Navy Officer Subspecialty · Medical
1960 Critical Care Nursing
An officer subspecialty earned alongside a primary designator, marking advanced education or experience in this field.
Overview
Critical care nurses provide continuous care for patients with life threatening illnesses or injuries in intensive care settings. They use advanced monitoring, provide ventilator support, manage high risk medications, and perform rapid interventions.
Core Skills
- intensive care patient assessment
- hemodynamic monitoring
- mechanical ventilation management
- vasoactive medication titration
- advanced airway care
- critical lab interpretation
- rapid change recognition
- multidisciplinary critical care coordination
- family end of life support
Civilian Software & Tools
- eClinicalWorks EHR software
- Epic Systems
- MEDITECH software
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Allscripts Professional EHR
- American Association of Critical Care Nurses AACN Medicopeia
- Amkai AmkaiCharts
Civilian Career Paths
- Nursing
- Emergency Medicine
- Clinical Technician
Training & Development
Getting Started
- Registered Nurse (RN) License
- Basic Life Support (BLS)
- Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) Provider
Career Growth
- Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN)
- Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN)
- Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN)
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certification (AGACNP-BC®)
Also Common
- Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Provider
What the Work Involves
- Evaluate patients' vital signs or laboratory data to determine emergency intervention needs.
- Monitor patients for changes in status and indications of conditions such as sepsis or shock and institute appropriate interventions.
- Administer medications intravenously, by injection, orally, through gastric tubes, or by other methods.
- Monitor patients' fluid intake and output to detect emerging problems, such as fluid and electrolyte imbalances.
- Prioritize nursing care for assigned critically ill patients, based on assessment data or identified needs.
Related Occupations
- Nurse Practitioners
- Paramedics
Typical preparation for these civilian roles: a four-year degree or equivalent experience.
Equivalent Roles in Other Branches
Descriptions may be summarized for clarity. Verify all information with your branch career counselor or official military documentation before making career decisions.
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