What is an intensive care unit nurse and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Lori Arnette,

Kim Raines

An intensive care unit nurse works in a specialized hospital unit, providing care for critically ill patients. These nurses are highly trained and skilled in the management of complex medical conditions and advanced life support. An ICU nurse monitors patients' vital signs, administers medications, and communicates with physicians to ensure optimal patient outcomes. They provide emotional support to patients and their families and play a critical role in coordinating care with other healthcare professionals.

What general advice would you give to an intensive care unit nurse?

Lori Arnette

Practical Nursing Director, University of Arkansas Community College at Hope-Texarkana

I would encourage graduate nurses to consider beginning positions in the areas of the majority of their Nursing School Clinical experience. This provides more confidence in skill sets and provides a positive environment for the graduate nurse to succeed, at the beginning of their career.
I would also encourage graduate nurses to allow themselves time to grow into more advanced positions. Soak up all the experiences they can encounter along the way.
Find a good mentor, a seasoned nurse who will take the time to teach you and guide you at the beginning of your career.

ScoreIntensive Care Unit NurseUS Average

Salary

6.2

Avg. Salary $79,483

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 8.93%

Black or African American 11.73%

Hispanic or Latino 8.85%

Unknown 4.25%

White 65.81%

Gender

female 81.81%

male 18.19%

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

8.8

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.7

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an intensive care unit nurse?

Pros

Wide range of clinical skills developed
Opportunity to work with advanced medical equipment
Opportunities for professional growth and career advancement
Contribution to advancements in medical research and technology
Competitive salary, benefits, and job security due to demand for ICU nurses

Cons

Long and irregular hours
Emotional drain from consistently working with critically ill patients
Physical demands of the job, including lifting and standing for long periods of time
Limited time for breaks or personal time during shifts
Potential for moral distress due to ethical dilemmas.

Key steps to become an intensive care unit nurse

Explore intensive care unit nurse education requirements

Most common intensive care unit nurse degrees

Bachelor's

57.8 %

Associate

28.0 %

Master's

8.3 %

Start to develop specific intensive care unit nurse skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	21.75%
BLS	17.84%
Acls	13.09%
Diagnostic Tests	6.23%
Catheter	4.84%

Complete relevant intensive care unit nurse training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New intensive care unit nurses 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 intensive care unit nurse based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real intensive care unit nurse resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming an licensed intensive care unit nurse usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed intensive care unit nurse in most of states. 43 states require intensive care unit nurses 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

Research intensive care unit nurse duties and responsibilities

Manage pre- and post-surgical care, specifically for GI disorders.
Manage patients who suffer respiratory/cardiac arrest per ACLS protocol.
Manage patients requiring blood transfusions, iv antibiotic therapy, complications from chemotherapy and radiation.
Care for cardiac patients in CCU.

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