The Critical Care Nursing Specialty Advanced Certificate prepares registered nurses (RNs) with the knowledge, skills and abilities required to work in all levels of intensive care units (from community/rural to tertiary and quaternary), coronary care and cardiac surgery intensive care units, and post anesthetic care units. Application of new knowledge is supported by use of practice-based narrative cases, interactive learning activities, high fidelity simulation and extensive clinical practice experiences. These experiences enable nurses to develop clinical decision-making processes necessary for the provision of effective nursing care for critically ill patients and families. The curriculum focuses on pathophysiology and comprehensive assessment of the patients’ needs through analyzing oxygen supply and demand imbalances. Once you graduate, you'll be prepared to begin practice in a community or rural intensive care unit as well as the emergency department.