Critical Care Nursing
Critical care nursing (CCN), also known as Intensive Care Nursing (ICN), is a nursing specialty that focuses on caring for unstable and critically ill patients, often with chronic and life-threatening conditions such as cancer, heart attacks, strokes, and serious injuries. The primary goal of CCN is to provide quality and safe care to critically ill patients and with the aim of increasing their chances of recovery.
Critical Care Nurses
A critical care nurse is a registered nurse professional who is specially educated and trained to provide specialized care to patients with acute and critical conditions, post-operation injuries, and other complex medical issues. Unlike a regular nurse, a critical care nurse goes through training that equips them with the necessary knowledge and expertise needed to treat and manage patients with acute conditions. Critical care nurses work in hospitals in intensive care units (ICUs), cardiac care rooms, emergency departments, step-down units, and recovery rooms. Due to the seriousness of their conditions, critical care patients demand round the clock monitoring and treatment.
Intensive care nurses are tasked with numerous complex care assessment duties. The primary responsibilities entail cleaning and bandaging injured patients, administering medications, evaluating vital signs, and diagnosing illnesses and injuries. CC nurses are also tasked with tracking the life support machines, monitoring, and responding to any changes in a patient’s condition. Because of the seriousness of patient’s conditions, critical care nurses are assigned one or two patients at a time.
Intensive care nurses also act as advocates, ensuring their critically ill patients’ rights, beliefs, and wishes are respected. They can also act as representatives, sourcing additional recourses that might not be readily available in the immediate care setting to aid the recovery process.
Education path of a critical care nurse
A critical care nurse requires advanced skill and expertise in handling critically ill patients. The first step to becoming an intensive care nurse is to become a registered nurse by earning either an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree in nursing and gaining licensure by passing the NCLEX-RN exams. A registered nurse must then attain at least one year of experience in caring for critically ill patients. After acquiring a critical care certification, some nurses opt to advance their critical care nursing careers by pursuing a master’s degree in nursing (MSN).
Becoming a critical care nurse means that you will continually be taking care of acutely ill patients. To effectively execute CCN duties, you must be exceptionally understanding, patient, and empathetic towards the patients and their families during these periods of emotional upheaval. You must also learn to deal with your emotions when patients die or end up in devastating conditions.
References
Adam, S., Osborne, S., and Welch, J. eds., 2017. Critical care nursing: science and practice. Oxford University Press.
Chulay, M., Suzanne, M., Chulay, M. and Suzanne, M., 2020. AACN Essentials of Critical Care Nursing Pocket Handbook (80). STIKES PERINTIS PADANG.
Urden, L.D., Stacy, K.M. and Lough, M.E., 2017. Critical Care Nursing-E-Book: Diagnosis and Management. Elsevier Health Sciences.

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