3 Tips on How to be a Critical Care Nurse for New Grad Nurses

I knew before I finished nursing school that I wanted the ICU. If you feel the same pull, here is how to land a critical care job straight out of school, and how to know the unit is right for you first.

Critical care is intimidating, and it should be. Many ICU patients are sedated, and a lot of them are on a ventilator to support their breathing. That changes the way you interact with them. It can feel unnatural when a patient cannot talk back. Remember that sedated patients can still hear you, so keep talking to them.

The ICU runs on conditions and equipment you will not see on a general floor, and the learning curve is steep. Before you commit, ask yourself a few honest questions. Do you like constantly challenging yourself? Do you handle stress and sudden change well? Are you confident working with an interdisciplinary team? Do you enjoy complex problems that force you to think on your feet? If you answered yes, the ICU will likely be a good fit.

Applying for an ICU job

Say you already know the ICU is where you belong. As a new grad, a few moves put you at an advantage in the search and the hire.

Search with the right phrases. Use terms like "New Grad RN ICU" or "New Nurse Residency Program" to narrow your results to the postings that actually take new graduates.

Back yourself with references. Most applications ask for references, and as a new grad you lean on the people who saw you work: the dean of your nursing program, a clinical instructor who watched you in clinical, a nursing instructor who taught you, or a nurse you worked alongside during clinical.

Polish your resume. Your resume is the only thing a hiring manager sees before deciding whether to interview you, so it carries weight. Show dedication to nursing even as a student. Include your unique skills, any certifications you hold (BLS, ACLS, and the like), and the locations and hours of your clinical and learning experiences. Your senior practicum location and hours matter most, so list them. Add the nursing clubs or organizations you belong to. Keep it clean and to the point, and stay confident about what you bring.

If the ICU is where you want to be, go after it. These tips should help you get there.