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What Does a Critical Care Nurse Do?

If you want to work with the more serious or complex illnesses and injuries, then consider a career in critical care nursing. In this specialty, you focus on patients who must be constantly monitored. You have to check their pain levels, watch out for any changes in status, and keep a constant eye on devices like cardiac monitors and mechanical ventilators. Critical care nurses handle the patients who need the most extensive medication or therapy. Most critical care nurses work in the intensive care unit at a hospital.

Education & Training Required to Become a Critical Care Nurse

You can choose from among three different degree programs in critical care nursing for your education. The most common path is to begin with an associate's degree in nursing, which can take two to three years at a community or junior college. This qualifies you for entry-level jobs in the nursing profession. Or, if you prefer, you can find a traditional or online degree program that grants a bachelor's of science degree in nursing (BSN). This degree typically gives you greater job opportunities and a better chance for advancement, since your courses often include communication, leadership, and critical thinking.

You can also have the best of both worlds with RN-to-BSN degree programs in critical care nursing. In this traditional or online degree program, you can can continue to work as an RN while earning your BSN.

Typical Characteristics of a Critical Care Nurse

Since critical care nurses work with the most severely ill patients, to succeed in this career you must have the emotional stability necessary to handle human suffering--both in your patients and their families. You also need a strong attention to detail in order to monitor and assess your patients accurately. A caring and sympathetic nature can also help you a great deal in maintaining a helpful bedside manner.

High Demand for Critical Care Nurses

The nursing profession is one of the most rapidly growing areas of employment in health care, with 22 percent job growth expected from 2008-2018. Bachelor's degree programs in critical care nursing, in particular, should prepare you for excellent job opportunities and earning potential. The median annual salary for RNs in 2008 was over $62,000 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics