Longitudinal Simulation and Procedural Skills Curriculum for Pediatric Critical Care Nurse Practitioners

Background: Pediatric nurse practitioners (NPs) in the intensive care unit (ICU) have inconsistent opportunities for iterative practice and formative feedback in acute patient management and procedural skills. Method: A curriculum was developed and implemented using simulation-based mastery learning theory and Kern's curriculum development methodology. NPs from the pediatric and cardiac ICUs participated in monthly 1-hour sessions focused on procedural skills and simulated cases. Narrative feedback and satisfaction data were collected at the end of each session and 1 year after implementation. Results: A longitudinal simulation-based NP-focused curriculum in pediatric critical care was successfully implemented with strong engagement. All participating NPs reported increased confidence and perceived knowledge in care of critically ill children. In addition, all participants reported clinically relevant content and satisfaction with the use of simulation as a teaching method. Discussion: Participation in a longitudinal simulation-based curriculum for pediatric critical care NPs was associated with increased perception of knowledge and confidence in clinical and procedural skills. Simulation is an engaging and effective modality for ongoing NP education. Future work will assess the impact on NP-delivered patient care in the ICU.