Life As a Critical Care Nurse
Job Description: Provide advanced nursing care for patients in critical or coronary care units.
Daily Life Of a Critical Care Nurse
- Coordinate patient care conferences.
- Prioritize nursing care for assigned critically ill patients, based on assessment data or identified needs.
- Monitor patients’ fluid intake and output to detect emerging problems, such as fluid and electrolyte imbalances.
- Conduct pulmonary assessments to identify abnormal respiratory patterns or breathing sounds that indicate problems.
- Participate in the development, review, or evaluation of nursing practice protocols.
- Advocate for patients’ and families’ needs, or provide emotional support for patients and their families.
Critical Care Nurse Required Skills
When polled, Critical Care Nurses say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Types of Critical Care Nurse
- Pediatric Critical Care Nurse
- Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse
- Telemetry Nurse
- Intensive Care Unit Registered Nurse (ICU RN)
- Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN)
Job Opportunities for Critical Care Nurses
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 2,955,200 jobs in the United States for Critical Care Nurse. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 14.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 438,000 new jobs for Critical Care Nurse by 2026. There will be an estimated 203,700 positions for Critical Care Nurse per year.
The states with the most job growth for Critical Care Nurse are Arizona, Utah, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, Wisconsin, or Connecticut. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Critical Care Nurse Average Salary
Critical Care Nurses make between $50,800 and $106,530 a year.
Critical Care Nurses who work in Hawaii, California, or Oregon, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Critical Care Nurses in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $59,470 |
| Alaska | $89,310 |
| Arizona | $77,000 |
| Arkansas | $60,780 |
| California | $106,950 |
| Colorado | $74,240 |
| Connecticut | $81,220 |
| Delaware | $74,800 |
| District of Columbia | $92,350 |
| Florida | $66,210 |
| Georgia | $68,950 |
| Hawaii | $98,080 |
| Idaho | $67,110 |
| Illinois | $73,890 |
| Indiana | $64,860 |
| Iowa | $59,130 |
| Kansas | $61,030 |
| Kentucky | $63,100 |
| Louisiana | $63,970 |
| Maine | $67,610 |
| Maryland | $76,820 |
| Massachusetts | $92,140 |
| Michigan | $71,330 |
| Minnesota | $78,920 |
| Mississippi | $58,490 |
| Missouri | $65,130 |
| Montana | $67,450 |
| Nebraska | $64,470 |
| Nevada | $85,620 |
| New Hampshire | $72,760 |
| New Jersey | $82,750 |
| New Mexico | $71,730 |
| New York | $85,610 |
| North Carolina | $64,850 |
| North Dakota | $65,740 |
| Ohio | $66,820 |
| Oklahoma | $63,080 |
| Oregon | $91,080 |
| Pennsylvania | $70,390 |
| Rhode Island | $78,420 |
| South Carolina | $64,940 |
| South Dakota | $58,340 |
| Tennessee | $61,320 |
| Texas | $72,890 |
| Utah | $65,670 |
| Vermont | $69,160 |
| Virginia | $69,790 |
| Washington | $82,670 |
| West Virginia | $61,780 |
| Wisconsin | $71,470 |
| Wyoming | $67,360 |
What Tools & Technology do Critical Care Nurses Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Critical Care Nurses:
- Microsoft Office
- Web browser software
- Word processing software
- Microsoft SharePoint
- MEDITECH software
- Google Drive
- Epic Systems
- Oracle Taleo
- GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
- eClinicalWorks
- Allscripts Professional EHR
- SOAPware EMR
- e-MDs software
- ChartWare EMR
- NextGen Healthcare Information Systems EMR
- Cerner Millennium
- MicroFour PracticeStudio.NET EMR
- SynaMed EMR
- Texas Medical Software SpringCharts EMR
- Amkai AmkaiCharts
Becoming a Critical Care Nurse
What education or degrees do I need to become a Critical Care Nurse?
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where do Critical Care Nurses Work?
Below are examples of industries where Critical Care Nurses work:
Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Are you already one of the many Critical Care Nurse in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
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