On a typical day, I wake up roughly about 7 am every day and get ready for the day. I go to morning classes either online or in person on certain days. On days that I work mostly in the afternoon, I go to work, clock in and check in with co-workers, and then on patients. I check vitals and take blood sometimes. After, I do some charting. I do a lot of walking and I stay hydrated all day because it's important.
CAREER
Critical Care Nurses
Overview
Salary Median (2020)
$75,330
Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)
+7.2% (as fast as the average)
Most Common Level of Education
Bachelor's degree
Career
Roadtrip Nation Leaders in This Career
What Critical Care Nurses Do
Provide specialized nursing care for patients in critical or coronary care units.
Other Job Titles Critical Care Nurses May Have
Certified Critical Care Nurse, Critical Care Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN), ICU Critical Care NP (Intensive Care Unit Critical Care Nurse Practitioner), ICU Nurse (Intensive Care Unit Nurse), Intensive Care Unit Registered Nurse (ICU RN), Newborn ICU RN (Newborn Intensive Care Unit Registered Nurse), Nurse, Pediatric Critical Care Nurse Practitioner, Staff Nurse
How Leaders Describe a Typical Day at Work
Tasks & Responsibilities May Include
- 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.
- Compile and analyze data obtained from monitoring or diagnostic tests.
- Administer medications intravenously, by injection, orally, through gastric tubes, or by other methods.
Education
Level of Education Attained by Critical Care Nurses
Most common level of education among people in
this career: Bachelor's degree (53%)
Associate's degree
Bachelor's degree
Master's degree
Other*
*All other responses combined for clarity.
Majors Related to Career
Educational Paths Suggested by Leaders
Suggested Path
Certification / License
CNR
Additional Skills & Experiences That Can Help You Excel
I commend studying with a buddy or by yourself. Going over notes is really important because that's how I maintain my knowledge.
Getting Started
Recommended First Step for:
High School Students
I recommend trying as best as you can in high school so that you can apply for scholarships when you go to college. That way, you won't have to take out any loans for your first year.
This page includes information from theO*NET 26.1 Databaseby the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under theCC BY 4.0license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
