Abstract:

Introduction:
Nowadays, the application of intensive treatment and intensive care for life-saving conditions in patients with various pathologies is based on a lean system, normatively regulated, developed in details in its multifaceted aspects. In intensive care, shortening or delaying elements of the diagnostic and therapeutic schemes for adequate treatment can lead to an immediate fatal outcome. This necessarily requires a good practical and theoretical preparation of the students who are studying in the field of health care.

Aim:
The aim of the study is to determine the preparation and skills of students from the "Health care" department for participation in the activities of performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation and intensive care for patients with life-threatening problems.
Material and methodology. An anonymous survey was conducted among students from the "Nurse", "Midwife" and "Physician assistant" specialties who are studying at the Faculty of Public Health, Medical University - Sofia, Bulgaria. The study was conducted during the winter semester of the academic year 2022 - 2023. A study of students' self-assessment of theoretical and practical training in intensive care and their confidence to deal with life-saving situations was carried out.

Results:
Intensive care training needs to be delivered using simulation technology to improve student training and confidence. In the practical training, emphasis should be placed on the clinical thinking and clinical behavior of the students so that they can fully participate in the real practice of performing life-saving activities for patients.

Conclusion:
The development of appropriate case studies and the use of clinical cases from practice is necessary in order to develop the professional competences of the students and to be able to cope with the situations of intensive care and resuscitation measures.

Keywords:

Development of competences, intensive care training, students, health care.