Table 1.
CCN education by country
| Austria | Belgium | Cyprus | Denmark | England | Finland | Greece | Iceland | Ireland | Israel | Lithuania | Netherlands | Norway | Spain | Sweden | Switzerland | Turkey | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Is CCN education regulated the same as undergraduate education? | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y | – | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y |
| Where is CCN education conducted? | MIX | S | MIX | MIX | MIX | MIX | U | U | U | MIX | – | H | Co | U | MIX | S | MIX |
| What qualification is awarded to nurses who undertake CCN education? | MIX | D | MIX | PGC | MIX | C | MIX | M | PGD | PGC | PBD | PGC | MIX | MIX | MIX | D | MIX |
| Is this qualification nationally recognised? | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | – | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Training/experience required of nurse prior to CCN programme | |||||||||||||||||
| Pre-registration training only | Y | Y | Y | – | Y | Y | Y | Y | – | Y | – | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Local education program in the ICU | N | N | N | – | – | N | N | N | – | – | – | N | N | N | – | N | – |
| Local education programme in the ICU and competitive interview | Y | N | N | Y | – | N | N | N | – | – | – | N | N | N | Y | N | – |
| Amount of experience prior to starting a programme of CCN? | 6 m | N | 2 y | 6 m | – | 2 y+ | N | N | 6 m | – | – | 100 h | 2 y | N | – | N | – |
| What is the duration of CCN education programme? | 10–14 m | 10 m | 1 y | 2 y | 6 m | 1 y | 2 y | 2 y | 1 y | 9 m | – | 1 y | 1.5 y | 9–18 m | 12–15 m | 2 y | 240 h |
| Student progress monitored through: | |||||||||||||||||
| Informal planning at the start of the programme | Y | Y | Y | – | Y | N | Y | Y | – | – | – | Y | N | Y | N | N | N |
| Formal planning at start of programme using a contract | N | Y | N | Y | – | N | – | Y | – | – | – | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Informal assessment at work. No formal documentation | N | Y | Y | – | – | Y | – | Y | Y | – | – | N | N | N | N | N | Y |
| Structured assessment/formal documentation of competence (knowledge, skills and attitudes) during clinical activities | Y | Y | Y | Y | – | Y | – | Y | Y | Y | – | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Requirements for CCN specialist training | |||||||||||||||||
| Mandatory national examination | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | – | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||||||
| Completion of a dissertation | Y | Y | – | Y | |||||||||||||
| None, no examination | Y | Y | – | Y | |||||||||||||
| How is the CCN education programme certified as complete? | |||||||||||||||||
| Certification by national regulatory body | Y | Y | Y | – | Y | Y | |||||||||||
| Certification by national training body | Y | Y | – | Y | |||||||||||||
| Certification by local training body | Y | Y | Y | – | Y | Y | Y | ||||||||||
| No certification provided | Y | Y | – | – | |||||||||||||
| Current challenges/problems for ICN education and training | |||||||||||||||||
| CCN students’ limited hours or work or shift working? | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | – | Y | – | N | – | N | N | N | Y | N | – |
| Access to educational resources? | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | – | N | N | N | – | N | N | Y | N | N | Y |
| Lack of a national standard? | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | – | N | N | Y | Y | N | – |
| Lack of protection for the title? | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | – | Y | N | N | N | N | Y |
C certificate, Co college, D diploma, h. hours, H hospital, m months, M masters, MIX a mix, N no, PD professional bachelor’s degree, PGC postgraduate certificate, PGD postgraduate diploma, S school, y years, Y yes, U university, – no data or not applicable