Critical care nursing is a type of nursing that take place in hospitals and emergency rooms. This type of nursing is very important in the health and medical care field. Critical care nurses are a valuable element of every medical setting, and critical care nursing is a very popular choice among nurses
According to the American Association of Critical Care Nurses critical care nursing is defined as “the specialty within nursing that deals specifically with human responses to life-threatening problems.” Critical care nurses are responsible for making sure that patients that are acute and critically ill receive superior care. This includes their families as well. Patients that are critically ill are often in unstable states and have very complex healthcare needs that necessitate intense nursing care. Critical care nurses are employed in intensive care units (ICUs). These include medical ICUs, pediatric ICUs, neonatal ICUs and surgical ICUs. Critical care nurses also find work in cardiac care units, progressive care units, cardiac catheter laboratories, emergency departments, telemetry units and recovery rooms.
To describe critical care nursing in another way, these valuable professionals provide the best care possible to critically ill patients who are in an environment that involves ongoing monitoring and is highly sophisticated and technical. A critical care nurse is placed into the helping role in more ways than one. She also supports the family while a crisis is going on. She also evaluates the need for resources that the patient requires. The critical care nurse can also recommend referrals if they are deemed necessary. Critical care nurses need specialized training. They must be able to assess a patient’s condition and recognize when any changes have occurred in the patient’s condition.
Education and Training
In the United States most critical care nurses are registered nurses (RN). The patients that critical care nurses deal with are unstable which is why LPN/LVNs seldom are placed in a primary care role in intensive care units. However with the proper training and experience LPNs are sometimes expected to do their part in treating critically ill patients.
Nurses who wish to work in critical care must obtain certification through a national advisory board called the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. This board both sets and maintains standards for those who wish to become certified to work as critical care nurses. The certification is referred to as CCRN. To explain a CCRN in brief it is an example of a post registration specialty critical care certification. There is more than one type of CCRN. For example there are certifications in progressive care (PCCN), cardiac surgery (CSC) and cardiac medicine (CMC).
It is not an easy task to pass the certification exams as it requires extensive knowledge of critical care medical and nursing practices as well as pathophysiology. Some nurses do not pass the certification exam but there is always the opportunity to try again at a later date. There is a lot of time involved in preparing and studying for the tests and it can be very stressful. However once the certification has been obtained a critical care nurse can work in a variety of areas and can demonstrate a high level of expertise in the field. Having the additional knowledge and skills makes a critical care nurse the best nurse she can be and allows her to care for her patients in a superior manner.
The population that critical care nurses work with is very diverse. These nurses can be found working not only in hospitals but also in medical evacuation and transport teams. Critical care nurses are an integral part of any medical team.
The average hourly pay by specialty for a critical care nurse is $19.45. The starting salary for a registered nurse (RN) is approximately $39,000. After three years or more a registered nurse (which is what a critical care nurse must be) will earn an estimated $47,110 a year.
