Critical care nursing organizations and activities: a third worldwide review

Aim: The study aim was to profile the issues and activities of critical care nurses and professional critical care nursing organizations (CCNOs), and to identify expectations of the role of the World Federation of Critical Care Nurses. This information will determine how the critical care nursing specialty is changing over time and assist to formulate strategies that provide ongoing support to critical care nursing internationally. Background: This study is the third worldwide review of CCNOs. Two previous surveys were undertaken in 1999-2000 and in 2005. Data were collected from 23 and 51 countries, respectively. Methods: An online descriptive survey was e-mailed to 97 countries with CCNOs or known nursing leaders. Responses were analysed descriptively by geographical region. Results: Sixty-five respondents completed the questionnaire, achieving a 67% return rate. The most common issues identified were teamwork, access to educational programmes, formal practice guidelines/competencies, staffing levels and working conditions. Respondents perceived professional representation, national conferences, practice standards/guidelines, educational course standards, website provision, skills courses and educational workshops as the most important activities that should be provided by national CCNOs. Furthermore, less affluent countries showed greater emphasis on educational and training needs compared with wealthier counties and had poorer access to Internet and other supportive infrastructure. Conclusions: Teamwork, education, development of practice guidelines and workforce remain important issues to critical care nurses and have changed very little over the last 10 years, although the emphasis on teamwork is stronger than a decade ago. Differences in emphasis occur between affluent and less affluent countries and need to be acknowledged. Future research is recommended to better understand those priorities to enable the global community of critical care nurses to respond constructively.