• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Best Master of Science in Nursing Degrees

Find a Master of Science in Nursing Program

  • Home
  • Find A School
  • Careers
  • Salary
FIND SCHOOLS
1
2
3
4
Sponsored Content

Do I Need a Master’s in Nursing to be an ICU Nurse?

Featured Programs:
Sponsored School(s)
Liberty University Logo
Liberty University
Featured Program: Master of Science in Nursing – Nurse Educator
Request Info
Grand Canyon University Logo
Grand Canyon University
Featured Program: M.S. in Nursing: Nursing Education; M.S. in Nursing: Nursing Leadership in Health Care Systems; M.S. in Nursing: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Adult Gerontology; M.S. in Nursing with an Emphasis in Public Health
Request Info
Walden University Logo
Walden University
Featured Program: Our online master's degree program in nursing offers academically rigorous and culturally relevant specializations that prepare you to improve the quality of patients’ lives, communities, and healthcare institutions.
Request Info
Arizona State University - Online Logo
Arizona State University - Online
Featured Program: Our Accelerated Master's programs allow you to earn your master's degree in as little as one year after completing your undergraduate degree.
Request Info
 

ICU NurseIntensive care nurses work in a number of different medical facilities and have a high level of experience, but you may not need a Master’s in nursing to be an ICU nurse. The level of experience and education required for the job often depends on the facility where you work and the regulations that facility has in place. Before applying to graduate school, you may want to look into the requirements and daily tasks of the job.

Minimum College Degree

According to the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, the minimum license required for the job is an RN license. To obtain that license, you must have either a bachelor’s or an associate’s degree in nursing and a nursing license in your state. Getting your license usually requires that you pass a national licensing exam and a background check. Some employers may ask that you finish your graduate degree before you work in an ICU ward or in a critical care facility. Other employers require critical care nursing certification of nurses. You’ll generally need a few years of experience working in the field before you apply for that certification.

Experience Required

In addition to a degree, you usually need some experience before working in an ICU. Many hospitals today will not hire recent graduates to work on those floors. While you can work as a nurse in a hospital, you’ll generally need to spend at least two years working on other floors before you can transition to the ICU. Though you may not need a Master’s in nursing to be an ICU nurse, some employers will accept that degree in lieu of experience. You may also have the chance to gain some clinical experience while in graduate school.

Where They Work

Though students often think that ICU nurses only work in hospitals, they can work in any type of facility that offers critical care services. An Intensive Care Unit in a hospital helps patients recover from serious injuries, diseases and medical conditions. They might take vital signs, administer medications or help patients with their personal hygiene. Any medical facility that has an ICU can hire critical care nurses. You might find work in a retirement home, in a pediatric facility or in a hospice. Hospice facilities typically help patients recover until they can go back home or provide patients with a safe and comfortable place to spend their last days.

Advanced College

Going to graduate school has some benefits for nurses. If you hope to work in an administrative field, you will want to go to grad school. This gives you the chance to take courses on budgeting, medical laws and human resources. While you will complete a clinical rotation at the undergraduate level, you’ll have the opportunity to take a more in-depth rotation at the graduate level. Many programs require that students spend a minimum of one semester up to one year working in the field before graduating.

Critical care nurses are nurses who work in ICU units in hospitals and other facilities. They provide support and medical care for patients who cannot care for themselves. Whether you need a Master’s in nursing to be an ICU nurse depends on the facility where you work and whether that facility requires more education or more experience for its nurses.

Primary Sidebar

FIND SCHOOLS
1
2
3
4
Sponsored Content

Nursing Resources

  • Master’s in Nursing Programs By State
  • MSN Careers
  • MSN Salary

Rankings

  • Top 10 Up and Coming Nursing Schools in the East
  • Top 10 Up and Coming Nursing Schools in the West
  • Top 10 Up and Coming Nursing Schools in the South
  • Top 10 Up and Coming Nursing Schools in the North
  • 30 Most Affordable Online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Degree Programs
  • 50 Best University Nursing Schools
  • 30 Most Affordable Online Nurse Educator Programs
  • 30 RN to BSN Online Degrees Under $15,000
  • Top 10 Best MSN Online Programs
Master of Science in Nursing

Infographics

  • Forensic Nursing: C.S.I. meets E.R. [Infographic]
  • Food vs. Medicine [Infographic]
  • AIDS Today: The Facts, Figures, and Trajectory of a Global Illness [Infographic]
  • Blood. Simple. [Infographic]
  • Laugh It Off: How Laughing is Beneficial to Your Health [Infographic]
  • Sick: Epidemic of Chronic Diseases [Infographic]
  • America’s Health (Dis)advantage [Infographic]

Site Information

  • About Best Master of Science in Nursing Degrees
  • Sitemap
  • Contact Us

Footer

© 2025 bestmasterofscienceinnursing.com · All Rights Reserved

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use