Professional accountability in the tele-ICU: the CCRN-E

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Critical Care
• Telehealth

Background:

• The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) is a leading professional organization for nurses.
• AACN Certification Corporation offers credentials for acute and critical care nursing practice.
• Tele-ICU nursing presents unique challenges for professional credentialing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the development and implementation of the CCRN-E credential.
• To define the role and application of certification in tele-ICU nursing.
• To validate the expertise of nurses practicing in remote critical care settings.

Main Methods:

• The article describes the process of establishing a new certification for tele-ICU nurses.
• It highlights how existing critical care nursing skills are adapted to a remote setting.
• The role of technology in facilitating remote critical care assessment and decision support is discussed.

Main Results:

• The CCRN-E credential was established to address the growing field of tele-ICU nursing.
• This certification acknowledges the specialized skills required for remote critical care.
• It provides a framework for validating the practice of tele-ICU nurses.

Conclusions:

• The CCRN-E credential is a significant development for tele-ICU nursing practice.
• Certification validates the essential skills and experience of nurses in this specialty.
• This credential supports the professionalization and recognition of tele-ICU nursing.