Career Spotlight: ICU Nurse
What Is an ICU Nurse?
ICU nurses work in the fast-paced environment of a hospital’s intensive care unit, where the stakes are high. You’ll need specialized training, as well as registered nursing certification, to handle the unique challenges of the ICU environment. This specialized role involves complex, high-tech equipment; complicated medication protocols; and the need to respond quickly to changes in your patients.
You may hear the term “critical care nurse” and wonder how that differs from an ICU nurse. Although both types treat patients with serious illnesses or significant injuries, critical care nursing is a more general role for a nurse that works in an array of settings, like emergency departments, cardiac care units, or trauma centers. An ICU nurse specializes in intensive care environments.
The work is challenging, but your contribution greatly matters. You’re a guardian of people in their most vulnerable and fragile moments. Your care means the difference between life and death.
What Do ICU Nurses Do?
As a nurse working in intensive care, you will do much more than simply watch over patients and administer medication. You are a highly skilled clinician managing complex medical needs where the smallest shift in a patient’s condition can signal a major turning point. You need technical expertise to manage advanced equipment, medical expertise to monitor and respond to a patient’s physical needs, and emotional resilience to support others and manage your own emotions in a high-stakes environment.
ICU Nurse Responsibilities:
- Monitor and assess vital signs
- Review lab results
- Operate advanced life support equipment
- Administer complex care protocols and medications
- Perform specialized procedures
- Coordinate care across multiple disciplines
- Maintain records and write reports
- Serve as the central link between patients, families, and the care team
ICU Nursing Salary and Career Outlook
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a salary range for registered nurses, not necessarily those working in intensive care, of between $66,030 and $135,320, with a median salary of $93,600. According to Lightcast, the median advertised salary for ICU nurse roles requiring a bachelor’s degree is $106,800, 14% more than the median for RNs as a whole, with some annual salaries advertised as high as $160,000. Lightcast projects job growth through 2035 of bachelor’s-prepared registered nurses at more than 9%, with 138,500 annual job openings.
What you can earn partly depends on location and scheduling. For example, if you work at night, you can earn a shift differential, essentially a bonus that can be up to 8% more per hour.
What Are the Types of ICU Nurses?
Within the ICU nurse specialization, you can focus on specific patient populations and conditions. Any such role requires critical care skills around making rapid assessments and solving complex problems. Here are some of the nursing specialty areas to consider:
Coronary
Working in a coronary ICU, you’ll focus on patients dealing with severe heart conditions like heart attacks, heart failure, and recovering from cardiac surgery. You’ll monitor heart function and manage life-support technologies, collaborating closely with cardiologists to strengthen cardiac function.
Trauma
Dealing with severe injuries from accidents, falls, or violence requires quick thinking. Patients often arrive in unstable condition and need rapid interventions to survive. You’ll treat complex wounds and will likely coordinate among multiple medical and surgical teams.
Neonatal
The youngest and most fragile patients come to the neonatal ICU. You’ll manage incubators and ventilators, provide specialized feeding, and support development.
Pediatric
This specialization focuses on children through adolescence, helping them cope with serious illnesses or injuries. As a pediatric nurse working in intensive care, you’ll adapt care and treatments to be age appropriate. You may need to provide emotional support and communicate with family members.
Surgery
As a surgical ICU nurse, you’ll support patients experiencing surgical complications or recovering from major operations. Everyday duties include watching for infections and organ failure, as well as managing pain.
Start Your Nursing Career with Excelsior
Earning your Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Excelsior University, as well as attaining your registered nursing certification by passing the NCLEX-RN, prepares you to become an ICU nurse. Excelsior’s program builds the skills and knowledge you’ll need to perform with confidence in this fast-paced, high-stakes environment. Many hospitals now require you to hold a bachelor’s degree to demonstrate and document your clinical expertise and readiness to handle the responsibilities of critical care.
If you’re already a registered nurse, Excelsior’s RN to BS in Nursing program gives you a flexible schedule to balance working with advancing your education. Earning this degree makes you an attractive job candidate and can pave the way to increased responsibilities, promotions, and salary raises.
Working in the intensive care unit takes a special kind of nurse. If that’s you, Excelsior can provide you with the skills and confidence to take your calling to care further.
