciplinary team to provide the optimal level of emergency nursing care that is patient focused, family centred, maximises health and social gain, promotes excellence in nursing practice and advocates for all patients who suffer sudden injury or illness. As part of the interdisciplinary team, emergency nurses implement standardised evidence-based pathways for the care of emergency patients and work with the therapy professions and medical practitioners to enhance the seamless transfer of safe, high quality patient care within the emergency care network.
Emergency nursing practice is underpinned by expert knowledge gained through specialist education and clinical experience. Considering this, the Certificate in Emergency Nursing is a clinically based, 20 credit Level 8 Special Purpose Award programme which aims to enhance the emergency nurses’ knowledge, skills and competencies in the delivery of evidence-based care for acutely ill patients attending the Emergency Department.
The tenets underpinning the programme are informed by the National Strategy of the Emergency Medicine Programme (HSE, 2012) which provided the basis for the framework for the programme. It is currently facilitated by a consortium of five Higher Education Institutes Technological University of the Shannon Midlands Midwest (Athlone), Munster Technological University (Tralee), Atlantic Technological University (Letterkenny) South East Technological University (Waterford) and Dundalk Institute of Technology.
The programme provides for the continuing professional development of nurses through education, clinical practice, leadership and research utilisation, providing a pathway for the nurse to evolve not only professionally, but also personally which will enable him/her to fulfil their potential. It endeavours to educate and guide emergency nursing practice, a speciality that is underpinned by expert knowledge, specialist education and clinical experience.
Following the programme, it is expected that nurses will be better able to critically evaluate and apply the required knowledge and skills to guide a comprehensive and systematic patient assessment to include prioritisation, planning implementation and evaluation of evidence-based nursing care. In addition, it is expected that as part of an interdisciplinary team, the emergency nurse will develop enhanced interpersonal, management and leadership skills in the co-ordination and management of the acutely ill patient in the Emergency Department.
