Advanced practice providers (APPs) are a vital group in the multidisciplinary care needed to manage the complex and evolving populations in the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) and could be leveraged to improve patient care, according to an article published Dec. 4 in JACC.

Carolina D. Tennyson, DNP, ACNP, AACC, et al., look at the education and certifications that could enable APPs to better care for patients within the CICU, subspecialty training and specialization, and the different ways that APPs can be integrated into the interprofessional cardiac critical care team to improve outcomes.

The authors note that education for APPs differs based on their role and the population they serve, but that certified APP postgraduate programs demonstrate positive outcomes in increased competence and improved knowledge in complex clinical cases. Additionally, they outline how evidence shows that APPs are often underutilized in CICUs despite data supporting that the presence of APPs enhances patient outcomes and improves education.

They conclude that there is increasing evidence that advocates for high-quality interprofessional practice in critical care. They state that "the question is not if but rather how we should incorporate APPs into the contemporary CICU," and that APPs "are a consistent, potentially stabilizing force in the critical care setting, equipped to collaborate with the interprofessional team and enhance trainees' learning experiences."

Keywords: Critical Care, Patient Care, Intensive Care Units