Medical/Surgical or Critical Care Path

Here are more Medical/Surgical or Critical Care nursing options that may work best for you:

*Note: These specialties require an advanced certification in addition to a Master’s degree

Burn Care Nurse

young man with short black hair wearing red scrubs crossing his arms
young man with short black hair wearing red scrubs crossing his arms

Burn Care Nurse

Average annual salary $100,312/Year*

Salario medio anual $100,312/año*

4 to 6 years of schooling

Because this is a highly specialized field, Burn Care Nurses are always in demand.

Burn Care Nurses are highly specialized in the care of acutely ill patients with thermal injuries.

young man with short black hair wearing red scrubs crossing his arms

Cardiac Nurse Practitioner (NP)

Woman with short curly hair wearing a light blue coat with a stethoscope aruond her neck crossing her arms
Woman with short curly hair wearing a light blue coat with a stethoscope aruond her neck crossing her arms

Cardiac Nurse Practitioner (NP)

Average annual salary $123,780/Year*

Salario medio anual $123,780/año*

6 to 8 years of schooling

The need for Cardiac NPs will only continue to grow. As more and more Americans are diagnosed with cardiac disease, Nurse Practitioners will be needed to care for these patients.

A Cardiac Nurse Practitioner is a specialized Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) who provides comprehensive care to patients who have been diagnosed with cardiac diseases.

Note: This specialty may require an advanced certification in addition to a Masters degree or higher

Woman with short curly hair wearing a light blue coat with a stethoscope aruond her neck crossing her arms

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)

bald man with clear glasses wearing a blue face mask and teal scrubs crossing his arms
bald man with clear glasses wearing a blue face mask and teal scrubs crossing his arms

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)

Average annual salary $195,610/Year*

Salario medio anual $195,610/año*

6 to 8 years of schooling

The job prospects for CRNAs are excellent because of the need for additional healthcare providers and the increased number of ambulatory care services.

CRNAs are Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) who administer anesthesia and other medications. They also monitor patients who are receiving and recovering from anesthesia.

Note: This specialty requires advanced certification. A Doctor of Nursing Practice is required.

bald man with clear glasses wearing a blue face mask and teal scrubs crossing his arms

Dialysis Nurse

Woman with brown hair wearing a white nurse's coat over some pink scrubs with a stethoscope around her neck crossing her arms
Woman with brown hair wearing a white nurse's coat over some pink scrubs with a stethoscope around her neck crossing her arms

Dialysis Nurse

Average annual salary $78,028/Year*

Salario medio anual $78,028/año*

4 to 6 years of schooling

Dialysis nursing is one of the most in-demand specialty fields of nursing because of the high number of kidney failure patients in the United States and because dialysis nurse retention at outpatient dialysis centers is low.

Dialysis Nurses provide care to chronic or acute kidney failure patients, as well as to patients that are experiencing any other kind of kidney-related issues.

Woman with brown hair wearing a white nurse's coat over some pink scrubs with a stethoscope around her neck crossing her arms

Emergency Room (ER) Nurse

woman with brown hair wearing round black rimmed glasses and blue scrubs over a white shirt holding a stethoscope with her right hand while crossing her arms
woman with brown hair wearing round black rimmed glasses and blue scrubs over a white shirt holding a stethoscope with her right hand while crossing her arms

Emergency Room (ER) Nurse

Average annual salary $100,312/Year*

Salario medio anual $100,312/año*

4 to 6 years of schooling

There are many jobs available for Emergency Room Nurses who care for trauma patients and other emergencies.

ER Nurses work in the Emergency Department (ED) to triage patients who require immediate care. They treat immediate life-threatening medical conditions, stabilize patients requiring advanced medical therapies, and discharge stable patients.

woman with brown hair wearing round black rimmed glasses and blue scrubs over a white shirt holding a stethoscope with her right hand while crossing her arms

Geriatric Nursing

Young woman with long hair and round brown glasses wearing a white nurse's coat over a white shirt with a stethoscope hanging around her neck; a golden bracelet on her right arm and a silver watch with black straps on her left arm
Young woman with long hair and round brown glasses wearing a white nurse's coat over a white shirt with a stethoscope hanging around her neck; a golden bracelet on her right arm and a silver watch with black straps on her left arm

Geriatric Nursing

Average annual salary $77,600/Year*

Salario medio anual $77,600/año*

4 to 6 years of schooling

Geriatric Nurses are one of the most in-demand nursing specialties. They are especially needed in long-term care facilities.

