Understanding new nurses’ learning experiences in intensive care

OBJECTIVES: Recruitment and retention of nurses in intensive care units (ICU) has been challenging over the last few years. Rising demand is now exacerbated by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Transition to ICU from other clinical areas is stressful resulting in significant nurse retention issues. This study therefore aimed to illuminate and explore new nurses’ learning experiences in one large intensive care unit in the United Kingdom. METHODOLOGY/METHODS: Exploratory qualitative case study utilising two data collection methods: one to one interview with six new ICU nurses and focus groups with six senior/clinical education ICU nurses. SETTING: A large major trauma centre in London with over ninety ICU beds. FINDINGS: Findings indicate that ICU is a challenging learning environment for new nurses due to the large number of skills which must be developed in a short period of time. Forming supportive social relationships proved important in helping new ICU nurses learn and adapt to this complex clinical environment. The high-risk culture of ICU makes it harder to learn particularly for internationally educated nurses. Frequently changing shift patterns also impacts learning. CONCLUSION: Senior ICU nurses should be aware of the issues affecting new nurses and where possible alleviate the stress of working in this challenging environment. They should also consider individual circumstances whilst maintaining high quality education. Social support should be facilitated where possible and new nurses need to be aware of the realities of ICU work.