Communication and Clinical Skills for Charge Nurses

Target Population: Nurse practitioners preparing for certification to become charge nurses Objectives: The course enhances management skills required for a Charge Nurse Certification which include the ability to recognize the signs and symptoms of unstable patients, CPR using various airway and oxygen adjuncts, identification of methods for airway control and optimum ventilation and the optimal management of the ventilated patient. Likewise, communication skills such as discussing with a family the need to take an elderly patient home for care, dealing with a patient who is extremely unhappy with the care given are practiced. In addition, extreme cases like fire in the ward and managing a team during a tumultuous shift are trained and discussed. Course Description: Cases are presented in small group teaching stations using task trainers, full-body patient simulators and simulated patients.  Training culminates in simulations using advanced audio-visual equipment to create realistic nursing environments.