With the incredible responsibility of caring for patients in life-threatening situations, critical care nurses have high-risk and rewarding careers. The nurse must assume the role of advocate for the unconscious patient and build ties with the patient's family during the patient's hospital stay. These situations add an emotional weight to nurses' professional lives and can affect their mental health. Despite this heavy burden, critical care has many benefits. When working in intensive care units and other health care facilities, critical care nurses have access to the latest medical equipment and can work alongside experienced professionals. Paramedics also have many opportunities to specialize and earn higher salaries or seek higher positions. Critical care nurses provide essential care by monitoring and treating patients with life-threatening illnesses and injuries. This challenging job places nurses in a fast-paced environment that requires them to think clearly and critically for extended periods of time. Critical care nurses have the same skills as registered nurses and may receive additional training in acute or critical illness care. Her typical day includes monitoring critical medical support equipment and treating patients with life-threatening injuries. Critical caregivers need clear communication to interact with other caregivers and multidisciplinary teams and to stabilize emergencies. Nurses also work with health care providers to manage care and provide information to the patient's family. Critical care nurses apply continuing education and expertise to a variety of health care settings. They typically work in intensive care units (ICUs), but also provide care in other medical facilities related to acute injuries and long-term illnesses. Step-down units care for patients who need less urgent care than ICU patients, but who are not stable enough to be sent to the medical floor or home. Some emergency medical workers are even able to work from home by assisting other caregivers from the remote ICU. A critical care nurse must have an associate's degree or bachelor's degree in nursing, which she can usually obtain in two to four years. In addition, registered nurses must pass the NCLEX-RN exam to obtain their registered nurse license. Depending on the state or employer, medical facilities may also require her AACN certification. This requires her to have at least two years of professional experience. Critical care nurses with a college degree have the opportunity to choose from more employment opportunities, but you don't have to be a college graduate to become a critical care nurse. A college degree such as MSN, for example, prepares nurses by providing additional education and training before they start their careers. More career opportunities open up for critical care nurses as they gain higher education. Critical nurses may specialize in a particular area, such as cardiology or neonatal medicine. Critical Care Nurses with a master's or doctorate degree have the opportunity to work as critical care nurses. The AACN community supports acute and critical care providers with resources and information to provide the best possible care for their patients. The nonprofit has a website where nurses can post and discuss anything related to the nursing field. Active or retired Critical Care Nurses may participate for a fee. With over 16,000 members in over 100 countries, SCCM provides ICU nurses with a large professional healthcare community.