Instructor Spotlight: Tanya King, MSN, RN, CEN

Determined. Grateful. Forever an ER Nurse.

When a blizzard barrels through Massachusetts and most people are home worrying about power outages, Tanya King is in the Emergency Department — for 15 hours — helping broken ankles get reset, assisting with procedure sedations, running codes if needed, and making sure her team is supported.

That’s not unusual for Tanya. It’s just who she is.

“Once you’ve been an ER nurse,” she says, “you’re always an ER nurse.”

And for Tanya, that identity isn’t just a job title — it’s a calling.

Falling in Love with the ER

Tanya’s path to emergency nursing started early. As a nursing student, she trained in the Emergency Department and immediately felt the pull.

“I just kind of fell in love with it,” she shares.

At the time, new graduates were often advised not to go straight into the ER. So she built her foundation in step-down care and cross-trained into the ICU before eventually returning to where she knew she belonged — the Emergency Room.

That deliberate start shaped her. It strengthened her clinical base and gave her confidence to step into one of healthcare’s most demanding environments.

But she didn’t stop there.

Growing Her Wings Through Travel Nursing

Young, adventurous, and without a family yet, Tanya made a bold decision: she became a travel nurse.

Over three years, she worked in hospitals across the country — including California, Texas, Tennessee, and Washington, D.C. Each state brought a different culture, pace, and system.

Travel nursing, she says, taught her something critical:

“It definitely taught me flexibility and to trust my own instincts and my assessment skills.”

As a travel nurse, you don’t always have the comfort of a familiar team behind you. You learn quickly to stand on your own expertise. That experience sharpened Tanya’s clinical judgment and strengthened her voice — a skill every emergency nurse needs.

Because sometimes in the ER, she explains, you are the one in the room when something changes. You are the one who has to interrupt, advocate, and say, “Something isn’t right.”

That courage to speak up is now something she teaches others.

From Bedside to Educator — and Being Chosen

After returning home to Massachusetts and joining Sturdy Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department, Tanya became deeply rooted in her community hospital — a setting she loves for its personal connection.

Eventually, her passion for mentoring and precepting caught leadership’s attention.

She didn’t apply for her Clinical Nurse Educator role.

She was asked.

Her director sought her out because the team trusted her to lead them.

That trust remains one of her proudest accomplishments.

“I think one of my greatest accomplishments is being offered the position — because the team trusted me to guide them in the right direction.”

As an educator, Tanya does everything. She can take a critical patient, run a code, support nurses during breaks, assist with procedures, or simply help turn over a bed. She remains hands-on because she believes credibility matters.

Her biggest challenge?

Keeping herself up to date. Guidelines evolve. Evidence changes. And when staff ask hard questions, she dives into the research to ensure she’s teaching evidence-based practice.

“The last thing I want to do is give wrong information.”

That level of accountability is exactly what you want in someone teaching lifesaving skills.

Finding ACLS Academy — and Being Found

Tanya’s journey with ACLS Academy began when she sought out instructor certification after stepping into her educator role. She took her PALS Instructor course with Shelley and quickly found herself drawn into the Academy’s mission.

Eventually, she inquired about helping out — and, as she laughs, Shelley “kind of chased me down.”

Now, she instructs BLS, ACLS, PALS, and TNCC — and she brings the same grounded confidence to the classroom that she brings to the Emergency Department.

When asked what she hopes learners feel after her courses, her answer is simple and powerful:

“I hope they feel that they can save a life.”

Whether she’s teaching a new nurse or even a cardiologist (yes, that happened — and yes, he thanked her afterward), Tanya focuses on building confidence through clarity.

She loves teaching rhythms and cardiac care — the detective work of interpreting what the heart is doing and responding decisively. But she also emphasizes that everything begins with strong BLS fundamentals.

Without a solid base, nothing else works.

Advice to New Nurses: Speak Up

Emergency nursing can be intimidating. The pace is fast. The stakes are high. The environment is, in her words, “chaotic.”

But her advice to new nurses is refreshingly straightforward:

“Ask questions. Don’t be intimidated. If you don’t know something, ask.”

She believes that curiosity is strength, not weakness. When someone asks to learn, it elevates the entire team.

That mindset reflects who she is at her core — determined, yes, but also humble and grateful.

Life Beyond the ER

Outside of work, Tanya’s adrenaline once came from sport bikes. She rode motorcycles and met her husband through a chance encounter involving bike repairs at a rally in Lake George, New York. Their story spans states and seasons — fitting for someone who built her early career traveling the country.

These days, her happy place is simpler.

“Being home with my family.”

She loves camping, hiking, and time outdoors. Her husband is an avid long-distance hiker, and she proudly supports his adventures — sometimes joining for day hikes or overnights. Watching her children summit their first 4,000-footer was a moment she’ll never forget.

And yes, she still appreciates sunshine on her face — whether it’s a quiet winter beach in California or a New England shoreline in the off-season.

Determined and Grateful

When asked to describe herself in one word, Tanya says:

“Determined.”

When asked to describe emergency nursing, she says:

“Chaotic.”

And somehow, in that contrast, you find her strength.

She thrives in the chaos. She finds purpose in the unpredictability. She supports her team, trusts her instincts, and teaches others to do the same.

Above all, she is grateful.

“I’ve been very lucky to grow my wings and become who I am today. I’m grateful for the trust of my students and for ACLS Academy bringing me onto the team.”

At ACLS Academy, we are just as grateful to have her.

Because when the alarms sound, the snow falls, or the code bell rings — you want someone like Tanya King in the room.

And in the classroom.