Supporting Lifelong Learning and Competency Development

Abstract

136 CRITICALCARENURSE Vol 23, No. 2, APRIL 2003 “In Our Unit” highlights unique practices, innovations, research, or resourceful solutions to commonly encountered problems in critical care areas and settings where critically ill patients are cared for. If you have an idea for an upcoming “In Our Unit, ” send it to CRITICAL CARE NURSE, 101 Columbia, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656; fax, (949) 362-2049; e-mail, ccn@aacn.org. The patients in the critical care unit at West Suburban Hospital, Oak Park, Ill, have complex needs, which require their nurses to have a high level of knowledge and skill. To support the lifelong learning necessary for critical care nurses to meet the complex needs of these critically ill patients, we developed a “topic-of-the-month” strategy. Because the pressures of our faced-paced healthcare environment are compounded by the multiple demands of trying to juggle home life and work, we sought ways to incorporate our professional learning needs into our daily work routines. The idea of using a topic for each month came from one of the staff RNs, who saw value in it being a team effort so that everyone felt some ownership to keep the program going. Everyone recognized that the approach could be an effective mechanism to support development of nursing competencies. We identify topics in advance so that we can plan activities around the particular area of interest throughout each month. A typical month includes a bulletin board display related to some aspect of a particular topic, an issue of the Critical Care Educator Newsletter highlighting what is new in relation to the topic and various multidisciplinary inservices, as well as updates by various drug or product representatives and videos that staff can view at work or take home. Supporting Lifelong Learning and Competency Development