What types of high school classes does an ICU nurse require?

In high school I would take as many science classes as possible, thus helping to ease you into nursing school

Hello! I am a Pediatric ICU nurse. In high school I did not even know I wanted to be a nurse so you are ahead of the game! One thing I could think of that was helpful for me is becoming a certified nursing assistant. I believe this may only be a title in some states but every state uses nursing "techs" frequently. I got my CNA to help me get into nursing school (my program required it) and I was also able to work as a nursing assistant in an ICU during school. I believe this type of work or any hospital work helps further your skills, helps you gain confidence, and also helps you network. Many ICUs hire nursing assistants or techs that already work on the unit as new grads when they graduate their nursing programs.

Hope this helps! I know it may not be specific to classes to take in high school but it certainly is something to think about for the future!

I'm an Adult ICU nurse. I would recommend taking biology and chemistry classes, especially ones geared towards human biology or organic chemistry. Don't forget health classes or nutrition classes. Get certified in basic life support if your school offers it, and if not, CPR training will be beneficial.

I'd also highly recommend getting your CNA license and working in an acute care setting (check to see if your state's board of nursing requires you to obtain a specialty certification for this). I started in ICU right out of nursing school and I was able to transition much easier because I worked in ICU as a CNA first. It allowed me to see the patient population I would be caring for and learn more about critical care from the nurses I worked with before starting there myself.