Many times when a person has been severely injured they will be placed in the critical care unit of a hospital. This unit is designed for those people that are looking at a fatal condition or illness. These people require constant care around the clock.

The caregivers of the critical care unit are those noble and loving of any in the medical community. They have to possess a deep inner strength and a very compassionate heart. They are often called the "angels" of the hospital and have made a commitment to care for those who are in the most need or who are facing their final hours.

Most of the time, the patients of a critical care unit are either dealing with terminal or chronic illnesses, catastrophic injuries or are recovering from life threatening surgical procedures. They must have specialized round the clock care to help them with their pressing medical issues. While most of them enter critical care with a low chance of survival they are all treated with the utmost importance and respect by the staff. A critical care nurse sees miracles every day and knows to never give up on a patient.

Beyond the care that they provide the patients, there is the human side that is often times shown to the family of these patients. Many times the families feel like there is no one there for them when they need someone. The nurses that work a critical care unit have a way of listening to a person and letting them know they are not alone in this issue.

This reassurance can often times be comforting to a person when they need it the most. It is the job of these nurses to be there both for the patient and the family. There have been a lot of changes that have come to the critical care unit since the early days in the 1920's.

With the advancements that have been made in the last several years, the survival rate in a critical care unit has increased. There are better chances of a person surviving a car crash or a life threatening illness today than ever before. This is comforting to the staff of a critical care unit, but at the same time they have to remain strong for the many times that even the most advanced technology is not enough to help a person recover successfully.

Unlike a Registered Nurse, there is a little more training that is needed in order to become a certified Critical Care Nurse and work in one of these units. This means a longer and more in-depth training period as well as more a greater degree of commitment to the job. The reason for this extended training is because these nurses have first contact with trauma patients that enter the ER and last contact with the patients that have failed in their recovery. Many times a critical care nurse is the last sight and soothing voice a patient will see on this earth.

These nurses are also a vital part of an emergency room. They are often times the first ones that come across a trauma case in the ER. These nurses and staffers have a special ability, due to their work in critical care, to address the unique challenges of the ER and its patients.

The nurses have to have the skills to evaluate and if possible to stabilize the patient in the ER. This will be vital until a doctor is able to evaluate the patient, in many cases this step can be the difference between life and death. It can be said that the care that a patient receives from one of these nurses will make a difference in their recovery chances.

Brent McNutt enjoys networking with healthcare professionals online. He is an avid writer for UniformHaven.com, and they offer Urbane Scrubs.