A critical care bridging program to prepare fourth-year baccalaureate students for specialty practice.
BACKGROUND
The preparation, recruitment and retention of qualified critical care nurses represents a major challenge in this era of health human resource constraints.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the impact of a critical care bridging program (CCBP) on students' confidence (self-efficacy) to care for critically ill patients.


METHODS
A convenience sample of students and their preceptors was used in this pilot study.


RESULTS
Student and preceptor mean self-efficacy scores showed improvement following the CCBP. Preceptors reported significant improvement in students' confidence in all subscales except self-development.


CONCLUSIONS
Innovative educational approaches for the preparation of new graduates to critical care environments are needed.
King
Mary Lou
ML
Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London.
Singh
Mina
M
Harris
Linda
L