Critical care nurses (CCN) are a crucial–if not critical – part of any emergency care structure; they look after patients in the ICU alongside doctors and specialists, as well as in many outpatient settings. These nurses can be found doing anything from tracking life support and changing bandages to administering medication and talking to the patient’s family.
Unfortunately, the critical care workforce has been tested to the limits in recent times; this highly rewarding job needs more people to do it, and the crisis is beginning to change as more and more new nurses take up the challenge. We will look at the big questions: how do you become a critical care nurse? What is the job actually like–and where can it take you?
Pathways to critical care
To become a critical care nurse, one must be a registered nurse (RN) by obtaining a degree in nursing, passing an exam in some states, and meeting the registry requirements in your state; after you have passed these milestones, courses like online acute care nurse practitioner programs make the transition to critical care much easier than you hard-fought undergrad years.
As an RN, you already have all of the skills required to be a practicing nurse; CCN courses focus on the specifics of dealing with patients in a critical state.
What a critical care course covers
Courses cover a vast range of issues, often starting by looking at the foundations of critical care, like medication therapy, renal concepts, fluid and electrolyte management, basic cardiac management, and psychological issues like delirium.
After the basics have been addressed, some of the most important aspects of medical care, like patient safety, evidence-based practice, and managing healthcare-associated conditions and infections, are looked into in depth. Cardiovascular disorders are covered with a focus on assessment, diagnostics, and management of heart diseases and conditions, as these are unfortunately common in the ICU. Students are introduced to hemodynamic monitoring, emphasizing the monitoring of arterial and venous pressure and cardiac output.
Neurologic disorders are covered with training on assessing and managing strokes, intracranial pressure, and seizures. Gastrointestinal disorders are addressed through diagnostic testing and management of GI issues such as bleeding and infections.
In addition to renal disorders, which are studied in depth, courses focus on the assessment and monitoring of acute and chronic kidney functions while also covering endocrine disorders, teaching students to assess, manage, and evaluate the care of critically ill patients with various endocrine disorders.
All of this is done in a very hands-on way, with practical experience through placements in the ICU alongside classroom learning. As the importance of mental health has come under the spotlight, programs are focusing on how nurses can balance the demands of the job with their personal lives to promote a long and satisfying career.
Critical care skills and attributes
Like any job, there are some people who just seem made for it, while others may have the attributes but not the drive or desire. According to the Health Carousel, there are some key qualities that make a good ICU nurse:
- Communication
Being able to talk honestly to patients, doctors, and families is crucial. Nurses are often the go-between, communicating the patient’s needs to others, and to do so, they must be good listeners.
- Emotional resilience
The intensive nature of the job and workplace can take its toll; being exposed to traumatic injury and death is incredibly challenging, and nurses will face compassion fatigue and burnout. Luckily, most workplaces put incredible effort into caring for their own.
- Speedy decision making
The often life-and-death nature of the ICU means decisions have to be made fast; if you are someone who readily takes problems as they come and can solve them with equal tenacity, then this should be second nature. Confidence in your own decision-making ability is paramount.
- Prioritizing
A CCN will often manage multiple patients at once and must learn how to manage and prioritize high-acuity cases. Unfortunately, resources must be wise, and nurses are often expected to reassess the level of priority at which their patients should be placed regularly.
- Follow up
This comes back to communication, which is so vital as nurses can build a real connection with their patients (and families). This human connection makes following up on a patient more comfortable for the patient and easier for the nurse as they are fully aware of the condition.
- Dealing with stress
Now, I’m not saying that every nurse has to have a Mother Teresa level of keeping cool under pressure, although it probably wouldn’t hurt. Stress is inevitable, so being able to manage it effectively is a must; luckily, there are many effective stress management skills that are entirely teachable.
The challenges
All this may seem a bit overwhelming, but I doubt the kind of person who has dedicated years of their life to become a nurse, often with low-paying and arduous placement years, will give up now. The shortage of CNNs in the US and nurses as a whole means nurse training and welfare are heavily prioritized, and the salary definitely reflects this; in fact, it is the third best-paying nursing specialty on average. If you put this all together, the result is a well-paying, highly respected, secure, and rewarding profession with plenty of room for ongoing training and improvement.
The rewards of nursing
Nursing is one of those jobs most people go into because they have a real drive and desire to help others. The work requires a unique blend of technical skills, emotional resilience, and quick decision-making, all of which are honed through rigorous training and real-life experiences. Despite the challenges, like an often high-stress environment and dealing with life-and-death situations, the rewards are immense.
The opportunity to make a significant difference in patient’s lives, the satisfaction derived from problem-solving in complex clinical situations, and the continuous learning and growth that comes with the job are just a few examples. As time goes on, the advancements in critical care nursing, such as the integration of new technology like AI, offer exciting prospects for those in the field. The rewards of being a critical care nurse extend far beyond the personal, impacting the healthcare system and society as a whole.
DISCLAIMER – “Views Expressed Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not reflect the official position of any other author, agency, organization, employer or company, including NEO CYMED PUBLISHING LIMITED, which is the publishing company performing under the name Cyprus-Mail…more
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