While some aspiring nurses are still trying to decide what direction they want their career to
take, you already know what you want to do. Your calling is helping bring new life into the world. It’s to be there for mothers during the most pivotal event of their lives – childbirth. You’re never as motivated, inspired, and fulfilled as you are when working with babies.
There are lots of jobs for nurses who want to work with babies. Still, you already know that the best career path for you is to become a Labor and Delivery Registered Nurse. There’s only one question remaining. How to get there? What education requirements do you have to complete? What awaits you on the other side of nursing school?
In this guide, we’ll talk about job duties, salaries, and job prospects. However, our main goal is to walk you through all the steps of becoming a Labor and Delivery Nurse. You’ve decided you want to dedicate your work life to caring for newborns and their mothers. We’re here to help you get one step closer to that dream.
What Is a Labor and Delivery Nurse?
One of the most gratifying specialties, Labor and Delivery nursing, is a component of Obstetrics nursing. Labor and delivery nurses – sometimes called L&D nurses as a shorthand – are essential in the birthing process. They take care of expectant mothers from the moment they check into the hospital to give birth till after the baby is delivered. When the labor may encounter complications, L&D nurses help mothers every step of the way and monitor the mother’s and baby’s health at all times. Labor and Delivery Registered Nurses also assist the doctor with the delivery process. They display strength, calmness, and encouragement when the mother is going through the pain, exhilaration, or the trauma of childbirth.
What Does a Labor and Delivery Nurse Do?
While the overarching job description is pretty much evident from the very title of the position, L&D Nurses have a complex role that deals with all aspects of the labor and delivery process. Let’s get into the specific responsibilities and duties. What do Labor and Delivery nurses do on a daily basis?
Labor and Delivery Nurses generally work in the delivery ward of the hospital or birthing centers. Their tasks include:
Monitoring the vital signs (heart rate, blood pressure, etc.) of both mother and baby.
Providing general patient care to mothers from the moment they come into the facility
Timing contractions
Identifying and assisting with complications that may occur during labor
Assisting doctors in the labor process
Educating, supporting, and coaching mothers throughout the delivery process
In the case of cesarean births, providing post-operative C-section care
Assist mother and baby with the first breastfeeding interactions
Providing nursing care after the birth of the infant
How Long Does It Take to Become a Labor and Delivery Nurse?
There isn’t one clear-cut way to becoming an L&D Nurse. Depending on their end goals, career ambitions, time restraints, and so on, there are multiple paths an aspiring nurse could take. For nurses taking the ADN path, the journey may take around two years. RNs who want to climb higher on the ladder of professional success should expect to spend more time studying. Getting a BSN degree and, further, getting certified in labor and delivery fields will put the length of your educational venture at around five or six years.
Steps to Become a Labor and Delivery Nurse
The time it will take to become a Labor and Delivery professional is dependent on some decisions you make along the way. Let’s explore more carefully the steps you need to take to get your dream job in that delivery ward:
Step 1: Become a Registered Nurse
The process of becoming a Labor and Delivery Nurse isn’t much different than other nursing specialties. The first condition you must fulfill is becoming a licensed Registered Nurse. There are three main ways of obtaining RN licensure: ADN programs, Diploma programs, and BSN programs.
An Associate’s Degree in Nursing is the fastest way to become a Registered Nurse. An ADN program takes around two years to complete, so it’s an excellent option for nurses who want to start working as soon as possible. Should you wish to advance your education at a later point in your career, it will be easier and faster for you due to bridge programs. You can enroll in an RN-to-BSN program and earn your Bachelor’s Degree at a future date.
Diploma programs are less common in recent years. They take around three years to complete.
The third educational route towards a career in nursing labor and delivery is obtaining your Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. You will need around four years to complete a traditional BSN program. Although it takes longer, there are multiple benefits to pursuing this track. First of all, BSN degrees are largely recognized as the golden standard for nursing education. An overwhelming majority of healthcare employers prefer hiring BSN graduates. Also, BSN-trained nurses tend to be linked with better patient outcomes, which is a great motivator to pursue this degree.
Step 2: Think about why you’re choosing this particular area of nursing
After you finish nursing school, you’ll have to decide what area of nursing is of particular interest to you, what specialty you wish to pursue professionally. The good news is you’ve already chosen. It’s Labor and Delivery. But why? What makes this field of work unique for you? What drives you to the idea of helping bring life into the world? You need to find the driving force behind your choice.
There are numerous reasons for that. First of all, when you start looking for jobs, one of the most common nursing interview questions that are bound to make an appearance is Why did you choose this specialty? In addition to wanting highly qualified professionals, what hiring managers are after are passionate RNs. Registered Nurses who love what they do will be better at their job and are less likely to quit early. They will generally be more interested in pursuing continuing education and growing as professionals. That’s why your future employers care about why you are passionate about labor and delivery.
Secondly, a moment in your nursing career may come when you feel like you hate being a nurse. You may feel burnout, overwhelmed, tired, or unsatisfied with your job. You simply feel like you cannot do it anymore. That’s when it’s of utmost importance for you to remember why you chose L&D in the first place. Looking back at your motivation will help you rediscover the passion that drove you to this specialty.
Step 3: Start working
You have finished a nursing program, passed the NCLEX with flying colors, you have found your motivation. The next step is to start putting the long hours of studying and training into practice: you need to find a job. Polish your nursing resume, apply to jobs that spike your interest and prepare to ace the subsequent nursing interviews. Soon, you’ll find a position and start your gratifying career as a Labor and Delivery Registered Nurse. The long hours, the sleepless nights, the tests, and the stresses of nursing school are behind you. Now, you start fulfilling your calling.
Step 4: Consider getting certified in your area of nursing
You may be done with nursing school, but as a nurse, you are never truly done learning. One great way to ensure you remain at the top of your game is to pursue certification in the area of nursing that is of particular interest to you.
Seeking specialty nursing certification is a voluntary process for RNs. Still, certification is seen as a badge of honor for RNs, validating their extensive knowledge, training, and expertise. There are many other benefits to becoming a Certified Nurse. You can explore them all in our article.
As with most RNs, Labor and Delivery Nurses aren’t required to obtain certificates to practice. But if you want to advance your skills and build an iron-clad reputation as an excellent nurse, then you should consider becoming certified. Some of the most common and valuable certifications for L&D Nurses are:
Inpatient Obstetric Nursing Certification. This credential is offered by the National Certification Corporation (NCC). It recognizes the RNs’ specialty knowledge in providing care to hospitalized pregnant women before, during, and immediately after labor and delivery. You need to have at least two years of hands-on work experience in your field before you can apply for this certification.
Electronic Fetal Monitoring Certification, another certificate that can be obtained through the NCC, can also be a solid addition to your L&D RN resume. It validates your capability to ensure the baby’s health and safety during labor and delivery through the usage of fetal monitoring technology.
Neonatal Resuscitation Certification is another great way to stay abreast of the latest changes in your field of practice. The Neonatal Resuscitation Program offered by the American Association of Pediatrics can help elevate your knowledge and skills in caring for a baby at birth up to the highest standards.
Many certifications will give your career in labor and delivery a boost. And you won’t be the only one who has to gain from it. Getting certified means you’re highly trained and equipped to handle every situation or complication that may arise on the job. And that’s an invaluable resource to patients and employers, as well.
Step 5: Join nursing associations that are relevant to your field
Nurses need other nurses. Having connections, friends, and mentors from the same sphere is a great way to keep learning and improving as a nurse. One way you can connect with people who share your interests is by joining professional associations. Some great options for Labor and Delivery Nurses include The Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), The National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN), and even The American Nurses Association (ANA). Becoming a part of one of these organizations will advance your clinical skills, extend your professional network, and benefit future career prospects.
Labor and Delivery Nurse Salary Potential
According to ZipRecruiter, the average annual salary of Labor and Delivery Nurses is $99,040. The majority of Labor and Delivery Nurse wages generally range between $81,000 to $114,500. The size of your paycheck depends on a variety of factors. Location, employer, experience, academic qualifications, certifications – all can play a role in how much you earn as an L&D nurse. Additionally, as the population continues to grow, the job prospects for this career are expected to be excellent.
Ready to Start Your Journey?
Now that you are familiar with all the steps, you’re ready to embark on the journey of becoming a Labor and Delivery Nurse. And it’s a journey worth taking. Being an L&D RN is a gratifying career, with a lot of potential for growth, high salaries, and good benefits. At times, the road may be stressful, and you bear extensive responsibility in this nursing role. But in the end, you get the greatest joy of all: you help bring life into the world. You help mothers through some of the most significant moments in their life. You help families welcome their babies. What could be more fulfilling than that?
Enroll in our BSN program and get your career in Labor and Delivery Nursing started!
Are you already a Registered Nurse? Advance your L&D career with Nightingale College’s online RN-to-BSN Program.
Job hunting in the nursing field can be quite stressful whether you’re a seasoned nurse or a new graduate. You have completed your education, you’ve polished yournursing resume, and you’ve sent in your application to the positions that have caught your interest. And now you wait.
When you get the call telling you you’ve moved to the next step of the process and are expected to come in for an interview, at first, you are beyond excited. You’re one step closer to your dream job! And then you start getting a little nervous because – let’s face it – nursing interviews can be the make-it-or-break-it part of the whole job search.
However, you needn’t worry. As daunting as they may first appear, nurse interviews are a lot less challenging if you come prepared. With the right amount of research and preparation, there’s nothing hiring managers can throw at you that will stop you in your tracks.
That’s why we’ve developed this comprehensive guide. We’ve gathered the most common nursing interview questions, some nursing behavioral interview questions, as well as specialty-specific questions. We have also included sample answers and many tips and tricks to ensure you pass the interview with flying colors.
Let’s dive in and help you get your dream nursing job!
Most Common Nursing Interview Questions:
When you go for a nursing interview, you need to demonstrate your skills, knowledge, abilities, and expertise. You ought to let your personality and experience shine. Your answers and your attitude must make it clear to the interviewer why you are the best candidate for the job. Make sure you present yourself in a good light, but at the same time, don’t exaggerate, or worse, lie during the interview. Showcase your strengths, explain what you’ve learned from past mistakes, and base your answers on personal experiences. It will set you apart from the competition.
Generally, during nursing interviews, hiring managers will ask general, behavioral, and situational questions. You can expect questions about your motivations, your ability to work in a team, your patient care expertise, and the soft and hard skills you bring to the table. You might receive questions that deal with hypothetical situations in the future and questions about past work experiences.
Before you panic, let’s explore some of the most common nursing interview questions and answer scenarios.
Why did you choose nursing in the first place?
Your future employers care about the driving force behind your decision to pursue an RN career. In addition to your education and training, your passion is what makes you a great nurse. When you love what you do, it will reflect in your work, your relationships with others, and the care you provide to your patients. So, when asked Why do you want to be a nurse? Healthcare managers are looking for a glimpse of the personal touch that sparked your interest in such a practical field.
How to answer: There are as many ways to answer this question as there are candidates for job postings. Each aspiring nurse bases their career choice on different factors: for some, it’s been a lifelong dream; others became a nurse for pragmatic reasons. Try to come up with an answer that will show why this line of work interests you and how your motivation can make you a better nurse.
Sample answer 1:My goal has always been to find a career that challenges me while also allowing me to make a difference for the better in other people’s lives. Caring for others is one way for me to make that difference. And the diversity and unexpectedness of the nursing profession take care of the “challenging” part. So, I find that nursing gives me the chance to achieve my career goals.
Sample answer 2: My interest in nursing goes way back to my childhood. My mother is a nurse, and I’ve never seen anyone more satisfied and more in love with what they do. It was inspiring to see her unwavering commitment to helping others and the joy she got every day from caring for others. So, from when I was young, I felt motivated to pursue a career in nursing. I am excited about both the challenges and the opportunities this field has to offer. And at the end of the day, it all boils down to me being able to make a difference, and that’s what makes nursing so important to me.
Why are you interested in this position?
This question gives you the chance to prove that you know what you want in a job. Employers take having specific goals as an indication of reliability – you’re less likely to dislike the job or leave it if you know precisely what you want from it. For that, you should review the job description carefully before the interview. Each organization and job may have different requirements, and your answers need to be tailored to each position. The examples you provide need to reflect a proper understanding of the job demands.
How to answer: After having done your background research, choose what you value most about this job. Talk about how this aligns with your goals and interests and what you bring to the table.
Sample answer:I have always enjoyedworking with babies. I am most passionate about newborns and have always wanted a job that involves directly caring for the little ones. In my last job, I worked in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. I enjoyed it tremendously. I also found that I find no greater satisfaction or reward than providing care to babies. Now I would be very excited to narrow down the focus of my care. While I do love children of all ages, I think that working with newborns is my calling. That’s why I want to specialize as a NICU RN. And the excellent care you provide in this facility’s neonatal intensive care ward seems like the perfect place for me to grow in my career.
Why do you believe you are suitable for this role?
This question, or variants of it, such as Why should we hire you?What skills do you bring to the job?What makes you the best candidate for this position? is a favorite among interviewers. It gives you the chance to display your strengths, show that you’ve done your research about the role and the organization itself. It’s an opportunity for you to show clearly that you understand what the job entails and that you possess the skills to succeed at it.
How to answer: The response to this question should be rooted in your experiences. Still, you can use our sample answer as a springboard to draft your response.
