Plan of Study

Part-time Critical Care Nursing Program

This study option is designed for nurses who will be working full time on their home nursing units while studying in the program. There is also an option for integrated clinical if you currently work in a critical care setting. This program requires a sponsored clinical seat from an ICU manager. This means you must have reached out to a critical care unit manager prior to applying and have approved sponsorship for the 14 clinical shifts that are required to complete this program.

The program includes:

• Independent, self-directed study online
• Discussion board assignments with case studies that represent the uniqueness of critical care nursing
• In-person skills and simulation sessions
• Clinical learning in a critical care setting

The time commitment to complete the program is approximately:

• 280 hours of study
• 36 hours of lab/simulation
• 168 hours of clinical

Registered Nurses with prior learning or experience fundamental to the practice of critical care nursing may qualify for a reduction in skills requirements.

Timeline

This represents a general timeline for the program. The exact delivery model may vary between offerings.

• Phase I, Week 1–9: Foundations, ventilation and oxygenation; skills labs and simulation labs
• Phase II, Week 10–16: Pumping and perfusion; skills labs, simulation labs, clinical shifts
• Phase III, Week 17–25: Inflammation; skills labs, simulation labs, clinical shifts
• Phase IV, Week 26–33: Consciousness; skills labs, simulation labs, clinical shifts
• Phase V, Week 34–41: Clinical shifts

Learning Outcomes

The competencies (outcomes) the learner must achieve by the end of the program are organized under six competency areas:

1. Patient-centred care
2. Teamwork and collaboration
3. Evidence-informed practice
4. Quality improvement
5. Safety
6. Informatics

These competencies are used to assess the learner's knowledge, skill, and performance while in the program. Some of these behavioural indicators will be achieved upon completion of modules, assignments, and examinations, while others will be achieved in the clinical setting. As a learner in the program, you will be required to successfully demonstrate each of these comptencies.

Full-time Critical Care Nursing Program

This study option is aimed at ensuring the nurse achieves the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to meet the program competencies. The program is aligned with a transition to practice approach that will support the nurse in transferring program competencies into their critical care practice. Interested candidates should apply to the expression of interest job posting with their employer. Only those with confirmed clinical seats should register for the program. This study option will only be offered when requested by the employer.

This program includes:

• Independent, self-directed study online
• Live classroom and simulation sessions online
• Discussion board assignments with case studies that represent the uniqueness of critical care nursing
• In-person skills and simulation sessions
• Clinical learning in a critical care setting

The time commitment to complete the program is approximately:

• 280 hours of study
• 36 hours of lab/simulation
• 168 hours of clinical

Registered Nurses with prior learning or experience fundamental to the practice of critical care nursing may qualify for a reduction in skills requirements.

Timeline

This represents a general timeline for the program. The exact delivery model may vary between offerings.

• Phase I, Week 1–2: Foundations, ventilation and oxygenation, content, skills lab and simulation labs
• Phase II, Week 3–4: Pumping and perfusion cotent, skills lab and simulation
• Phase III, Week 5: Objective structured clinical exam (OSCE), practice and testing
• Phase IV, Week 6-7: Inflammation content and simulation labs
• Phase V, Week 8-9: Consciousness content and simulation, preparation for clinical
• Phase VI, Week 10-13: 14 x 12H Clinical shifts and clinical documentation
• Phase VII, Week13+: Transistion to practice plan

Learning Outcomes

The competencies (outcomes) the learning must achieve by the end of the program are organized under six competency areas:

1. Patient-centred care
2. Teamwork and collaboration
3. Evidence-informed practice
4. Quality improvement
5. Safety
6. Informatics

These competencies are used to assess the learner's knowledge, skill, and performance while in the program. Some of these behavioural indicators will be achieved upon completion of modules, assignments, and examinations, while others will be achieved in the clinical setting. As a learner in the program, you will be required to successfully demonstrate each of these comptencies.