Critical care nursing is a highly rewarding and challenging healthcare career that offers diverse opportunities and paths. One reason that critical care nurses have so many career options is the high demand for their skills. That’s due to the increase in chronic conditions like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes in the United States.
By 2030, approximately 171.1 million Americans will be living with multiple chronic conditions. At the same time, nursing shortages have left hospitals and other facilities struggling to keep up with demand. These shortages are only expected to get worse as currently working nurses retire. By 2030, 1.2 million new registered nurses will be needed, and some of the most in-demand nursing positions are those in critical care.
If you are a nurse working in a unit that treats acutely ill patients or if you’re thinking about becoming one, it’s time to plan ahead for your career. A little preparation can help you build a satisfying career and prevent burnout or stagnation from setting in. Here’s what you need to know about the career paths available to you as a critical care nurse.
What is critical care nursing?
Critical care nurses work with doctors and other healthcare professionals to assess, treat, and monitor acutely ill patients.
They’re often called intensive care unit (ICU) nurses because that’s the setting in which they most commonly work, but there are many other areas that need the help of critical care nurses. For example, some work in emergency rooms, NICUs, and progressive care units.
Critical care nurses administer life saving medications and educate patients and their families about medical conditions and treatment options. In emergencies, they must be ready to make vital decisions to save a patient’s life.
They also order diagnostic tests as needed and, together with doctors, assess the results to come up with the most effective treatment plans. They also monitor medical equipment for patients who are on ventilators or cardiac monitors.
How to become a critical care nurse
Critical care nurses are registered nurses, which means they have obtained a high school diploma or GED and then earned a degree in a relevant field. Most employers are looking for candidates who have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, though it’s possible to find jobs that accept an associate degree.
After earning a degree, the next step is to become a licensed registered nurse by passing the NCLEX-RN exam. Then, you’ll spend at least two years gaining relevant experience so that you can obtain your certification.
You can work as a critical care nurse without a certification, but this credential is a huge boost. To earn your CCRN certification, you have to pass another exam. You can then choose to specialize, depending on your preferences.
Critical care nursing careers
To make the most appropriate career decision, it’s important to first know about your options.
Intensive care unit nurse
Many critical care nurses work in hospital intensive care units (ICUs). They treat patients with critical illnesses, performing diagnostic tests and health assessments, and taking action if emergencies arise. They advocate for their patients and keep them informed about their medical conditions and treatment plans.
The minimum education required to become an ICU nurse is an associate degree, but a BSN is preferred. You must also have clinical experience in acute care.
You can further specialize by becoming a cardiovascular ICU nurse. These professionals work with patients who have critical heart conditions. You will need to know how to use heart equipment and administer medications, as well as help patients recover from heart surgery.
Emergency room nurse
ER nurses conduct health assessments to decide on priorities for treatment. An ER nurse is the first person who will look at a patient admitted to the ER with a serious medical condition or injury.
These nurses have a number of other duties, including placing IVs, setting broken bones, conducting tests, and communicating with patients and their families to ensure they know what treatment will involve.
Because many ER patients are facing life-threatening emergencies, nurses must be able to maintain a calm demeanor and work well under pressure.
As an ER nurse, you can specialize in a specific niche by obtaining another certification. For example, you can become certified in critical care ground transport, flight emergency, or pediatric emergency nursing.
Neonatal intensive care unit nurse
Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses care for premature babies, newborns with medical conditions, and children up to the age of two who need critical support. They monitor patients, administer treatments, and communicate with parents.
Although you can work as a NICU nurse with an associate degree, most employers prefer a bachelor’s. If you’d like to receive more advanced training, you will need to attend graduate school, too. You’ll also need significant experience working in pediatric and neonatal units.
Pediatric intensive care unit nurse
Pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) nurses treat children under the age of 18 who are critically ill or injured. They operate medical equipment, assess patients, and offer education and support to family members. In some hospitals, PICU and NICU units are combined, so PICU nurses might also provide care to newborns.
PICU nurses must understand when to alert physicians or nurse practitioners that a patient has experienced a serious change in their condition, and they must know how to place catheters and feeding tubes.
Progressive care unit nurse
Progressive care unit (PCU) nurses help patients who are critically ill but who don’t need to be in the ICU. They offer step-down care for those who have been released from intensive care, have just gone through surgery, or are stable but still require monitoring.
Because PCU nurses function as a bridge between the ICU and lower units, they must have a broad range of skills. These nurses know how to administer treatments, monitor conditions, and educate patients and family members on care plans, and they must be ready to start IVs and insert catheters.
Trauma intensive care unit nurse
Trauma intensive care unit (TICU) nurses help patients who have severe injuries, especially those that occur during traumatic incidents like car crashes, assaults, or fires. These patients may undergo complex procedures and require constant monitoring under full collaboration with other healthcare professionals.
TICU nurses must be able to keep up with the fast pace of the trauma unit. They have to be ready to identify life-threatening issues and offer appropriate medical care. Generally, working in this field requires experience in an ER or ICU as well as certification as a Critical Care Registered Nurse.
Neuro-intensive care unit nurse
Neuro-intensive care unit nurses help patients who have neurological issues such as seizures, strokes, or spinal cord injuries, along with those who are recovering from brain surgery. They closely monitor patients and are ready to act if an emergency arises. They also offer patient and family support and education.
These nurses must be knowledgeable when it comes to diagnostics, as well, and should have experience with MRIs, cerebral angiograms, EEGs, and other tests and procedures. Neuro-intensive care unit nurses are trained to administer bedside neurological checks to determine whether the patient is improving or deteriorating.
Nurse practitioner
As a critical care nurse, you also have the option of continuing your training and education and becoming a nurse practitioner. Nurse practitioners are advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who have completed graduate-level studies, earning either a Master of Science in Nursing or a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.
Nurse practitioners typically focus on one area of medicine, such as critical care, mental health, or family health. You will have a wide set of duties as a nurse practitioner, and in some states, you might be able to open up your own practice.
Nurse manager
You also have the chance to transition to a nurse manager role if you’d prefer to work in administration. As a nurse manager, you’ll oversee a team of nurses, handle staffing and budgeting decisions, and tackle logistical issues. Through your efforts, you can transform the way the facility works and help improve patient outcomes.
Working as a critical care nurse gives you insight into the challenges that nurses deal with every day. That could make you a more effective manager.
Nurse educator
As a nurse educator, you can share your knowledge and experience with the next generation of healthcare providers. Nurse educators work in universities, colleges, technical schools, and even hospital settings. You may choose to focus on one specific area as an educator, including critical care.
Transform your nursing career
If you’re a critical care nurse searching for an exciting career path, there are many options to consider. You can specialize in helping patients with specific conditions, or you can choose another path that will keep you engaged in your career.
At Prolink, our recruiters get to know you and your career goals. Then, we provide you with opportunities that will empower you to achieve them. We work with employers all over the country to connect talented candidates like you to the right jobs.
Click below to connect with a recruiter and start the next step in your nursing career today.