Sample answer: In my last position, I had the opportunity to lead a small team of ICU nurses, and I enjoyed the chance to act as a team leader. I was often the liaison between the ICU nurses and other healthcare team members in our facility. This helped me develop my listening, communication, and interpersonal skills. So, when I came across the posting for this position, I realized that my training and experience match perfectly the job requirements and expectations you advertised. So, I do believe that I have what it takes to be a Shift Leader in your institution.
Describe a difficult situation and how you handled it?
How did you handle a difficult situation? is a question bound to appear during a nursing interview. Being a Registered Nurse is a notoriously difficult job. You’ll often have to deal with pressure and demanding situations. Crises are a part of the everyday routine. That’s why hiring managers want to see how you deal under pressure and whether you let tough situations get the best of you.
How to answer: When they ask this question, interviewers usually look for more than standard, trite responses such as “I can handle stress.” You’ll make a much better impression if you give examples from your career to date and share the lessons learned as a result.
Sample answer: By now, I know that nursing comes with its share of challenges and challenging situations, and I have learned to use the pressure to my advantage. One difficult situation in which I found myself was caused by a problematic patient. He was aggressive, raising his voice and getting angry. Instead of avoiding him, I tried to connect with him on a human level and find out the root of his behavior. I learned that only a couple of days ago, he had experienced some severe personal problems. This came at a time when his disease was worsening, and that led to his erratic outbursts. So, I tried to be empathetic and validate his feelings: “I understand why you may feel this way.” “Let me know if there is anything I can do to help make you feel better.” Once I connected with him and listened to him, he changed this attitude and became easier to work with. So, I realized once more that it’s usually pain and fear that cause the anger. Being patient, listening, and communicating well can make a significant difference.
Tell me about yourself.
One of the standard questions that might pop up during your nursing interview is Tell me about yourself. This is such an open-ended query, that you might wonder what employers expect to get from it. As easy as it may seem, this question is fundamental to interviewers creating an opinion of you.
Because nurses spend so much time at work, managers need to ensure a positive, efficient, and amicable work environment. One bad apple can spoil the barrel, and one negative coworker can negatively influence the entire staff. So, hiring managers use this question to get a glance at what kind of person you are. They want to see what you consider to be the most critical and pertinent information about yourself.
How to answer: Make sure you don’t simply give an overview of your resume. Also, don’t get too personal – examiners don’t need to know how many kids you have, your religion, or your personal opinions on political matters. Stick to being professional and mentioning things that are relevant to the job.
While there isn’t just one correct way of answering this question, you can potentially go with the past, present, and future strategy. You mention your past experiences, your current accomplishments and qualifications, and your hopes for the future.
Sample answer:I have worked as an Oncology Nurse for five years, providing compassionate care to many patients of all ages battling cancer. Still, I have always been drawn to younger patients. Fighting cancer is heartbreaking for everyone, but it’s tough for kids to understand and deal with the disease. I never want to stop becoming a better nurse, so I recently got my Pediatric Oncology Nurse Certification. Your facility is at the top among pediatric chemotherapeutic treatment centers in the country. And I want to be part of an institution whose mission I share so deeply: providing the highest quality care to sick children. I’m interested in establishing a career here and providing nursing care to the best of my ability.
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
This question can be pivotal in the interviewing process. There’s a fine line between coming off as arrogant and braggy or insecure and weak. You need to learn how to walk this line so that you’re neither singing yourself too much praise nor criticizing yourself unnecessarily.
How to answer: You can do better than going for the overused line “my biggest weakness is I work too much.” It also helps if you back up your strengths and weaknesses with examples from your previous experiences.
Sample answer: I would say my biggest strength is my ability to work well under pressure. My three years as an Emergency Room Registered Nurse have taught me how to manage the stress of the workplace efficiently, how to think clearly, and keep my cool even when it seems that nothing is going according to plan. Maintaining efficacy while under stressful conditions is one of my strongest suits as a nurse.
Regarding weaknesses, I would mention that I sometimes get wrapped up in caring for my patients and spending so much time with them that I put on second-place the job-related administrative tasks. On occasion, I have postponed completing the paperwork as much as I could. But I understand how central to patient care is to have accurate records of the care we provide, so I am doing my best to break this habit. Instead of leaving all the paperwork for the end of the shift, I try to schedule a few minutes throughout the day when I update the paperwork. I had to learn to manage my time and tasks better, but I am a lot more efficient now.
How do you deal with a difficult coworker?
As a Registered Nurse, you’ll have to display an excellent capability to communicate well and productively with all healthcare team members. Miscommunications are bound to happen. Or maybe your coworkers will show a level of interest in the job that doesn’t match yours. Some colleagues may prove slightly tricky to work with. You need to handle difficult situations even if they aren’t the result of your actions. Your ability to do so is exactly what interests hiring managers when asking this question.
How to answer: When answering this nursing interview question, you need to highlight your interpersonal skills, your communication abilities, as well as your conflict resolution skills. Don’t forget to support your answers with examples.
Sample answer:I once worked with a nurse who didn’t have the best work ethic. She was often late for her shifts and seemed distracted at work. It made it quite tricky to work with her because we couldn’t rely on her 100% to be on time or top of her game. So, the first thing I did was talk to the nurse, explain my concerns about the quality of her work, and describe how her behavior affected the rest of the team. I asked her about what was causing her problems. That’s how I found out that she didn’t realize her personal life was affecting her work so much. It turns out when she was late, it was because she had to take her kids to school. She wasn’t offering the best performance at work because she was exhausted from all the responsibilities of being a single mother. When that information was out in the open, we could work together to change her shift schedule a bit to better fit her other responsibilities. That helped the entire team in the long run.
Do you prefer to work independently or on a team?
Nursing is a team sport. You share a working space with other nurses, and you must cooperate for the wellbeing of your patients. Collaboration is key for good patient outcomes, effective safety procedures, and increased job satisfaction. So, you shouldn’t be surprised when a question about the value of teamwork comes up during your interview.
How to answer: Interviewers are looking for collaborative skills for people who know the value of working together with other nurses, physicians, and other members of the healthcare team. Emphasize these skills when answering questions related to teamwork.
Sample answer: I know that working as a nurse means working as part of a team, and I enjoy being part of a team. I find that we can motivate each other to stay focused and to become better nurses. I also know the value of proper teamwork and effective communication with members of the nursing staff. Once, a patient asked me to give him his medication, saying that his nurse forgot to. I knew the right thing to do was to check with my colleague first, which I did. She did not forget to give the medication to the patient; he was trying to fool me into giving him more. Working as a team, trusting the nurse, and communicating with her ensured the patient’s safety.
How do you deal with work stress?
Nursing is a very stressful line of work. Many nurses end up burnt out, hating their jobs, and wanting to quit – and that is not a desirable outcome for patients or the hospitals. Hence, hiring managers want to know that you are equipped to handle stress and have strategies in place to help you deal with the pressures of the workplace.
How to answer: Your answer must make it clear you know how to manage stress and that no challenging situation at work can get the better of you.
Sample answer: I know that stressful situations are bound to arise in nursing. In the Emergency Department, you never really know what the next moment will bring. That can be pretty taxing. But I think that accepting stress as part of the job allows me to get past it easier. When I find myself in a stressful situation, the first thing I do is take three deep breaths. It may seem like little, but it gives me the exact right amount of time to refocus my energy, gather my thoughts and concentrate all my attention on the task at hand. Stressful situations are less alarming when you tackle them directly.
Interview Questions Specific for Specialization:
In addition to the common and generic nurse interview questions, you will get questions that relate directly to your specialization and the job you’re applying for. An excellent strategy for answering these questions is to use the STAR format. What exactly is it, and how can it help you get through an interview question successfully? Let’s find out.
STAR is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action Steps, and Results. Using this method, you can outline a comprehensive and structured answer to any behavioral question.
Situation: The first step is to think of a situation that relates to the question at hand.
Task: Here, you can mention your tasks and responsibilities in handling the above-mentioned situation.
Action: In this step, you get to highlight the actions you took, the skills you employed, the qualities you used to perform the task successfully.
Result: Detail the results and consequences of your actions. What lessons did you learn from it? How did you contribute to the success of the situation?
Using this method to answer nursing interview questions is a sure way to convey your experience and expertise in real-life nursing situations. You can employ this strategy regardless of the position you apply for or your nursing level.
Interview Question for Nurse Manager Candidates
When applying for a high management position, such as a Nurse Manager, you will undoubtedly receive questions about your leadership potential. One possible example is this: Tell us about a time that you were in a leadership position. Were you pleased with the results?
This question allows you to share an experience in which your leadership skills shone through. It will enable the interviewer to learn more about your leadership style and your interpersonal skills.
Interview Question for Nurse Practitioners
Nurse Practitioners generally act with much greater levels of autonomy than other RNs. Providing independent care within the scope of their practice is a huge responsibility, so future employers want to know that the quality of the care they offer is up to the highest standards. Thus, a potential nurse practitioner interview question would be: Tell me about a time you went above and beyond to help a patient and provide excellent patient care.
The way you answer this question will make evident what “exceptional care” means in your opinion. Going above and beyond for a patient will pinpoint your commitment and dedication. This question is a great way to highlight your skills and your passion for nursing.
Interview Question for ICU Nurses
Being a patient advocate is a central part of an RN’s job description. However, this skill is particularly important in the Intensive Care Unit environment. In the ICU, patients can communicate very little or not at all. They may be intubated and unable to communicate their wishes or needs. So, it’s up to the ICU nurse to act as a patient advocate in critical care situations. Hence, a behavioral question such as How have you been a patient advocate in previous positions? can be expected during the interview.
Make sure you give examples from your previous experiences but don’t include any details that would make it possible to identify the patient.
Interview Question for ER Nurses
Working in the ER is a complex position. The job is dynamic and often unexpected. But in addition to patients who are suffering and in pain, ER nurses must be experts at dealing with and educating the patients’ family members. A common nursing question for ER nurses would be: Have you ever had to deal with distressed, uncooperative family members? How did you handle this situation?
It’s tough for families to stand by and keep their cool while their loved ones are suffering. So, an additional layer of responsibility for the nurse is to communicate with the family, to offer them honest, clear, and straightforward updates. This interview question is a chance to show that you can take care of the family just as much as the patient.
Interview Question for Mental Health Nurses
Nurses who work in mental health areas must deal with a lot of distressed or problematic patients. Hiring managers want to see if you have the attitude and caregiving skills to succeed at this demanding job. What is the best approach to dealing with difficult patients? this is a question that can help them find that out.
When answering, describe a case from your career in which you handled a particularly difficult patient. Talk about the process of dealing with them, about the skills you used, such as compassion, fairness, active listening, and so on.
Interview Question for NICU Nurses
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is a coveted spot for nurses who love working with newborns. At the same time, the NICU can be a very emotional and delicate work environment. An essential part of a NICU Nurse’s job is dealing with distressed, overwhelmed parents who are extremely worried about their child’s condition. A situational question you may be asked during the interview is How do you deal with a parent who’s in emotional agony over their child’s conditions and keeps breaking hospital regulations to be close to their baby?
Answering this question lets the interviewer know you have respect for hospital regulations, empathy for the parents, and still, your focus is unwaveringly on the wellbeing of the baby.
Interview Question for Oncology Nurses
In Oncology departments, nurses must handle a lot of confidential information. That’s why it’s imperative for hiring managers to employ nurses who treat ethical guidelines with respect and responsibility. They may ask: How do you maintain your patient’s privacy and get them to trust you with such confidential information?
Your answer needs to reflect your knowledge of the hospital’s policy on sharing information and examples of your trustworthiness and high moral standards as a nurse.
Interview Question for LPN Nurses
One common interview question forLPNs is Where do you see yourself in five years? Through this question, the interviewer wants to see your professional objectives and what actions you are going to take to meet those goals.
An ambitious employee who wants to continue advancing their nursing career and education is a significant asset for healthcare organizations.
Interview Question for New Graduate Nurses
Especially for nurses right from the school benches, the first job interviews can be more stressful. But, if you come in prepared, the interview process will seem less daunting. Because you may not have as much hands-on clinical experience as some seasoned nurses, one question you can expect is related to your education. How have your clinical rotations prepared you for a career in nursing? is one sample question.
Talking about your clinical rotations gives you a chance to talk about the skills you’ve gained and procedures you have learned that you can now bring into the job.
Questions to Ask the Employer
One of the most important parts of the interview process is when the employer asks: Do you have any questions for me? And it would be best if you had a few questions prepared. It’s a chance to learn more about the facility, unit, the job itself, or the workplace culture. Saying you don’t have any questions might make you appear uninterested or unmotivated. Here are some questions that you, as a candidate, can ask in a nursing interview:
How long does orientation for new employees last, and what does it imply?
What would a typical day on the job look like?
What is the nurse-to-patient ratio in your facility?
How do you measure performance in this institution?
Do you offer opportunities for continuing education?
What career growth opportunities do Registered Nurses have in this organization?
What are the next steps in the interview process?
You should ask at least one question during the interview. It will help you get a better sense of what is expected of you. Also, it shows that you’re willing to go that extra mile to find information about the job and the company.
Tips and Tricks to Ace the Nursing Interview
The importance of preparing for a nursing interview cannot be overstated. You want to put your best foot forward and impress the hiring managers. Here are some tips on how to ensure your success during the interview:
Get familiar with the role you’re applying for, the job description, and the organization itself. Your answers will indicate if you’ve done your research beforehand and know precisely what you’re signing up for. You don’t want to show up to the interview unsure about the position you’re pursuing.
A mock interview may help. You can ask your friends or family for help with this. Having a simulated discussion before your actual one can help prepare and relieve some of the stress. Also, practicing your answers aloud is a great way to find out if your answers feel natural.
