Why do you want to work in the ICU?

"I want to work in the ICU because I am passionate about helping injured and critically ill patients, I want to help contribute to the saving of these lives, and I find it to be some of the most important work a medical professional can do in the hospital setting" is a good answer to this interview question.

Why do you want to work in the NICU?

"I want to work in the NICU because I am passionate about helping premature and critically ill babies, I want to help contribute to the saving of these young lives, and I find it to be some of the most important work a medical professional can do in the hospital setting" is a good answer to this interview question.

What is an icu staff nurse staff and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Lisa Rebeschi Ph.D.,

Kim Raines

An ICU staff nurse staff provides care for critically ill patients in an intensive care unit (ICU). They monitor patients' vital signs, administer medications, perform procedures, and collaborate with healthcare professionals to ensure the best possible outcomes for patients. ICU staff nurses may also provide emotional support to patients and their families during difficult times. They must be knowledgeable about complex medical conditions and have excellent critical thinking skills in high-pressure situations.

What general advice would you give to an icu staff nurse staff?

Lisa Rebeschi Ph.D.

Associate Dean of the School of Nursing Professor of Nursing, Quinnipiac University

One of the suggestions for new graduates is the importance of self-care. We have long known of the demanding nature of the nursing practice. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the nursing role's critical importance and the unique contributions made by nursing professionals. As the healthcare environment is extremely complex and challenging, nurses must remember to advocate for themselves and prioritize self-care.

ScoreICU Staff Nurse StaffUS Average

Salary

6.1

Avg. Salary $77,504

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

10.0

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.44%

Asian 8.92%

Black or African American 11.91%

Hispanic or Latino 8.73%

Unknown 4.24%

White 65.77%

Gender

female 82.46%

male 17.54%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.1

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.8

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an icu staff nurse staff?

Pros

Constant learning and professional growth
High demand for ICU nurses, leading to job security and competitive pay
Diverse patient population requiring complex care
Experience with advanced technology and equipment
Opportunity to specialize in a specific area of ICU nursing

Cons

Emotionally taxing work with significant stress levels
Long and unpredictable working hours, including nights and weekends
Continual exposure to suffering, death, and trauma
Challenging communication with patients and families during difficult times
Limited opportunities for breaks or time off due to critical nature of ICU care

Key steps to become an icu staff nurse staff

Explore icu staff nurse staff education requirements

Most common icu staff nurse staff degrees

Bachelor's

50.2 %

Associate

32.8 %

Diploma

7.8 %

Start to develop specific icu staff nurse staff skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	30.34%
BLS	10.15%
Acls	8.33%
Life Support	6.27%
Good Interpersonal	3.05%

Complete relevant icu staff nurse staff training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New icu staff nurse staff learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an icu staff nurse staff based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real icu staff nurse staff resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming an licensed icu staff nurse staff usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed icu staff nurse staff in most of states. 43 states require icu staff nurse staff to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

State	Education	Exam	License url
Alabama	Degree required	State exam required	Registered Nurse (RN)
Alaska	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Nurse, Registered
Arkansas	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Registered Nurse (RN)
California	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Nurse, Registered
Colorado	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Registered Nurse

Gain additional icu staff nurse staff certifications

Icu staff nurse staff certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific icu staff nurse staff certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for icu staff nurse staff include Basic Life Support for Healthcare and Public Safety (BLS) and Adult, Pediatric and Neonatal Critical Care Nurses (CCRN).

More About Certifications

Research icu staff nurse staff duties and responsibilities

Manage patients requiring blood transfusions, iv antibiotic therapy, complications from chemotherapy and radiation.
Maintain BLS, ACLS and CCRN certifications.
Obtain BLS and ACLS instructor status.
Promote a compassion and a therapeutic environment for all patients and family members.

Prepare your icu staff nurse staff resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your icu staff nurse staff resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an icu staff nurse staff resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable icu staff nurse staff resume templates

Build a professional icu staff nurse staff resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your icu staff nurse staff resume.

Apply for icu staff nurse staff jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an icu staff nurse staff job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do icu staff nurse staff rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Icu staff nurse staff reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2021

Pros

Caring for patients

Cons

Staffing ratios, unfairness, constant expectations. Healthcare is a business but doesn’t treat nurses like business employees

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020

Pros

helping people and saving lives

Cons

the pay is not good not enough for the lifestyle I would like to live

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020

Cons

Nursing isn’t what it was 12yrs ago when I started. It is all about “family centered care” and not what is actually best for the patient. Not only am I a nurse and caring for the patient, but I’m the house keeper, waitress, and coffee go getter. There is no more respect for nurses and their patients.

Pros

The feeling I get when helping people.

What is an icu staff nurse staff and how to become one

What general advice would you give to an icu staff nurse staff?

What are the pros and cons of being an icu staff nurse staff?

Icu staff nurse staff career paths

Key steps to become an icu staff nurse staff

Explore icu staff nurse staff education requirements

Most common icu staff nurse staff degrees

Start to develop specific icu staff nurse staff skills

Complete relevant icu staff nurse staff training and internships

Obtain the necessary licensing

Gain additional icu staff nurse staff certifications

Research icu staff nurse staff duties and responsibilities

Prepare your icu staff nurse staff resume

Choose from 10+ customizable icu staff nurse staff resume templates

Apply for icu staff nurse staff jobs

How did you land your first icu staff nurse staff job

Average icu staff nurse staff salary

How do icu staff nurse staff rate their job?

Icu staff nurse staff reviews

Icu staff nurse staff FAQs

Why do you want to work in the ICU?

Why do you want to work in the NICU?

Search for icu staff nurse staff jobs