Graduating nursing students' basic competence in intensive and critical care nursing

Aims and objectives To describe and evaluate the basic competence of graduating nursing students in intensive and critical care nursing. Background Intensive and critical care nursing is focused on severely ill patients who benefit from the attention of skilled personnel. More intensive and critical care nurses are needed in Europe. Critical care nursing education is generally postqualification education that builds upon initial generalist nursing education. However, in Europe, new graduates practise in intensive care units. Empirical research on nursing students' competence in intensive and critical care nursing is scarce. Design A cross‐sectional survey design. Methods A basic competence scale (Intensive and Critical Care Nursing Competence Scale, version 1) and a knowledge test (Basic Knowledge Assessment Tool, version 7) were employed among graduating nursing students (n = 139). Results Sixty‐nine per cent of the students self‐rated their basic competence as good. No association between self‐assessed Intensive and Critical Care Nursing‐1 and the results of the Basic Knowledge Assessment Tool‐7 was found. The strongest factor explaining the students' conception of their competence was their experience of autonomy in nursing after graduation. Conclusion The students seem to trust their basic competence as they approach graduation. However, a knowledge test or other objective method of evaluation should be used together with a competence scale based on self‐evaluation. Relevance to clinical practice In nursing education and in clinical practice, for example, during orientation programmes, it is important not only to teach broad basic skills and knowledge of intensive and critical care nursing, but also to develop self‐evaluation skills through the use of special instruments constructed for this purpose.