ICU Registered Nurse (RN)

Position Summary

The ICU Registered Nurse provides comprehensive, high-acuity nursing care to critically ill adult and geriatric patients in a General Intensive Care Unit setting. This role requires advanced assessment skills, management of complex medical and surgical conditions, administration of critical care medications, and collaboration with interdisciplinary healthcare teams to deliver exceptional patient outcomes.

Unit Overview

• 11-20 ICU beds
• Adult and Geruatric patient populations
• Nurse-to-patient ratios of 1:2 and 1:3 based on acuity
• Navy blue scrub color
• No call requirement
• Float support to Medical-Surgical units as needed
• Trauma Level: General Hospital Services

Patient Population & Common Diagnoses

The ICU cares for patients requiring intensive monitoring and treatment for conditions including:

• Sepsis
• Acute Kidney Injury (AKI)
• Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)
• Respiratory Distress
• Ventilator-dependent patients
• Patients requiring tracheostomy care
• Hemodynamically unstable patients requiring vasoactive drips

Essential Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive assessments and ongoing monitoring of critically ill patients.
• Manage patients requiring mechanical ventilation, CPAP/BiPAP, and tracheostomy care.
• Administer and titrate vasoactive and critical care medications per protocol.
• Monitor and interpret telemetry rhythms and 12-lead ECGs.
• Care for patients with central venous access devices, feeding tubes, wound vacs, and advanced medical equipment.
• Assist with emergency procedures, including cardioversions and critical interventions.
• Coordinate interdisciplinary care plans with physicians, respiratory therapists, dialysis teams, and other healthcare professionals.
• Provide patient and family education regarding treatment plans and recovery expectations.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation in the electronic medical record (EMR) system.

Clinical Skills & Experience Preferred

Airway and Respiratory Management

• Mechanical ventilation
• CPAP/BiPAP management
• Tracheostomy care
• Procedure sedation
• Chest tube setup and management

Cardiac and Circulatory Care

• Telemetry monitoring and interpretation
• 12-lead ECG acquisition
• Blood and blood product administration
• Cardioversion/defibrillation
• Cooling and warming therapies
• Central venous pressure (CVP) monitoring
• Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT)

Line and Equipment Management

• PICC lines and central lines
• Triple lumen catheters
• Feeding tubes
• PCA pumps
• Wound vac systems

Critical Care Experience

• Medical ICU patients
• Surgical ICU patients
• Neuro ICU patient populations

Medication Competencies

Titrated Medications

• Amiodarone
• Antiarrhythmics
• Antiseizure medications
• Atropine
• Beta Blockers
• Cardizem
• Dobutamine
• Dopamine
• Epinephrine
• Heparin
• Insulin
• Levophed
• Magnesium