Don’t try to memorize your answers. Preparing in advance for some questions and jotting down some talking points is a fantastic idea. But don’t overdo it. You don’t want your answers to sound unnatural and over-rehearsed.
Show up on time. Or better yet, get to the interview place a few minutes early. Give yourself plenty of time to find the building, the floor, or the interviewing room. You don’t want to keep the interviewer waiting – it’s unprofessional.
Dress appropriately. Wearing professional attire is a sign that you take the job seriously. Jeans, scrubs, clothing that’s inappropriate or too casual, as well as perfumes that are too overpowering, are not encouraged.
If you have a phone interview, make sure you choose a place that has a great connection and isn’t too loud. Try to avoid any distractions that could divert your attention during the interview.
Don’t let stress get the better of you. Make sure you sleep well, eat, and hydrate before your nursing interview. If you feel anxiety creeping in, take a few deep breaths.
Send a thank-you note after the interview.
Are You Ready for the Job of Your Dreams?
The secret to acing nursing interviews is preparation. Combine your enthusiasm with a little bit of research and effort, and you are bound to impress the interviewer. Make sure you answer truthfully and transparently. Base your answers on examples and lessons learned along the way. Be open. And most importantly, let your love for nursing and your passion for helping others shine through.
You’ve already passed so many hurdles in your nursing career. You finished nursing school, passed the NCLEX, dealt with tough patients, and lived through some challenging work situations. This interview is just one more little thing you must conquer on your way to your dream job! You got this! Good luck!
Throughout history and even now, nursing has been viewed as a female profession. With roots anchored deep in the Catholic Church, history shows it was nuns from religious nursing orders who rushed to care for injured soldiers during the Civil War.
Today, in a post-pandemic COVID-19 society, many gender roles have been tossed up and thrown out. Once-steady paychecks have vanished as people scramble to stay afloat. Men are no longer necessarily seen as the “breadwinners” of the home, just as women are no longer seen as the sole “caretakers” of the family.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of male RNs has increased to 12%, up slightly from an average of 11% from 2011 to 2015. As national health pandemics continue to create a dire need for nurses around the globe, perhaps this demand will eventually outweigh the bias against male nurses. Here we explore why it is crucial to actively bring more men into the profession of nursing and how we, as a society, can get there.
Changing the Perception of Nursing
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when people started to abandon their public office spaces, isolate in their homes, and not leave the home except for an emergency, nurses remained on the front lines each day. The physical and emotional suffering of caring for dying patients coupled with an expectation to leave it all behind once the shift is over means the toll can be excruciating for the profession.
Everyday stress that nurses encounter can cause three major psychological episodes: burnout, depression, and lateral violence. One study on Canadian nurses found one out of every 10 have displayed depressive symptoms. This is startling in comparison to just 5.1% of their non-healthcare-employed counterparts — or one out of 20.
We need to do a better job promoting the amazing skills needed for nursing from both men and women. For example, grit and resiliency are prerequisites for becoming a nurse—but the job is also about compassion and care. Having a strong bedside manner, a good work ethic, and the ability to push through every situation are the characteristics of any successful nurse, regardless of gender.
Barriers Facing Male Nurses
We need to demonstrate that nursing is a good job for a man. When we’re little, often around the fifth grade, we start to think about what we would like to be when we grow up. We know working roles are often pigeonholed by gender. At this age, publicly declaring nursing as your aspiration could be seen as weak and lead to ridicule. A 2017 study found TV often presents negative stereotypes about the profession, portraying male nurses as effeminate or comical, leaving male children without a career role model, fictional or not.
This position may also have to do with nursing often being downplayed as less important when compared to becoming a doctor, an often male-dominated field. Men are seen as the primary professional caretakers of the sick, while their female counterparts are often viewed as being their aides. For gender-dominated roles like these, it can be hard for someone of the opposite sex to find the support to begin.
Another problem is simply the title of “nurse.” One male nurse shared the thoughts of many who find the term “nurse” brings images of women nursing children or female nurses working in the hospital, rarely does someone picture a male when picturing a nurse. But he says there are strong reasons for men joining the nursing profession: high demand, great pay, meaningful work, the ability to specialize, and the opportunity to be a great example to young boys in their communities.
The Future of Men in the Nursing Workforce
One model to consider for challenging stereotypes in nursing can be found in the military. Nurses working in military operations embody as much as 35% of a branch’s workforce. This fact crushes the earlier media-centric idea that nursing isn’t “manly” — with quick thinking, physical strength, and stamina needed in real-world, life-or-death situations.
This example also shows men are more apt to trust other men to help care for them, understanding their needs in a way that only someone of the same gender can. Patients are also seeing better outcomes when receiving care from someone from the same demographic. Nurses are needed from all backgrounds.
Maybe it’s about semantics — young men may be willing to become a medic even though they may think they don’t want to grow up to be a nurse, and even though the clinical activities may be very similar. This is also an opportune time for men to become nurses because more women are leaving the profession. By choosing to pursue nursing as a career, males can begin to break through some of these outdated ideas.
When we do more to highlight these male nurses, civilian or military, we can do our part to shatter these stereotypes. We can encourage young boys to look at wanting to become a nurse or medic. We can present a more welcoming environment for existing nurses so they know they’re supported and they can grow in this career. Each and every nurse makes an impact on the world, male or female, and each of them deserves to be valued.
Is nursing school a challenge if you’re the first in your family to attend college? For sure. Is it still possible to succeed? Definitely!
At Nightingale College, 49% of our learner population are first generation college learners!
Being the first in your family to attend college is a huge achievement on its own, but it can bring unique challenges. When you have a problem, you may not be able to turn to your family for help like other learners. You may also deal with pressure from your parents and your community, who expect you to succeed academically and/or financially where they did not.
It’s not easy, but you can do it! Here are a few tips for first-generation learners:
• Find support and resources. If you don’t know where to turn, talk with your LALR counselor. • Get to know your faculty members. Building relationships is essential for success. • Speak up. Participate fully in your classes, and if you have a question, ask. You probably aren’t the only one in your situation. • Embrace uncertainty. Many aspects of the college experience may be unfamiliar, but you’re not alone. Expect to feel confused or lost at times, and don’t give up! • Find your friends. Support is essential for studying, information, and inspiration! Stay in touch with people from classes, clinicals, and College social media groups so you can help each other succeed
Although people between the ages of 18-22 typically grace the covers of college marketing materials, that’s not the only reality. Being an older student may present unique challenges, but maturity also has its advantages.
At Nightingale College, 61% of our learner population are between the ages of 25-39, and 21% are age 40 and above!
When you return to school after some time away for work or family responsibilities, you may worry about how to learn material you haven’t dealt with in years. You may have demands on your time that younger students don’t deal with. But your years away from school bring wisdom, clarity, and experience younger people may lack.
Here are a few tips for older learners:
Remember your why. Nursing school is tough, and you may have moments where you question your decision to enroll. Reminders of your reasons can help you get through those difficult moments. Keep photos or an inspiration board nearby to remind you of what matters most.
Seek support. Your boss or your family may not be too happy when studying takes priority. Talk to them about your goals and ask them to cheer you on.
Schedule carefully. You may have demands on your time that your peers do not, and that requires careful planning. Even if you’re used to giving to others, don’t neglect non-academic activities that you need to recharge.
Challenge assumptions. We all carry our past with us. Your academic history, your past struggles, and your age do not necessarily predict future success or failure. Try something new. Reinvent yourself! You can rewrite your story, starting today.
Use your experience. You have learned important lessons from work, military, and/or family that can influence your learning and vice versa. You can see the knowledge you gain in your courses play out in real life, and you can bring examples of real situations to the classroom. Integrating your experiences can enrich your education and your work and family life.
Nursing is a highly enriching career. What can be more gratifying than pursuing this noble calling and making it your mission to help people and save lives? But being a nurse is rewarding from a practical point of view, as well.
While nurse salaries vary by state, employer, years of experience, and many other factors, on average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean salary of the Registered Nurse is $80,010. In some places, they can even earn more. For instance, in California, the median wage for RNs is $120,560, and in Hawaii, it sits somewhere around $104,840. Some states, however, swing in the opposite direction compensation-wise, with nurses in Alabama cashing in paychecks of around $60,230.
Maybe remuneration is not the highest on your priority list when choosing a profession. But sometimes, you need that extra money. You have to manage your finances so that you cover everything: student loans, family commitments, personal ambitions. Perhaps you have some unexpected expenses like a vacation coming up, or you just want to increase your savings.
The good news is there are plenty of ways for Registered Nurses to make more money. In this guide, we have gathered some of the best income-boosting opportunities and side hustles that will help nurses earn a little extra cash:
Earn an Advanced Degree
If you’re playing the long game, one of the best ways to increase your nursing income is to advance your education. Higher degrees come with higher paychecks. You can notice this at all levels. The average salary of a Licensed Practical Nurse is $50,090, almost $30,000 less than a Registered Nurse’s mean salary. In addition to having more employment opportunities, Bachelor’s trained nurses are more likely to enjoy higher paychecks than their ADN counterparts.
Should you opt for a Master’s Degree, the top paid nursing specialties will be within your reach. High-paying, advanced practice nursing roles, such as Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Midwife, Nurse Educator, or Nurse Anesthetist, have a minimum MSN as an educational requirement. But for these roles, salaries range from $84,060 to $189,190. So, advancing your nursing education is a sure way to climb up the compensation ladder and start earning the most money as a nurse.
Enroll Now
Get Certified
Seeking specialty certification in a specific area of nursing is another great way to boost your resume, strengthen your skills, and enhance your paycheck. Aside from the extra money, getting certified comes with many other benefits. It will make you a more confident and empowered nurse, earn you the respect and admiration of your colleagues and supervisors, and open doors to more employment opportunities.
Some certifications offer more chances to earn the top wages in your field. Research carefully your interest area, the need for that particular skill at your organization, as well as the credentialing bodies offering certifications.
Registered Nurses who work in management or leadership positions tend to earn more. The mean annual wage for Nurse Managers stands at $118,800. The employment for NMs is also projected to grow 32% by the end of the decade. This expected employment change is much higher than all other occupations (4%), and even to Registered Nurses (7%).
So, by pursuing a job in nursing management or leadership, you would both significantly step up your earning potential and have fantastic job prospects.
One opportunity to earn more money faster as a nurse is considering per diem shifts as a side hustle. Per diem, the Latin expression for “per day,” is a great option to earn premium wages in hospitals and clinics in your area. It’s a very lucrative alternative, especially if your current nursing job doesn’t allow overtime work.
Generally, per diem Registered Nurses will have higher hourly wages compared to full-time employees. That is because per diem nursing jobs don’t come with any benefits, so employers compensate by bumping up the paycheck. If you only need a side gig to earn some extra money, you can likely make do without the benefits. You can find per diem shifts by consulting agencies, hospitals, or other healthcare systems.
Another great thing about per diem nursing as a side gig is that it doesn’t come with any schedule requirements. You have complete flexibility to choose when and where to work. As a result, the size of your paycheck will be directly proportional to how much you work.
Network
If you’re looking to increase your earning potential, do not underestimate the power of networking.
Networking is a powerful tool in any career, and nursing is no exception. Meeting new people and establishing contacts is a great way to keep your finger on the pulse of the profession. You can hear about job opportunities sooner; you can secure recommendations or have many professional doors open for you. There are many places where RNs can network: nursing conferences, on the job, or even on social media.
Start a Blog or Do Freelance Healthcare Writing
Working as a freelance health writer is a fairly popular way to make extra money as a nurse if you know your way around pen and paper.
There is no shortage of health-related websites and blogs which need content on a daily basis. As a nurse, you have actual clinical experience and intimate knowledge of the field – skills highly coveted by employers of freelance nurses. As far as what you can write about, the possibilities are endless: health concerns, new nursing products, your experiences as an RN, the industry as a whole.
If you have the skills to set up your own blog and are ready to commit to it, you can even earn some extra money through blogging. It may take a little time to take off, but if you manage to get it off the ground, your blog can definitely be an additional source of income.
Also, being a blogger or a freelance health writer is a very flexible side gig. As long as you have an internet connection, you can work from anywhere and anytime. It’s time to put those writing skills to work. They can help settle the bills, secure that vacation, or pay for a new car.
Become a CPR Instructor
Another possible money-making enterprise for Registered Nurses is becoming a CPR instructor. Once you get certified by a recognized organization, you can act as a First Aid instructor in various settings. The main goal of this part-time job is to teach people to give first aid assistance before the trained medical professionals get on the scene.
Many companies offer CPR classes to their employees to improve work safety conditions. You can even teach first aid to school teachers or family members of at-risk children. Some events also require CPR instructors. Being on the lookout for CPR instruction gigs can help put a little extra money in your wallet.
Become an Immunization Nurse
Often a seasonal side hustle, working as an Immunization Nurse is an excellent way to earn a little bit of cash doing something you were trained to do. There are immunization clinics that may require extra help at certain times, like before the start of the flu season. There are also many companies, churches, or other organizations that sign up to offer immunization shots when there is a need. And managing these shots is how nurses can make more extra money on the side.
Due to the COVID outbreak and the need for immunizations, there are even more job opportunities for nurses looking for higher pay. With the rise of drive-through clinics, curbside clinics, mobile outreach clinics, and home visits, RNs are needed to administer the shots and help keep the population safe.
You’ll have to check with staffing agencies or local health departments to find this kind of opportunity. As an Immunization Nurse, you can make an extra $25 to $40 hourly.
