Acute Care Nurse Job Description: 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.
What Do Acute Care Nurses Do On a Daily Basis?
- Refer patients for specialty consultations or treatments.
- Interpret information obtained from electrocardiograms (EKGs) or radiographs (x-rays).
- Participate in the development of practice protocols.
- Document data related to patients’ care including assessment results, interventions, medications, patient responses, or treatment changes.
- Assist patients in organizing their health care system activities.
- Administer blood and blood product transfusions or intravenous infusions, monitoring patients for adverse reactions.
Key Skills for Acute Care Nurses
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Related Job Titles
- Progressive Care Unit Registered Nurse
- Clinical Educator
- Progressive Care Manager
- Care Transitions Manager
- Screening Unit Registered Nurse
Job Outlook for Acute Care Nurses
In the United States, there were 2,955,200 jobs for Acute Care Nurse in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 14.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 438,000 new jobs for Acute Care Nurse by 2026. There will be an estimated 203,700 positions for Acute Care Nurse per year.
The states with the most job growth for Acute Care Nurse are Arizona, Utah, and Colorado.
The typical yearly salary for Acute Care Nurses is somewhere between $50,800 and $106,530.
Acute Care Nurses who work in Hawaii, California, or Oregon, make the highest salaries.
Tools & Technology Used by Acute Care Nurses
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Access
- SAP software
- IBM Lotus Notes
- GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
- eClinicalWorks
- SOAPware EMR
- Allscripts Professional EHR
- e-MDs software
- ChartWare EMR
- SynaMed EMR
- Texas Medical Software SpringCharts EMR
How to Become an Acute Care Nurse
Individuals working as an Acute Care Nurse have obtained the following education levels:
Industries Where Acute Care Nurses Work
Acute Care Nurses work in various healthcare settings, including hospitals, clinics, and outpatient care centers.
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