What are the typical certifications I should get if I want to work in Critical Care?

YOU WILL WANT TO GET YOUR TRAUMA CERTIFICATION AND THE HOSPITAL YOU WORK IN WILL USUALLY OFFER IT. SOME OFFER IT FOR A SMALL FEE OTHERS WILL NOT
YOU WILL NEED TO HAVE YOUR ACLS, PCLS BASIC CPR
GET TO KNOW YOUR DEFIBRILATOR WELL IT WILL BE YOUR FRIEND
KNOW THE DRUGS THAT ARE USED FREQUENTLY LEARN POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS
WATCH AND LEARN ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH
ASK TO SHADOW THE SHIFT CHARGE NURSE YOU CAN SEE ALOT AND LEARN ALOT,
ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND SOMETHING
DR'S ARE USUALLY VERY HAPPY TO TEACH YOU ANYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT.
KNOW YOUR MONITORS AND ABOVE ALL ELSE DO NOT LET THEM BE THE NURSE YOU NEED TO LOOK AT YOUR PATIENT AND SEE IF THEY MATCH TO WHAT THE MONITORS ARE SAYING, IN ANOTHER WORDS TREAT THE PATIENT NOT THE MONITOR.

BLS, ACLS, NIHSS, possibly TCAR or TNCC. CCRN Once you’ve been a critical care nurse for two years )you can’t take the test until you’ve worked in critical care)

BLS and ACLS are good for both areas (ICU and ED). TNCC for ER. PEDS if you work with them.

Experience and Critical Care RN certification .

Look up the Essentials of Critical Care Orientation (ECCO) with American Association of Critical-Care Nurses - AACN. CCRN is if you've already been working in the ICU.

CCRN