"A Lot to Offer": Nurses as Educators for Medical Residents in an Academic Medical Center Intensive Care Unit

The role of fully trained interprofessional clinicians in educating residents has not been rigorously explored. The intensive care unit (ICU), where multiprofessional teamwork is essential to patient care, represents an ideal training environment in which to study this role. This study aimed to describe the practices, perceptions, and attitudes of ICU nurses regarding teaching medical residents and to identify potential targets to facilitate nurse teaching.

Using a concurrent mixed-methods approach, we administered surveys and focus groups to ICU nurses from September to November 2019 at a single, urban, tertiary, academic medical center. Survey data were analyzed with descriptive and comparative statistics. Focus group data were analyzed using the Framework method of content analysis.

Of nurses surveyed, 75 of 96 (78%) responded. Nurses generally held positive attitudes about teaching residents, describing it as both important (52%, 36/69) and enjoyable (64%, 44/69). Nurses reported confidence in both clinical knowledge base (80%, 55/69) and teaching skills (71%, 49/69), but identified time, uncertainty about teaching topics, and trainee receptiveness as potential barriers. Ten nurses participated in focus groups. Qualitative analysis revealed three major themes: nurse-specific factors that impact teaching, the teaching environment, and facilitators of teaching.

ICU nurses carry positive attitudes about teaching residents, particularly when facilitated by the attending, but this enthusiasm can be attenuated by the learning environment, unknown learner needs, and trainee attitudes. Identified facilitators of nurse teaching, including resident presence at the bedside and structured opportunities for teaching, represent potential targets for interventions to promote interprofessional teaching.