Become a Health Coach
As a Registered Nurse, you have the skills and expertise to venture into health coaching as a way of bumping up your earning potential.
A Health Coach works directly with clients and helps them improve their health and live a healthier lifestyle. Some of your duties include offering nutrition guidance, ensuring your patients develop healthy eating habits, and assisting them with developing exercise routines.
You can charge clients an hourly fee or offer a subscription plan.
Become a Medical Transcriptionist
Nurses looking to expand their revenue potential can also take into account the Medical Transcription route. Medical Transcriptionists listen to physicians’ voice recordings and convert them into written reports. To make their jobs easier, they use speech recognition software. After that, they review and edit the medical documents, patients’ histories, discharge summaries, and so on.
You can do this job part-time. Depending on the employer, you can also work from home or anywhere else, as long as you have a reliable internet connection. On average, you can earn around $18 an hour as a medical transcriptionist. It’s an excellent opportunity to make some quick money.
Become a Home Health Nurse
Home Health Nurses care for patients in their homes. This job comes in different formats: full-time, part-time, and even per diem. If you aim to boost your earnings, you can pick up some shifts as a Home Health Nurse in your free time.
Find a home health agency that employs nurses to get started with this side job and put some extra cash in your pocket. You’ll find this gig extremely rewarding: it allows you a good amount of nursing autonomy as you don’t have a supervisor scrutinizing your every move. Also, you can develop long-lasting relationships with your patients and their families.
Look into Telehealth Nursing Opportunities
Are you looking to earn some extra money from the comfort and convenience of your household? The good news is many nursing jobs will allow you to work from home. One such side gig can be telehealth nursing.
Increasingly gaining popularity, telehealth nursing is a fantastic opportunity for RNs searching for paycheck-boosting scenarios. The idea behind it is straightforward: patients who aren’t feeling well use telemedicine services before going to the hospital. RNs assist patients via phone or video conferencing apps. They can direct patients on how to manage their symptoms at home. In more severe cases, RNs will schedule physician appointments or will call emergency teams on the spot.
Being a Telehealth Nurse is a flexible job that doesn’t necessarily require one’s presence on a clinical site. So, as long as you have a reliable internet connection and the required training, you can look into telehealth nursing opportunities as a means to make more money as a nurse.
Do Some Phlebotomy Work
Phlebotomy is the process of drawing blood from a patient. The blood samples are often sent to laboratories for testing, making it an essential tool for diagnosing many medical conditions. Other times, blood is drawn as a treatment for specific conditions. Drawing blood can also be voluntary, like in the case of donating blood.
Clearly, this procedure is vital in the medical field. As a nurse, you can make some extra money performing phlebotomy work.
Many insurance companies will hire nurses to perform basic physical exams and draw blood samples as part of the insurance application process. This type of work can usually be done in the evenings and at the patient’s home. The company will give you the applicants’ names, you perform the procedures, and earn top dollar for your services.
Tutor Nursing Students
Your nursing education itself can be a ticket to making excellent supplemental income. You can earn extra money while banking on your preexisting knowledge and student experience by becoming a tutor. Having been through nursing school already, you know how challenging some courses or exams are.
So, offering your services as a tutor is a great way to put some cash in your pocket while helping nursing students learn and understand the material. If you are located near a nursing school or college, you can ask nursing professors to recommend you. If that’s not possible, there are plenty of nursing students who look for online tutoring services.
Complete Paid Medical Surveys
An ideal side hustle for nurses who want to monetize their time online is completing online surveys. Surveys won’t double your income but are still an easy way to earn some fast money. In addition to paid online surveys, you can also look for online or offline focus groups or telephone studies.
Many companies that design medical devices and other healthcare technologies and pharmaceutical and drug companies will pay generously for the nurses’ opinions and feedback on their products. RN’s input is extremely valuable as it can lead to better patient outcomes. So, for a little extra money in the bank, you can always find healthcare panels or legitimate survey sites that will pay for your nursing expertise.
Sell Your Scrubs
For many nurses, buying new scrubs has become a passion project: you see it, you like it, you buy it. So much so that you end up with too much nursing gear: scrubs, jackets, hats, and shoes. And for the most part, you probably won’t get a chance to wear them.
If you’ve amassed your own little scrub store, then an easy way to make some extra money quickly would be to sell your unused scrubs or those that are in really good condition. You can try different online marketplaces, organize a yard sale, or offer your coworkers scrubs at a discounted price.
Are You Crafty? Take Advantage of That
Finding a hobby is an excellent way for nurses to destress and prevent nursing burnout. In addition to that, if you happen to be a crafty person, you can quickly turn your hobby into a money-making venture, as well.
You can sell your creations online, to your family, friends, or coworkers. It can be artwork, accessories, handmade jewelry, cards, hand-painted mugs, or pretty much anything else. Find your craft and use it to your advantage.
Are You Ready to Increase Your Nursing Income?
As a Registered Nurse, you already set yourself up for a well-paying career. However, a little extra money never hurt anyone. There are a myriad of ways for you to boost your nursing income if you’re willing to get creative and put some time into it.
Still, the best way to ensure steady and reliable paycheck growth is to advance your education, engage in continuous learning and become a better nurse. There are many possible side gigs for motivated RNs. Still, the most lucrative of all is becoming the best professional you can be.
Registered Nurses play a central part in the delivery of care in all healthcare institutions. Out of all the healthcare professionals, they spend the most time caring for a patient. As a result, RNs get to know those in their care, their needs, and wants. They are in a suitable position to advocate for their patient’s needs and to make certain decisions that can improve the outcome of care.
Thus, it is essential for nurses to exercise autonomy. RNs are intelligent, courageous, passionate, and driven. Moreover, they have the critical thinking skills, the work ethic, the experience, and the knowledge to conduct nursing care with a certain level of autonomy. That’s why aspiring nurses value autonomy immensely.
In this article, we will explore all the subtleties of nursing autonomy – from definitions to examples and ways to enhance it. Knowing how and why autonomous practice for nurses can result in better patient outcomes and increased job satisfaction will lead to the overall transformation and betterment of care delivery.
What Is the Meaning of Autonomy in Nursing?
In simple terms, autonomy in nursing refers to the Registered Nurses’ ability to think critically and take actions related to a patient’s care. They do so by themselves, based on their knowledge and training, without requiring approval from physicians or other members of the healthcare team. Essentially, it is the idea that nurses should have control over their nursing practice and should be able to make decisions that fall within their scope of practice, training, and expertise.
A more comprehensive definition of nursing autonomy comes from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. In 1990, the ANCC introduced the Magnet Recognition Program. This much-coveted designation recognizes nursing excellence as well as the RNs’ potential to lead healthcare change. The Magnet recognition program is built upon the 14 Forces of Magnetism – principles which are to lead the way to the reformation of healthcare, nursing, and better outcomes for patient, family, and community.
The ninth Force of Magnetism is autonomy in nursing, which is described as the
“Ability of the nurse to assess and perform nursing actions for patient care based on competence, professional expertise, and knowledge.”
As part of their job, the RN should have the possibility to practice autonomously and exercise independent judgment. Providing patient care is an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary endeavor, and nursing plays an essential role in it.
By including nurse autonomy as a condition of receiving Magnet status, the ANCC makes it abundantly clear how important it is for nurses to have control over their practice.
Research in the field has also pinned down two different types of autonomy in nursing. First, there’s clinical autonomy. This gives RNs the authority to make judgments about patient care. Second, control over nursing practice, the second kind of nurse autonomy, describes the nurses’ influence over their practice setting. This implies the nurses’ involvement in decision-making about organizational structure, rules, policies, and operations. Essentially, if something directly impacts nurses, they should have a say in it.
Achieving nurse autonomy is no simple feat. Resources, training, knowledge, and experience are key. Autonomous practice comes hand in hand with a great deal of responsibility, so nurses need to be up for the task.
What Are Some Examples of Autonomy in Nursing?
As part of their job, nurses collaborate extensively with doctors and other members of the healthcare team who write prescriptions, set care plans, and so on. While the physician is the professional with the highest level of autonomy is the health workplace, this doesn’t mean RNs completely lack it.
Even without prescriptive authority or medical diagnostic control, RNs have autonomy that extends within their scope of practice. A nurse’s education allows them to assess vital signs and patient symptoms. Determining if the patient has elevated blood pressure, if he’s hyperventilating or perspiring excessively – RNs are trained to make these assessments and act accordingly.
Sometimes without giving it too much credit, nurses make autonomous decisions. For example, when entering the patient’s room, the RN notices the patient is experiencing some breathing problems. Consequently, the RN listens to the patient’s lungs and decides if the best course of action is to reposition the patient to maximize chest excursion. Perhaps, they need some oxygen. Possibly there’s something wrong with the medication, so the RN checks that. Or suppose, the nurse is worried about the patient’s hydration levels, so they decide to measure fluid input and output.
Further, the nurse educates the patient. They inform them about the consequences of fluid buildup, of the risks of excessive salt intake. They mention what position will make it easier for the patient to breathe, or what exercise is recommended.
Each of these assessments and subsequent decisions are examples of autonomous nursing practice. The RNs education and training allows them to independently make these decisions.
Some more examples of clinical autonomy in nursing include:
Administering PRN medications
Changing the position of the bed
Checking vital signs when concerned about the patient’s state
Delegating tasks to LPNs or CNAs
Making decisions in emergency health situations, i.e. providing CPR
Interpreting certain medical results and providing specific medical diagnostics
Managing particular equipment or healthcare technologies such as smart beds or wearable devices
Nurse autonomy extends to control over their practice. That manifests itself as:
Participating in decision-making processes related to their practice, especially when it comes to policy and operations. For instance, if certain procedures change, the nursing staff should provide input.
Increased control over their daily duties and work conditions. For example, introducing a full-time working hours selection system; flexibility in choosing length and frequency of night shifts, flexible selection of vacation days.
Providing improvement ideas for some organizational aspects of the practice. For example, if the supply room isn’t stocked accordingly, the nurse can bring it up to the supervisors.
All these examples show the significant role of nurse autonomy in healthcare delivery. A nurse’s critical thinking, assessments, and interventions matter and can be the difference between life and death.
What Are the Benefits of Nurse Autonomy?
Let’s explore further how exactly autonomy in nursing benefits everyone, from nurses to their patients. Why is autonomy so important?
First and foremost, nurse autonomy has a positive impact on quality of care and patient outcomes. A 2017 study found that hospitals in which RNs experienced higher levels of nurse autonomy have reduced 30-day mortality rates and fewer failure-to-rescue rates. Capitalizing on nursing expertise and giving experienced nurses autonomy was also associated with better results in neonatal critical care units.
Just as importantly, nursing autonomy has long been recognized as a major source of nursing satisfaction. There’s no shortage of studies linking greater professional autonomy to increased job satisfaction. When Registered Nurses have the authority to use their professional knowledge and judgment to make decisions and take action, they will feel more confident, respected, and appreciated at their workplace. The feeling of professional satisfaction will have subsequent benefits for the nurses’ practice. As a result of it, the interdisciplinary collaboration and relationships with other members of the healthcare team are improved. Enhanced job satisfaction leads to improved quality of nursing performance. Also, nurses who are satisfied with their job are at a much lower risk of burnout.
Increased job satisfaction means lower turnover rates, more competent care, and improved patient results. Hence, entrusting nurses and giving them respect and decision-making ability will have a ripple effect throughout the entire organization.
Lack of Autonomy: What Are The Dangers?
What happens when as a nurse you don’t have autonomy in your workplace?
Reduced autonomy or lack thereof has a negative impact on Registered Nurses, patients, the healthcare team and the entire health institution. Autonomous decision-making is the hallmark of any profession. Nursing is no exception. Low levels of nurse autonomy within an organization will have the following repercussions:
Higher levels of moral distress among nurses
Lower levels of nurse-physician collaboration
Lack of motivation of the RN side
Predisposition to physical illnesses
Depersonalization
Personal and professional depreciation
Burnout
Poorer outcomes and lower quality of care.
How to Enhance Nurse Autonomy?
The level of autonomy a nurse has is directly proportional to their education and skill level. More experienced nurses are more likely to enjoy more autonomy in their practice. Likewise, enhanced competencies will lead to enhanced autonomy. So, here are some of the most effective ways to get more autonomy as a nurse:
Advance your nursing education
Generally, the more educated a nurse is, the higher their level of expertise, and consequently, the more autonomy they will enjoy in their practice. This was corroborated by a 2018 study that found nursing education to be a predictor of professional autonomy in nurses.
Nursing education prepares future RNs by strengthening their concept of nursing autonomy and professionalism. If nurses take action to advance their education and knowledge, they will naturally increase their ability to make independent decisions about their clinical practice. Advanced Practice Registered Nurses with a Master’s degree or above are known to have the most control over their practice.
Pursue certification
Knowledge and confidence are pivotal factors to autonomous practice. Seeking specialty certification is a great way for Registered Nurses to advance their knowledge and to enhance their nursing abilities, skills, and qualifications. Certification testifies to a culture of excellence, helping nurses become more empowered and boosting their confidence. Certified nurses demonstrate higher levels of professionalism and improved interdepartmental collaboration. They tend to be highly respected in their field. So, naturally, nurses who earn certifications benefit from boosted autonomy in practice.
Establish strong relationships with your patients
One study found that when nurses establish a relationship with their patients, they will be able to better understand the patient’s situation, needs and wants. Consequently, they’re in a better position to advocate for their patients and to provide holistic care. Acting autonomously closely follows suit.
