The Intensive Care Unit As an Untapped Learning Resource: A Student Perspective

The intensive care unit (ICU) has not traditionally been considered an ideal placement for undergraduate nursing students (Ballard & Trowbridge, 2004). However, some nurse authors strongly support placing students in a critical care environment during the early stages of their clinical education (Cochrane, Heron, & Lawlor, 2008; Swinny & Brady, 2010). This unique experience has been shown to strengthen the link between theory and practice in a challenging environment. It can provide ample opportunity to observe and perform a variety of skills, and the one-on-one mentoring facilitates a supportive learning environment. It has also been shown to reinforce the knowledge and skills of staff by giving them the opportunity to verbalize and share their knowledge while demonstrating care and skills to a patient and family. Ultimately, it becomes a win-win situation, where the student benefits from the new learning opportunities, and the role of mentor allows the staff to showcase their expertise. Finally, in our current environment of nursing shortages, it can certainly enhance recruitment to this specialty care area after graduation (Swinny & Brady, 2010). The purpose of this article is to share the students' journey and progression through their first medical-surgical clinical placement--the ICU and, subsequently, to discuss why we believe this experience can contribute to the enrichment of future nursing education and practice.