Characteristics of critical care nursing internship programs

Development of programs to prepare new graduate nurses to work in critical care units has been a priority for nurse educators for many years. Despite the presence of many such internship programs, little data are available about the characteristics of such programs. Results of this study suggest that the development of internship programs designed to prepare new graduate nurses in critical care nursing continues to be a priority. The standards used by these programs are individualized and are often reflective of the unique needs of the institution. Costs of these programs are quite high. Recommendations for future directions based upon the results of the study are offered.