Critical Assessment Of Critical Care Nursing

Walking into the hospital at 6:40am you badge in and make your way to the floor, just minutes into your shift you hear the intercom buzz “code blue, 1A, code blue 1A”. Almost immediately you hear the front doors of the floor flying open and staff members rushing in. Those staff members, are ones from the Intensive Care Unit or ICU. Nurses from the ICU are specially trained in the care of critically ill patients with special needs for extensive monitoring. Critically ill patients are defined as those patients who are at high risk for actual or potential life-threatening health problems. The more critically ill the patient is, the more likely he or she is to be highly vulnerable, unstable and complex, thereby requiring intense and vigilant nursing care (AACCN, 2016, para. 2). Critical care nursing is a job that is very well respected, but with that respect comes a lot of responsibility and education as this job will continue to evolve over the years.

In the event that one decides critical care nursing is where their future resides, you must first figure out where to start in your education. Prospective registered nurses must complete a graduate program which should include classes such as Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, and other social and behavioral sciences. Students will also be involved in a clinical setting where they will explore core nursing subject such as ethics, mental health, and pharmacology. Nurses who want to work in critical care must obtain a bachelor’s degree of nursing. The path from RN to ICU nurse can vary from state to state. For example, typically in Delaware you work your way up the chain. Perhaps starting on a Med Surg unit, and then getting some experience in a progressive care unit before transitio...

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...ower grade floor could have up to six patients. The nursing shortage is especially worrisome in specialty areas such as the ICU which is why they have travel critical care nurses across the US (AACCN, 2016, para. 20). Quality nursing care is what saves lives, and under stressful conditions you are weakening the quality.

Through the trials a tribulations of nursing school, tests and licensing, becoming an ICU nurse is my ultimate goal. Education, a climb up the totem pole, and having determination in the help of others is all it takes to make those dreams come true. Millions of dollars go into the expansion of our medical world every day, and I think that’s what makes the job that much more interesting. Critical care nursing will always be and it will continue to evolve as we work out the kinks to create better patient and career satisfaction for nursing as a whole.