Description
Provide advanced practice assessment, diagnosis, procedures, and comprehensive management for critically ill patients in ICU/CCU settings, including ordering diagnostics, prescribing therapies, and coordinating interdisciplinary care.
- • Perform comprehensive assessments and formulate differential diagnoses for critically ill patients.
- • Order and interpret laboratory tests, imaging, and diagnostics to guide care.
- • Evaluate vital signs, hemodynamics, and trends to determine emergent intervention needs.
- • Develop, implement, and adjust evidence-based care plans in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team.
- • Prescribe and manage medications, including vasoactive agents, analgesia, and sedation per scope and protocol.
- • Order and oversee administration of blood products, monitoring for transfusion reactions.
- • Perform or assist with advanced procedures such as endotracheal intubation, central and arterial line placement, and ultrasound-guided procedures per privileges.
- • Manage mechanical ventilation and advanced airway strategies in collaboration with respiratory therapy and physicians.
- • Interpret and act on data from monitors and devices, including invasive pressure lines and cardiac monitors.
- • Identify and treat conditions such as sepsis, shock, arrhythmias, and acute respiratory failure.
- • Conduct targeted pulmonary assessments and interpret abnormal breath sounds and ventilatory mechanics.
- • Assess pain, sedation, and delirium; titrate therapies to established targets.
- • Manage fluid and electrolyte balance; order fluids, diuretics, and renal support therapies as indicated.
- • Evaluate psychosocial status and support systems; facilitate coping for patients and families.
- • Lead or participate in multidisciplinary rounds and coordinate care across services.
- • Obtain specimens during procedures or when specialized collection is indicated.
- • Document histories, physical examinations, progress notes, orders, and procedure notes clearly and timely.
- • Identify patients at nutritional risk and initiate or adjust enteral or parenteral nutrition with the dietetics team.
- • Prioritize and triage admissions, transfers, and consultations based on acuity.
- • Assist or perform procedures such as bronchoscopy, bedside cardioversion, and thoracentesis per privileges.
- • Recognize equipment or device malfunctions and coordinate prompt resolution with clinical engineering and respiratory therapy.
- • Conduct family meetings, discuss prognosis, and align treatments with goals of care; initiate palliative care consults when appropriate.
- • Lead or participate in resuscitation and rapid response events using advanced life support protocols.
- • Coordinate and lead patient care conferences and handoffs to ensure continuity.
- • Compile, trend, and analyze data from monitoring and diagnostic tests to evaluate response to therapy.
- • Participate in quality improvement, research, and data review to enhance outcomes.
- • Develop, implement, or evaluate clinical practice guidelines, order sets, and protocols.
- • Educate and mentor nursing staff, residents, APPs, and community members on critical care topics.
- • Supervise and provide clinical oversight for unit nursing staff within organizational policy and NP scope.
- • Ensure age- and condition-specific care; modify plans to meet individual needs.
- • Document treatment outcomes and revise plans based on patient response.
- • Pronounce death and complete required documentation, per regulations and privileges.
- • Maintain licensure and certification; engage in continuing education and professional organizations.
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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
