Critical Care Nurses in Virginia
Thinking about a career as a Critical Care Nurses in Virginia? Here’s what you need to know. Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management. Licensing or registration required. Includes Clinical Nurse Specialists. Excludes “Nurse Anesthetists” (29-1151), “Nurse Midwives” (29-1161), and “Nurse Practitioners” (29-1171).
What do Critical Care Nurses Make in Virginia?
The critical care nurses working in Virginia, wages run about $88,820 per year (or roughly $42.70/hour).Earnings range from $64,370 at the 10th percentile to $124,040 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $64,370 | $30.95 |
| 25th percentile | $77,650 | $37.33 |
| Median (50th) | $88,820 | $42.70 |
| 75th percentile | $100,920 | $48.52 |
| 90th percentile | $124,040 | $59.64 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Virginia relative to the national average — is 0.89, suggesting fewer critical care nurses per worker than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, critical care nurses earn a median of $65,103 per year ($31.30/hour), higher than the Virginia median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 516,210 critical care nurses in the U.S.. In Virginia alone, around 77,420 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 39,900 critical care nurses.
Top Virginia Metros for Critical Care Nurses
The largest metro-area employers of critical care nurses in Virginia.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 16,270 | $81,170 |
| Richmond, VA | 15,440 | $89,730 |
| Roanoke, VA | 5,970 | $75,960 |
| Charlottesville, VA | 2,850 | $95,180 |
| Lynchburg, VA | 2,490 | $81,840 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | 1,580 | $91,280 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | 1,430 | $80,300 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | 1,190 | $81,430 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | 1,030 | n/a |
Top States for Critical Care Nurses Employment
These states have the highest employment of critical care nurses work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 326,720 |
| Texas | 261,050 |
| Florida | 218,100 |
| New York | 204,120 |
| Pennsylvania | 146,840 |
| Illinois | 139,900 |
| Ohio | 138,360 |
| North Carolina | 108,510 |
| Michigan | 104,210 |
| Georgia | 97,410 |
| New Jersey | 95,150 |
| Massachusetts | 90,190 |
| Virginia | 77,420 |
| Missouri | 74,270 |
| Indiana | 68,950 |
| Tennessee | 67,990 |
| Wisconsin | 64,960 |
| Minnesota | 64,740 |
| Washington | 64,690 |
| Arizona | 64,430 |
Highest-Paying States for Critical Care Nurses
These states pay the most for critical care nurses.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $140,330 |
| Hawaii | $136,320 |
| Oregon | $123,990 |
| Washington | $112,180 |
| Alaska | $110,690 |
| New York | $105,600 |
| District of Columbia | $104,550 |
| New Jersey | $102,730 |
| Nevada | $101,990 |
| Massachusetts | $101,970 |
Skills
Top critical care nurses skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Key abilities for critical care nurses, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Critical Care Nurses typically:
- Evaluate patients' vital signs or laboratory data to determine emergency intervention needs.
- Monitor patients for changes in status and indications of conditions such as sepsis or shock and institute appropriate interventions.
- Administer medications intravenously, by injection, orally, through gastric tubes, or by other methods.
- Monitor patients' fluid intake and output to detect emerging problems, such as fluid and electrolyte imbalances.
- Prioritize nursing care for assigned critically ill patients, based on assessment data or identified needs.
- Compile and analyze data obtained from monitoring or diagnostic tests.
- Conduct pulmonary assessments to identify abnormal respiratory patterns or breathing sounds that indicate problems.
- Assess patients' pain levels or sedation requirements.
- Collaborate with other health care professionals to develop and revise treatment plans, based on identified needs and assessment data.
- Document patients' medical histories and assessment findings.
- Collect specimens for laboratory tests.
- Set up and monitor medical equipment and devices such as cardiac monitors, mechanical ventilators and alarms, oxygen delivery devices, transducers, or pressure lines.
Work Activities
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Getting Information
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
- Working with Computers
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
Tools & Technology
Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: eClinicalWorks EHR software
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Programs that train for this career include:
Related Careers
Other careers like critical care nurses include:
- Physician Assistants
- Anesthesiologist Assistants
- Respiratory Therapists
- Registered Nurses
- Acute Care Nurses
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses
Also Known As
CCU RN (Cardiac Care Unit Registered Nurse), CCU RN (Coronary Care Unit Registered Nurse), CCU RN (Critical Care Unit Registered Nurse), CVICU RN (Cardiac ICU Registered Nurse), CVICU RN (Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit Registered Nurse), Certified Critical Care Nurse, Critical Care Nurse (CCN), Critical Care Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care Nurse Specialist, Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN), Critical Care Unit Nurse, ER RN (Emergency Room Registered Nurse), ICU Critical Care NP (Intensive Care Unit Critical Care Nurse Practitioner), ICU Nurse (Intensive Care Unit Nurse), ICU Travel RN (Intensive Care Unit Travel Registered Nurse).
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 29-1141.03