Acute Care Nursing Certificate Program

Acute Care Nursing Certificate Program:
at a glance

Credential(s) Earned: The Michener Institute of Education at UHN Certificate of Achievement


Program Length: 8 weeks


Tuition: Hospital Sponsorship only


Program Code: CCNU110


Description

The Michener Institute of Education at UHN uses a unique hybrid model in partnership with hospitals combining didactic with clinical mentorship during the 8 week program. The Acute Care Nursing Certificate Program will provide learners with the advanced knowledge, specialized skills and abilities to practice competently and safely within a acute care environment.  The innovative design integrates the clinical experience throughout 7 weeks of synchronous and asynchronous virtual learning, allowing students to integrate new knowledge into their acute care practice on an ongoing basis.

The program has been built to the specifications of the Critical Care Services Ontario, so hospitals can access provincial funding to sponsor nurses. It also prepares candidates to challenge the Canadian Nurses Association national certification exam in critical care.

Please note: the program has been developed for critical care  nurses working or hired into Level 2 ICUs.

 

As per CCSO- Guidance Documents

Learner Outcomes

This program is a hybrid program, consisting of:

  1. An online learning component
  2. In person (virtual) classroom component
  3. A clinical placement component

Upon successful completion of the course, the Learner will be able to:

  • Practice within the scope of professional, legal and ethical standards, organization policies and best practices in acute care nursing.
  • Establish and maintain therapeutic relationships with patients, families and/or substitute decision makers to optimize patient and family-centred critical care.
  • Assess, analyze and monitor data for patients with complex, multi-system problems in order to anticipate early deterioration in patient’s condition, establish priorities and plan interventions.
  • Plan, implement, evaluate and document specialized nursing interventions to achieve optimal patient outcomes in potential or actual life threatening illness and end-of-life situations.
  • Advocate for and deliver patient and family-centred care to patients/families experiencing potential or actual life threatening illness and end-of-life situations.
  • Collaborate with members of the inter-professional health care team in providing care for patients experiencing potential or actual life threatening illness and end-of-life situations to achieve continuity of care and optimal patient outcomes.
  • Use evidence-based research and best practice guidelines to inform and adapt critical care nursing practice.
  • Use strategies and available resources to respond to environmental, physical and psychosocial stressors affecting themselves and others in the critical care setting.
  • Engage in reflective practice and ongoing professional development to enhance competence in critical care nursing.

Evaluation Method

Students are evaluated in this course based on their performance in clinical as well as their successful completion of each assessment.
Learners must pass both the clinical component and the classroom component assessments in order to successfully pass the course.

Instruction Methods

Hybrid Model:

Online (virtual) classes
Online self study modules
Clinical shifts (sponsoring hospital unit to provide Clinical Facilitator)

Pre Requisites

Individual Prerequisites:

  1. Valid Certificate of Competence to practice nursing in Ontario
  2. 1 year acute care nursing experience recommended – or completion of Critical Care Nursing Boot Camp Course
  3. A strong foundation in basic nursing anatomy and physiology
  4. Legal ability to work in Canada
  5. Sponsorship by unit manager through partner hospital with level 2 ICU.

Textbook

The following textbook is recommended to support your learning in this course. It is the responsibility of the student to purchase the book.

Critical Care Nursing: Diagnosis and Management, 9th Ed. Urden, Linda D., 2021

Instructors

Program Coordinators:

Klara Malkova, RN, MEd, CNCC(C)

Stefanie Lamoureux, BScN, MN, RN


COVID Vaccine Requirement:

Proof of full vaccination will be required.

Instructions to upload proof of COVID vaccination to Self Service