Participate in a professional nursing organization
Another step you can take to achieve more autonomy in the workplace is to take part in professional nursing organizations. Being a member of a local, regional, or national nursing organization comes with a fair share of benefits. They may offer mentorship programs, discounts on attending nursing conferences, nursing journal subscriptions, and more. Having access to these tools is an excellent way to develop your professional skills and competencies. As a result, you’ll become a better nurse with a great deal of autonomy.
Attend nursing conferences
Nursing conferences and healthcare forums can be part of a nurse’s continuing education. These events will expand your knowledge while also strengthening your professional identity.
Plus, engaging in lifelong learning and pursuing continuing education is a variable linked to higher degrees of autonomy.
Advocating for more autonomy in nursing is also up to healthcare employers and Nurse Managers. NMs can help the nurses’ pursuit of autonomous decision-making by building their confidence and providing them with professional growth opportunities. Also, their position of authority permits them to examine institution policies that contribute to nurse autonomy. They can also reinforce effective communication and collaboration with all members of the healthcare team.
What Are the Nursing Jobs With The Highest Level of Autonomy?
Some nursing roles grant more autonomy than others. Here are some of the jobs which allow you the more control over your practice:
Nurse Practitioners. This is definitely one of the roles with the highest degree of autonomy in nursing. NPs are an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, so, they need at least a Master’s Degree in Nursing in order to start their practice. Nurse Practitioners have prescriptive authority in all 50 states and can opt for fully independent practice in most states. They can choose to specialize in a specific area of nursing, such as Mental Health, Gerontology, or Family practitioner.
Nurse Midwives. With Master’s level training in midwifery, Nurse Midwives are another Advanced Practice role that enjoys a great deal of autonomy. They are highly trained medical professionals who guide women through pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond. Their scope of practice might vary depending on location, but in most states Certified Nurse Midwives have authority to practice independently or through a collaborative practice agreement with a physician.
Nurse Anesthetists. CRNAs are advanced practice nurses and subsequently, they practice with a high degree of autonomy. Their extensive education and certification process qualifies them to make independent judgements related to all aspects of anesthesia care.
Home Health Nurses. In home health, the Registered Nurse taking care of the patient is often the only medical professional in physical proximity. Hence, autonomy in this context is a direct result of the environment. Home Health Nurses can perform their duties freely, without having a supervisor scrutinizing their every move or decision. Home health is a less stressful nursing alternative.
Telehealth Nurses also enjoy more autonomy in their nursing practice. Their duties revolve around providing assistance and care to patients over virtual healthcare platforms. In this line of work, it’s imperative for Telehealth nurses to use their judgement when assessing a situation and making decisions accordingly. They can help the patient over phone or video; they can schedule an appointment with a physician or call an ambulance if the situation requires it. Autonomy is needed for the RN to decide on the spot what the best course of action is.
Final thoughts
Professional autonomy is key to successful nursing practice. Whether you refer to it as self-determination, self-governance, self-direction, or independence, it is clear that giving the nurses the ability to make decisions within their scope of practice is highly beneficial. It improves patient experiences and outcomes. Nurses enjoy more job satisfaction and that reflects on their work performance and well-being.
Autonomy and accountability go hand in hand. Nurses who wish to be more autonomous in their work must take responsibility for all the decisions they make and actions that follow. Thus, to responsibly assume control over their nursing practice, Registered Nurses should continually improve their skills and knowledge.
Advancing your education is an excellent way to do just that. With a higher degree comes more autonomy in your nursing practice.
Enroll in our RN-to-BSN program and pave the way for a more autonomous nursing career.
At the heart of any successful nursing career is the nurse’s commitment to continuous learning and improvement. Continuing education is one way RNs ensure their expertise grows throughout their career. Another way is becoming a Certified Nurse.
But what exactly does becoming a Certified Nurse imply? Nursing students already have to navigate so many different levels and degrees of nursing, CE requirements, and now RN certification gets thrown in the mix.
This article will answer all the questions you may have about what a Certified Nurse is, how to become one, and why you should consider earning this credential.
What Is a Certified Nurse?
As you already know, in order to start your practice as a Registered Nurse, you must first get licensed through your state. That requires your enrollment in either an ADN program or a BSN program. Upon completion of the program, you will be eligible to sit for the NCLEX RN exam, and once you pass it, you become a licensed RN. So, licensure is mandatory for practice.
Getting certified, on the other hand, is a voluntary process. As the American Board of Nursing Specialties defines it, certification is the formal recognition of the specialized knowledge, skills, and experience demonstrated by the achievement of standards identified by a nursing specialty to promote optimal health outcomes.
To put it simply, certification is a testimony of a nurse’s expertise, commitment, and excellence in patient care in a particular specialty. A certified nurse is a professional who chooses to take an extra step in their education to prove their competence and dedication to their chosen nursing field.
Nurse certification is a wonderful tool for nurses who wish to become better caregivers while also boosting their careers.
How Do You Become a Certified Nurse?
With definitions out of the way, let’s tackle the next big thing: how to become a certified nurse. The road to nursing certification has several stops along the way.
Obtain your nursing license
First of all, you have to become a licensed nurse before you can become a certified nurse. The most common pathway is getting RN licensure and working your way up from there. However, some certifications are available to Licensed Practical Nurses as well. If you wish to pursue one of those, you must obtain PN licensure and take the NCLEX-PN exam.
Find a certifying organization that offers an accredited certification program in the area of nursing that interests you
Multiple organizations have the right to grant certifications. Some, like the American Nurses Credentialing Center, offer certifications for a wide variety of nursing specialties. Others have a more narrowed-down focus. For example, the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC) offers certification for nurses interested in oncology practice. Nurses who want to expand their expertise in caring for patients with diabetes can opt for certification provided by the American Association of Diabetes Educators. LPNs and RNs who want to pursue professional nursing certification in the specialty of intellectual and developmental disabilities nursing can find credentialing programs offered by the DDNA, the Developmental Disabilities Nurses Association. So, after you obtain your nursing license, you can start looking for a certifying body that caters to your needs.
Check certification eligibility criteria
Once you found a credentialing organization that offers the certification you’re looking for, you need to check eligibility criteria. Every certification has a specific set of eligibility requirements. Usually, that includes the need for the applicant to hold a particular academic degree and to have worked a certain number of hours in the field.
Make sure you meet the requirements
Usually, before you can apply for certification, you have to work for one or two years in the specialty in which you want to be certified. Sometimes you may need to take extra classes that focus mainly on the nursing area in which you’re interested. After you have the requirements down, you can move to the next step.
Get ready for the certification exam
You will have to pass an exam to get your certification. Make sure you prepare for it to the best of your ability. Use the study materials, take the practice tests. This last hop, and you can finally reap the benefits of your hard work. Congratulations, you are a Certified Nurse!
Don’t forget about certification renewal
Once you pass the certification exam and finally become a Certified Nurse, you may think that you’re done. Get certified once and forget about it. Things are a little bit different.
Nursing certifications are only valid for a couple of years, anywhere from two to five. After that, you will need to renew it. Recertification is just as important as the initial process of certification. It shows that you are genuinely committed to lifelong learning and constant improvement of your knowledge and skills. Getting recertified may vary slightly from one specialty to another. Generally, you’ll have to undergo a certain number of continuing education hours and engage in some professional activities in your area of nursing. This way, you’ll always stay on top of your game in your field.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Certified RN?
The length of time it will take you to become a certified nurse will largely depend on other academic decisions you make along the way. If you are an ADN-prepared RN, it may take around four years. If, however, you go for a BSN degree instead, it will take about six years before you earn your certification.
The reason for this has to do with program duration. An ADN generally takes two years to complete; however, a traditional BSN program can take four years. Bear in mind that healthcare employers increasingly prefer BSN-trained nurses. After you get your license, you will need to get up to two years of bedside nursing experience in your desired specialty before you can apply for certification.
What Are the Benefits of Getting Certified?
You may find yourself wondering why seeking certification is worth it. After all, you have to invest time, money, and energy in this, so what’s in it for you? There are multiple reasons why getting certified is a good career move. And it is not only the nurse who benefits from it.
Benefits of Nursing Certification for Registered Nurses
Whether you want better employment opportunities or you strive to give your patients the highest level of care possible, here are some of the best reasons to have your eyes on a nurse certificate:
Certified Nurses are recognized and respected by their peers, patients, and supervisors. The nursing certificate validates the RNs’ mastery of skills, knowledge, and abilities. It proves their competence and the fact that they have distinguished themselves in their specialty of choice. And everyone in the workplace appreciates nurses who go above and beyond to advance their expertise.
Certified Nurses feel more empowered and confident in their practice. The higher the nurse’s education level, the better prepared they are to address even the most complex nursing situations. Certification helps nurses extend their knowledge and expertise while also helping them stay up to date with the latest developments in their specialty. This helps them build confidence in their professional skills and increases their credibility. As a result, they feel more empowered.
Certified Nurses have access to more job opportunities. Surveys have shown that close to 90% of Nurse Managers would prefer hiring certified nurses over their non-certified counterparts.
They also have higher chances of climbing up the professional ladder within their organization. In addition to it being an ace on the nurse’s resume during the hiring process, certification also proves pivotal when it comes to opportunities for upward career advancement within the medical institution where they work. Certified nurses are more likely to get promotions that involve a higher degree of authority and responsibility.
Certified nurses earn higher salaries. Perhaps you’ve wondered at some point: “Do nurses with certifications earn more?” And the answer will gladden you. A 2020 report from Nurse.com shows that education and certification positively correlate with higher salaries. Hence certified nurses do earn more than their non-certified counterparts.
Nursing certification demonstrates the nurses’ commitment to career development and dedication to patient care. Specifically, because it is a voluntary process, seeking specialty certification is often viewed as a reinforcement of the RN’s devotion to the field.
How Do Employers Benefit from RNs Pursuing Certification?
Nurses getting certified also has positive implications for employers. Here’s why healthcare institutions benefit from RN certification:
It helps the organization stand out from the competition. The healthcare market is highly competitive. Hiring the most qualified and skilled Registered Nurses helps hospitals thrive and eclipse the competition while also demonstrating to patients their commitment to providing high-quality care.
It plays a part in healthcare institution’s ability to obtain accreditation and funding. The Joint Commission, an accreditation body for healthcare institutions, is just one of the many organizations that consider the percentage of certified nurses employed by an institution. Having a higher number of RNs with specialty certification can pave the way to accreditation or receive grant funding. That, in return, can help attract more patients.
It can boost employee retention rates. As long as the institution invests in its nurses, RNs will feel engaged and stimulated to work for said institution. Offering RNs the possibility of participating in certification programs, offering cost reimbursement, and creating an environment that applauds ongoing education is a great way for the institution to lower turnover rates and improve the quality of care. An investment in Register Nurses is an investment in the future of the facility and the wellbeing of the community.
Improved patient outcomes mean good business. One of the main benefits of nurse certification is that it significantly improves the quality of care and patient outcomes. This can be extremely valuable not just for the patients but also for the hospital. Certified Nurses tend to make fewer medical errors, have lower failure-to-rescue rates, and lower percentages of hospital-acquired infections. This helps the institution cut costs and readmission numbers considerably.
Studies also show that nursing certification can lead to improved personnel satisfaction. That translates into fewer RNs experiencing burnout, increased performance, and lower turnover rates.
How Do Patients Benefit from Certified Nurses?
Nurses with a higher education level are able to provide better care. The positive effects of specialty certification on patient outcomes have been extensively documented. These are some of the ways in which patients benefit from nursing certification.
Certified nurses tend to be responsible for fewer medical errors. One study on the link between nurses’ specialty certification and their clinical expertise found that certification is related to patient safety.
– improved symptom management of pain in oncology patients
– earlier interventions for the initiation of rescue in a failing patient
– lower incidence of failure-to-rescue cases
– decreased mortality rates
– decreased length of stay in hospital.
Being cared for by certified nurses can mean lower healthcare costs for the patient. As the number of medical errors shrinks, so will the cost of healthcare costs to patients. For example, one report found that because of policy change, hospital-acquired conditions declined by nearly 1 million instances from 2014 to 2017 in Massachusetts alone, saving about $7.7 billion. In a country where medical errors add more than $4 billion to annual healthcare costs, highly prepared certified nurses can really make a difference.
Americans prefer being cared for by Certified Nurses. First of all, being in the care of a Certified RN brings peace of mind to the patients. They find it reassuring to know that their nurse has extended training and knowledge beyond nursing school courses. Secondly, according to a Harris Poll, almost 80% of Americans knew that certification for nurses is a possibility. So, they see nurses who do pursue this option as more trustworthy and better prepared. Also, three in four Americans said that they would choose a hospital that employs a higher percentage of Certified Nurses if they had a choice. Once again, this points to the strong preference consumers have for Certified Nurses.
Now, beyond any shred of a doubt, you know how important and valuable certification is. Those extra letters behind your name are not there to crowd your nursing resume. They validate your specialty knowledge and expertise. They are there to prove you’re able to provide higher quality care, improve the outcomes of your patients, and elevate the standing of the institution where you work.
One of the great things about a career in nursing is how versatile and meaningful this line of work really is. You can work with newborns or help treat the elderly. You can practice in a busy hospital ward or work from home. You can care for tens of patients daily or direct all your professional attention towards one or a few individual cases at a time. And the key to unlocking this vast realm of employment opportunities is getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. After that, your interests, passions, personal requirements (expected financial gains, schedule length, days of vacation, etc.) will help you narrow down the long list of BSN jobs and find the one nursing career that fits you like a glove.
