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Acute Care Nurses

It's a bright outlook for

This career will grow rapidly in the next few years.

Learn more about what they do.

Provide advanced nursing care for patients with acute conditions such as heart attacks, respiratory distress syndrome, or shock. May care for pre- and post-operative patients or perform advanced, invasive diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.

Related: Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses Clinical Nurse Specialists Critical Care Nurses Paramedics Registered Nurses

Industries: Health & Counseling

Summary
Details

Read current literature, talk with colleagues, and participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in acute care.
Distinguish between normal and abnormal developmental and age-related physiological and behavioral changes in acute, critical, and chronic illness.
Order, perform, or interpret the results of diagnostic tests and screening procedures based on assessment results, differential diagnoses, and knowledge about age, gender and health status of clients.
Adjust settings on patients' assistive devices, such as temporary pacemakers.
Prescribe medications and observe patients' reactions, modifying prescriptions as needed.
Administer blood and blood product transfusions or intravenous infusions, monitoring patients for adverse reactions.
Collaborate with members of multidisciplinary health care teams to plan, manage, or assess patient treatments.
Assess the needs of patients' family members or caregivers.
Treat wounds or superficial lacerations.
Provide formal and informal education to other staff members.
Prescribe medications and observe patients' reactions, modifying prescriptions as needed.
Refer patients for specialty consultations or treatments.
Diagnose acute or chronic conditions that could result in rapid physiological deterioration or life-threatening instability.
Perform emergency medical procedures, such as basic cardiac life support (BLS), advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), and other condition-stabilizing interventions.
Assess urgent and emergent health conditions, using both physiologically and technologically derived data.
Interpret information obtained from electrocardiograms (EKGs) or radiographs (x-rays).
Perform administrative duties that facilitate admission, transfer, or discharge of patients.
Obtain specimens or samples for laboratory work.
Manage patients' pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions, monitoring patients' responses, and changing care plans accordingly.
Participate in patients' care meetings and conferences.
Participate in the development of practice protocols.
Assess the impact of illnesses or injuries on patients' health, function, growth, development, nutrition, sleep, rest, quality of life, or family, social and educational relationships.
Analyze the indications, contraindications, risk complications, and cost-benefit tradeoffs of therapeutic interventions.
Collaborate with patients to plan for future health care needs or to coordinate transitions and referrals.
Order, perform, or interpret the results of diagnostic tests and screening procedures based on assessment results, differential diagnoses, and knowledge about age, gender and health status of clients.
Discuss illnesses and treatments with patients and family members.
Set up, operate, or monitor invasive equipment and devices, such as colostomy or tracheotomy equipment, mechanical ventilators, catheters, gastrointestinal tubes, and central lines.
Document data related to patients' care, including assessment results, interventions, medications, patient responses, or treatment changes.
Manage patients' pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions, monitoring patients' responses, and changing care plans accordingly.
Assist patients in organizing their health care system activities.
Administer blood and blood product transfusions or intravenous infusions, monitoring patients for adverse reactions.
Set up, operate, or monitor invasive equipment and devices, such as colostomy or tracheotomy equipment, mechanical ventilators, catheters, gastrointestinal tubes, and central lines.

Writing
- Writing things for co-workers or customers.
Speaking
- Talking to others.
Operation and Control
- Using equipment or systems.
Troubleshooting
- Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
Management of Material Resources
- Managing equipment and materials.
Science
- Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
Monitoring
- Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
Social Perceptiveness
- Understanding people's reactions.
Negotiation
- Bringing people together to solve differences.
Systems Evaluation
- Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
Management of Financial Resources
- Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
Time Management
- Managing your time and the time of other people.
Programming
- Writing computer programs.
Management of Personnel Resources
- Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
Quality Control Analysis
- Testing how well a product or service works.
Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
Active Learning
- Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
Persuasion
- Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
Equipment Selection
- Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
Equipment Maintenance
- Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
Judgment and Decision Making
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
Critical Thinking
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
Learning Strategies
- Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
Coordination
- Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
Instructing
- Teaching people how to do something.
Service Orientation
- Looking for ways to help people.
Complex Problem Solving
- Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
Installation
- Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
Systems Analysis
- Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
Operations Analysis
- Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
Reading Comprehension
- Reading work-related information.
Active Listening
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
Mathematics
- Using math to solve problems.
Technology Design
- Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

Peripheral Vision
- Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
Depth Perception
- Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
Mathematical Reasoning
- Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
Speech Recognition
- Recognizing spoken words.
Information Ordering
- Ordering or arranging things.
Trunk Strength
- Using your lower back and stomach.
Stamina
- Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
Dynamic Flexibility
- Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Gross Body Equilibrium
- Keeping your balance or staying upright.
Flexibility of Closure
- Seeing hidden patterns.
Memorization
- Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
Reaction Time
- Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
Number Facility
- Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Keeping your arm or hand steady.
Oral Expression
- Communicating by speaking.
Static Strength
- Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
Visual Color Discrimination
- Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
Perceptual Speed
- Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
Control Precision
- Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
Inductive Reasoning
- Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
Dynamic Strength
- Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
Originality
- Creating new and original ideas.
Extent Flexibility
- Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Sound Localization
- Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
Manual Dexterity
- Holding or moving items with your hands.
Speed of Limb Movement
- Quickly moving your arms and legs.
Written Comprehension
- Reading and understanding what is written.
Deductive Reasoning
- Using rules to solve problems.
Problem Sensitivity
- Noticing when problems happen.
Explosive Strength
- Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
Gross Body Coordination
- Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
Fluency of Ideas
- Coming up with lots of ideas.
Glare Sensitivity
- Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
Speech Clarity
- Speaking clearly.
Finger Dexterity
- Putting together small parts with your fingers.
Far Vision
- Seeing details that are far away.
Time Sharing
- Doing two or more things at the same time.
Oral Comprehension
- Listening and understanding what people say.
Spatial Orientation
- Knowing where things are around you.
Multilimb Coordination
- Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
Visualization
- Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
Response Orientation
- Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
Category Flexibility
- Grouping things in different ways.
Written Expression
- Communicating by writing.
Night Vision
- Seeing at night or under low light.
Auditory Attention
- Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
Hearing Sensitivity
- Telling the difference between sounds.
Selective Attention
- Paying attention to something without being distracted.
Rate Control
- Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
Speed of Closure
- Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
Wrist-Finger Speed
- Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
Near Vision
- Seeing details up close.