Geriatric Nurses are Registered Nurses that specialize in care for the elderly. They help bring comfort and care to a vulnerable segment of the population.

Young woman with long hair and round brown glasses wearing a white nurse's coat over a white shirt with a stethoscope hanging around her neck; a golden bracelet on her right arm and a silver watch with black straps on her left arm

Intensive Care Unit (ICU)/Critical Care Nurse

young woman with long curly brown hair wearing blue scrubs with a long sleeved white shirt underneath while she crosses her arms
young woman with long curly brown hair wearing blue scrubs with a long sleeved white shirt underneath while she crosses her arms

Intensive Care Unit (ICU)/Critical Care Nurse

Average annual salary $119,604/Year*

Salario medio anual $119,604/año*

4 to 6 years of schooling

ICU Nurses will always be in demand because there will always be emergency events which cause patients to require life-saving measures. These highly-specialized and trained nurses will always be able to find positions.

ICU Nurses provide life-saving care to patients that are extremely sick and often fighting for their lives. Nurses in this field are at the top of their game and take care of patients that require 24/7 nursing care.

young woman with long curly brown hair wearing blue scrubs with a long sleeved white shirt underneath while she crosses her arms

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Nurse

man wearing a white hair cap and white face mask and light blue scrubs holding an newborn child with his arms and his hands are gloved
man wearing a white hair cap and white face mask and light blue scrubs holding an newborn child with his arms and his hands are gloved

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Nurse

Average annual salary $120,317/Year*

Salario medio anual $120,317/año*

4 to 6 years of schooling

NICU Nurses are in high demand. Nurses who go on to careers in the NICU are equipped with a skill set that will be in demand for years to come.

NICU Nurses primarily care for sick and/or premature babies, or babies dealing with various forms of birth defects. These patients need to be cared for and monitored, sometimes for weeks or months, until they are healthy and developed enough to go home.

man wearing a white hair cap and white face mask and light blue scrubs holding an newborn child with his arms and his hands are gloved

Oncology Registered Nurse

Young man with medium-length wavy hair wearing light blue scrubs with a yellow stethoscope hanging around his neck holding a black notebook on his left hand and writing on it with his right hand
Young man with medium-length wavy hair wearing light blue scrubs with a yellow stethoscope hanging around his neck holding a black notebook on his left hand and writing on it with his right hand

Oncology Registered Nurse

Average annual salary $90,080/Year*

Salario medio anual $90,080/año*

4 to 7 years of schooling

As the risk for many cancers increases with age, the demand for oncology nurses will likely increase in areas such as screening and prevention, health status monitoring, symptom management, direct nursing care, and patient/family/caregiver education.

Oncology Nurses care for people of all ages who are diagnosed with cancer. Oncology is a challenging field in which nurses support patients, families, and caregivers through the stress of diagnosis and treatment, and the anxiety of many uncertainties brought on by the disease, including facing mortality.

Young man with medium-length wavy hair wearing light blue scrubs with a yellow stethoscope hanging around his neck holding a black notebook on his left hand and writing on it with his right hand

Orthopedic Nurse Practitioner (NP)

Young man with short brown hair and a short beard and mustache wearing a white nurse's coat with a stethoscope hanging around his neck pouring pills from a container on his right hand onto his left hand
Young man with short brown hair and a short beard and mustache wearing a white nurse's coat with a stethoscope hanging around his neck pouring pills from a container on his right hand onto his left hand

Orthopedic Nurse Practitioner (NP)

Average annual salary $100,035/Year*

Salario medio anual $100,035/año*

6 to 8 years of schooling

Orthopedic NPs will always be in need at physicians’ offices, clinics, nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, long-term care facilities, outpatient surgical practices, sports medicine practices, and hospitals.

An Orthopedic Nurse Practitioner is a specialized Nurse Practitioner that focuses on the care and treatment of patients suffering from musculoskeletal problems. These can include disease and/or injuries of the bones, muscles, joints, and supporting connective tissue.

