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Critical care nursing provides care for patients that are seriously ill and reliant on life support equipment for their recovery. Critical care nursing can cover a variety of settings including coronary care, emergency and high dependency nursing areas. The critical care nurse working in the intensive care unit essentially cares for one patient and their family.
Some of the responsibilities of a critical care nurse include:
After gaining experience in a general hospital environment, a registered nurse is able to apply for a position in a critical care area. Depending on the unit and the hospital, graduate nurses may gain employment in a critical care area straight from university. However, at some hospitals, 12 months' postgraduate experience is preferred. Upon commencement in any Queensland Health intensive care unit, a registered nurse is required to undertake the ‘Transition to Intensive Care' program. This is a 12-month program and, upon successful completion, will provide a two-subject credit towards the Graduate Certificate in Critical Care. Registered nurses can then further their academic standing by enrolling in the Graduate Diploma or Masters of Critical Care programs. Click here to go to the list of postgraduate nursing courses.
Critical care nurses can take advantage of opportunities in areas of clinical expertise, critical care education, management, research and clinical information system management.
For more information on critical care nursing, contact the Australian College of Critical Care Nurses (ACCCN). Go to http://www.acccn.com.au
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