Why I Want to Be a Critical Care Nurse

I have known for almost 3 years that I wanted to join the nursing field. It took more time and effort then I wished it had to get into a nursing program, but I made it. I never thought it would be sure thing because of the difficulty getting accepted into an accredited nursing program, but now that I am in, it is a sure thing, just a matter of time. One thing that I do not have a definite idea of is what type of nurse I want to be when I graduate. I do have some ideas and am already considering an advanced practice degree after I graduate as a registered nurse, but i do not have a definite answer. I believe a good short term goal I have is to become a critical care nurse and hopefully even become certified in that specific field.

A critical care nurse is one who works in a department such as an intensive care unit (ICU) and cares for patients who are severely sick and require a lot of medical attention in order to keep them stable. I have always liked working in fast past work environments when compared to that of slower jobs. I enjoy working under pressure and take pride that I am able to make important decisions and follow protocols quickly and more efficiently then my peers. A critical care nurse must be well trained and be able to keep their cool under high stress situations in order to do their jobs correctly. Between my preference of a fast and high pressure work environment and my education in nursing school, I think that I will thrive in this field and see that it is a great stepping stone for a plethora of different advanced practice fields.

As a critical care nurse you have many roles and responsibilities in the ICU. You will be expected to make assessments of chronically ill patients, administer therapy and interventions, as well as advocate for patients health, safety, and preferences.

The nursing field in general requires that you have state licensure qualifying you as a registered nurse, although most practices now require that if you do not already have your bachelors in science of nursing (BSN), that you enroll into an accredited program within 6 months of being hired. As the nursing field grows, so the available positions and it is becoming more pertinent to have your BSN upon being hired. Critical care nurses make a median income of $71,000 per year. This can range from as low as $60,000 and as high as $80,000 depending on what state the nurse is located in and their experience.

A nurse can become board certified in the field and take on a pay increase for proving their ability to care for patients properly and skillfully. I plan to become certified as a critical care nurse as soon as I competently can. With the certification added to your RN you will have a better feeling of self-accomplishment and open doors that may have been closed otherwise.(4)

I cannot wait to graduate school and enter the nursing field, I know that I will make a difference and be able to help people every day. Every aspect of my life I have enjoyed making a difference, and get a thrill out of taking on tasks that no one else was willing to, or a task that people thought could not be done. For me to be a critical care nurse and work with people that require life supporting care, I see this as taking on a hard project that others cannot, and I want to show that I am more than capable of turning things around when they are at the worst.

Works Cited

1. American Nurses Association. (2015). Nursing: Scope and standards of practice (3rd ed.). American Nurses Association.
2. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022). Registered Nurses. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm.
3. Grossman, S., & Valiga, T. M. (Eds.). (2012). The new leadership challenge: Creating the future of nursing (3rd ed.). F.A. Davis Company.
4. Nurse Journal. (2022). Critical Care Nurse. Retrieved from https://nursejournal.org/critical-care-nursing/critical-care-nurse/.
5. The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. (2022). Certification.
6. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing. (2022). About NCLEX.
7. Trossman, S. (2019). The nursing profession’s role in patient safety. American Nurse Today, 14(3), 24-29.
8. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2010). The future of nursing: Leading change, advancing health. Institute of Medicine.
9. World Health Organization. (2021). State of the world’s nursing 2020: Investing in education, jobs and leadership. World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240003279.