Course Overview
In this final theory course of the Critical Care Nursing program, learners build on knowledge and clinical reasoning skills developed throughout the program, strengthening their ability to synthesize assessment data, recognize early signs of deterioration, and implement timely, evidence-informed interventions for patients with increasingly complex and unstable health conditions. The course begins with ethical decision-making in critical care, where learners examine complexities such as end-of-life care, medical futility, and palliation, while incorporating trauma- and violence-informed practice, cultural safety, gender diversity, and harm reduction. Strategies to strengthen moral agency and build moral resilience are also explored. Learners then deepen their understanding of hemodynamics through pulmonary artery (PA) pressure monitoring, examining catheter function, nursing responsibilities, and hemodynamic data to support critical thinking and advanced clinical decision-making for cardiac output management. The course progresses to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), where learners examine current definitions, assessment guidelines, pathophysiology, diagnostic considerations, and evolving management strategies. Advanced neurocritical care is addressed in the final module, focusing on acquired brain injuries, including stroke, traumatic brain injury, and hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. Learners apply principles of intracranial dynamics and advanced monitoring—such as ICP, CPP, and cerebral oxygenation parameters—to guide interventions that optimize cerebral perfusion and prevent secondary injury. The course concludes with a focus on subspecialty areas—ICU, CSICU, or PACU. Through case-based learning and structured application of the Oxygen Supply and Demand Framework (OSDF), learners continue to strengthen their ability to synthesize increasingly complex information, anticipate complications, and deliver timely, evidence-informed interventions in the dynamic critical care environment.
Prerequisite(s)
Credits
4.0
Registration requirements
Departmental approval is required to register for this course. You must have approval from the department to register. Students accepted into a program can register directly.
Domestic fees
$407.65 - $1,302.31 See individual course offerings below for actual costs.
International fees are typically 3.4 times the domestic tuition. Exact cost will be calculated upon completion of registration.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
As licensed health care practitioners, all learners will practice in accordance with professional standards of practice throughout the course. In this course, learners will have opportunities to use the processes of critical thinking, systematic inquiry, communication, collaboration, creative leadership and professionalism to:
- Explain ethical dimensions of critical care nursing practice including trauma and violence –informed care, culturally competent care, gender diversity, end-of-life care, and moral resiliency.
- Integrate pulmonary artery (PA) pressure values with the comprehensive assessment of critically ill patients.
- Integrate advanced cerebral monitoring (including intracranial pressure, cerebral perfusion pressure, jugular venous oxygen saturation, and cerebral oxygen extraction ratio) with the comprehensive assessment of critically ill patients.
- Explain how comprehensive assessment findings correlate with the underlying pathophysiology of acute respiratory distress syndrome and acquired brain injury .
- Integrate comprehensive assessment cues for patients experiencing PA pressure monitoring, acute respiratory distress syndrome , and acquired brain injury into the OSDF to form judgements about balance.
- Apply the Situated Clinical Decision-Making Framework to implement strategies intended to optimize oxygen supply and demand for patients experiencing acute respiratory distress syndrome and acquired brain injury .
- Analyze case studies for patients experiencing one of the following:
- Hypoxic-ischemic brain injury
- Cardiac surgery (CABG and valve surgery)
- Anesthesia and post-anesthesia recovery
Effective as of Spring/Summer 2025
Related Programs
Critical Care Nursing Theory 4 (NSCC 7520) is offered as a part of the following programs:
- Indicates programs accepting international students.
School of Health Sciences
- Critical Care Nursing Specialty
Advanced Certificate Part-time
- Specialty Nursing (Critical Care - Standard Option)
Bachelor of Science in Nursing Part-time
Course Offerings
Fall 2026
Below are three offerings of NSCC 7520 for the Fall 2026 term.
CRN 42193
Dates
Sep 08 - Nov 27 Loading
- CRN 42193
- $663.26 Domestic fees
Class meeting times
| Dates | Days | Times | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 08 - Nov 27 | N/A | N/A | Online |
Duration
12 weeks
Instructor
TBD
Course outline
Important information
- Available for exam challenge only.
- Important course information will be sent to you prior to your course start date. Check your myBCIT email account to access this information.
- This is a challenge section designed for learners who have previous ICU or Critical Care Nursing experience and wish to challenge the course by writing the challenge exam.
Confirmation
Required
To proceed with registration and add this course to the cart, please confirm:
No approval yet? Request approval You must have approval from the department to register. Students accepted into a program can register directly.
Status
If you have any questions about this course, please contact us.
CRN 42195
Dates
Sep 08 - Nov 27 Loading
- CRN 42195
- $1302.31 Domestic fees
Class meeting times
| Dates | Days | Times | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 08 - Nov 27 | N/A | N/A | Online |
Duration
12 weeks
Instructor
TBD
Course outline
Important information
- Important course information will be sent to you prior to your course start date. Check your myBCIT email account to access this information.
Confirmation
Required
To proceed with registration and add this course to the cart, please confirm:
No approval yet? Request approval You must have approval from the department to register. Students accepted into a program can register directly.
Status
If you have any questions about this course, please contact us.
CRN 42197
Dates
Sep 08 - Nov 27 Loading
- CRN 42197
- $407.65 Domestic fees
Class meeting times
| Dates | Days | Times | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 08 - Nov 27 | N/A | N/A | Online |
Duration
12 weeks
Instructor
TBD
Course outline
Important information
- Available for re-registration (course extension) only.
- Important course information will be sent to you prior to your course start date. Check your myBCIT email account to access this information.
- Re-registration is for students who require a course extension to complete their course from the previous term. Re-registration is a one-time option only.
Confirmation
Required
To proceed with registration and add this course to the cart, please confirm:
No approval yet? Request approval You must have approval from the department to register. Students accepted into a program can register directly.
Status
If you have any questions about this course, please contact us.
Programs and courses are subject to change without notice. Find out more about BCIT course cancellations.