Critical care nurses are men and women who work with patients in life or death situations. They often work in the intensive care units of hospitals, caring for those who may not have much time left to live. While this may seem like a depressing line of work to be in, it can actually be rather rewarding because of the miraculous success stories in the career. Critical care nurses need a little more education than other nurses, just because of the caliber of patients they have to work with. If you think this sounds like a career you may enjoy being a part of, you need to know a little more about it. Here is an overview of this line of work so you can determine if it is a good fit for you.
Critical Care Nurse Job Duties
What do critical care nurses do? These nurses are in charge of all the tedious medical needs that patients have in critical care facilities. This will vary from patient to patient, depending on the type of ailment he or she is suffering from. Here is a list of some common job duties critical care nurses go through in their work.
If the job duties above sound like they are right up your alley, you may be a perfect fit for critical care nursing. You just have to figure out if you are capable of taking care of people that are in the most serious circumstances possible. If so, you should do quite well in this profession.
Pay Rates for Critical Care Nurses
Critical care nurses make pretty good money, but they have a lot more on their plates as a result of that. The stress of the job is too overwhelming for some people to handle, but those who can deal with the pressure are rewarded well. Here is a look at the average salaries for men and women in the field of critical nursing:
Salary by Industry
Salary by Position
How to Become a Critical Care Nurse
Becoming a critical care nurse is much like becoming any other kind of nurse. You must first go through a bachelor of science in nursing to work as an RN, and then you will need to go through a master's degree related to critical care. After that, you will most likely have to go through a few certification exams for your state before you can actually go to work. Once you have a little experience working as a base level nurse, you should be able to move into the critical care ward. This may take a little time to do, but it will be worth the wait if you are passionate about this career.
Critical Care Nurse Job Duties
What do critical care nurses do? These nurses are in charge of all the tedious medical needs that patients have in critical care facilities. This will vary from patient to patient, depending on the type of ailment he or she is suffering from. Here is a list of some common job duties critical care nurses go through in their work.
- Checking vital signs for patients throughout the day
- Changing bedpans and helping patients get to the bathroom
- Administering prescriptions to patients (per the doctor's orders)
- Creating patient progress reports for doctors to review
- Helping patients learn what they will have to do to care for themselves at home
- Supporting patients in difficult times so they can get better
Pay Rates for Critical Care Nurses
Critical care nurses make pretty good money, but they have a lot more on their plates as a result of that. The stress of the job is too overwhelming for some people to handle, but those who can deal with the pressure are rewarded well. Here is a look at the average salaries for men and women in the field of critical nursing:
Salary by Industry
- Acute Care Hospital: $71,945 per year
- Education: $60,000 per year
- Health Care Services: $81,502 per year
- Healthcare: $78,383 per year
- Hospital: $74,767 per year
- Medical Services: $71,386 per year
- Military and the Armed Forces: $89,300 per year
Salary by Position
- Registered Nurse: $72,615 per year
- Clinical Nurse Manager: $85,026 per year
- Nursing Director: $96,159 per year
- Nurse, Intensive Care Unit: $64,988 per year
- Nurse Educator: $68,227 per year
- Emergency Room RN: $65,912 per year
- Clinical Nurse Specialist: $82,469 per year
How to Become a Critical Care Nurse
Becoming a critical care nurse is much like becoming any other kind of nurse. You must first go through a bachelor of science in nursing to work as an RN, and then you will need to go through a master's degree related to critical care. After that, you will most likely have to go through a few certification exams for your state before you can actually go to work. Once you have a little experience working as a base level nurse, you should be able to move into the critical care ward. This may take a little time to do, but it will be worth the wait if you are passionate about this career.
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