The Essential Components of Adult Critical Care Neuroscience Nursing Orientation: A Delphi Study

BACKGROUND: Critical care neuroscience nursing is a specialized field requiring a complex knowledge base and unique clinical orientation. A comprehensive orientation for nurses new to this specialty can improve retention, performance, and satisfaction. Critical care neuroscience orientations are often hospital based and regionally specific, and lack a systematic approach. The aim of this research was to obtain expert consensus on the essential components of a 12- to 18-week critical care neuroscience nursing orientation. METHODS: A Delphi methodology was used to collect expert consensus on the components of a critical care neuroscience nursing orientation. Electronic surveys were distributed to 161 neuroscience critical care orientation experts in 2 Delphi rounds. Participant demographic data and a Likert rating scale (1-5) of literature-based components of a critical care neuroscience orientation were collected. Participants identified additional critical care neuroscience orientation components that were not included in the listed components in round 1 or round 2 of the survey. RESULTS: Round 1 of the survey had 38 responses (23.6%), and round 2 had 23 responses (14.2%). The round 1 survey included 47 elements, and 36 of 47 met the a priori threshold of ≥75% consensus of being important or very important. Two additional elements resulted from write-in recommendations. In round 2, 38 elements were included in the survey, and 37 of 38 elements met consensus. Expert consensus on the essential components of a critical care neuroscience orientation included 37 elements divided among 5 major components. CONCLUSION: Expert consensus was achieved on the essential components of a 12- to 18-week adult critical care neuroscience nursing orientation. Five components and 37 elements were agreed upon by expert consensus.