Critical Care Nurse

As a critical care nurse, you work in an intensive care unit (ICU) or high dependency unit (HDU) where patients are seriously ill and need close watching. You monitor machines and check on patients constantly—taking their temperature, blood pressure and other vital signs. You give them medications and treatments, explain what's happening to them and their families, and work closely with doctors and other healthcare staff to give each patient the best care.

This job is physically and emotionally demanding. You will see people recover and get better, but you will also care for patients who die despite everyone's best efforts. This is a real part of the job—it happens—and it's something you learn to handle with experience and support from your team. Most people who do this work find it deeply rewarding because you know you made a real difference in someone's hardest moments.