In this article, we’ve compiled some of the most common BSN jobs, complete with their respective job descriptions and average annual salaries. What better way to convince you of the benefits of pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing than to present you with all the facts? Then you’ll see for yourself what you can actually do with a BSN degree.
Before we dive in, you may wonder if pursuing a BSN is genuinely worth it, especially if you already work as a Registered Nurse based on your ADN qualification. Of course, a larger pool of employment opportunities is nice, but what other benefits are there to getting your Bachelor’s in Nursing? So, before you discover what BSN jobs are available, let’s take a look at why advancing your nursing degree is an excellent idea in the first place.
Why Get a BSN Degree?
Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing is increasingly becoming the gold standard for Registered Nurses. We’ve emphasized that there’s a direct correlation between a BSN and more job prospects, but, frankly, there are multiple more advantages to pursuing this educational path.
First off, as a BSN nurse, you are much more likely to have better patient outcomes. Studies show that improved clinical results, fewer medical errors, and lower mortality rates are linked to more advanced nursing education. That is one reason why employers in the healthcare industry show a preference for BSN-trained nurses. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) yearly surveys RN employment opportunities, and the findings are telling: over 41% of hospitals and other healthcare settings already require their new hires to have a BSN degree under their belt. In comparison, over 82% of employers say they strongly prefer BSN graduates.
Enroll in our online RN-to-BSN program and become the best Registered Nurse you can be – an addition any medical institution would be lucky to have.
Moreover, a BSN degree is generally linked to higher paychecks and more job benefits. It also gives you an advantage when negotiating your salary and grants you a competitive edge, putting you ahead of other candidates with similar years of experience.
Having gone through some of the reasons why getting a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing is a good idea, it is time to see what BSN careers you can pursue.
What jobs can you get with a BSN degree?
Registered Nurses with BSN qualifications have a wide range of career opportunities at their disposal. The job descriptions vary, and so do the schedules, wages, and benefits of the job. Are you wondering what jobs are available with a BSN degree? Wonder no more. Here are some of the most common yet still highly in-demand BSN jobs:
ICU Nurse
As an ICU Nurse, you are responsible for treating and assisting patients who have found themselves in a hospital’s intensive care unit through some unfortunate event. The patients you deal with daily are in extremely critical condition, facing genuinely life-threatening symptoms. You’ll be in charge of monitoring them, assessing their medical situation, and helping them through some of their worst suffering. Therefore, as an ICU RN, you must be knowledgeable and empathetic. You must possess the technical skillset as much as the interpersonal abilities. Every day, you can be the difference between life and death. And what greater reward than knowing you save lives and alleviate suffering for a living?
For their vital role in the hospital ecosystem, ICU nurses are compensated reasonably well. Their average salary is around $86,268, higher than the mean salary for Registered Nurses, which, per BLS data, stands at $77,460.
If you don’t shy away from a challenge and want a BSN job that will surprise and keep you on your toes every day, then becoming an Emergency Room Nurse is the way for you to go. As an ER RN, your job gravitates around attending to patients in need of urgent medical care. On any given day, you may have to deal with victims of a car crash, gunshot wounds, people experiencing severe allergic reactions, kids accidentally swallowing toys, and much more.
Because they never know what to expect, ER Nurses must be highly trained, they should think fast and have the ability to make decisions in a split second. Their duties include triaging, taking vital signs, recording the patient’s state, administering medication, and assisting doctors with medical procedures. For their efforts, ER nurses earn about $78,868 a year.
Registered Nurses who work alongside doctors in the operating room are crucial in the healthcare environment by providing assistance and care to patients before, during, and after surgery. They work in a high-stakes environment which requires considerable technical abilities, knowledge, and interpersonal skills. An OR RN must realize the importance of teamwork – especially during surgery. The communication between surgeon and nurse is central to the patient’s wellbeing.
This BSN career is no walk in the park (but then again, what is?) It’s a job that, at times, can be physically and emotionally taxing. During surgery, the RN may have to stand in uncomfortable positions for long periods. Preparing the patient for the operation can require heavy lifting, and there are hours of being on your feet. But at the end of the day, or rather – year, OR nurses take home an average salary of $89,325, almost $13,000 more than the mean wage for RNs.
Oncology Nurse
Oncology nurses are BSN RNs who help treat, care for, and educate patients who suffer from cancer. This role relies heavily on a nurse’s ability to assess a patient’s situation, given that Oncology Nurses are there to guide and evaluate the person’s state before, during, and after chemotherapy. They observe and manage the potential side effects of treatment efficiently and must understand test results and their meaning.
Equally important, an Oncology Nurse has to educate the patients and their families about the disease and its implications. It can be a particularly emotionally demanding job as cancer is an unforgiving disease. But being by a patient’s side when they find out they’re finally cancer-free is a reward that makes the job’s stresses fade in comparison. Speaking of rewards, as far as BSN careers go, Oncology Nursing is a relatively well-compensated job. RNs working in this position earn around $87,340 yearly.
Pediatric Nurses
RNs who have a particular affinity for caring for children, all the way from their infancy to their late teens, are perfect for the role of Pediatric Nurse. As for most BSN nursing jobs, the Pediatric RN’s duties include but are not limited to performing physical exams, taking vital signs, ordering and conducting tests, and, with more advanced training, even interpreting test results.
Treating children comes with its own set of challenges. Pediatric RNs must be able to “speak their language” in order to chase away their fears, convince them to take a medical test, or answer essential questions about their state. Educating the parents on how to best care for their child’s health is also a big part of the job. For their efforts, Pediatric Nurses take home paychecks around $59,000.
Are you considering a career switch to Nurse Pediatrics? Enroll in our RN-to-BSN program and be ready to work in the field in as few as 12 months.
Neonatal Nurse
If you like children but would enjoy a more specialized BSN nursing role, consider becoming a Neonatal Nurse after completing your Bachelor’s education. Neonatal nurses work with newborn babies, especially infants born prematurely or with serious health problems, like cardiac problems, infections, physical defects, or others. They also serve as the bridge between the parents and the medical specialists working in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Neonatal Nurses care for babies during the first days or weeks of their life. That’s why they need to be extremely detail-oriented, attentive, and intuitive: when it comes to babies, even the slightest change in behavior can be a sign of some underlying issue. However, seeing the parents happy to take their healthy baby home from the hospital brings a tremendous sense of professional accomplishment. In addition to that, the financial benefits coming with the job are not to be overlooked: Neonatal Nurses earn on average $101,727 a year.
Have you ever wondered if you can combine your love for treating people and saving lives with your passion for travel? With a BSN degree under your belt, you sure can. Travel nursing is one of the more adventurous BSN nursing careers as it doesn’t tie you down to one place. Travel RNs generally engage in short-term roles at hospitals and other healthcare facilities. They are instrumental in bridging the gap, even temporarily, in places where the nursing shortages are most prominent.
The job comes with a plethora of perks: great pay – which can be in the ballpark of $99,200 yearly, expanding one’s social network, and the possibility to explore new places. As far as duties go, they typically resemble those of a Registered Nurse. What sets Travel Nurses apart is their mobility and unrelenting desire for new professional and personal experiences.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 37 million, or one in seven American adults, are estimated to have CKD – Chronic Kidney Disease. Over half a million of these people receive dialysis three times a week to replace kidney function.
The statistics may be grim, but they point out how instrumental to the healthcare system Dialysis Nurses are, particularly given the growing numbers of people suffering from CKD. A Dialysis Nurse’s duties revolve around treating and supporting patients who need dialysis and others with kidney-related conditions. This BSN career brings in an annual salary of around $73,769.
Geriatric Nurse
With the AACN reporting that by 2030 almost 20% of the American population will be 65 or older, a Geriatric Nurse’s role is – and will continue to be – one of the most in-demand BSN nursing jobs. What a Geriatric Nurse does is essentially care for and help treat the elderly population. They focus mainly on developing and implementing treatments for various chronic illnesses, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, and other age-related medical conditions.
This BSN job allows you to find employment in hospitals, nursing homes, hospice organizations, different types of assisted living facilities, or even offer in-home treatments. Geriatric Nurses are also compensated handsomely. Their wages average around $98,860 yearly.
Enroll in our BSN program and become one of the most sought-after nursing professionals in all medical institutions across the country.
Public Health Nurse
Public Health Nurses devote their knowledge and skill to caring for entire populations of people. They work with whole communities instead of taking care of individual patients, which makes their job description fairly different from most Registered Nurses’. A Public Health Nurse’s main areas of expertise are monitoring health trends and identifying risk factors, improving health and safety on a community level, and, just as significantly, ensuring access to care.
This BSN nursing career also comes with the great responsibility of providing members of a population with timely, reliable information on how to best protect their health. For their essential services and the invaluable health education they offer, Public Health Nurses earn somewhere around $61,739.
Informatics Nurse
At the intersection of nursing, computer science, and information technology stands one of the fastest-growing BSN professions in the healthcare industry – Nursing Informatics Specialists. Nurses who specialize in this particular field are helping integrate vast amounts of digital knowledge and skills into traditional nursing practice, which makes their role indispensable in an increasingly digitized society. The importance of their contribution to the field of nursing also reflects on their wages. NI Specialists typically earn around $102,230 a year.
Nurses who specialize in the orthopedics field devote their care and expertise to patients who suffer from musculoskeletal conditions and disorders. Caring for people with arthritis, bone fractures, joint replacements, carpal tunnel syndrome, and many more diseases, deformities, and problems related to bones and muscles falls under the primary duties of an Orthopedic Nurse.
Extensive knowledge of things like casting, mobility devices, and pain management is necessary. This BSN job opportunity may require you to assist patients before and after surgeries. In some cases, you may have to work alongside orthopedic surgeons in the operating room. Because of their specialized area of expertise, Orthopedic Nurses also make more money than Registered Nurses, around $96,259 yearly.
Occupational Health Nurse
One of the less stressful BSN careers is Occupational Health Nursing. RNs who go into this field focus on providing help and educating workers, worker populations, and communities on health and safety programs and protocols. They are also in charge of monitoring workers’ health status as employed by various organizations or industries and, when necessary, providing aid and care to injured or suffering employees.
As an Occupational Health Nurse, you can be hired by manufacturing and production facilities, hospitals, or even other employment sectors, like the government. Their wages vary depending on the employing industry, but generally, Occupational Health RNs make around $73,870 annually.
Nutrition Nurse
The good thing about nursing is that you can easily combine your passion for helping people with other interests you may have. Such is the case for Nutrition Nurses or Nurse Nutritionists who manage to convert their passion for nutrition into a viable BSN nursing career opportunity.
Nutrition Nurses work closely with patients in need of nutrition support, offering them advice, guidance, counseling, and relevant information based on their health needs. It’s reasonably easy for them to be working in a medical facility’s gastroenterology departments or even as nutrition consultants for diverse organizations. Nutrition Nurses earn a median salary of $63,889.
Find out which are the most in-demand types of nurses and pursue a BSN career that ticks all the boxes: meaningful work, good pay, and excellent job prospects.
Telehealth Nurse
Nursing practice doesn’t necessarily need to tie you to working in a medical facility. There are plenty of alternative nursing careers you can pursue with a BSN degree that will allow you to find work outside hospital walls or even from home. One way you can do that is to go after a career in telehealth nursing.
Telehealth Nurses are RNs who help people navigate their health problems with the aid of telecommunication technologies, most commonly over the phone or via video services. Telehealth Nurses often help people with minor health issues. However, they are also responsible for scheduling in-person appointments and referring patients to medical specialists in more severe cases. Their role is essential because they can help reduce the numbers of patients who overcrowd the medical institutions – a task critical in crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Telehealth Nurses earn around $72,200 yearly.
The Perfect BSN Job For You Is One Application Away. Are You Ready to Pursue It?
As you can see, there is an ample array of BSN nursing careers from which RNs can choose a profession. With the help of a Bachelor’s Degree, you can forge your way ahead towards a job that requires more – or less – responsibility. You can find BSN employment opportunities that offer stricter – or more flexible – hours. You can pursue some of the highest-paid BSN nursing careers, or you can opt for a less stressful work environment. Regardless of your professional goal, a BSN degree will go a long way towards achieving it.
When considering a career – any career – one of the main selling points is your earning potential. Following your passion hits a lot differently when it comes hand in hand with a paycheck that allows you to live a comfortable life. Becoming a Registered Nurse is no exception.
Prior to becoming an RN or before plucking up the courage to make the career shift that’s been on your mind, you most likely want to know what you can expect in terms of wages. What’s the highest salary you can aim for? What kind of nurses get paid the most? What would it take in terms of educational requirements to get to that point of financial stability?
We have the answers to all these questions – and many more regarding nursing salaries. Read on to find out the highest-paid nursing jobs, their job outlook, and everything else you need to know about them.
What Are the Highest-Paid Nurses?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for Registered Nurses is $80,010. However, the more you advance your education, the higher your salary will be, up to the point where you can earn six-figure wages. Of course, your income potential is closely linked to various factors, such as the state where you practice, your employer, or years of experience. Still, several nursing jobs come with a particularly high paycheck – double or even triple above the national average. Let’s look at the areas of nursing that pay the most:
Nurse Anesthetist
Salary: It’s probably not a surprise to anyone that Nurse Anesthetists top the highest-paid nurses’ list. The median salary for this very specialized nursing field is $189,190, as reported by the Bureau of Labour Statistics. In some states, Nurse Anesthetists earn well above the $200,000 mark. For instance, in Oregon, the annual average salary for NAs is$236,540, making it one of the highest paying jobs in the medical field. In Wisconsin, this nursing role makes place for wages of up to $231,520 yearly, and Wyoming also beats the national average by miles. Here, Nurse Anesthetists earn $231,250, more than $42,000 above the median NA salary.
