The perceived learning needs of paediatric intensive care nurses caring for children requiring haemofiltration

This paper reports on a small exploratory phenomenological study to describe the lived experiences of paediatric intensive care nurses, who extended their roles to care for critically ill children requiring continuous veno-venous haemofiltration. In describing and understanding this learning experience, an insight into the educational and support needs of these nurses is offered. From the insight shared, five main themes were identified. These included the overwhelming need to be a competent practitioner, which was perceived within the context of knowledge for effective practice and technical dexterity.While generalizability of findings is not intended, the findings could be of value to other intensive care settings to guide the identification and implementation of strategies to meet the needs of nurses undertaking similar roles.