Critical Care Nurses

Certified Critical Care Nurse

Critical Care Nurse Practitioner

Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN)

ICU Critical Care NP (Intensive Care Unit Critical Care Nurse Practitioner)

ICU Nurse (Intensive Care Unit Nurse)

Intensive Care Unit Registered Nurse (ICU RN)

Newborn ICU RN (Newborn Intensive Care Unit Registered Nurse)

Nurse

Pediatric Critical Care Nurse Practitioner

Staff Nurse

What is a Critical Care Nurse?

Critical Care Nurses are specialized healthcare professionals who provide advanced care to patients experiencing life-threatening conditions or severe illnesses. They work in intensive care units (ICUs), emergency departments, and other critical care settings where they are responsible for monitoring the health status of patients, managing complex medical equipment, and administering medications and treatments prescribed by physicians. These nurses are trained to perform detailed assessments, identify potential complications, and implement urgent interventions to stabilize patients. They also play a vital role in emotional support for patients and their families, helping them navigate the challenges of critical health crises. Critical Care Nurses often collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, including physicians, respiratory therapists, and pharmacists, to develop and execute comprehensive care plans tailored to the specific needs of each patient. Their expertise is essential in ensuring positive patient outcomes and enhancing recovery processes in high-pressure environments.

Job Outlook

Projected salary and job growth

$63720.0 - $132680.0

This career will grow rapidly in the next few years and will have large numbers of openings.

Finding local jobs...

Assessment

Related assessments and tests

No assessment available.

Related Occupations

Tasks

Evaluate patients' vital signs or laboratory data to determine emergency intervention needs.
Monitor patients for changes in status and indications of conditions such as sepsis or shock and institute appropriate interventions.
Administer medications intravenously, by injection, orally, through gastric tubes, or by other methods.
Monitor patients' fluid intake and output to detect emerging problems, such as fluid and electrolyte imbalances.
Prioritize nursing care for assigned critically ill patients, based on assessment data or identified needs.

Technology Skills

Medical software
Cloud-based data access and sharing software
- Google Drive
- SharePoint Online
Information retrieval or search software
- AACN Clinical Resources
- PEPID Clinical Decision Support
Office suite software
- Microsoft 365
Human resources software
- Oracle Recruiting Cloud

Tools Used

Medical or surgical suction or vacuum appliances
Tablet crushers
- Pill crushers
- Pill splitters
Cardiac pacemaker generators or cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemakers CRT-P
- Transcutaneous pacemakers
- Transvenous pacemakers
Diagnostic or interventional vascular catheters for general use
- Angiocaths
- Pulmonary artery catheters
Nebulizers
- Electronic compressor nebulizers
- Handheld nebulizers

Knowledge

Medicine and Dentistry
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Psychology
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Biology
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

60 Active Jobs in South Africa

Avg Salary: R26,634pm

How to Know if You Are Ready to be a Critical Care Nurse in South Africa

Critical Care Nursing (CCN) is one of the most demanding yet rewarding specialisations in the South African healthcare sector. With the current market showing 73 active jobs and an average monthly salary of R26,634pm, the demand for highly skilled practitioners is at an all-time high. In fact, salary trends for 2024 have shown a steady increase from R23,437 in January to over R29,297 by December, reflecting the growing value placed on these life-saving skills.

Is Critical Care Nursing Right for Me? (Psychometric Checklist)

Before committing to this intensive career path, ask yourself if you possess the following core traits and temperament required for the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and High Care environments:

Emotional Resilience: Can you remain calm and focused when a patient’s condition deteriorates rapidly?
Meticulous Attention to Detail: Are you able to monitor minute changes in vital signs and manage complex medication dosages?
Quick Clinical Decision-Making: Can you think on your feet and act decisively in life-or-death situations?
Technological Proficiency: Do you feel comfortable working with advanced machinery, such as ventilators and haemodialysis equipment?
Strong Communication: Can you provide clear, compassionate updates to distressed families while maintaining professional boundaries?
Physical Endurance: Are you prepared for the physical demands of long shifts and the manual handling of patients?

A Day in the Life of a South African ICU Nurse

In a South African context—whether you are working in a bustling state hospital or a high-tech private facility like Netcare, Mediclinic, or Life Healthcare—the day begins with a rigorous handover. You aren't just "checking in"; you are inheriting the life-support parameters of critically ill patients. Your shift involves constant monitoring, titrating life-sustaining drips, and collaborating closely with intensivists and specialists.

The environment is often quiet but charged with intensity. One moment you are meticulously documenting observations, and the next, you may be leading a resuscitation effort. It is a role that requires you to organise your time perfectly, as you balance technical tasks with the essential human element of nursing care.

Education & Upskilling

To practice as a Specialist Critical Care Nurse in South Africa, you must be registered with the South African Nursing Council (SANC). The journey typically involves:

Formal Qualifications: After completing your basic Nursing degree or diploma, you must pursue a Post-Graduate Diploma in Critical Care Nursing (available at various South African Universities and accredited private nursing colleges).
Short Courses & Certifications: Staying relevant requires continuous professional development. Essential certifications include Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), and specialised Paediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) if you aim for Neonatal or Paediatric ICU.

In this field, continuous learning is non-negotiable. As medical technology evolves, so must your skills. The most successful nurses in South Africa are those who regularly attend workshops and stay abreast of the latest evidence-based practices in trauma and critical care.

Next Steps

Transitioning into Critical Care is a significant professional step that offers both financial growth and immense personal satisfaction. If you have the passion for high-stakes medicine and a heart for patient advocacy, you are already halfway there. The next step is to objectively evaluate your clinical readiness and psychological fit for the ICU. Test your readiness now by taking our professional assessment to see if you are prepared for the challenges of the unit.

Skills

Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.

Abilities

Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Education

How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation?

Bachelor's degree

50 %
Associate's degree

36 %
Master's degree

11 %

Work Activities

Assisting and Caring for Others
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Getting Information
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

Analyze test data or images to inform diagnosis or treatment.
Monitor patient conditions during treatments, procedures, or activities.
Treat medical emergencies.
Monitor patient progress or responses to treatments.
Administer intravenous medications.

Work Interests

Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Investigative
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.