It’s 1993, and the year’s number-one song was “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston. Jurassic Park was the movie to see in the theater (no streaming services yet – eek!). The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) was publishing the 1 st edition of their Emergency Nursing Pediatrics Course (ENPC). Imagine there was a time when nurses were not specially trained to care for children in the hospital emergency room because course materials had not yet been developed. Thank goodness for the ENA!

What is ENPC?

Emergency Nursing Pediatrics Course (ENPC) is designed to provide core-level pediatric knowledge and psychomotor skills needed to care for pediatric patients.

Although Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS, American Heart Association) and Advanced Pediatric Life Support (APLS, American Heart Association) have been available since the 1980s, they did not focus on the nurse’s role. Instead, these courses focused primarily on pediatric resuscitation, which is required by only a small percentage of pediatric patients seeking emergency care. In 1991, the Emergency Nurses Association formed its pediatric committee in response to a request from its membership for a greater focus on pediatric emergency care. As pediatric patients often react more severely to physically traumatic events because of the size of their bodies and the lack of strength of some of their bodily systems, their healthcare provider community understood specialized training would be highly beneficial. The pediatric committee conducted a needs assessment, overwhelmingly supporting the need for a pediatric emergency course. Developed and implemented in 1993, the goal of the ENPC is to improve the care of pediatric patients and improve the skill and confidence of the nurse in providing respect in the emergency department setting. This is similar to the Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC), except ENPC is designed for the especially fragile pediatric population.

Several key factors drove the development of ENPC:

• Unique Needs of Pediatric Patients: Pediatric patients have specific physiological and psychological needs that differ from adult patients. Emergency nurses require specialized knowledge and skills to assess, manage, and provide appropriate care to pediatric patients.

• High-Stress Environment: Emergency departments are fast-paced and high-stress environments. Pediatric emergencies can be particularly challenging due to their unpredictable nature and emotional impact on patients, their families, and healthcare providers. ENPC was created to equip nurses with the expertise to handle such situations confidently and competently.

• Knowledge Gap: Before ENPC, there was a recognized knowledge gap among emergency nurses regarding pediatric care. Developing a comprehensive and evidence-based training program like ENPC addressed this gap and promoted standardized pediatric emergency care. 

• Evidence-Based Practice: ENA focused on creating a course rooted in evidence-based practice and guidelines. By basing the curriculum on the latest research and best practices, ENPC ensures that nurses are well-prepared to provide optimal care to pediatric patients during emergencies.

• Simulation and Hands-On Training: ENPC incorporates simulation and hands-on training to provide nurses with practical experience in managing pediatric emergencies. This approach allows nurses to practice critical skills in a controlled environment before applying them in real-life situations.

• Improving Patient Outcomes: By empowering emergency nurses with specialized pediatric knowledge and skills, ENPC aims to enhance patient outcomes and reduce the potential for medical errors in pediatric emergency care.

• Standardization of Pediatric Care: ENPC promotes standardization of care across various healthcare settings. When nurses across the country or even internationally undergo similar training, it creates a common language and approach to pediatric emergencies, leading to better collaboration and patient care.

ENPC 6th Edition Course

In January 2023, the ENA launched the ENPC, 6th  Edition, featuring more focused presentation-based teaching. Last updated in 2018, ENA has worked to update the course to offer more applicable knowledge for the clinical setting by taking input from nurses and members on the frontline, including better alignment with the American Heart Association’s resuscitation science and the trauma nursing process taught in the Trauma Nursing Core Course. Also added are two resuscitation scenarios to reinforce PALS content. The 6th  Edition features new chapters on:

•  The Child with a Rash and The Child with Special Health Care Needs

•  The reintroduction of a dedicated trauma chapter, The Child with an Injury

•  The Child in Need of Stabilization includes resuscitation and critically ill presentations.

•  An expanded chapter, Preparing for Pediatric Emergencies, describes quality initiatives and the seven focus areas included in the National Pediatric Readiness Project.

The pre-course work includes elements to make the content more applicable to the learner’s practice area, acknowledging regional variations.

ENPC at ACLS Academy

ACLS Academy is an authorized American Heart Associate (AHA) Aligned Training Center with three convenient locations in Massachusetts – Quincy, Bridgewater, and Newton Center. ACLS Academy’s ENPC is an 18-hour course designed to provide core-level pediatric knowledge and psychomotor skills needed to care for pediatric patients in the emergency setting. The course presents a systematic assessment model, integrates anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology, and identifies appropriate interventions. It also allows participants to strengthen and develop their pediatric emergency nursing skills while expanding their personal growth by collaborating with nurses from various practice settings. ENPC brings together participants from various emergency department settings and nurses in other nursing specialties. Course materials include the newly released 6th Edition course book, which will be an excellent resource even after completing the course.

Course content covers:

•  Early patient assessment

•  Systematic assessment of the pediatric patient

•  Pediatric pathophysiology

•  Pediatric triage

•  Early interventions

•  Family presence

•  Pediatric care from birth through the teenage years

The course is taught using a variety of formats, including online modules, live simulations, patient experience videos, and instructor-led classroom discussions and skills stations that encourage participants to integrate their psychomotor abilities into a patient situation in a risk-free setting. The instructors are medical professionals or highly trained individuals who will coach you through each step of the lifesaving process. Upon successful course completion, you will receive a 4-year, internationally recognized verification as an ENPC provider and earn 18.25 contact hours of CNE.

Sign up here for ACLS Academy’s ENPC, or contact us for questions or additional information.