Establishing a course to train ICU nurses on prone position mechanical ventilation: A Delphi study

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Nursing Education
• Respiratory Therapy
• Patient Positioning Techniques

Background:

• Prone positioning is a critical intervention for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
• Effective training for intensive care unit (ICU) nurses in prone positioning is essential for optimal patient outcomes.
• Existing training programs may lack comprehensive structure and standardized assessment methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a comprehensive and structured training course for ICU nurses focused on prone positioning techniques.
• To establish a framework for evaluating the practical competency of nurses in applying prone mechanical ventilation.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach combining semi-structured interviews and two rounds of Delphi surveys.
• Data collection involved a literature review, expert interviews, and Delphi surveys with 17 critical care specialists.
• Questionnaire development and refinement using expert consensus to establish training indicators.

Main Results:

• High questionnaire recovery rate (88.2%) and strong expert authority (0.876).
• Significant consensus among experts (Kendall's W = 0.402) on the importance of training indicators.
• Development of a structured training framework with 13 second-level and 41 third-level indicators covering content, methods, and assessment of prone ventilation.

Conclusions:

• The developed training system provides an effective framework for educating ICU nurses on prone mechanical ventilation.
• This structured approach will aid in standardizing training and evaluating the practical skills of nurses in critical care settings.
• The study establishes a robust foundation for improving the quality of care for patients requiring prone positioning.