OCCUPATION: REGISTERED NURSE, CRITICAL CARE
Name: Shirley Filos
Company: South Coast Medical Center in Laguna Beach
Thumbs up: “I like the technology and the intimate contact with patients, family, community and staff. I like the autonomy and like knowing that I’ve made an impact on someone’s life. Critical-care enables nurses to function at one of the highest levels of patient intervention, independent decision making and critical thinking.”
Thumbs down: “The flip side of intense involvement is that it can be very draining. The level of stimulation can also be fatiguing at times.”
Next step: “Depending on personal preference, critical-care nurses can go into management or can easily make a transition into home health care or other intensive-care areas such as pediatric, burn, trauma or emergency care. Critical-care nurses can also fit in well in the corporate world.”Advice: “Be broad-minded as far as opportunities for growth--don’t limit your exposure. Think in terms of health care being in hospitals as well as the community at large; the trend is moving toward outside hospital services.”
Salary range: Depending on shift, education and experience, a full-time salary can range from $14.50 to $18.75 per hour.
Hours: Many facilities have flexible scheduling ranging from four-hour to 12-hour shifts.
Educational and training requirements: Either two-year associate degree in nursing or four-year bachelor’s degree in nursing, which is preferred by employers. Must pass California Board of Registered Nursing licensing exam.
Size of work force: Large. In Orange County, about 17,365 people, or 14% of the labor force, work as registered nurses.
Expected demand: There will continue to be a strong demand for registered nurses because of the aging population.
Job description: Critical-care nurses work with anyone, from toddlers to seniors, who has had an acute, overwhelming or catastrophic illness. The job also involves knowledge of complex disease processes and working in close association with the physician and family. Critical-care nurses are usually responsible for one or at most two patients at a time.
Major employing industries: Hospitals, community health agencies, school districts, corporations, federal, state and local governments, insurance agencies, physician offices, free-standing clinics.
For more information: California Board of Registered Nursing: (916) 322-3350, which has a 24-hour automated information line.
Source: Employment Development Department
Researched by DALLAS M. JACKSON / Los Angeles Times
