Description
Provide specialized nursing care to acutely ill adults in progressive care/step-down units. Deliver continuous cardiac and physiologic monitoring, manage noninvasive ventilation and titrated infusions, and care for post-ICU and post-operative patients. Detect and respond to clinical deterioration, educate patients and families, and coordinate multidisciplinary care and safe transitions.
- • Monitor and interpret cardiac telemetry and 12-lead EKGs; recognize dysrhythmias and ischemic changes.
- • Perform frequent focused assessments and trend hemodynamic, respiratory, and neurologic status.
- • Identify early signs of clinical deterioration and activate rapid response or escalate level of care.
- • Titrate ordered infusions (e.g., antiarrhythmics, insulin, heparin) per protocol and evaluate patient response.
- • Manage pain and comfort using pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic strategies; reassess and adjust care.
- • Initiate and maintain noninvasive ventilation and high-flow oxygen; adjust within ordered parameters.
- • Set up, manage, and troubleshoot lines, drains, and tubes, including central/PICC lines, chest tubes, tracheostomies, feeding tubes, and urinary catheters.
- • Perform BLS/ACLS and other stabilization measures during emergencies.
- • Obtain and trend laboratory specimens and point-of-care tests; report critical values promptly.
- • Review radiology and diagnostic results and integrate findings into the plan of care.
- • Implement evidence-based bundles and pathways, such as sepsis, stroke, chest pain, and glycemic control.
- • Administer medications, blood products, and IV fluids; monitor for and manage adverse reactions.
- • Provide wound care, pressure injury prevention, and dressing changes.
- • Educate patients and families about diagnoses, treatments, medications, devices, and self-care.
- • Collaborate with physicians, advanced practice providers, respiratory therapy, pharmacy, case management, and other disciplines to coordinate care.
- • Develop, update, and document individualized care plans; record assessments, interventions, and outcomes accurately and timely.
- • Participate in interdisciplinary rounds, handoffs, and care conferences using SBAR or similar frameworks.
- • Plan and coordinate transitions of care, including step-down from ICU and discharge to home or post-acute settings.
- • Facilitate specialty consultations and diagnostic procedures per provider orders.
- • Assess psychosocial, cultural, and caregiver needs; connect patients and families with resources.
- • Perform admission, transfer, and discharge processes and related administrative tasks.
- • Maintain and troubleshoot patient monitoring equipment; ensure alarms are set appropriately.
- • Adhere to infection prevention, fall reduction, and restraint safety policies; conduct purposeful rounding.
- • Contribute to unit quality improvement, protocol development, and staff education; maintain required certifications and continuing education.
- • Precept or mentor new staff and participate in competency validation.
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
