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What it means to be "The ICU Nurse" and not just "An ICU Nurse"
Purpose
Purpose
I am interested in ICU Nursing because I am a CNA and ever since becoming a CNA I have found a love for nursing and I would like to advance. Caring for people in a fragile state and making those connections is very important to me. I would prefer ICU Nursing over the other areas of nursing because I like patients who need a lot of care. As a nurse I would like to be able to use all of my skills which is why the ICU would be a perfect fit for me because they use all of their skills on a daily basis. I am afraid of CPR even though I am certified, and I am perfectly capable of doing it. Using a mannequin isn’t the same as the real life experience that is needed to feel comfortable. People in the ICU are very vulnerable and so are their families and I like working with those types of people. I think being a CNA led me in this direction because before I thought nurses were just girls who never had jobs in high school and thought scrubs looked cute but nursing is so much more and takes a special person to do it well. Nursing is important for so many reasons but they are the backbones of healthcare and are there 24/7 taking care of sick people. Nursing also takes a level of skill and vulnerability with your patients to give them the best care. Nursing needs people who can be calm in emergencies but can be open and caring at the same time with their patients and families. “Saving lives one heartbeat at a time” is an important quote to me because in the ICU your patients can crash at any moment and each heartbeat is a wild guess and each heartbeat represents a person being alive in your care.
Salary and degrees
Salary and degrees
Nursing is a skilled profession and requires a degree which also can greatly affect that and salary can affect how a person views the career. Motivated staff is what keeps healthcare running, and it can be stressful, but if the right person it will work out. (Ana). Nursing is the same no matter the location. It has the same principles, and nurses have the opportunity to stay near home or travel across the state or even the country and get paid more to be away from home. Degrees can really affect what a nurse does with her career. The quickest path doesn’t mean it’s always the best. (Ana).
Being a nurse can be stressful with all the schooling required, but it becomes worth all of the struggle for the outcome. According to Ana, LPN is a 1-year degree that is the quickest way to earn a license and only requires NCLEX-NP, which is a test that certifies students, but these nurses can't perform as many procedures as an RN. An ADN, or an associate nursing degree, which is obtained in 2 years, is still considered an RN, but the salary is for those not as experienced in education. A BSN or a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Nursing is a 4-year degree which is earned due to students nursing without limitations. (Ana). It makes it easier to advance if people want to become a nurse practitioner or achieve this degree or doctorate degree in nursing. Nursing is in high demand, in fact, “There is a projected 6% growth in nursing jobs from 2022-2032” (Nedderson). Another advanced position called, a CRNA, is a certified-registered nurse anesthetist which is the highest paid nursing position and requires a doctorate degree instead of a master’s degree after 2025.
Vulnerability is difficult for anyone especially, if it encompasses your work. According to Mayer, being vulnerable and comfortable is very difficult for patients and nursing staff. Having a good patient to nursing staff connection can be the key to recovery. If a nurse can be in tears and have empathy for the patients, they are someone whose families want to care for their loved one. Tears can be quite normal in the healthcare field because emotions are high. (Mayer).
Salary is important in everyone's job, especially if college is required for the degree. According to Edx, in the United States the average yearly salaries for nurse assistants is $36,220, and LPN's make $55,860. RN's earn $89,010, NP's, $124,680, and Nurse anesthetists make $205,770. In North Dakota, some of the average salaries are less than, and some are higher. (Edx). Although, nurses are the ones passing the medications and administering the treatments, CNA’s do all the little tasks for patients. (Suggs).
CNA importance
CNA importance
Healthcare can be difficult but CNA’s have a special spot for the patient care given. According to Suggs, CNA’s monitor changes with patients and residents and are the ones who tell nurses when they note changes in patients' health. They are the ones preparing them ready for the day or for bed and taking care of all their needs and ensuring they are always clean. CNA’s sit with residents if they need some company and hold their hand if they're scared and just need some comfort. (Suggs). They also know just the right words to say to ease the minds of people with dementia or memory loss. Students who are CNA’s before or during nursing school, learn to appreciate CNA's and to be more observant. It’s obvious when someone wasn’t a CNA after they become a nurse because they often won't help a CNA with anything. CNAs are underpaid for what they do and do some of the worst jobs. Nursing schools recommend when their applicants or students are CNAs because it gives them experience and better prepares them. (Suggs).
Nursing isn't for everyone as it can be physically and mentally challenging. Burnout happens often due to overworked or stressed individuals. Working as a CNA before nursing, it helps students understand what the workforce is like and if nursing is truly for a person. Future nurses can save by knowing what the profession is like before getting started which can be a huge help in finding out what a person wants to do with their career. (Suggs). Entering into nursing school can be extremely difficult and requires hard work. A nursing school may consider applicants more if they have a CNA license along with a good amount of experience as a CNA. Grades also contribute to it as well, but having a CNA license will definitely help when applying. Nurses also recommend being a CNA, because if a CNA needs help, they know how to, and it makes the job easier by knowing how to interact with patients or residents. (Suggs).
Speciality Nursing
Speciality Nursing
Making connections is a huge part of the job but, traveling staff don’t get to, and have to figure out how to do so very quickly compared to regular staff. According to Health Carousel, staff nurses work full or part-time at a healthcare facility. Long-term care facilities and hospitals are commonly known for having travel staff due to short-staffed facilities. Staff nurses know more about the residents in long-term care and know where to find supplies more easily than traveling staff, which can be an important advantage. As a staff member, more opportunities for raises and career development are available. (Nedderson). Travel nursing allows a person to travel to different locations for a temporary amount of time for higher pay since employees are away from home. These nurses work through an agency and go wherever needed, such as helping at natural disasters or pandemics. Assignments can range from a couple of weeks to a couple of months during, depending on the contract. Travel nurses, who earn higher pay, work at understaffed locations that need help. Pay is often a factor in why people choose to travel, as well as they change from their usual assignments. (Health).
Nursing staff are paid less, but have the convenience of choosing hours and being home. (Edx). Some Oncology, OR, ICU, NICU, and L&D nurses make more money because they put their nursing skills to more use with the heavier workloads. Different specialties have different levels of demanding skills such as, an ER nurse undergoes much more stress than LTC nurses. Nursing as a whole can be very stressful, but is still a rewarding career. (Ana).
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