Providing the Best Possible Emergency Care
For the very first time, Queen of the Valley Hospital now has its own private mobile intensive care nurse (MICN) class to train its nurses on providing prehospital advanced life support for emergencies in the San Gabriel Valley.
“We do this intense training so we can more effectively do whatever it takes to provide the best possible care for our patients.”
- Vincent Baliton, RN, MICN, Director of Emergency and Critical Care Services of Queen of the Valley Hospital
In a critical emergency, it is essential for emergency departments to work as a team with paramedics. The role of mobile intensive care nurses (MICNs) is crucial to help ensure patients receive the life-saving treatment that they need.
As one of the 21 Base Hospitals in LA County, Queen of the Valley Hospital’s (QVH) Emergency Department has MICNs who are specially trained to provide prehospital advanced life support to help guide, treat and instruct paramedics to assure the best treatment in an emergency.
When there is a class to train nurses to become MICNs, every Base Hospital is usually allowed to send 1-2 nurses to attend. For the very first time, QVH now has its own private MICN class to train its nurses on providing prehospital advanced life support for emergencies in the San Gabriel Valley. Seven nurses from QVH are currently attending the seven-week class, and then they will take the LA County exam to obtain their MICN license.
QVH partnered with Lyn Riley, M Ed, BS, RN, MICN to help lead the class. “Lyn is a legend in the world of emergency medical services,” said Vincent Baliton, RN, MICN, Director of Emergency and Critical Care Services of Queen of the Valley Hospital. “A majority of the MICNs and paramedics in LA County have received her superb training in the past 40 years.”
First-rate, comprehensive and precise training is essential to become an effective MICN. “This role is very intense and unique,” said Erica Candelaria, BSN, RN, MICN, Prehospital Care Coordinator of Queen of the Valley Hospital. “MICNs can’t see the patient, so they must listen intently, remain calm under pressure, and provide the correct medical treatment for the paramedics to perform.”
One of the nurses attending the class, Maria Roberts, BSN, CEN, has a strong desire to become an MICN. She said, “It’s amazing that we have our very own class. We’re a very busy hospital and I’m excited to further educate myself on prehospital care and serve our community.”
“This is an exciting ‘first’ for QVH to have its very own MICN class for our nurses,” said Vincent Baliton. “We do this intense training so we can more effectively do whatever it takes to provide the best possible care for our patients.”