AWARENESS AND PERCEPTION OF NURSE PRACTITIONER IN CRITICAL CARE PROGRAMME AMONG UNDERGRADUATE NURSING STUDENTS

Abstract

The Nurse Practitioner in Critical care programme aims to equip nurses with advanced skills and knowledge to manage critically ill patients. Understanding the level of knowledge and perception of this programme among undergraduate nursing students is crucial for enhancing educational strategies and promoting career advancement in Critical Care Nursing. The objective of the study is to assess the knowledge and perceptions about Nurse Practitioner in Critical Care Programme among Under Graduate Nursing Students.

Materials and Methods: A descriptive study was carried out in a single setting with a sample size of 202. The participants were recruited through Non Probability Convenience sampling technique. The data was collected using a structured knowledge questionnaire and a 3-point rating scale to assess the perceptions.

 Results: The mean level of knowledge about the NPCC Programme was 6.25(SD = 1.00) indicating a moderate understanding among the students. The mean level of perception was 39.64 (SD= 35.38) reflecting a wide range of perceptions. The Wilcoxon signed rank test revealed a significant difference between the level of knowledge and perception (p<0.001) indicating that students’ knowledge and perceptions about the NPCC Programme vary significantly.

Conclusion: The study highlights a moderate level of knowledge and a highly variable level of perception about the NPCC programme among undergraduate nursing students. The significant difference in knowledge and perception levels demands for targeted educational interventions to improve awareness and understanding of the programme. Improving knowledge and perception could encourage students to pursue this novice programme and ultimately contributing to the raising critical care demands.