ICU Nurse Job Description Template

Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses provide specialized care to critically ill, unstable patients. To fill this position successfully, it’s important to craft an ICU nurse job description that will attract top candidates while also detailing the critical care skills and personal qualities needed to meet the demands of the job. The upfront effort of writing an eye-catching and thorough description is worth it. As the nurses interfacing with your facility’s most compromised and vulnerable patients, these professionals have a significant impact on patient experience and outcomes.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to make your ICU RN job description stand out and convey to nurses why your facility is the best place to work. Download the free, printable template below for a great starting point, and use our section-by-section suggestions and tips to generate ideas for your own post.

Want to get a better handle on the hiring market? See how other organizations are posting their ICU nurse jobs in an effort to appeal to candidates. With the right recruitment strategy in place, you’ll ensure an ample pool of applicants, with enough top talent to move on to interviews.

Intensive Care Unit Nurse

Tips: Begin the job description with an overview of what a nurse can expect when working at your facility. Include details like the workplace culture, environment, and other characteristics that make your organization unique. Is your facility a teaching hospital? Do you treat patients from all over the country for an emerging medical specialty? Share this information here.

Once you’ve described the facility, give a brief overview of the job responsibilities of ICU nurses and the types of services they can expect to provide. Share the nursing experience or education required to succeed in this position.

Template:

We’re looking to hire a skilled nurse in the Medical-Surgical Intensive Care Unit (MSICU) at City Medical Center. Come join a team of dedicated medical professionals at a digestive disease specialty center serving 11 counties across the state.

The ideal candidate has at least two years of critical care experience and is comfortable caring for patients with complex medical conditions. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment, you’ll love working in the MSICU. We pride ourselves as a nurse-driven unit within a Magnet institution that constantly strives to achieve the best patient outcomes. All nurses must have a BSN within two years of hire.

Benefits

Tips: In this part of the job description template, build on the potential candidate’s interest by highlighting what makes employment at your facility desirable. Include the job benefits you offer, such as retirement savings or healthcare coverage. Be sure to include any perks that prioritize nurse wellness or contribute to work-life balance. You may also consider adding other ways your organization lifts the financial burden from nurses, such as tuition reimbursement, uniform stipends, or employee discounts.

Template:

• Competitive pay
• Healthcare benefits, including vision and dental
• Paid time off (PTO)
• 401(k) matching
• Employee assistance program
• Tuition reimbursement
• Access to employee wellness center

Duties and Responsibilities

Tips: Now that the potential candidate has an overview of the position, it’s time to answer the question, What does an ICU nurse do at this facility on a daily basis? Provide a clear expectation of the daily responsibilities of a nurse in the intensive care unit. Depending on the type of unit, you may need to customize the nurse’s duties to reflect the demands of your patient population. For example, an ICU/CCU nurse job description may be more focused on hemodynamic monitoring, as compared to a Neuro ICU nurse job description.

Template:

The ICU nurse duties and responsibilities include:

• Assessing, monitoring, and recording patient condition as appropriate
• Managing invasive lines and monitoring devices
• Titrating hemodynamic drips
• Managing artificial airways and ventilators
• Responding to medical emergencies
• Following protocols to care for patients with a range of conditions including DKA, sepsis, GI diseases, and more
• Recovering postop patients and assisting with bedside operations
• Collaborating with the multidisciplinary team to provide optimal care and achieve patient goals
• Carrying out the plan of care in accordance with the State Nurse Practice Act
• Performing patient education about conditions and treatment plan

Compensation and Shifts

Tips: Aim to provide as much pay transparency as possible in your ICU nurse job description. This includes adding ICU nurse salary information. Covering the financial incentives of working at your facility is important because these are major factors that weigh into a nurse’s decision to accept a position. Consider including overtime or on-call rates, charge nurse pay, and more.

Template:

• Full-time (36 hours per week) rotating day/night
• Every other weekend
• Hourly rate starting at $40
• Bonus/incentive shifts available

Qualifications and Skills

Tips: Be specific about what you’re looking for in a nursing professional working in your ICU. What is the desired level of experience or education your organization requires? What specialized ICU nurse skills does your ideal candidate possess? Be sure to specify whether the position is suitable for new graduate nurses.

Start this section off with the “must-have” qualifications and move into the preferred qualities of an intensive care unit nurse. Consider the ICU nurse duties and responsibilities that are unique to your patient population, and highlight related qualifications. For example, if your ICU RNs treat pediatric patients, include any related certifications you’re looking for such as PALS and CCRN-Pediatric.

Template:

• Ability to demonstrate patient prioritization, clinical judgment, and critical thinking
• At least 2 years of recent critical care experience required
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree required within 2 years of hire
• Active RN licensure in [insert state]
• American Heart Association BLS and ACLS certifications required
• CCRN encouraged
• Completion of MSICU advanced competencies within 1 year of hire

Call to Action

Tips: It’s important to include a call to action in a job description so that the reader knows what to do next. Allow the potential candidate to apply for the job while their interest is piqued by including an “apply now” button. Consider including details on what to expect next, such as a follow-up call or email from the recruiting team.

Template:

Ready to take your career to the next level? Apply now to begin your career as an MSICU nurse at one of the leading medical centers in the region.

Reach Qualified Nurses for Your ICU Today

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