Abstract Background The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) during the COVID-19 pandemic was at the heart of a hospital. At that time, nurses working in the ICU were fearing for their lives, with insufficient equipment and disorganisation resulting from the lack of sound knowledge on dealing with and preventing the transmission of the virus. The ward nurses experienced crisis management, without proper knowledge of the subject. Aim The purpose of this study is to analyse the management conditions in the ICU in Poland, in a crisis situation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The quantitative research was carried out in Poland, on a group of nurses from the ICU, using a questionnaire distributed online. Results The results of the assessment of ICU’s preparedness in the event of a crisis, including the prevention, preparation, response and recovery phases, were presented. forty respondents took part in the study. Taking into account the average number of responses in the survey, they rated the Response phase as the highest one (30/40), followed by the Prevention phase (28/40) and the Preparation phase (26/40), and the Recovery phase as the lower one (11/40). Conclusions The crisis situation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic has weakened the unprepared Health Care System, and therefore conclusions must be drawn from that experience. An important element of maintaining the efficiency of the ICU during a pandemic is sound knowledge, risk assessment and nurse education. At such a time it is equally important to prepare a crisis management plan and to assess it while it is being implemented, as well as to ensure the safety of the patients and ICU nurses.