An ICU nurse is a nurse who works in the intensive care unit. An intensive care unit is a department in a hospital where critically ill patients go. These patients might be coming out of surgery or rapidly deteriorating because of an illness. Their conditions are so fragile that they require round-the-clock supervision in case they need immediate care. Critical care nurses have specialized skills and extensive knowledge of disease pathology to provide interventions and sustain life. They should not be confused with emergency room nurses, who treat urgent patients and respond to crises. While ICU nurses may work with different specialties, they have this in common: They’re specially trained to respond to critically ill patients. Additionally, the staff-to-patient ratio is very low in this setting so that nurses devote time to only one
or two patients at a time, rarely more. The main duties of an ICU nurse are to monitor and record their patients’ progress, as well as respond to immediate medical needs. According to O*Net – Report for Critical Care Nurses, other critical care nursing duties may include: Being a critical care nurse
requires a unique set of soft skills, beyond those necessary for all nurses, that includes performing under pressure. Critical care nurses need to be good communicators with their patients, patients’ families, and other health care professionals. Critical thinking and creative problem solving are two necessary leadership skills in this profession. Critical care nurses need to recognize problems, diagnose them and execute plans of action in a timely manner—there’s no time for self-doubt. The best
nurses are confident and up to date on their fields of specialization. Types of ICU NurseICU nurses can be found in many departments of a hospital supporting patients of all ages and with varying degrees of emergency and threatening conditions.
Where do ICU Nurses Work?ICU nurses work wherever there are intensive care units—hospitals and health care centers. They work with other trained intensive care providers, such as doctors, radiologists, therapists and more.
Work EnvironmentWorking as an ICU Nurse is a rewarding profession for those who are passionate about helping critically ill patients. However, there are challenges that an ICU Nurse may face when working with these patients on a day-to-day basis. ICU nurses are sometimes placed in critical situations to provide round-the-clock supervision to those patients in need. Working under these conditions may easily lead to nurse burnout because of intense emotional upheaval. ICU Nurse SalaryWhile there is no U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data on critical care nurses’ salaries specifically, all ICU nurses are registered nurses. According to the BLS, the median pay for registered nurses in 2020 was $75,330 per year. Salaries depend on experience, geographic location, type of organization and many other factors. The BLS predicts above average growth for RN jobs, at 9% between 2020 and 2030. Sponsored Online Nursing Programs Sponsored Earn a Master of Science in Nursing online from Simmons University.
Earn an MS in Nursing online from Georgetown University.
Earn an M.S. in Nursing online at the Wegmans School of Nursing
Earn your MSN online from USC’s School of Social Work.
1 U.S. News & World Report, 2022 Best Nursing Schools: Master’s. Ranked in 2021. Sponsored This page includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. |