Critical Care Nursing Careers with BSN
Is It Worth Pursuing a BSN to Work in a Critical Care Unit?
Registered Nurses (RNs) with BSN degrees are highly sought after in the nursing profession. As healthcare becomes more advanced and individuals with serious health conditions live longer, the demand for critical care nurses is consistently increasing. Opting to become a critical care nurse not only provides a rewarding career but also opens up opportunities for travel nursing around the world.
Critical Care Nurse Salary
Critical care nurses are among the highest-paid professionals in nursing. Starting salaries for new critical care nurses can exceed $45,000 annually. In major metropolitan areas, experienced critical care nurses may earn well over $90,000 per year. According to PayScale.com, the median salary is around $86,500, depending on the education level and the presence of CCRN certification. Given the specialized nature of critical care nursing, new nurses often undergo extensive orientation programs. Many healthcare facilities offer substantial sign-on bonuses to nurses committing to work in intensive care for a specified period.
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Does Becoming a Critical Care Nurse Limit the Types of Units You Can Work In?
Absolutely not! While critical care nurses attend to the most severely ill patients, critical care units cover a wide spectrum. In a general intensive care unit, nurses care for individuals of all ages with various illnesses and injuries.
Specializing in a specific type of critical care is an option. Specialty intensive care units cater to children, newborns, burn victims, and those with neurological damage. Nurses in specialty units may provide care for patients undergoing organ transplants or cardiac surgery. Opportunities exist in general hospitals as well as specialty facilities dedicated to pediatric patients.
I Am an LPN, but I Think I May Enjoy a Career as a Critical Care Nurse
The first step toward becoming a critical care nurse is to advance your education and become a Registered Nurse (RN). Many healthcare facilities now require nurses to hold a BSN degree.
Explore educational opportunities in your area and online. Accelerated programs may allow you to complete your degree more quickly, with credit given for your LPN education and experience.
Critical Care Nursing Careers with BSN
If you are already enrolled in a BSN program, inquire about the possibility of completing a practicum in an intensive care unit. If that’s not feasible, consider doing your practicum in a unit that receives patients transitioning from intensive care, like a cardiac step-down unit.
Now Is the Time to Start Working towards Your BSN
The demand for critical care nurses remains high. Pursuing a BSN not only ensures job security but also places you on the frontline of saving lives in a fast-paced and exciting career. Take the necessary steps to advance your education and enjoy the rewards that critical care nursing has to offer. Explore LPN to BSN programs available in 2015 for additional insights.
Critical Care Nurse Organizations & Related Sites
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