The BLS reported salary reflects the real-time job marketplace reasonably accurately. According to data gathered from Zip Recruiter, the yearly salary of a Nurse Anesthetist is $171,340.
Career Outlook: In general, due to a continuously increasing nursing shortage that affects the entire country, the employment of all Registered Nurses is expected to grow by 7% throughout the decade. Simultaneously, the projected growth for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, such as Nurse Anesthetists, is much higher than the average. The employment of APRNs is predicted to increase by 45% from 2019 to 2029. Almost 3,000 job openings will be available for Nurse Anesthetists during the next ten years. Unsurprisingly, most CRNAs will be needed in inner cities and rural areas.
Educational Requirements: The educational road to becoming a Nurse Anesthetist and enjoying the highest-paying nursing position’s financial rewards is not the easiest one. The minimum requirement for practicing as an APRN is obtaining your Master’s Degree in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctoral Degree in Nursing. However, to advance to an MSN, the aspiring student must complete an accredited nursing program and obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing.
Job Description: So, it’s clear that Nurse Anesthetists get paid the most, but what exactly do they do to deserve such high salaries? Their duties involve a tremendous amount of responsibility and revolve around administering anesthesia, monitoring a patient’s vital signs, and providing essential care before, during, and after medical procedures.
Employers: Most Nurse Anesthetists are employed in physician’s offices – almost 47%. Next in order are general medical and surgical hospitals, which hire around 14,000 CRNAs. Although to a lesser extent, they can also find jobs in Outpatient Care Centers, offices of other Health Practitioners and colleges, universities, or professional schools.
Geriatric Nurse Practitioner
Salary: Working as a Geriatric Nurse Practitioner is very lucrative in terms of pay. With annual wages that average $172,645, this Advanced Practice Nursing Role is one of the nursing fields’ highest paid jobs.
Career Outlook: According to a 2017 report from the US Census Bureau, by 2030, the number of Americans who are 65 or older will be around 82 million. To put this in perspective: in 2015, people aged 65 or older accounted for 47,8 million of the population. This significant increase has multiple ramifications. As the numbers of older adults grow, so will the increasing need for geriatric care. With more Baby Boomers requiring specialized medical attention, the nursing field of geriatrics will demand more qualified professionals. Consequently, Geriatric Nurse Practitioners are likely to enjoy excellent job prospects throughout the decade.
Educational requirements: A Geriatric Nurse Practitioner is by definition an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, and the minimum requirement for achieving the APRN status is pursuing an MSN. Advancing your education is well worth it in terms of salaries. For example, as a Geriatric Nurse, the average annual salary you can expect is $98,860, which is already a high salary for a nursing job. However, completing an MSN degree and becoming a Geriatric Nurse Practitioner will come with increased responsibilities and an increased paycheck – $172,645.
Job Description: Geriatric Nurse Practitioners are responsible for providing medical services to the aging population. They conduct physical examinations, assess a patient’s state, and devise care and treatment plans accordingly. Their advanced education often puts them in charge of establishing a diagnosis and writing prescriptions. Generally, they work directly with patients and without the supervision of a medical doctor. However, the scope of practice of a GNP – how much authority they have differs from state to state.
Employers: Most Geriatric Nurse Practitioners find employment in private practices, specialty clinics, and hospitals. There is a particular demand for them in rural areas, where access to physicians is severely limited. GNPs can also work in research or didactic positions.
Cardiac Nurse Practitioner
Salary: As far as high-paying nursing specialties go, Cardiac Nurse Practitioners sure make it to the top of the list. Their yearly wages are around $136,846, which is almost $57,000 more than what Registered Nurses earn on average.
Career Outlook: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists heart disease as the leading cause of death for adult populations from all backgrounds. Taking this under consideration, it’s clear that nurses who specialize in treating heart problems and conditions are likely to fare particularly well on the job market.
Educational requirements: To become a Cardiac NP, the aspiring nurse must pursue extensive training and education. As for all other Nurse Practitioner roles, obtaining a Master’s Degree in Nursing is one of the main prerequisites. Clocking in a few years of clinical experience, especially in the cardiac unit, is compulsory before starting work as a CNP.
Job Description: Cardiac Nurse Practitioners are involved in the field of cardiology, treating patients who suffer from diseases of the heart, blood vessels, and circulatory system. Their duties range from performing assessments, diagnosing patients to providing treatment, and even prescribing medication. Educating their patients on matters of cardiovascular health is also an essential part of the job.
Employers: There are plenty of options for Cardiac Nurse Practitioners in terms of employment industries. This role allows you to work in inpatient and outpatient hospitals or private practices. You can also work in nursing care or assisted living facilities, or in-home healthcare services.
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Salary: The median annual pay for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners is $134,702. This amount is more or less in line with the wages listed in a 2019 survey conducted by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), which lists Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners as the highest-paid Nurse Practitioner, with a median base salary of $125,000.
Career Outlook: Per the BLS, the projected growth in employment for Advanced Practice Nurses is 45% throughout the decade. More specifically, yearly, from 2019 to 2029, there will be on average around 24,200 job openings for Nurse Practitioners in general. Due to the continuous rise in mental health disorders, the need for PMHNPs will only continue to rise. According to the Health Resources & Administration, by 2030, the national supply of Psychiatric NPs is expected to grow by 6690 FTEs.
Educational requirements: Becoming a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner requires extensive training and education. An MSN is the minimum requirement for fulfilling this highly specialized nursing role.
Job Description: The professionals working in the psychiatric mental health field care for patients who suffer from various psychiatric disorders and illnesses. This position – albeit very well paid – is particularly challenging. Treating people with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, panic disorders, personality disorders, severe traumas, schizophrenia, and many more mental illnesses and diseases is a part of a Psychiatric Mental Health NP’s daily life. Their duties include (but are not limited to) diagnosing patients, providing psychotherapy, monitoring their health, administering, and in some states even prescribing medicine.
Employers: As a place of employment, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners can choose from a variety of options: independent practices, psychiatric hospitals, public and private hospitals, correctional facilities, government agencies, and many more.
Nurse Manager
Salary: According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, Medical and Health Services Managers, Nurse Managers included, earn a median salary of $118,800, making this administrative role one of the best paying in the nursing field. In the District of Columbia, salaries are even higher: $157,590. New York, Hawaii, and California follow closely behind, offering Nurse Manager salaries which average at $156,140, $139,650, and $138,030.
Career Outlook: In addition to the high paychecks, Nurse Managers enjoy exceptional job prospects. Employment in this area of work is projected to grow by 32% by 2029.
Educational requirements: A career as a Nurse Manager is made possible by first pursuing and completing a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. An MSN Degree, while highly encouraged, is not a requirement, and many medical facilities will still employ RNs with a BSN under their belt in administrative positions.
Your goal of becoming a Nurse Manager is within reach! Enroll in Nightingale College’s RN-to-BSN program and get ready for the next chapter of your professional life!
Job Description: Nurse Managers have an extensive set of duties and responsibilities. They must supervise, direct and lead the nursing staff in a healthcare institution. Nothing is outside a Nurse Manager’s jurisdiction from creating schedules and managing budgets to resolving conflicts in the workplace.
Employers: Most Nurse Managers earn their living by working in general medical and surgical hospitals. They can also find jobs in outpatient care centers, nursing care facilities, and home health care services.
Nurse Practitioner
Salary: You might have noticed by now that the more specialized the NP role is, the higher the salary. However, even General Nurse Practitioners earn very competitive wages, which round up to $114,510.
Career Outlook: BLS data indicates that over the next decade, the number of job openings for NPs will exceed 24,000. That’s significantly higher compared to other APRN roles. Nurse Anesthetists expect on average 2,900 job openings, whereas Nurse Midwives’ numbers are projected to grow by 500 midwives/yearly.
Educational requirements: Before you can become an NP, you must earn at least a Master’s Degree in Nursing.
Job Description: As a Nurse Practitioner, you will be expected to have the technical skills to examine medical histories, perform evaluations, order and perform tests and interpret the test results. The extensive training also brings in the right to prescribe medication all over the US. In most states, you are allowed to administer some controlled medication, as well.
Employers: From physician’s offices, general medical and surgical hospitals, outpatient care centers, universities, colleges, and even individual practices – nothing is off-limits for Nurse Practitioners.
Orthopedic Nurse Practitioner
Salary: On average, Orthopedic Nurse Practitioners earn $111,681 annually. That is almost $15,500 higher than Orthopedic Registered Nurses, who make a median annual salary of $96,259. The difference reflects the extra time spent by the Orthopedic NP working and learning to become an expert in the field.
Career Outlook: Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, in general, enjoy excellent job prospects, and Nurse Practitioners all the more so. Demand for APRNs is expected to grow by 42% through the decade. While there is no official data regarding the number of ONPs needed in the healthcare industry, we are confident that demand for the job will only go up. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, musculoskeletal diseases or injuries are some of the most common causes of primary care visits.
Educational requirements: Being an APRN role, Orthopedic Nurse Practitioners must first obtain an MSN in order to practice.
Job Description: Whether it’s conducting physical exams, taking patient’s history, analyzing test results, prescribing treatments and medication, the job of an OPN revolves around advancing musculoskeletal healthcare and helping people recover. Setting broken bones, applying casts, and prescribing pain medication are likely to be part of an Orthopedic Nurse Practitioner’s everyday duties.
Employers: An Orthopedic Nurse Practitioner can work in a range of health care settings with an orthopedics department or specialty. Hospitals, operating rooms, rehabilitation or surgical centers, hospices, private practices are all within reach for Orthopedic Nurse Practitioners.
Pain Management Nurse
Salary: Pain Management Nurses earn about $109,000 a year.
Career Outlook: The BLS does not offer specific data on the job outlook for Pain Management Nurses. However, data indicates that the job growth for rehabilitation counselors is expected to grow 10% by 2029. At the same time, there is also a projected 7% for Registered Nurses. Considering these aspects, it’s safe to say that Pain Management Nurses will continue to have considerable career opportunities.
Educational requirements: Pursuing a career in pain management nursing starts with obtaining your Bachelor’s Degree. Once you become a licensed Registered Nurse by passing the RN-NCLEX exam, you are eligible for a job in this area.
Are you interested in becoming a Pain Management Nurse? Enroll in our BSN program and enjoy the benefits of this high-paying career.
Job Description: The field of pain management nursing is relatively recent – the American Nurses Association only recognized it as a nursing specialty in 2005. This does not diminish its importance. Pain Management RNs specialize in caring for patients who suffer from chronic, crippling pain. Their role is central in helping patients alleviate or manage their pain. In order to do so, Pain Management Nurses physically examine patients, their medical histories, and test results. It is part of their duties to administer pain-relieving medications and educate patients on the proper usage of pain medication. However, pain-alleviating drugs can also be very addictive. That’s why, Pain Management Nurses do their best to help patients by introducing alternative pain-diminishing solutions, such as acupuncture, massages, and more.
Employers: Most Pain Management Registered Nurses work in hospitals, clinics, and physician’s offices. They can also be hired in rehabilitation centers and, to a lesser extent, by sports medicine organizations or even fitness centers.
Nurse Midwife
Salary: Advanced Practice Nurses who specialize in women’s reproductive health and childbirth, more commonly known as Nurse Midwives, are among the highest-paid types of nurses. BLS reports that they earn on average $115,540.
Career Outlook: The expected job growth for Nurse-Midwives by 2029 is 12%, significantly higher than the 4% projected employment growth of all occupations. In more specific terms, aspiring Certified Nurse-Midwives will have at their disposal 500 more jobs each year for the next decade.
Educational requirements: A Master’s Degree in the field of nursing is a requirement for pursuing a career in midwifery.
Job Description: Assuming that all Midwives do is deliver babies is a severe understatement of the extensive role a CNM has in the healthcare ecosystem. They perform gynecological exams, offer family planning services and prenatal care. All in all, they are instrumental in providing care to women who are about to become or are thinking about becoming mothers.
Employers: As a Certified Nurse-Midwife, employment is available in a variety of settings. Still, most Midwives are hired by physicians’ offices, hospitals, and outpatient care centers.
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Salary: For fulfilling the role of an expert in the field of nursing, Clinical Nurse Specialists are remunerated rather well. The ballpark figure is $106,400 annually.
Career Outlook: Being an APRN, Clinical Nurse Specialists have attractive job prospects as the BLS projected a 45% growth in employment of Advanced Practices Nurses.
Educational requirements: Clinical Nurse Specialist is an Advanced Practice Nursing role, just like Nurse Anesthetist, Nurse Practitioner, and Nurse Midwife. Those interested in this high-paying nursing specialty should pursue an MSN or Doctoral Degree.
Job Description: As a Clinical Nurse Specialist, you have a significant and multifaceted role – you will be an expert clinician, an educator, a consultant, a researcher, and even a leader. Some responsibilities include consulting and teaching nurses, providing direct care, leading evidence-based practice projects, contributing to research, and nurse, patient, and family education. Clinical Nurse Specialists have to be certified in a specialty of choice, such as gerontology, pediatrics, family, psychiatric, women’s health, etc. Subsequently, they carry out the role of an expert in their chosen field.
Employers: This high-paying nursing job also comes with numerous options for employment industries. They can work in hospitals, outpatient clinics, academic health centers, nursing education facilities, and private practices. Still, most are based in hospitals.
