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774 A P P E N D I X B A U S T R A L I A N C O L L E G E O F C R I T I C A L C A R E N U R S E S ( A C C C N ) P O S I T I O N S TAT E M E N T S

provision of greater support for nurses undertak- l illnesses and alterations of vital body functions
ing postgraduate critical care courses. l legal and ethical issues
16. Providers of short critical care training courses l plans of care and nursing interventions
should seek credit transfer within the higher edu- l professional nursing roles in critical care, including
cation sector for nurses completing these courses. clinical teaching strategies, team leadership and
As a minimum, the critical care dimensions of the follow- management issues
ing subject areas should be included in critical care educa- l medical indications and prescriptions, with result-
tion programs to prepare critical care nurses. ing nursing care responsibilities
l anatomy and physiology l use of current research findings to deliver evidence
l psychosocial aspects, including cultural and spiri- based multidisciplinary care
tual beliefs l responding to clinical emergencies
l pathophysiology l global critical care perspectives
l technology applications REFERENCES
l pharmacology
l caring for the carer, including debriefing, stress Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. Competency standards for specialist
management and peer support critical care nurses, 2002.
l clinical assessment (including diagnostic and labo- Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd Position statement on postgraduate critical
care nursing education, 1999.
ratory results) World Federation of Critical Care Nurses. Declaration of Madrid on the preparation
l patient and family education of critical care nurses. 2005. Available from: www.wfccn.org