Nursing students' experience in critical care: implications for staff development

The gap between preservice preparation of nurses for critical-care work and employers' expectations is a crucial factor in providing safe care in special-care units. In this study of senior nursing students from 32 Midwestern schools of nursing, it was found that about 75 per cent of the students had had some experience in critical care, with a mean of 46 hours of experience. Most students observed, did selected procedures, or helped a staff nurse. Only 3 per cent planned and carried out care for more than one patient at a time. Fifty-eight per cent considered themselves unprepared to work in areas of critical care and needed more practice and theoretical instruction. There was wide variation in adequacy of instruction in frequently-used assessment and management techniques.