Critical Care Nurse Job Description – Salary, Education and Career Guide for becoming a Critical Care Nurse

Job Description

When a patient has a life-threatening illness, it is occasionally necessary to have a critical care unit nurse on site to treat him or her. Critical care nurses are licensed professional nurses responsible for ensuring that patients with critical medical conditions are properly taken care of. Critical care nurses are also responsible for communicating with critical care patients’ families to explain the patient’s diagnosis and treatment.
 
It is the critical care nurse’s role to make certain that if something goes wrong with a critical care patient, he or she is there on the spot to answer the problem. A critical care unit nurse needs to be skilled in complex assessment of patients, and familiar with high intensity therapies and interventions. This role is very demanding, and it is important that the critical care nurse be organized, vigilant, and methodical. A successful critical care nurse also works well under stress and pressure.
 
In most states, critical care nurses have an advanced education and a high level of independence. Many types of critical care nurse exist. One of these types of critical care nurses is a Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS). A CNS is a clinician who also has the critical care nurse certification. A CNS is responsible for identifying and diagnosing critical clinical problems, as well as working with the patient’s family to explain the diagnoses. They also provide direct patient care, which includes prescribing proper pharmacologic treatment, if needed.
 
Another kind of critical care nurse with an advanced education is an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP). ACNPs make clinical decisions related to complex patient care problems that occur in the acute-care setting. Their responsibilities include examining a patient’s health history, appraising risk, interpreting diagnostic tests and providing treatment. Like the CNS, they are also responsible for providing medication if needed.

Salary Guide

The salary of a critical care nurse varies by geographical location, type of practice, and the size and resources of the institution they work for. Since there is currently a shortage of nurses in the United States, hospitals often give incentives for working as a critical care nurse, including sign-on and relocation bonuses. Entry-level critical care nurses can expect to earn between $25,000 and $40,000. The median salary for a critical care nurse is between $40,000 and $55,000. Top salaries range high above that, to as much as $75,000.

Education and Training

In order to become a nurse, one must complete at least one of the following four educational programs:
  • four or five year study at a college or university
  • one year of training to become a Licensed Practiced Nurse (LPN)
  • three year program run by a hospital or school based on nursing
  • two year program in a junior or community college, combined with some hospital training.
 
After successfully completing their schooling, aspiring nurses must pass a national licensing exam.
 
Most critical care nurses will complete some sort of training course or orientation that teaches how to care for a terminally ill patient. This is especially true in cases of critical care nurse certification. Becoming a Certified Critical Care Nurse (CCRN) involves two years of experience in critical care, as well as a passing grade on an examination that tests critical-thinking abilities. Occasionally, nurses who are in an advanced practice must earn a master’s or doctorate degree.

Prior Work Experience

A critical-care nurse must work as a registered nurse before pursing a specialty in critical care nursing. Most nursing schools offer their students exposure to critical care nursing, which is when a student will decide to go into the field and get their critical care nurse certification.

Career Advancement

Critical care nurses are usually very devoted to their field, but there are other possibilities to advance their careers. Some become nurse educators, nurse researchers, and nurse practitioners. Critical care nurses also often take on more responsibility and patients as they become more proficient at their jobs.

Related Associations and Groups

Critical care nurses may wish to join one or more of the following groups and associations:
  • The American Association of Critical Care Nurses
  • The American Nurses Association
  • The Society of Critical Care Medicine.
 
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