Summary - Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses 2026

Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses (ATCN) is an advanced course designed for the registered nurse interested in increasing his/her knowledge in management of the multiple trauma patient. The ATCN course is taught concurrently with Advanced Trauma Life Support for providers and is endorsed by the American College of Surgeons’ Committee on Trauma. The course is designed for experienced nurses working in the pre-hospital setting, emergency department, critical care unit and operating room who wish to increase their knowledge and practical skills in managing critically injured trauma patients.

The ATCN student completes the same ATLS modules as physicians with break-out sessions for skills stations to focus on nursing care. This unique teaching experience creates an opportunity for Licensed Independent Practitioners and Registered Nurses to share a common language and approach to the care of the trauma patient. ATCN skills stations include Initial Assessment and Management, Airway and Ventilatory Management, Hemorrhagic Shock, Musculoskeletal and Spinal Trauma, Head Trauma, and Pediatric Trauma.

ATCN Course Objectives: Upon completion of this program, the nurse will be able to:

1. Demonstrate concepts and principles of primary and secondary patient assessment

2. Establish management priorities in a trauma situation

3. Demonstrate management priorities necessary when dealing with the trauma patient.

Legacy Emanuel Medical Center is the only Trauma Center in the state of Oregon, and one of only 3 centers in the Pacific Northwest, to offer this advanced education course. Our course directors and faculty include specialty trained Trauma Resuscitation Nurses with significant experience in caring for the critically ill trauma patient.

For more information about ATCN please visit https://www.atcnnurses.org/

The ATCN course is held in-person at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center over 1.5 days. The first day is focused on interactive skills stations and runs from 8am-5pm. The second day consists of testing and runs from 8am-1pm.

This course is offered in a Hybrid format. As such, there is required pre-course work including online modules and a pretest. This typically takes students approximately 8 hours to complete.

Approximately 4-6 weeks prior to the course date you will receive your course manuals as well as emailed instructions directly from the course coordinator with further details including:

-Specific location of the course

-Course Schedule

-Module log-in information