ICU and Critical Care Nurses
Official O*NET title: Critical Care Nurses (29-1141.03)
Also called: icu nurse, critical care nurse, certified critical care nurse, critical care nurse practitioner, critical care registered nurse
Do you do this at work?
Answer each card — it takes about a minute.
Do you do this at work?
Compile and analyze data obtained from monitoring or diagnostic tests
Swipe right for yes, left for not me. On a keyboard: → yes, ← not me, Z undo. +2 XP per answer.
How AI is changing icu and critical care nurses work
5 of 29 measurable main tasks for this job show up in real AI-use data, so we rate it Green (little AI use yet) — 17%.
This shows where people already use AI, not whether the job will disappear. How we measure this.
Tasks in this job and recorded AI use
- Compile and analyze data obtained from monitoring or diagnostic tests (main task) — a lot of recorded AI use
- Document patients' treatment plans, interventions, outcomes, or plan revisions (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Document patients' medical histories and assessment findings (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Advocate for patients' and families' needs, or provide emotional support for patients and their families (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Collaborate with other health care professionals to develop and revise treatment plans, based on identified needs and assessment data (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Evaluate patients' vital signs or laboratory data to determine emergency intervention needs (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Monitor patients for changes in status and indications of conditions such as sepsis or shock and institute appropriate interventions (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Administer medications intravenously, by injection, orally, through gastric tubes, or by other methods (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Monitor patients' fluid intake and output to detect emerging problems (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Prioritize nursing care for assigned critically ill patients, based on assessment data or identified needs (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Conduct pulmonary assessments to identify abnormal respiratory patterns or breathing sounds that indicate problems (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Assess patients' pain levels or sedation requirements (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Collect specimens for laboratory tests (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Set up and monitor medical equipment and devices such as cardiac monitors, mechanical ventilators and alarms, oxygen delivery devices, transducers, or pressure lines (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Administer blood and blood products, monitoring patients for signs and symptoms related to transfusion reactions (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Assess family adaptation levels and coping skills to determine whether intervention is needed (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Perform approved therapeutic or diagnostic procedures, based upon patients' clinical status (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Assist physicians with procedures such as bronchoscopy, endoscopy, endotracheal intubation, or elective cardioversion (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Supervise and monitor unit nursing staff (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Identify malfunctioning equipment or devices (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Identify patients at risk of complications due to nutritional status (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Assess patients' psychosocial status and needs (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Identify patients' age-specific needs and alter care plans as necessary to meet those needs (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Participate in professional organizations and continuing education to improve practice knowledge and skills (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Participate in the development, review, or evaluation of nursing practice protocols (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Coordinate patient care conferences (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Provide post-mortem care (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Plan, provide, or evaluate educational programs for nursing staff, interdisciplinary health care team members, or community members (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Make sure that equipment or devices are properly stored after use (main task) — no recorded AI use
Tasks: O*NET 31.0. AI use: Anthropic Economic Index (exact or close text match).
Your first steps (guidance)
- Week 1: Open a free AI assistant and say hello. Follow our “Getting started with AI” guide. Ask it one simple question about your work.
- Week 2: Use AI on one task you do often. Try the prompt for: “Compile and analyze data obtained from monitoring or diagnostic tests”. Try the prompt for: “Document patients' medical histories and assessment findings”.
Tick your own tasks above to get a plan based on what you really do. The first 2 weeks are free; Premium (coming soon) adds weeks 3–12. New to AI? Read our beginner’s guide.
Questions about AI and icu and critical care nurses
Will AI replace icu and critical care nurses?
Our data can’t predict job losses, and we don’t try to. What it does show: 5 of the 29 main tasks for this job match tasks people already use AI for (Anthropic Economic Index), giving a Green rating (little AI use yet). Using AI on a task is not the same as AI doing the whole job, and 24 of the 29 listed tasks show no recorded AI use yet.
Which ICU nurse tasks is AI used for most?
In the data, the most AI use among this job’s tasks is for: compile and analyze data obtained from monitoring or diagnostic tests; document patients' treatment plans, interventions, outcomes, or plan revisions; document patients' medical histories and assessment findings.
Which ICU nurse tasks show little or no AI use?
For example: evaluate patients' vital signs or laboratory data to determine emergency intervention needs; monitor patients for changes in status and indications of conditions such as sepsis or shock and institute appropriate interventions; administer medications intravenously, by injection, orally, through gastric tubes, or by other methods. These are good places to keep building your own skills.
How does this job compare to others?
In Microsoft Research’s “Working with AI” study, this job’s AI applicability score is equal to or higher than 42% of the occupations they scored. That measures overlap with AI chat use, not risk of job loss.
How can a ICU nurse start learning AI?
Start small: open a free AI assistant, try it on one task you do often, and always check facts and numbers yourself. The plan on this page is guidance, not professional advice.
See how this job ranks
ICU and Critical Care Nurses ranks #394 of 572 jobs for the share of main tasks with AI use (#1 = most), and #46 of 80 in Healthcare.
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