Nursing intensive care skills training: a nurse led, short, structured, and practical training program, developed and tested in a resource-limited setting

A Pubudu De Silva; Tim Stephens; John Welch; Chathurani Sigera; Sunil De Alwis; Priyantha Athapattu; Dilantha Dharmagunawardene; Asela Olupeliyawa; Ashwini de Abrew; Lalitha Peiris; Somalatha Siriwardana; Indika Karunathilake; Arjen Dondorp; Rashan Haniffa

doi:10.1016/j.jcrc.2014.10.024

Nursing intensive care skills training: a nurse led, short, structured, and practical training program, developed and tested in a resource-limited setting

J Crit Care. 2015 Apr;30(2):438.e7-11. doi: 10.1016/j.jcrc.2014.10.024. Epub 2014 Oct 30.

Affiliations

¹ National Intensive Care Surveillance, Quality Secretariat Building, Castle Street Hospital for Women, Colombo, Sri Lanka; Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre, London, United Kingdom.
² Simulation and Essential Clinical Skills Department, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom.
³ Critical Care Department, University College Hospitals Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.
⁴ National Intensive Care Surveillance, Quality Secretariat Building, Castle Street Hospital for Women, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
⁵ Office of Deputy Director General (Education, Training and Research), Ministry of Health, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
⁶ National Intensive Care Surveillance, Quality Secretariat Building, Castle Street Hospital for Women, Colombo, Sri Lanka; Office of Director Tertiary Care Health, Ministry of Health, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
⁷ Medical Education Development and Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
⁸ Post Basic College of Nursing, Ministry of Health, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
⁹ Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Bangkok, Thailand.
¹⁰ National Intensive Care Surveillance, Quality Secretariat Building, Castle Street Hospital for Women, Colombo, Sri Lanka; Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Bangkok, Thailand; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Electronic address: rashan@nicslk.com.

PMID: 25466312
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrc.2014.10.024

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the impact of a nurse-led, short, structured training program for intensive care unit (ICU) nurses in a resource-limited setting.

Methods: A training program using a structured approach to patient assessment and management for ICU nurses was designed and delivered by local nurse tutors in partnership with overseas nurse trainers. The impact of the course was assessed using the following: pre-course and post-course self-assessment, a pre-course and post-course Multiple Choice Questionnaire (MCQ), a post-course Objective Structured Clinical Assessment station, 2 post-course Short Oral Exam (SOE) stations, and post-course feedback questionnaires.

Results: In total, 117 ICU nurses were trained. Post-MCQ scores were significantly higher when compared with pre-MCQ (P < .0001). More than 95% passed the post-course Objective Structured Clinical Assessment (patient assessment) and SOE 1 (arterial blood gas analysis), whereas 76.9% passed SOE 2 (3-lead electrocardiogram analysis). The course was highly rated by participants, with 98% believing that this was a useful experience.

Conclusions: Nursing Intensive Care Skills Training was highly rated by participants and was effective in improving the knowledge of the participants. This sustainable short course model may be adaptable to other resource-limited settings.

Keywords: Developing countries; Intensive care nursing; Knowledge; Resource-limited settings; Skills; Training.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Clinical Competence*
Critical Care Nursing / education*
Curriculum
Humans
Intensive Care Units
Middle Aged
Sri Lanka
Staff Development
Surveys and Questionnaires