How to Become a Critical Care Nurse

Critical care nurses treat patients with serious medical conditions. They have expertise in complex monitoring, high-risk medication administration, and advanced resuscitation measures. To become a critical care nurse, the steps include education, testing, and licensing, after which critical care nurses can pursue employment. Below, we’ll detail the steps to follow, how long it takes to become a critical care nurse, and where to start.

Become a Critical Care Nurse in 6 Steps

Critical care nursing education provides the knowledge needed to treat very sick patients, including those who need emergency care. State licensing is required to practice as a critical care nurse, and specialty certifications highlight experts in this field.

Schooling Requirements for Critical Care Nurses

Critical care nurses can practice with a few different levels of education, including a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and an Associate Degree in Nursing. However, general healthcare hiring trends favor nurses with a bachelor’s degree.

A survey by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing found that over 70% of healthcare employers want new nursing hires to hold a BSN. The National Academy of Medicine announced a goal in 2010 for 80% of RNs to hold a BSN degree by the year 2020. By 2020, at least 65% of nurses held BSN degrees, but in 2023, the 2022 National Nursing Workforce Survey reported that number rose above 70%.

Critical care nurses who wish to become critical care nurse practitioners can do so by earning a higher degree, like an MSN, and DNPs can work as clinicians or in higher leadership positions.

Associate Degree in Nursing

An Associate Degree in Nursing, or ADN, is the quickest option to become a nurse with no previous university education. ADN degrees can take 18 months to two years to complete and may require some prerequisites before an application can be accepted.

Critical care nurses with an ADN may receive lower pay and may not have their first choice of positions compared to critical care nurses with a BSN.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

A Bachelor of Science in Nursing gives future nurses a more well-rounded education experience than an ADN. Typically done over four years, the BSN curriculum covers the basics of nursing care and how the body works, but also teaches more specialized critical thinking skills.

A BSN prepares future critical care nurses to handle a high level of care. Where an ADN focuses on quickly preparing future nurses for clinical situations, a BSN adds higher-level concepts like evidence-based practice, community health nursing, statistics used in research, nursing management and leadership, health informatics and analysis, healthcare ethics, and nutrition.

Master of Science in Nursing

A Master of Science in Nursing, or MSN, can be earned in two years, but many students continue to work throughout the program, which increases time to completion.

Doctor of Nursing Practice

A Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree is the highest level of education a nurse can achieve. This program takes longer than an MSN but may offer higher salaries and more opportunities.

Critical Care Nurse Licensing

Once a new nursing graduate has earned their degree, they must apply for licensure. Critical care nurses must apply for a registered nurse license to practice. To become a licensed and practicing nurse in any state, all nursing graduates must pass the state licensing exam (the NCLEX-RN) and apply for a state license.

NCLEX-RN

The National Council Licensure Examination–RN (NCLEX-RN) is a computer-based exam with 85 to 150 questions. The exam takes anywhere from an hour to a maximum of five hours. Questions fall into four basic categories:

1. Safe and Effective Care Environment
2. Health Promotion and Maintenance
3. Psychosocial Integrity
4. Physiological Integrity

Once completed, the state board of nursing sends test results within six weeks, usually by email. In the time leading up to the NCLEX-RN, it’s important for graduates to study practice questions to ensure a passing grade and many students take NCLEX prep courses to increase their likelihood of success.

Registered Nurse State License Application and Renewal

Each state in the U.S. has a unique registered nurse licensing application process. The state board of nursing will want to see proof of an NCLEX passing result and a diploma from an accredited nursing program. Most states require criminal background checks and fingerprinting, and some may want to see university transcripts.

In most states, RNs must renew their license every two years after initial licensure. Each state has varying requirements for continuing education and other documentation needed for renewal. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing offers a wealth of information on registered nurse licensing requirements by state.

Specialty Certification

Critical care nurses must have an Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification to practice, but apart from this, nurses in this specialty can choose to earn a critical care RN (CCRN) certification in many different subspecialties through the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses:

• CCRN (Adult): Acute/Critical Care Nursing or Tele-ICU Acute/Critical Care Nursing
• CCRN (Pediatric): Acute/Critical Care Nursing
• CCRN (Neonatal): Acute/Critical Care Nursing
• CMC (Adult): Cardiac Medicine
• CSC (Adult): Cardiac Surgery
• ACNPC-AG (Adult-Gero.): Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

These certifications may involve some coursework and are completed by passing an exam.

Where Critical Care Nurses Work

Because their patients need intensive medical care, most critical care nurses work in hospitals. However, some critical care nursing jobs may involve work outside of an intensive care unit (ICU), like flight nursing. Some common critical care workplaces include:

• Pediatric ICU
• Neonatal ICU
• Cardiac ICU
• Stepdown ICU
• Emergency Room
• Burn Care Unit
• Mobile Transport Unit
• Outpatient Surgical Center
• Urgent Care Center

FAQs: How to Become a Critical Care Nurse

   1. What education is needed to become a critical care nurse?

Critical care nurses must graduate with a nursing degree from an accredited college or university. They can pursue a two-year Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). After some bedside experience, they may pursue advanced degrees like a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), but these are not required to practice as a critical care nurse.

   2. How many years does it take to become a critical care nurse?

The time it takes to become a critical care nurse depends on which degree they pursue, but may take anywhere from two to four years for an undergraduate degree.

   3. What are the steps to become a critical care nurse?

To become a critical care nurse, aspiring nurses must apply to and graduate from an accredited nursing school, pass the NCLEX-RN, and apply for and receive a nursing license in their state. After these steps, they may apply to critical care nurse positions and pursue specialty certification and higher education.

   4. How much do critical care nurses make an hour?

Critical care nurses make a similar wage to any other registered nurse. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), RNs earn an average of $45.42 per hour, which equals about $94,480 annually. Nurses with an advanced degree will be able to earn more.