The need for critical care nurse education at preregistration level

In order to deliver a comprehensive and high quality intensive care service, all intensive care providers must be suitably educated and trained. Both the NHS and higher education establishments have been subjected to radical reviews and reforms in order that they meet the educational demands of a changing healthcare system which requires that critical care be delivered to all patients whenever they need it and whenever they are being nursed in the hospital. To be able to deliver critical care throughout the whole of a hospital is a huge challenge. In order to impact upon patient morbidity/mortality, all staff nurses will need to learn, develop and employ critical care skills. In this article, we will explore issues that surround critical care education for all nurses.