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10 Hottest Nursing Specialties for Summer 2009

Critical Care

Critical Care Nurses deal with human responses to life threatening health situations. They typically work in intensive care units, (including medical, surgical, neurological, pediatric, and cardiac-centered units). Some of these nurses may also work in emergency departments and can act as transport nurses when critically ill patients need to be transferred to other facilities.

A critical care nurse usually has a smaller patient load (1-2 patients) because the care of an acutely ill patient tends to be complex. A critical care nurse is also expected to attend to the psychosocial and emotional needs of the patients and their families.

Median Average Salary
$61,853

Educational Requirements
RN license – In all States, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories, students must graduate from an approved nursing program and pass a national licensing examination, known as the NCLEX-RN, in order to obtain a nursing license. Nurses may be licensed in more than one State, either by examination or by the endorsement of a license issued by another State. The Nurse Licensure Compact Agreement allows a nurse who is licensed and permanently resides in one of the member States to practice in the other member States without obtaining additional licensure.

Search our job listings for critical care nurse positions.

Related Organizations

American Association of Critical Care Nurses

British Association of Critical Care Nurses

Canadian Association of Critical Care Nurses