Knowledge and skill acquisition for critical care nursing practice

In many critical care units, extended orientation or education programs have been offered to prepare the registered nurse to work in this specialty area. Current shortages of nurses and less experienced nurses applying for critical care positions have augmented the need for educational programs. In the Edmonton region, a partnership between two public institutions led to the development and implementation of an innovative educational program. In this article, we describe challenges and strategies to prepare critical care nurses to integrate knowledge, and meet the standards and expectations of both partners. In particular, methods are described to achieve theoretical and clinical outcomes. This article contributes to the discussion and implementation to offer knowledge and skill acquisition for a novice critical care nurse.