Critical Care Specialist

• In many cases, a Critical Care Nurse might see a patient before a physician does, so they must be prepared to assess a patient’s condition and begin treatment. This would include taking vital signs, treating and dressing wounds, setting up IVs and administering medication. They would monitor a patient’s progress and report any changes to the physician. • Since many illnesses or injuries typically require some sort of diagnostic testing, it is often up to the Critical Care Nurse to send orders for these procedures, which can include x-rays, CT scans or EKGs. A Critical Care Nurse can go over test results with physicians in order to come up with effective treatment plans. • A Critical Care Nurse can explain patient conditions to patients themselves and family members. They can review care plans that patients can continue once they have been discharged from the hospital or clinic. These plans could include dietary restrictions, physical therapy exercises, medications or other lifestyle changes. • A Critical Care Nurse should be knowledgeable about and aware of any regulatory laws concerning health care, such as patient privacy and personal health information laws. They should also know and work under the policies of the specific medical facility in which they are employed. Finally, they should adhere to clinical and ethical standards of their profession