Critical Care Nursing Theory 4 NSCC 7520

​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.

Domestic fees

$407.65 - $1,302.31 See individual course offerings below for actual costs.