Note: This specialty may require an advanced certification in addition to a Masters degree or higher

Young man with short brown hair and a short beard and mustache wearing a white nurse's coat with a stethoscope hanging around his neck pouring pills from a container on his right hand onto his left hand

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Nurse

Woman wearing a hair cap and a blue face mask, and light blue scrubs with a stethoscope hanging around her neck being held by her gloved hands
Woman wearing a hair cap and a blue face mask, and light blue scrubs with a stethoscope hanging around her neck being held by her gloved hands

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Nurse

Average annual salary $82,750/Year*

Salario medio anual $82,750/año*

4 years of schooling

This field is a highly specialized field that is always in high demand.

PICU Nurses provide care for children and adolescents with a wide-range of ailments, from common childhood diseases to life-threatening illnesses.

Woman wearing a hair cap and a blue face mask, and light blue scrubs with a stethoscope hanging around her neck being held by her gloved hands

Perioperative/Operating Room (OR) Nurse

young man wearing hair cap with blue face mask pullde down wearing blue scrubs and translucent gloves while crossing his arms
young man wearing hair cap with blue face mask pullde down wearing blue scrubs and translucent gloves while crossing his arms

Perioperative/Operating Room (OR) Nurse

Average annual salary $83,200/Year*

Salario medio anual $83,200/año*

4 to 6 years of schooling

Perioperative Nurses are in high demand. Perioperative Nurses, also known as Operating Room Nurses, fulfill surgical nursing roles before, during, and after surgical procedures.

They work closely with patients and a team of healthcare professionals as they perform a wide variety of tasks.

young man wearing hair cap with blue face mask pullde down wearing blue scrubs and translucent gloves while crossing his arms

Transplant Nurse

Man with short hair wearing black scrubs holding a stethoscope with his right hand while crossing both of his arms
Man with short hair wearing black scrubs holding a stethoscope with his right hand while crossing both of his arms

Transplant Nurse

Average annual salary $83,200/Year*

Salario medio anual $83,200/año*

4 to 6 years of schooling

The demand for organ transplants is high in the U.S., thus making the need for Transplant Nurses critical to our country’s healthcare system.

A Transplant Nurse cares for patients who are donating or receiving an organ or tissue through a transplant procedure.

Man with short hair wearing black scrubs holding a stethoscope with his right hand while crossing both of his arms

Trauma Nurse

young man with black hair wearing red scrubs crossing his arms
young man with black hair wearing red scrubs crossing his arms

Trauma Nurse

Average annual salary $100,312/Year*

Salario medio anual $100,312/año*

4 to 6 years of schooling

Trauma occurs across a lifespan, making Trauma Nurses a high-demand specialty.

Trauma Nurses care for people with critical, often life-threatening injuries.

young man with black hair wearing red scrubs crossing his arms

Travel Nurse

Woman with long black hair wearing a nurse's coat with a stethoscope hanging around her neck crossing her arms
Woman with long black hair wearing a nurse's coat with a stethoscope hanging around her neck crossing her arms

Travel Nurse

Average annual salary $77,600/Year*

Salario medio anual $77,600/año*

6 to 8 years of schooling

In the past three years Travel Nursing has seen a tremendous surge in demand.

Travel Nursing offers guaranteed shifts at a higher pay while exploring a new city as often as one wants, generally 13-weeks at a time.

Woman with long black hair wearing a nurse's coat with a stethoscope hanging around her neck crossing her arms

Wound Care Nurse

Young man with short hair wearing light blue scrubs with a yellow stethoscope hanging around his neck crossing his arms
Young man with short hair wearing light blue scrubs with a yellow stethoscope hanging around his neck crossing his arms

Wound Care Nurse

Average annual salary $77,600/Year*

Salario medio anual $77,600/año*

4 to 6 years of schooling

Wound Care Nurses will always be in demand in operating rooms, critical care units, ICUs and inpatient settings where patients are bedridden.

Wound Care Nurses bring their skills and techniques together to heal patients both physically and mentally. Nurses who decide to become certified in wound care are entering an in-demand specialty.

Young man with short hair wearing light blue scrubs with a yellow stethoscope hanging around his neck crossing his arms