Critical Care Nurses
Key Tasks
- 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.
- 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.
- Perform approved therapeutic or diagnostic procedures, based upon patients' clinical status.
- Assist physicians with procedures such as bronchoscopy, endoscopy, endotracheal intubation, or elective cardioversion.
- Supervise and monitor unit nursing staff.
- Identify malfunctioning equipment or devices.
- Document patients' treatment plans, interventions, outcomes, or plan revisions.
- 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.
Skills
Knowledge
Build a Resume for Critical Care Nurses
Create a professional, ATS-optimized resume tailored to this career path.
Abilities
Work Activities
Work Context
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
100%
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
100%
Telephone Conversations
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
99%
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
97%
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?
96%
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
96%
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
95%
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
94%
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?
92%
Frequency of Decision Making
How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
91%
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
89%
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?
89%
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
88%
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
87%
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
83%
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
83%
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
82%
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
81%
Conflict Situations
How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
76%
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
76%
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
75%
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
72%
Health and Safety of Other Workers
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
72%
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
72%
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
67%
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
63%
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?
63%
Exposed to Radiation
How often does this job require exposure to radiation?
62%
Duration of Typical Work Week
Number of hours typically worked in one week.
61%
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
60%
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection
How often does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?
58%
Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People
How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?
57%
Level of Competition
To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
57%
Spend Time Walking or Running
How much does this job require walking or running?
53%
Public Speaking
How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?
45%
Written Letters and Memos
How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
45%
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body
How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
44%
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions
How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
43%
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
43%
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?
39%
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
31%
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
24%
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?
22%
Degree of Automation
How automated is the job?
20%
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
19%
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?
19%
Work Schedules
How regular are the work schedules for this job?
11%
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
9%
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
9%
Exposed to High Places
How often does this job require exposure to high places?
4%
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (like operating a jackhammer or earth moving equipment)?
4%
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?
4%
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
1%
Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, poles, etc.?
1%
In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment
How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or operating equipment (like a tractor)?
0%
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working in an environment that is not environmentally controlled (like a warehouse without air conditioning)?
0%
Outdoors, Under Cover
How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?
0%
Education
Bachelor's degree
Associate's degree
Master's degree
Interests
Social
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
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 f
Realistic
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, t
Conventional
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 hum
Enterprising
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/advertis
Artistic
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,
Work Styles
Work Values
Ready to pursue a career as Critical Care Nurses?
Create a professional resume that highlights the right skills and experience for this role.
Build Your Resume Now