Critical Care Nurses
Overview
SaveJob Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Experience
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Education
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Examples
Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, conservation scientists, art directors, and cost estimators.
Provide specialized nursing care for patients in critical or coronary care units.
Yearly Salary
| High: | $116K |
| Median: | $75K |
| Low: | $53K |
Demand
Core Tasks
- Evaluate patients' vital signs or laboratory data to determine emergency intervention needs.
- Administer medications intravenously, by injection, orally, through gastric tubes, or by other methods.
- Monitor patients for changes in status and indications of conditions such as sepsis or shock and institute appropriate interventions.
- 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.
- Administer blood and blood products, monitoring patients for signs and symptoms related to transfusion reactions.
- Advocate for patients' and families' needs, or provide emotional support for patients and their families.
- Assess family adaptation levels and coping skills to determine whether intervention is needed.
- Assist physicians with procedures such as bronchoscopy, endoscopy, endotracheal intubation, or elective cardioversion.
- Document patients' treatment plans, interventions, outcomes, or plan revisions.
- Identify malfunctioning equipment or devices.
- Perform approved therapeutic or diagnostic procedures, based upon patients' clinical status.
- Supervise and monitor unit nursing staff.
- Identify patients at risk of complications due to nutritional status.
- Assess patients' psychosocial status and needs, including areas such as sleep patterns, anxiety, grief, anger, and support systems.
- Identify patients' age-specific needs and alter care plans as necessary to meet those needs.
- Participate in professional organizations and continuing education to improve practice knowledge and skills.
- Participate in the development, review, or evaluation of nursing practice protocols.
- Coordinate patient care conferences.
- Provide post-mortem care.
- Plan, provide, or evaluate educational programs for nursing staff, interdisciplinary health care team members, or community members.
- Ensure that equipment or devices are properly stored after use.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Medicine and Dentistry
95%
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Customer and Personal Service
85%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
English Language
83%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Psychology
83%
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Biology
78%
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Mathematics
76%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Education and Training
75%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Therapy and Counseling
75%
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Sociology and Anthropology
66%
Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
Chemistry
63%
Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Top 10 Skills
Monitoring
83%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening
80%
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.
Critical Thinking
80%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension
80%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Service Orientation
80%
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness
80%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking
80%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Learning
78%
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Complex Problem Solving
78%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Coordination
78%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Top 10 Abilities
Oral Comprehension
83%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Problem Sensitivity
83%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Deductive Reasoning
80%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning
80%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Oral Expression
80%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Speech Clarity
80%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition
80%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Flexibility of Closure
78%
The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Information Ordering
78%
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Near Vision
78%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Top 10 Work Activities
Assisting and Caring for Others
99%
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Getting Information
95%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
95%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
92%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
91%
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Documenting/Recording Information
90%
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
89%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
89%
Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Working with Computers
88%
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
87%
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Detailed Work Activities
- Analyze test data or images to inform diagnosis or treatment.
- Monitor patient conditions during treatments, procedures, or activities.
- Treat medical emergencies.
- Administer non-intravenous medications.
- Administer intravenous medications.
- Monitor patient progress or responses to treatments.
- Develop medical treatment plans.
- Test patient heart or lung functioning.
- Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.
- Record patient medical histories.
- Collect biological specimens from patients.
- Prepare medical supplies or equipment for use.
- Operate diagnostic or therapeutic medical instruments or equipment.
- Administer blood or other fluids intravenously.
- Interact with patients to build rapport or provide emotional support.
- Assess patient work, living, or social environments.
- Operate diagnostic imaging equipment.
- Assist healthcare practitioners during examinations or treatments.
- Supervise patient care personnel.
- Examine medical instruments or equipment to ensure proper operation.
- Monitor nutrition related activities of individuals or groups.
- Evaluate patient functioning, capabilities, or health.
- Maintain medical or professional knowledge.
- Establish nursing policies or standards.
- Confer with family members to discuss client treatment plans or progress.
- Confer with other professionals to plan patient care.
- Check physical condition of people or animals.
- Administer basic health care or medical treatments.
- Provide basic health care services.
- Conduct health or safety training programs.
- Train medical providers.
- Examine condition of property or products.
- Maintain medical equipment or instruments.
Education
Interests
Social
79%
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Investigative
73%
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
Realistic
59%
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
Conventional
56%
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
Enterprising
30%
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
Artistic
23%
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.
Work Values
Relationships
96%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support
86%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Achievement
81%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Independence
81%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Recognition
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Working Conditions
74%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.