Critical Care Nurses

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