The official masters degree in emergency and critical care nursing

Medina Aragón FJ, Gallardo González R, Gómez Salgado J

Background and objective: The academic configuration of the European Higher

Education Area establishes a second cycle of study, referred to as an official masters

degree, as part of postgraduate training. Our aim was to identify opportunities this

academic pathway represents for advanced training in emergency and critical care

nursing.

Methods: We identified official university postgraduate training programs listed by the

Secretary General of the University Coordination Council, and classified them by

orientation after determining the program names and the nursing roles addressed in the

syllabus (patient care, teaching, research, and administration).

Results: We identified 6 official masters degrees requiring either 60 or 120 credits

according to the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). The study

requirements included in the syllabi addressed the nursing roles of care, research and

administration. The programs had orientations that were academic, mixed, or

professional.

Conclusions: An official masters degree program offers advanced training in emergency

and critical care nursing and can incorporate the possibility of continuing on to do a

doctorate in order to become an independent researcher and move our specialty

forward. Official masters degrees of 120 ECTS credits offer a more complete level of

training and give direct access to doctoral studies; they take a mixed approach. Degree

programs of 60 ECTS offer further training with a professional or academic orientation.

Gallardo González R, Gómez Salgado J, Medina Aragón FJ