Page 787 - ACCCN's Critical Care Nursing

764 A P P E N D I X A W O R L D F E D E R AT I O N O F C R I T I C A L C A R E N U R S E S P O S I T I O N S TAT E M E N T S

III. Recommendations for Critical Care 6. Close collaboration between the healthcare and
Nursing Education higher education sectors is important, in order
The World Federation of Critical Care Nurses believes that that post-registration critical care nursing educa-
critically ill patients have very special needs and must be tion be provided at a standard that meets the
cared for by nurses with specialist skills, knowledge and expectations of both sectors.
attitudes. 7. Graduates of post-registration courses in critical
care must be able to demonstrate clinical compe-
The following recommendations have been adopted tence as well as a sound theoretical knowledge
to represent universal principles to help guide health base. A strong emphasis on the application of
services, educational facilities and critical care nursing theory to practice, and the assessment of clinical
organisations in the development of appropriate educa- competence, should be an integral component of
tional programs for nurses who are required to care for post-registration critical care courses.
critically ill patients and their families: 8. The provision of appropriate clinical experience
to facilitate the development of clinical compe-
1. As a minimum, the critical care dimensions of the tence should be a collaborative responsibility
following topics should be included in programs between education and healthcare providers. Crit-
to prepare critical care nurses. The categories are ical care nursing students should have access to
not listed in order of importance. support and guidance from appropriately experi-
l Anatomy and physiology enced staff such as clinical teachers and nurse
l Pathophysiology preceptors.
l Pharmacology 9. Clinical teachers and nurse preceptors for post-
l Clinical assessment (including interpretation registration critical care nursing students should
of diagnostic and laboratory results) be appropriately supported in their role by both
l Illnesses and alterations of vital body education and healthcare providers.
functions 10. Critical care education providers should have in
l Plans of care and nursing interventions place policies and processes for recognition of
l Medical interventions and prescriptions with prior learning and alternative entry pathways
resulting nursing care responsibilities into formal post-registration specialist courses,
l Psychosocial aspects (including cultural and in order to create a more flexible yet consistent
spiritual needs) means for students to attain recognition of
l Technology applications competence.
l Patient and family education 11. Healthcare and higher education providers
l Legal and ethical issues need to establish strategies to help reduce the
l Professional nursing issues and roles in critical financial burden faced by nurses undertaking
care, including clinical teaching strategies, post-registration critical care courses.
team leadership and management issues 12. Education providers must implement educational
l Use of current research findings to deliver strategies to facilitate access to post-registration
evidence-based multidisciplinary care courses for critical care nurses from a range of
l Caring for the carer (including dealing with geographical locations.
stress and peer support) 13. Innovative strategies need to be implemented to
2. Programs preparing critical care nurses to func- address the deficit of qualified critical care nurses,
tion at a specialist level of practice should be rather than resorting to short training courses to
provided at a post-registration level and con- resolve the problem. Such strategies could include
ducted by a higher education provider (for comprehensive critical care workforce planning,
example, a university or equivalent provider). innovative retention strategies, refresher ‘train-
3. The curricula of critical care nursing post- ing’, professional development programs and the
registration courses must provide an appropriate provision of greater support for nurses under-
mix of theoretical and clinical experience, to taking post-registration critical care courses.
prepare nurses to meet the challenges of clinical 14. Providers of short critical care training courses
practice effectively. should seek credit transfer (recognition of prior
4. WFCCN recommends that national critical learning) within the higher education sector for
care nursing associations establish agreed Stan- nurses completing these courses.
dards for Specialist Critical Care Nursing to be
utilised as a framework for both critical care REFERENCES
curriculum development and assessment of clini-
cal practice. Australian College of Critical Care Nurses, Critical Care Nursing Education Advi-
sory Committee. Position statement on postgraduate critical care nursing edu-
5. Post-registration courses for critical care nurses cation—October 1999. Aust Critical Care 1999; 12(4): 160–4.
must provide a balance between clinically ori- World Federation of Societies of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine. Declaration
ented content and broader generic content that of Madrid on the Preparation of Critical Care Nurses. Aust Critical Care 1993;
enables the specialist nurse to contribute to the 6(2): 24.
profession through processes such as research, International Nursing Council. The global shortage of registered nurses: an over-
view of issues and actions (and accompanying issues, papers). Available from:
practice development and leadership. www.icn.ch/global/#3