Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic: Development of a critical care nursing surge model to meet patient needs and maximise competencies.
Advanced practice nursing
COVID-19
Critical care nursing
Workforce
Journal
Australian critical care : official journal of the Confederation of Australian Critical Care Nurses
ISSN: 1036-7314
Titre abrégé: Aust Crit Care
Pays: Australia
ID NLM: 9207852
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Jan 2022
Jan 2022
Historique:
received:
11
09
2020
revised:
30
12
2020
accepted:
15
02
2021
pubmed:
31
5
2021
medline:
1
2
2022
entrez:
30
5
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is creating unprecedented and unchartered demands on critical care units to meet patient needs and adapt the delivery of health services. Critical care nurses play a pivotal role in developing models of care that are effective, flexible, and safe. We report on the accelerated development of a critical care nursing surge model responsive to escalating needs for intensive care capacity. We conducted an exploratory prospective observational cohort study that included (i) a self-assessment and survey of learning needs of noncritical care nurses identified as candidate groups for redeployment in the intensive care unit and (ii) a pilot implementation of a team nursing model evaluated by individual questionnaires and the conduct of focus groups. We used descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis to analyse the exploratory findings. We surveyed 147 noncritical care nurses; 99 (67.3%) self-assessed at the lowest level of critical care competency, whereas 33 (24.3%) reported feeling able to help care for a critically ill patient under the direction of a critical care nurse. Identified learning needs included appropriate use of personal protective equipment in the intensive care unit (n = 123, 83.7%), use of specialised equipment (n = 103, 85.1%), basic mechanical ventilation, and vasoactive medication. We completed 11 team nursing pilot assignments with dyads of critical care and noncritical care nurses categorised in tiers of competencies. Nurses reported high levels of perceived support and provision of safe care; multiple recommendations were identified to improve the model of care delivery and communication. The complexity, acuity, and unpredictability of the COVID-19 pandemic is placing new demands on critical care nurses to modify existing processes for care delivery while ensuring excellent outcomes and professional satisfaction. The study findings provide a road map to support nursing engagement in meeting patient needs.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is creating unprecedented and unchartered demands on critical care units to meet patient needs and adapt the delivery of health services. Critical care nurses play a pivotal role in developing models of care that are effective, flexible, and safe.
OBJECTIVES
OBJECTIVE
We report on the accelerated development of a critical care nursing surge model responsive to escalating needs for intensive care capacity.
METHODS
METHODS
We conducted an exploratory prospective observational cohort study that included (i) a self-assessment and survey of learning needs of noncritical care nurses identified as candidate groups for redeployment in the intensive care unit and (ii) a pilot implementation of a team nursing model evaluated by individual questionnaires and the conduct of focus groups. We used descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis to analyse the exploratory findings.
RESULTS
RESULTS
We surveyed 147 noncritical care nurses; 99 (67.3%) self-assessed at the lowest level of critical care competency, whereas 33 (24.3%) reported feeling able to help care for a critically ill patient under the direction of a critical care nurse. Identified learning needs included appropriate use of personal protective equipment in the intensive care unit (n = 123, 83.7%), use of specialised equipment (n = 103, 85.1%), basic mechanical ventilation, and vasoactive medication. We completed 11 team nursing pilot assignments with dyads of critical care and noncritical care nurses categorised in tiers of competencies. Nurses reported high levels of perceived support and provision of safe care; multiple recommendations were identified to improve the model of care delivery and communication.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
The complexity, acuity, and unpredictability of the COVID-19 pandemic is placing new demands on critical care nurses to modify existing processes for care delivery while ensuring excellent outcomes and professional satisfaction. The study findings provide a road map to support nursing engagement in meeting patient needs.
Identifiants
pubmed: 34052091
pii: S1036-7314(21)00034-5
doi: 10.1016/j.aucc.2021.02.009
pmc: PMC8157033
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Observational Study
Langues
eng
Pagination
13-21Informations de copyright
Crown Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.