Strategies for recruitment and retention of critical care nurses: a cardiovascular program experience.

Recruitment and retention of critical care nurses to care for increasing numbers of complex patients is a challenge in the midst of a national nursing shortage. Strategies to address the shortage begin with implementation of a professional practice model that builds on a meaningful nursing philosophy. This model becomes the basis for development and implementation of multiple strategies that "proactively" involve staff nurses. Critical care new graduate internships, patient care assistant programs, creative care delivery models, and unit clinical committees are some of the strategies that have resulted in positive outcomes.