Evidence-Based Review and Discussion Points

Use of adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioners (ACNPs) across tertiary care settings has increased significantly since the inception of the role. Demand for critical care services and several studies showing no differences between care delivered by ACNPs and care delivered by their critical care physician colleagues have spurred the increasing use of ACNPs in the intensive care unit (ICU). However, novice ACNPs often report feeling inadequately prepared for practice, and a majority of these ACNPs do not receive any structured learning activities to enhance their transition to their new role as an advanced practice nurse. Structured training for novice advanced practice nurses has been associated with improvements in the quality of care delivered, higher retention rates, and lower health care costs incurred by patients. Despite the known benefits of structured training for novice ACNPs in the ICU, different hospitals and ICUs differ markedly in how these ACNPs transition to practice....