title: Integrating Nurse Practitioners Into Intensive Care Units.
abstract: As demand for nurse practitioners in all types of intensive care units continues to increase, ensuring successful integration of these nurses into adult and pediatric general and specialty intensive care units poses several challenges. Adding nurse practitioners requires strategic planning to define critical aspects of the care delivery model before the practitioners are hired, develop a comprehensive program for integrating and training these nurses, and create a plan for implementing the program. Key strategies to ensure successful integration include defining and implementing the role of nurse practitioners, providing options for orientation, and supporting and training novice nurse practitioners. Understanding the importance of appropriate role utilization, the depth of knowledge and skill expected of nurse practitioners working in intensive care units, the need for a comprehensive training program, and a commitment to continued professional development beyond orientation are necessary to fully realize the contributions of these nurses in critical care.
authors.affiliation: Shari Simone is a senior nurse practitioner clinical program manager, Women and Children's Services, a pediatric critical care nurse practitioner, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland, and an assistant professor, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland. ssimone@peds.umaryland.edu.|Carmel A. McComiskey is the director of nurse practitioners and physician assistants, University of Maryland Medical Center, and an assistant professor, University of Maryland School of Nursing. ssimone@peds.umaryland.edu.|Brooke Andersen is a nurse practitioner clinical program manager, R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center critical care units, and an adult acute care nurse practitioner, University of Maryland Medical Center. ssimone@peds.umaryland.edu.
authors.forename: Shari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Simone
authors.affiliation: Shari Simone is a senior nurse practitioner clinical program manager, Women and Children's Services, a pediatric critical care nurse practitioner, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland, and an assistant professor, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland.|Carmel A. McComiskey is the director of nurse practitioners and physician assistants, University of Maryland Medical Center, and an assistant professor, University of Maryland School of Nursing.|Brooke Andersen is a nurse practitioner clinical program manager, R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center critical care units, and an adult acute care nurse practitioner, University of Maryland Medical Center.
authors.forename: Carmel A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: McComiskey
authors.affiliation: Shari Simone is a senior nurse practitioner clinical program manager, Women and Children's Services, a pediatric critical care nurse practitioner, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland, and an assistant professor, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland.|Carmel A. McComiskey is the director of nurse practitioners and physician assistants, University of Maryland Medical Center, and an assistant professor, University of Maryland School of Nursing.|Brooke Andersen is a nurse practitioner clinical program manager, R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center critical care units, and an adult acute care nurse practitioner, University of Maryland Medical Center.
authors.forename: Brooke
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Andersen
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D064648:Critical Care Nursing / Q000193:education*; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000458:organization & administration; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration; D008297:Male; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000193:education*; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009746:Nursing, Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States