Critical Care Nurses

Employers

Contrary to previously held beliefs that critical care nurses work only in intensive care units or cardiac care units of hospitals, today's critical care nurses work in the emergency departments, post-anesthesia recovery units, pediatric intensive care units, burn units, cardiac catheter labs, interventional radiology departments, and neonatal intensive care units of medical facilities, as well as in other units that treat critically ill patients. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there are more than 3.17 million registered nurses in the United States, including critical care nurses.

Starting Out

You must first become a registered nurse before you can work as a critical care nurse. Aspiring registered nurses must complete one of the three kinds of educational programs and pass the licensing examination. Registered nurses may apply for employment directly to hospitals, nursing homes, and companies and government agencies that hire nurses. Jobs can also be obtained through school career services offices, by signing up with employment agencies specializing in placement of nursing personnel, or through the state employment office. Other sources of jobs include nurses' associations, professional journals, and newspaper want ads. The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses and other professional associations also have job listings on their Web sites.