Incorporating best practices into undergraduate critical care nursing education

Incorporation of best clinical practices into the baccalaureate critical care nursing curriculum is important. At The College at Brockport, best clinical practices are introduced early in the semester and are reinforced throughout the semester in both class and clinical settings. Among the best clinical practices included are those recommended by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, The Joint Commission, Quality and Safety Education for Nurses, the Surviving Sepsis Campaign, and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices. The culminating assignment of the semester requires students to focus on patient safety. Students describe the use of the National Patient Safety Goals and other best practices in the critical care setting. The role of the nurse leader and exploration of near-miss and work-around events also are described. Nursing students need to provide safe competent nursing care by incorporating best practices into their clinical practice now and in the future when they become registered professional nurses.