You’re an experienced certified nursing assistant (CNA) who thrives in a high-stakes environment. You love helping truly sick patients make the best recovery possible, and value making a real difference in their lives. If this description fits, you may be an ICU CNA or thinking about ICU CNA jobs as the next step in your career.
At Credenza, we’re all about helping you to find the CNA job that best fits your life. You might be looking for full-time, part-time, or per diem positions, or you might be more interested in contract or temporary CNA work options. Whatever you’re looking for to move your career as a CNA forward, we have you covered. Start learning more about CNA ICU jobs right here.
Education and Skills for ICU CNAs
As a nursing assistant qualified for ICU CNA jobs, you started your journey by completing a certified nursing assistant program. Since the ICU often cares for the sickest patients in the hospital, employers may prefer candidates with prior experience in hospital units such as med-surg, where a wide range of skills can be learned or sharpened.
As in other CNA roles, you’ll need nursing assistant hard skills like taking and recording vitals, helping patients with feeding and elimination, and turning patients for bathing or wound care — this can be more difficult due to the number of monitors and tubes many ICU patients have.
You’ll also need the essential soft skills like communication, critical thinking, professionalism, and time management. Since your patients are so fragile, the ability to treat them (and their families) with a high level of cultural competence and empathy is crucial.
A unit that requires quick action like the ICU might also require basic life support (BLS) certification. Take a look at our sample CNA job description for more ideas on what a wide range of employers might be looking for.
ICU CNA Resume and Cover Letter
If you’d like to stand out when you apply to that ICU CNA job of your dreams, there are a few smart ways to improve your CNA resume. First, make sure it details all your recent experience, skills, and certifications. Next, try to customize it to the exact job you’re applying for. So, if the job posting is seeking a CNA with mandatory reporter training, highlight the fact you have completed that work.
In your cover letter, describe the reasons you are a great fit for the job. Do you love the mission statement of the hospital or unit? Are you dedicated to providing the same high standard of care for each patient as this hospital? That’s called being a good culture fit, and employers value this kind of match.
Interviewing for Your ICU CNA Job
When preparing for your interview, do your homework, just like you did in your CNA program. Research the employer and take a look at information on interview questions for CNAs so you will feel prepped and ready when the pressure is on. Don’t forget to write down some thoughtful questions to ask your prospective employer. This will show you have put time, energy, and effort into the interview — the same way you might on the job. It will also help you stand out in a sea of applicants who might not be as prepared as you are.
ICU CNA Salary
The average annual salary for CNAs is $39,610. However, CNAs in general medical surgical hospitals with ICU units may make $40,840per year. Your years of experience, facility, location, and certifications will also affect what you earn. If you’re interested in moving to an area that has a higher rate of pay for CNAs in general, here are some of the top-paying states:
Want Your Choice of ICU CNA Jobs Near You?
Check out all the open CNA ICU jobs on Credenza right now. Want even more choices? We’ve got a wide range of CNA jobs for you as well. Start your search today.
