Certified Trainer Resources: Planning Your Course

The live ENLS course is an instructor-led training session that offers a robust introduction to each course topic. Participants who attend a live course experience an interactive environment and have the opportunity to engage with peers and draw on the expertise of faculty to further enhance the learning experience.

The logistics of hosting an ENLS Course are outlined here. Once the logistics are taken care of, it's time to prepare for the delivery of material!

Faculty

ENLS courses can only be taught by ENLS-certified trainers, and all trainers teaching a course must be eligible to teach at the time of the course. Protocol for becoming a trainer, and current eligibility requirements, are outlined here.

While NCS recommends two to five trainers to cover the material, many courses have been done with just one, and several have had more than five. Trainers often work within the institution where the course is being taught. If a Host does not have ENLS-certified trainer(s) on staff, the ENLS training roster is a great resource for searching for trainers. 

Agenda

The 'typical' ENLS Course is delivered over 8 hours. Sample agenda for a course being taught from 8 am - 5 pm, with breaks:


NCS encourages Hosts and/or Course Directors to modify the agenda to suit the needs of the audience. Examples include:

ENLS for residents - one hour and one module at a time, over 14 weeks
ENLS workshop - four hours as a post-conference session, with emphasis on certain scenarios or considerations
ENLS with simulation - six hours of lecture, 2 hours of simulation scenarios 
ENLS with time for certification - twelve hours over two days, with one hour at the end of each day devoted to completion of the online exams (passage of the 14 exams is required for ENLS certification)
ENLS with breakout discussion groups - three hours of lecture and one hour of discussion in both morning and afternoon sessions 
ENLS Recertification - four hours of lecture with emphasis on the most recent version changes (ENLS is updated every two years, so there's always new material to cover when the 2-year certification expires!)

Important questions to ask when training in a new global region for the first time:

• Are all medications recommended in the ENLS course available in your region? If not, what alternative drugs are used?
• Are all modes of technology and equipment presented in the ENLS course available in this region? If not, what modifications are made?
• Are there any cultural issues I should be aware of when presenting?
• What are the roles and responsibilities of various health care providers in your region’s clinical setting?
• What is your local emergency response system?
• What is the education level of various providers in your region?
• What is the make-up of the audience?

It is important to communicate that while adaptations may be needed regionally, students must still refer to the material within the ENLS manuscripts when completing their exams.

NCS regional members and global partner organizations should be contacted for assistance during local courses. These contacts will be shared by the NCS office upon course approval.

To ensure the success of ENLS courses held outside the United States or in conjunction with a national or international conference, it is the goal of NCS to have an NCS Ambassador in attendance for courses that meet the following criteria:

A course is affiliated with a professional organization or conference event with greater than 25 participants
-- OR --
A course is hosted by an institution or professional organization in a country outside of the United States for the first time, and has greater than 25 participants

Live ENLS Courses that meet these requirements will be assigned an NCS Ambassador by the NCS Executive Committee. An NCS Ambassador is a member of NCS leadership, typically a member of the NCS Executive Committee or Board of Directors. The role of the NCS Ambassador is to:

• Provide support to the Course Director, Faculty, and Host Organizer through the course planning stage.
• Serve as a member of ENLS course faculty for the live course.
• Promote NCS membership, global partnerships, educational resources, and society activities