How to become an ICU Nurse

Becoming an ICU nurse or ITU nurse is a vital profession that requires dedication and passion. There are a few different ways to enter this highly-trained career. It will require an in-depth knowledge to reach this level, featuring periods of study and placement. Once qualified, you will be a valuable asset to any medical facility.  

What education do I need? 

Most nurses will progress along this path after qualifying with a degree in nursing and experience within a hospital after qualification. You will need to decide which area of nursing you wish to specialise in, such as adult nursing, paediatric nursing, disabilities or even mental health. As such, there is no specific degree course to allow you direct entry into ICU or ITU. 

Other ways of entering are: 

• Apprenticeship – some employers will allow you to study as an RN (registered nurse) first, with part-time study to progress on to further your studies as an ICU nurse. 
• You could train by being a member of the armed forces and progressing from there. 
• Start as a nursing associate alongside other health workers and progress through to a registered nurse, then upwards to an ICU nurse. The more experience you gain, the quicker it will be to attain the qualifications you need to become an ICU nurse. An actual degree course should take around 3 years, other methods of entry will take a lot longer. Any paid or voluntary work within the profession will count towards the final qualification. You can go even further to qualify as an APRN (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse). 

Are there any specific attributes I would need?  

Your character traits can be just as important as your knowledge capabilities, particularly during an interview process. How you come across to employers could decide whether you get the job or not. Firstly, a serious interest and passion for such a demanding role is necessary.

Other necessities include: 

• Being a ‘voice’ for patients and their families. Showing you care and will stand up for them is all important in a critical situation. They should never feel alone, so talking through a situation will, at the very least, give them some answers. 
• Ability to make defined clinical assessments. Communicate with both your equals and surgeons/specialists. 
• Observation skills which allow you to make informed decisions about what to do in many different situations. Sometimes it can be tough to make patient care decisions but accept responsibility and accountability every time you make a choice. 
• If you want to learn, learn from others, and be prepared to share your knowledge with anyone in your department on topics involving ICU care. 

• You will need to be confident and authoritative at times, with the ability to manage others or make hard decisions on patient care, sometimes autonomously but liaising with your team. 
• Efficiency and organisation of yourself, other team members and points of call throughout the department. Acting quickly in the case of emergencies should be natural to you. 

The severity of a patient’s condition means you will be there even when it gets hard and emotional. Having passion will help you handle the challenges which come your way.

The ICU nursing role and main responsibilities 

ITU nursing roles are all-encompassing and come with a huge amount of responsibility. 

ITU nurses, also known as ICU nurses, or critical care nurses, will provide one-to-one patient care under many circumstances. Commonly, care is provided for seriously ill patients who may be in the recovery process from complex surgery, or have something just as life-threatening as strokes, heart attacks, brain injury or those that have been in a serious accident. To this end they must use their advanced skills, often using very highly technical equipment, complex administration of drugs, as well as constant monitoring and reporting.  

If medication needs to be reviewed, they must ensure that this happens. They must also be skilled in the use of complicated ventilators, anaesthesia and other skills that are unlikely to occur in day-to-day nursing of patients on the main wards. Detail with paperwork and communication with surgeons and consultants is also a necessity. 

There is one thing for certain, you will always be busy. 

The career path to ICU 

The career path to ICU nursing could take up to 7 or 8 years if you take the long route of not qualifying with a nursing degree. You will need stamina as you go through the learning years in order to be able to look after critically ill patients and to fulfil any technical responsibilities associated with patient care. 

After completing 4 or 5 years of actual hands-on in a critical care unit, you may decide that you wish to proceed with your career and go further up the ladder. At this stage you will be in Band 5 to 6 of the nursing scale and may wish to continue to Band 6 as a Charge Nurse, Nurse Specialist/Senior Nurse/Deputy Sister or even a fully fledged Sister, depending how much more studying and qualifications you wish to achieve. 

Whilst the position of an ICU nurse will still be in Band 6 of the pay scale, a further 9 points will take you up to the maximum level. It is all dependent on how much you want to take on, and whether family commitments allow. If you love your profession, you will in no doubt reach the heights of such a rewarding career. 

Already qualified as an ICU nurse? See our latest ICU shifts here.