Administrative
- Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
History and Archeology
- Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
Transportation
- Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Building and Construction
- Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
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.
Personnel and Human Resources
- Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Food Production
- Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Engineering and Technology
- Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Philosophy and Theology
- Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
Design
- Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
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.
Geography
- Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
Administration and Management
- Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Sales and Marketing
- Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Chemistry
- Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Education and Training
- Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Mechanical
- Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Production and Processing
- Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
English Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Law and Government
- Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Economics and Accounting
- Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
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.
Computers and Electronics
- Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Physics
- Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
Therapy and Counseling
- Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Mathematics
- Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Sociology and Anthropology
- Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
Foreign Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
Telecommunications
- Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Biology
- Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Public Safety and Security
- Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Fine Arts
- Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
Communications and Media
- Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

Education

Bachelor's degree

Work Experience

No work experience

Training

No on-the-job training

Education and Training Opportunities

Washington Annual Salary

112180/yr

Washington Hourly Wage

53.93/hr

Currently Employed

69,180

Yearly Projected Openings

5150

Social: People interested in this work like activities that include helping people, teaching, and talking. They do well at jobs that need:

Integrity
Attention to Detail
Concern for Others
Self Control
Adaptability/Flexibility
Cooperation

Acute care fetal or maternal monitoring units
Anesthesia nerve block kit or tray
Apnea monitors
Arterial blood gas monitors
Arterial line catheters
Autotransfusion units
Bedpans
Blood collection syringes
Blood pressure cuff kits
Breast pumps
Bronchoscopes
Cardiac output CO monitoring units
Cardiac pacemaker generators or cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemakers CRT-P
Cast cutters or saws
Cast or splint carts or stands
Central venous catheters
Clinical incubators or infant warmers
Clinical trapeze bars
Crutches
Desktop computers
Diagnostic or interventional vascular catheters for general use
Electrocardiography EKG transmitters or telemetry devices
Electrocardiography EKG units
Electronic blood pressure units
Electronic medical thermometers
Electrosurgical or electrocautery equipment
Emergency or resuscitation carts
End tidal carbon dioxide monitors
Endoscopic hemostatic balloons or needles or tubes or accessories
Endoscopic instrument sets
Endotracheal or tracheotomy sets
Endotracheal tubes
Enema kits
Enteral feeding infusion pump tubing sets
Eye charts or vision cards
Finger ring removers or cutters
Flow sensors or regulators or components
Glucose monitors or meters
Goggles
Gurneys or scissor lifts
Intermittent positive pressure breathing IPPB machines
Intracranial pressure ICP monitoring units
Intravenous infusion pumps for general use
Intravenous or arterial catheter trays
Intubation forceps
Intubator components
Laboratory graduated cylinders
Lancets
Manual resuscitators
Medical acoustic stethoscopes
Medical aspiration or irrigation syringes
Medical exam or non surgical procedure gloves
Medical nasal oxygen catheters or catheterization kits
Medical or surgical suction or vacuum appliances
Medical oxygen masks or parts
Medical radiological positioning aids for general radiological use
Medical staff isolation or cover gowns
Medical staplers for external use
Medical syringes with needle
Medical tuning forks
Medical ultrasound or doppler or echocardiograph transducer
Medical ultrasound or doppler or echocardiograph transducer accessories
Medication or pill dispensers
Microscope slides
Mobile medical services automated external defibrillators AED or hard paddles
Mobile medical services spine boards
Multiparameter vital sign units
Nasal exam specula or dilators
Nasogastric tubes
Nasopharyngeal tubes or airways
Nebulizers
Non invasive bi level machines
Notebook computers
Ophthalmic irrigation or aspiration supplies
Ophthalmic slit lamps
Ophthalmic tonometers
Ophthalmoscopes or otoscopes or scope sets
Orthopedic splint systems
Orthopedic traction hardware or weights
Ostomy appliances
Otological instruments
Oxygen concentrators
Patient care beds for specialty care
Patient floor scales
Patient shifting boards
Patient stabilization or fall prevention devices
Perfusion oxygen or hematocrit saturation monitors
Pericardiocentesis needles or kits
Pleural cavity drainage units or containers
Pulse oximeter units
Reflex hammers or mallets
Skin staple removers or kits
Specimen collection container
Spirometers
Surgical clamps or clips or forceps
Surgical drains or drain sets
Surgical irrigation sets
Surgical isolation or surgical masks
Surgical scalpels or knives or blades or trephines
Surgical scissors
Surgical shave kits or prep razors or clippers
Suture removal kits or trays or packs or sets
Suturing kits or trays or packs or sets
Tablet computers
Tablet crushers
Therapeutic heating or cooling blankets or drapes
Thoracentesis sets or trays
Tongue depressors or blades or sticks
Tourniquets
Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation units
Ultraviolet UV lamps
Umbilical catheters
Urinalysis analyzers
Urinalysis test strips
Urinary catheterization kits
Vacuum blood collection tubes or containers
Vaginal exam speculas
Vascular or compression apparel or support
Walkers or rollators
Wheelchairs