Critical Care Nurses

• Evaluate patients' vital signs or laboratory data to determine emergency intervention needs.
• Set up and monitor medical equipment and devices such as cardiac monitors, mechanical ventilators and alarms, oxygen delivery devices, transducers, or pressure lines.
• Administer medications intravenously, by injection, orally, through gastric tubes, or by other methods.
• Assess patients' pain levels or sedation requirements.
• Conduct pulmonary assessments to identify abnormal respiratory patterns or breathing sounds that indicate problems.
• Monitor patients' fluid intake and output to detect emerging problems such as fluid and electrolyte imbalances.
• Document patients' medical histories and assessment findings.
• Prioritize nursing care for assigned critically ill patients, based on assessment data or identified needs.
• Compile and analyze data obtained from monitoring or diagnostic tests.
• Administer blood and blood products, monitoring patients for signs and symptoms related to transfusion reactions.
• Assist physicians with procedures such as bronchoscopy, endoscopy, endotracheal intubation, or elective cardioversion.
• Document patients' treatment plans, interventions, outcomes, or plan revisions.
• Collect specimens for laboratory tests.
• Collaborate with other health care professionals to develop and revise treatment plans based on identified needs and assessment data.
• Identify malfunctioning equipment or devices.
• Advocate for patients' and families' needs, or provide emotional support for patients and their families.
• Perform approved therapeutic or diagnostic procedures based upon patients' clinical status.
• Identify patients who are at risk of complications due to nutritional status.
• Assess patients' psychosocial status and needs, including areas such as sleep patterns, anxiety, grief, anger, and support systems.
• Assess family adaptation levels and coping skills to determine whether intervention is needed.
• Ensure that equipment or devices are properly stored after use.
• Coordinate patient care conferences.
• Identify patients' age-specific needs and alter care plans as necessary to meet those needs.
• Supervise and monitor unit nursing staff.
• Participate in professional organizations and continuing education to improve practice knowledge and skills.
• Participate in the development, review, or evaluation of nursing practice protocols.
• Plan, provide, or evaluate educational programs for nursing staff, interdisciplinary health care team members, or community members.
• Provide post-mortem care.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Critical Care Nurses.

• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
• Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Critical Care Nurses.