Evolution and Validation of Practice Standards, Training, and Professional Development

sophistication will vary depending on audience (e.g., physicians vs. nurses). Audience is assumed to have

a primary interest in critical care.

Case-based, point-of-care teaching (bedside rounds)

Didactic teaching

Teaching rounds/conferences

ii.

In-service education

iii.

Grand rounds

iv.

Basic science lectures

Critical care–specific journal club

Quality improvement projects

Pharmacist colleagues: May not have a primary focus or interest in critical care. Content may be focused on

specific pharmacotherapeutic issues (e.g., pharmacokinetic principles in the critically ill) that often arise

during cross-coverage. May include pharmacists taking a nonconventional path to critical care practice.

Didactic lectures (e.g., clinical conferences, topic-specific lectures)

Hands-on demonstration of equipment, technology, and devices used in the ICU

Case-based, point-of-care teaching

Competency-based programs – Lead to credentialing according to demonstrated skills

Other trainees: Often includes a mix of backgrounds and interests (e.g., critical care fellows, anesthesia

residents, medicine residents, emergency department (ED) residents, fourth-year medical students,

nursing students, advanced-practice provider (APP) students, and dietary students). Content has to be

appropriate for the predominant audience and baseline understanding of the topic.

Didactic lectures

Teaching rounds

ii.

Clinical conferences

Point-of-care teaching – Bedside rounds

Patients and families: With an increasing emphasis on patient and family satisfaction and a greater

involvement of the patient and family in shared decision-making, the need has increased for critical care

pharmacists to be available as resources and provide education to patients and families about common

medications and expected response in the ICU. Another emerging area of critical care pharmacist

involvement is patient and family care and education in post-ICU clinics to address the challenges

associated with post-ICU care for those who survive their ICU admission. The SCCM-sponsored

THRIVE initiative promotes the growth of these interprofessional clinics.

Techniques

Simple language, basic content

ii.

Teach-back technique to assess understanding

iii.

Frequent reinforcement

iv.

Motivational interviewing techniques

Open-ended questions to understand what is important to the patient and family

Content

Medications being initiated in the ICU

ii.

Why the medication is being used – Have goals different from home medications

iii.

What to expect – Effects, adverse effects, changes in patient interaction, etc.

iv.

Expected duration of new medications

What factors are monitored to see whether medications are helping or hurting