As the joke goes - you know you are an ICU nurse when you have a 6th sense of when your post-operative patient will wake up and reach out for the ETT. While this is just a joke that does its rounds amongst nurses and doctors, it also reflects the dedication that ICU nurse jobs Australia demands.

ICU nurses are generally a part of the hospitals or clinic's specialised team taking care of patients who are critically ill or facing near fatal situations. For this reason ICU nurse jobs Australia demand only highly proficient and experienced registered nurses as part of the team of nurses. The basic functions of an ICU nurse are providing sufficient patient care, maintaining close observation of the patient throughout the period they are in the ICU and educate and support the family of the patient about caring for the patient. In addition they should also direct and guide other licensed practical nurses. The ICU nurses are assisted by nursing assistants and it is the job of the ICU nurse to provide guidance and directions to them too about patient care and other duties in the unit.

ICU nurse jobs Australia encompasses providing life support equipments such as ventilators and feeding tubes and monitor proper functioning so that the life of the patient is aptly supported and the road to recovery is as smooth as possible. They also have to closely observe blood pressures, heart beats and respiratory functioning watching with a keen eye any signals of distress that the machines may squeal out. Their job description also includes administering IVs and medications, inserting catheters etc. Sometimes the nurse may also need to assist the doctors in carrying out special procedures.

An ICU nurse should be adept in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation correctly and effectively. Since there are new innovations and additions regularly in the field of medicine it is important that the ICU nurse keeps abreast of the new techniques and maintain a high level of professionalism. Most ICU nurses need to work in teams and hence they should have good interpersonal skills and good communication. They should accept the responsibilities that the head nurse may delegate to them.

The basic qualifications of ICU nurse jobs Australia are either a 2-year associate degree with a 3-year diploma with hospital training or a 4-year bachelor's degree. They also need to clear the written examination for certification to become a full fledged registered ICU nurse. With the right qualification and sufficient experience, ICU nurses can climb the career ladder quickly if they are interested in advancing in their field. The future of ICU nurse jobs is quite bright and the rewards handsome.