| Part of Team | | | | inserting catheters etc are also the part of their job. |
| Usually the ICU nurses would be part of a specialized | | | | Job Requirements |
| team in the hospital or clinic that takes care of the | | | | For being eligible for the job of the ICU nursing, either |
| patient who are in critical or near fatal conditions. Only | | | | a two years associate degree, a three year hospital |
| highly experienced and proficient registered nurses | | | | training diploma, or a four year bachelors degree are |
| are made part of the special team as ICU nurses. | | | | the basic qualifications. Becoming registered ICU nurse |
| ICU Nurse Functions | | | | requires passing out the written examination for the |
| Basic functions carried out by the ICU nurses are | | | | certification. |
| – | | | | ICU Registered Nurse Certifications |
| • Providing adequate care to the patient; | | | | Certification for the ICU nursing career requires |
| • Keeping them under close observation all | | | | voluntary certification as one of the Critical Care |
| through; | | | | Registered Nurses or CCRN from American |
| • Educating and supporting the patient's family on | | | | Association of Critical Care Nurses. Specific amount of |
| the care of the patient; | | | | clinical practice hours in nursing and passing out a |
| • Providing directions and guidance to the licensed | | | | special examination in writing, are requirements for |
| practical nurses; | | | | the certification. |
| • Providing guidance and directions to the nursing | | | | Compensations in the Job |
| assistants in the unit. | | | | ICU nurse job description won't be complete without |
| ICU Nursing Job Features | | | | a reference to the career prospects and |
| Main job of the ICU registered nurses is to provide | | | | compensations. By the end of 2009, registered ICU |
| life support equipments like ventilators as well as the | | | | nurses were drawing around $73,000 on average |
| feeding tubes that would function properly supporting | | | | annually in United States . It is also advisable making |
| the life of the patient. In the process they also | | | | career search at some comprehensive and |
| observe closely the heart beats, blood pressures and | | | | informative career websites online to get the |
| respiratory signals of distress in the patients. | | | | accurate information. |
| Administering IVs, providing medications as well as | | | | |