What Does it Take to Be an Acute Care Nurse?
Example of Acute Care Nurse Job 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.
A Day in the Life of an Acute Care Nurse
- Diagnose acute or chronic conditions that could result in rapid physiological deterioration or life-threatening instability.
- Provide formal and informal education to other staff members.
- Interpret information obtained from electrocardiograms (EKGs) or radiographs (x-rays).
- Document data related to patients’ care including assessment results, interventions, medications, patient responses, or treatment changes.
- Refer patients for specialty consultations or treatments.
- Order, perform, or interpret the results of diagnostic tests and screening procedures based on assessment results, differential diagnoses, and knowledge about age, gender and health status of clients.
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Acute Care Nurse Skills
These are the skills Acute Care Nurses say are the most useful in their careers:
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
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.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Related Job Titles
- Nursing Director
- Staff Nurse
- Pediatric Acute Care Unit Nurse
- Admission Nurse
- Supervising Nurse
Acute Care Nurse Job Outlook
There were about 2,955,200 jobs for Acute Care Nurse in 2016 (in the United States). 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. The BLS estimates 203,700 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Acute Care Nurse are Arizona, Utah, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, Wisconsin, or Connecticut. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Acute Care Nurse Average Salary
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.
How much do Acute Care Nurses make in different U.S. states?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $59,470 |
| Alaska | $89,310 |
| Arizona | $77,000 |
| Arkansas | $60,780 |
| California | $106,950 |
| Colorado | $74,240 |
| Connecticut | $81,220 |
| Delaware | $74,800 |
| District of Columbia | $92,350 |
| Florida | $66,210 |
| Georgia | $68,950 |
| Hawaii | $98,080 |
| Idaho | $67,110 |
| Illinois | $73,890 |
| Indiana | $64,860 |
| Iowa | $59,130 |
| Kansas | $61,030 |
| Kentucky | $63,100 |
| Louisiana | $63,970 |
| Maine | $67,610 |
| Maryland | $76,820 |
| Massachusetts | $92,140 |
| Michigan | $71,330 |
| Minnesota | $78,920 |
| Mississippi | $58,490 |
| Missouri | $65,130 |
| Montana | $67,450 |
| Nebraska | $64,470 |
| Nevada | $85,620 |
| New Hampshire | $72,760 |
| New Jersey | $82,750 |
| New Mexico | $71,730 |
| New York | $85,610 |
| North Carolina | $64,850 |
| North Dakota | $65,740 |
| Ohio | $66,820 |
| Oklahoma | $63,080 |
| Oregon | $91,080 |
| Pennsylvania | $70,390 |
| Rhode Island | $78,420 |
| South Carolina | $64,940 |
| South Dakota | $58,340 |
| Tennessee | $61,320 |
| Texas | $72,890 |
| Utah | $65,670 |
| Vermont | $69,160 |
| Virginia | $69,790 |
| Washington | $82,670 |
| West Virginia | $61,780 |
| Wisconsin | $71,470 |
| Wyoming | $67,360 |
What Tools do Acute Care Nurses Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Acute Care Nurses:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Access
- SAP software
- IBM Lotus Notes
- GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
- Bizmatics PrognoCIS EMR
- eClinicalWorks
- Allscripts Professional EHR
- SOAPware EMR
- e-MDs software
- ChartWare EMR
- NextGen Healthcare Information Systems EMR
- Cerner Millennium
- MicroFour PracticeStudio.NET EMR
- SynaMed EMR
- Texas Medical Software SpringCharts EMR
How do I Become an Acute Care Nurse?
What education is needed to be an Acute Care Nurse?
How Long Does it Take to Become an Acute Care Nurse?
References:
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