To develop a competency-based educational framework for ICU onboarding that integrates mental health promotion into structured learning objectives across knowledge, reflection, and action domains.
Approach:
Methodology: A mixed-methods design was applied, combining a structured consensus process with competency-based curricular mapping involving a multidisciplinary panel.
Key Findings:
The framework comprises eight educational domains related to mental health in ICU settings, including relevance of mental health, ICU-specific stressors, conceptual understanding of stress, resilience and coping, the second victim phenomenon, structural support systems, professional self-reflection, and shared responsibility.
Each domain is operationalized into competency levels, enabling alignment between learning objectives, teaching formats, and assessment strategies.
Interpretation:
The framework operationalizes existing recommendations into actionable educational components.
Limitations:
Systematic data on the prevalence and format of mental health integration in ICU onboarding programs are lacking.
Existing approaches are not ICU-specific and do not address the distinct psychosocial demands of intensive care onboarding.
Conclusion:
Implementation and evaluation studies are warranted to assess the framework's impact on learning outcomes, behavioral change, and clinical practice.
