To Duquesne University Second Degree BSN Faculty,

We understand that Second Degree Nursing Students will no longer be rotating in an ICU for our critical care clinical.

This is extremely concerning to us, as the opportunity to learn skills and to network in an ICU setting was an important aspect for many of us in choosing this specific program over others. It is extremely unprofessional that this information has not been communicated to us in a formal manner. We are all paying substantial amounts of money to be here and the lack of communication and respect for our education is disappointing. We are taught to advocate for our patients as nurses by our professors, but we do not feel like the faculty in this program are advocating for us, as our education is being negatively impacted by this decision. According to Characteristics of a critical care clinical placement programme affecting critical care nursing competency of baccalaureate nursing students: A structural equation modelling by Maria Victoria V. Bongar, Frederick C. Pangan, and John Rey B. Macindo:

“It is also important to highlight the negative effect of supplemental learning resources to skills in critical care nursing. This finding may be due to the influence of supplemental learning resources on cognitive learning rather than procedural learning. Procedural or skill learning refers to the acquisition of motor skills and habits. Unlike cognitive learning, which is enhanced through intellectual discussions and factual conversations, procedural learning is primarily acquired and improved through task performance or practice.” (2016)

The opportunity to practice the clinical skills that we learn in our critical care course, especially those that are only preformed in an ICU, is essential to our education. Based on this information, we ask that you reevaluate your decision.