Individuals that work in acute care nursing work with patients undergoing surgical procedures or who are afflicted with chronic or acute diseases.  These nurses may work primarily with surgical patients or specialize in an area that deals with individuals suffering for a specific condition like cancer or heart disease.  That may also work primarily with a certain population of the public like the elderly or children.  Nurses that work in a surgical unit are probably the most common type of acute care nurses and many make a career out of this type of nursing.  This type of occupation requires a more advanced education than what is required to be a LPN. Generally, a bachelor's degree is preferred, but an associate's degree may be acceptable in certain facilities.

Acute care nursing requires that the nurse determine what is wrong with the patient and make at least a preliminary diagnosis.  They will also be involved in planning, as well as providing, the care for that patient.  Nurses will also carefully monitor and evaluate the patient's condition and outcome.  Nurses play a vital role in every aspect of a surgical patient's procedure.  They are intimately involved in preparing a patient for a procedure as well as assisting the doctor and providing aftercare once a surgical procedure has been completed. Nurses that choose this line of work must be able to react quickly to changing patient needs. They are also the individuals that are most likely to find themselves dealing with emergency situations.

Surgical units were often thought of as a training ground for nurses.  After spending some time in this type of acute care nursing, a nurse would then move on to other specialties.  Many nurses, however, have chosen surgical units as a place to spend their entire career in.  Oftentimes, a registered nurse in a surgical unit will spend more time with a patient than the actual Physician.  Because of this, their role in the recovery and overall well being of the patients and their care cannot be understated and many nurses find that this part in particular makes acute care nursing extremely rewarding. Because of the higher risk associated with working in the acute care departments of a hospital, these nurses are better compensated for their work than those in other specialties.

Nurses that work in acute care nursing can expect to earn a salary of $55,000 to $60,000 a year depending on their level of education and experience.  Nurses that work in more specialized fields can earn quite a bit more than that.  Acute care nursing requires an individual with attention to detail and a high level of dedication and concern for their patients and their patients' families. Patients are likely to spend more time with the nurses providing their care than the doctors, so excellent communication skills are a must both between nurses and patients and between doctors and nurses. Many patients with a chronic illness or who are about to undergo a surgical procedure have found that the nursing staff are the true heroes of the medical profession.