RESUMO
AIMS: (1) to design a training programme for newly hired nursing personnel and (2) to determine self-perception and perceived stress before and after the theoretical and practical parts of the programme with high fidelity simulation activities. METHODS: A pilot quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study without control group conducted in a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit from October 2018 to April 2019 was conducted. A newly hired nursing personnel training programme was first designed and delivered. Later, the participants' self-perception was assessed, as well as their perceived stress and grade of satisfaction using two different Likert scales. RESULTS: A total of 20 newly hired nurses participated in the study, 90% (n = 18) were female with a median age of 25.5 ± 4.53 years. Higher scores were obtained in participants' self-perception before and after the theoretical training. Lower significant median scores of the participants' stress perception were found (6.9 ± 1.57 versus 5.6 ± 1.794). In the practical part of the programme, we obtained higher scores in all items, as well as lower median scores in stress perception (6.4 ± 1.73 versus 5.6 ± 1.93). CONCLUSIONS: A theoretical and practical programme for newly hired nursing personnel in a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit improved participants' self-perception and reduced their perceived median scores in stress levels.