Family Nurse Practitioner
Salary: With a salary of around $105,898 a year, Family Nurse Practitioners are also among the highest-paid nurses.
Career Outlook: According to a survey conducted by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) in 2019, the most sought-after specialization for Nurse Practitioner was Family NP, with over 65% of NPs seeking to specialize in this field.
Educational requirements: Family Nurse Practitioners are Advanced Practice Registered Nurses who have completed a Master’s Program in Nursing.
Job Description: The scope of practice for a Family Nurse Practitioner is rather broad, as they have to care for and treat a full range of patients, from infants to the elderly. Most often, FNPs are the primary care provider for families, especially in underserved communities. Thus, their duties include performing examinations, ordering tests, diagnosing and treating patients, prescribing medications, and educating patients on preserving their health and preventing disease. For the most part, FNPs care for the families for more extended periods, nurturing long-term relationships with their patients, which is particularly rewarding.
Employers: Hospitals, either public or private, ambulatory clinics, hospice centers, community health centers – all of these institutions offer employment opportunities to Family Nurse Practitioners.
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Salary: Advanced Practice Registered Nurses who focus on pediatrics are gainfully employed specialists with higher-than-median earnings of about $105,400 a year.
Career Outlook: Out of the 290,000 nurse practitioners (NPs) licensed in the US, only 3.7% of NPs are specialized in Pediatrics. So, the demand for qualified PNPs far exceeds the supply, making the specialization highly desirable among employers.
Educational requirements: To qualify as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, a nurse must have a Master’s degree.
Job Description: PNPs treat children from birth to the moment they transition to adult care. As a Pediatrics Nurse Practitioner, your duties include diagnosing and treating common childhood illnesses (allergies, infections, skin conditions), performing pediatric healthcare tests, prescribing medications, providing childhood immunizations. Also, you’ll be responsible for providing families advice and education on things like child nutrition, obesity, and weight management.
Employers: A variety of practice settings are available for Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. These include hospitals, private practices, pediatric offices, specialty clinics, or specialty units in medical facilities.
Informatics Nurse
Salary: Their essential contribution to the field of nursing helps Informatics Nurses earn higher-than-average paychecks: $102,230 a year.
Career Outlook: As we enter a new era of information and digitization, Nursing Informatics is one of the fastest-growing nursing fields. Data is at the forefront of health and healthcare reforms, so career opportunities for specialists who can use data to improve healthcare will be booming in the future.
Educational requirements: For a career in informatics, aspiring nurses must hold at least a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing.
Pursue a BSN by enrolling in our RN-to-BSN program and combine your passion for nursing with your passion for information and technology!
Job Description: The goal of an Informatics Nurse is to boost healthcare workers’ efficiency, improve the quality of healthcare, and cut costs. To do that, Nurse Informaticians use data extensively; they analyze trends, pay close attention to potentially dangerous medical errors, and implement user-friendly and patient-centric innovations. They also train nursing staff on how to use various new technologies, which help them be more efficient at their job.
Employers: There is no shortage of employers for Informatics Nurses. In this high-paying nursing position, you can work in hospitals, consulting firms, universities or corporations. Over two-thirds of Informatics Nurses work in hospitals, particularly in medical facilities that have achieved Magnet status. Some NIs can even be hired by the government or the military.
Salary: The salary of a Neonatal Nurse amounts to $100,945 a year.
Career Outlook: According to the National Association of Neonatal Nurses, approximately 40,000 low-birth-weight infants are born annually in the United States. In addition to that, many other babies are born with other severe conditions that require specialized attention in the first day or weeks of their lives. Hence, Neonatal Nurses’ job prospects will continue to remain high, even though medical advances have increased survival rates significantly.
Educational requirements: The most crucial academic requirement an aspiring Neonatal nurse must fulfill is obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing.
Job Description: Neonatal Registered Nurses primarily care for infants born prematurely or with specific conditions or diseases. A typical day on the job would require paying special attention to any changes in a baby’s behavior, preparing medications, recording observations, as well as supporting parents through the difficult times of seeing their newborn in the intensive care unit.
Employers: Generally, Neonatal Nurses work in hospitals and clinics, most often in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
ICU Nurse
Salary: ICU Nurses have an average salary of $95,000. However, this figure is likely to change based on location, employer, and education level.
Career Outlook: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Registered Nurses’ employment is expected to grow steadily by 7% from 2019 to 2029. As a sub-specialty of Registered Nursing, ICU Nursing can be expected to grow at a similar rate, which indicates promising career opportunities for ICU nurses.
Educational requirements: In order to work in the ICU department of medical facilities, you first must become a Registered Nurse. You can achieve that either by pursuing an Associate’s Degree in Nursing or a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. It’s worth mentioning that employers show a strong preference for BSN nurses. Also, more advanced education will typically lead to higher salaries.
Job Description: Working in the Intensive Care Unit, intensity is in the job description. ICU nurses assist and treat patients who are in extremely critical conditions. They continuously monitor the patient’s state, assess their medical state (which could drastically change or worsen from one moment to the other). Also, they carefully document their observations, medication intake, symptoms so that medical professionals have easy access to the whole picture of a critical patient’s state.
Employers: Since their job is directly linked to the emergency department, most ICU nurses work in hospitals. They can also be employed in nursing care facilities or outpatient care centers.
Career Outlook: One reason why this profession is not only appealing but also one of the highest-paid is because of the high demand for nursing educators. Many universities across the country have admitted to having rejected students due to a lack of nursing faculty. By 2025, the shortage of Nurse Educators will increase even further due to the retirement of almost one-third of the current nursing faculty. Therefore, the job prospects for Nursing Educators are excellent.
Educational requirements: Be prepared to spend extra time studying and training if you are considering a career in nursing education. The minimum requirement for a Nurse Educator is an MSN degree.
Are you ready to teach the next generation of nurses? Enroll in our MSNEd program and take your skills from the bedside to the classroom.
Job Description: Essentially, what you do as a Nurse Educator is pretty straightforward: educate the future generation of nurses. You can choose whether you want to teach more general nursing classes or specialize in a particular area of nursing. On a more day-to-day basis, you will be responsible for developing curricula, advising, evaluating, and teaching students through lectures or lab and clinical work.
Employers: Of course, the main employment opportunities for Nurse Educators include universities, colleges, community colleges, and technical and vocational schools. Suppose you wouldn’t trade the healthcare environment for a classroom. In that case, you can also find a job in teaching hospitals, laboratories, or clinical settings.
Ready to Take Advantage of the Highest Salary Opportunities in the Nursing Industry?
As you have seen by now, the nursing field can be enriching, both in terms of experience and income potential. If you were ever wondering if it’s worth it to invest your time, money, and energy in advancing your education, the short answer is yes. The competitive wages, the benefits, and the subsequent sense of personal and professional accomplishment will make the return on investment rather high.
What better time than the present to go after that Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree and climb higher on the ladder of professional success? And because in our world everything is interconnected, your professional success is the success of the entire healthcare industry. The whole country wins when you win.
*In lieu of official data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, data regarding average salaries was gathered using ZipRecruiter, in September 2021. Bear in mind that wages will vary significantly based on location, employer, education level, years of experience, and other factors.
Working as an Emergency Nurse is undeniably one of the most challenging journeys you can embark on as a Registered Nurse. You never know what disease, condition or underlying health issue the person that just entered the ER might have. A terrible car crash, a work injury or any other kind of trauma – every day in the Emergency Department brings new challenges that put the ER Nurses’ professionalism, training, and stamina to the test.
That’s why ER Nursing requires rigorous training and an extensive knowledge base – all achievable by advancing your education. Pursuing a BSN is not only the surest way to become a better ER Nurse; it’s also the best way to ensure that your salary prospects improve significantly, as well.
If the stressful working environment does not scare you off, and your mind and heart are set on working in the ER, there is only one more issue you must consider. How much exactly does this career pay? Is it worth it becoming an ER Nurse and even more so, is it worth it pursuing a BSN for a career in the Emergency Room?
This may be the professional journey that will change your life – and save many others. Read on to find out if it might appeal to you.
How to Become an ER Nurse?
There’s not one single way to become an Emergency Room Nurse. In order to start working in the ER, the aspiring nurse must enroll in an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), or in a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN). Upon completion of the degree, the aspiring nurse must pass the NCLEX-RN, which leads to them receiving the Registered Nurse (RN) designation. One of the prerequisites for working in the ER environment is becoming an RN first.
Some hospitals will hire ADN-trained nurses in this position, but admittedly most healthcare institutions give preference to Registered Nurses who have graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree.
That is due to the fact that BSN RNs are typically linked with better patient outcomes. Their extended length of study leads to better trained, more knowledgeable nurses who are an invaluable asset in any Emergency Room.
Enroll Now
According to an annual survey conducted by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), in 2020, over 41% of hospitals and other healthcare settings required that their new hires, ER Nurses included, have a completed Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. The same survey shows that an overwhelming majority, over 82% of employers in the healthcare industry, show a strong preference for BSN graduates.
That’s why pursuing a BSN is one of the best ways to start paving the way for a career in the ER. But what exactly does that mean? Find out in the next section.
Want to become the best-trained ER Nurse you can be? Enroll in the hybrid BSN program offered by Nightingale College.
What Do Emergency Room Nurses Do?
Emergency Room Nurses mainly work in the emergency department in hospitals or clinics attending to patients in need of urgent care. Urgent need for medical attention can encompass everything – food poisoning, severe allergic reactions, shootings, car crashes, etc. – there’s no knowing what underlying problem the person coming through the ER doors has. Being an ER nurse is not everybody’s cup of tea. The job requires long hours of staying on your feet, lots of stress, a varying schedule, and it demands both physical and emotional strength.
An ER Nurse’s job description is, for sure, complex and demanding. Some of the duties include:
An important responsibility with which ER RNs are entrusted is triaging. Essentially, this means that ER Nurses assign the degree of urgency for each patient’s condition. This way, the more critical patients go first.
They take vital signs and record the patients’ symptoms.
ER Nurses can also administer medication.
They assist doctors with medical procedures.
They often serve as the link between the patient, the doctors and the patient’s family.
In order to successfully complete all the aforementioned tasks and many others that may arise during any given shift, ER Nurses must be well trained. But advanced education, while a big plus, is not enough on its own.
Registered Nurses working in the emergency department must think on their feet. They need to remain calm under pressure and act quickly and efficiently in the most tense situations. Communication skills are essential – ER Nurses have to brief doctors and other members of the medical team on a patient’s condition; at the same time, they are often the ones keeping the family informed. Empathy and compassion are two other pillars on which lies success in this profession.
Does this sound like you? A career in ER Nursing might be the best fit for you! Our RN-to-BSN program will give you the knowledge and training needed for a successful career in the Emergency Department.
How Much Do ER RNs Actually Make?
So, you have the skillset down to the dot and you understand completely what working in the ER requires. You have your heart set on this career track. It’s time to take a closer look at your earning potential, as salary can often be a “make or break” factor in choosing a career.
Wondering how much you can expect to earn as a Registered Nurse working in the ER? Look no further. Using ZipRecruiter, one of the most important recruitment platforms on the online job boards’ market, we have gathered timely and accurate information regarding the wages of Emergency Room Nurses.
According to ZipRecruiter data, the average yearly salary for ER Nurses is $78,868. That is only slightly lower than the median salary for Registered Nurses reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Per the BLS, in 2020, RNs earned, on average, $80,010. Hence, Zip Recruiter data is generally consistent with official statistics.
When it comes to the highest salaries, the states in the lead are Massachusetts, Hawaii, Rhode Island, North Dakota, and Alaska. In Massachusetts, the mean salary for ER RNs is $95,375. Hawaii is not too far behind. There, wages round up to $95,100. In Rhode Island, you can easily make a living out of an ER salary – working in the Emergency Department will bring in a paycheck of about $91,746. With a yearly compensation of $90,078, ER RNs working in North Dakota fare quite well. Alaska is fifth on the list of the best-paying states for this occupation – $89,670.
On the flip side, the states where Emergency Room Nurses earn the least money are Iowa, Alabama, North Carolina, New Mexico, and Florida. Iowa offers salaries in the range of $70,134. In Alabama, North Carolina and New Mexico, ER RNs earn on average, $69,147, $69,041, $69,005 respectively. The state with the lowest salary is Florida. Here, Registered Nurses are paid wages around $66,733.
If the state where you live wasn’t listed in either the top or the bottom salary-wise, don’t worry. Below, you will find a list of all 50 states and the average salary for ER Nurses in each of them:
ER Nurse Salary by State*
State
Annual Salary
Hourly Wage
Alabama
$69,147
$33.24
Alaska
$89,670
$43.11
Arizona
$73,395
$35.29
Arkansas
$76,349
$36.71
California
$80,164
$38.54
Colorado
$81,025
$38.95
Connecticut
$77,670
$37.34
Delaware
$80,209
$38.56
Florida
$66,733
$32.08
Georgia
$70,803
$34.04
Hawaii
$95,099
$45.72
Idaho
$75,180
$36.14
Illinois
$75,936
$36.51
Indiana
$72,924
$35.06
Iowa
$70,134
$33.72
Kansas
$85,703
$41.20
Kentucky
$83,662
$40.22
Louisiana
$71,067
$34.17
Maine
$74,582
$35.86
Maryland
$85,750
$41.23
Massachusetts
$95,375
$45.85
Michigan
$75,969
$36.52
Minnesota
$73,279
$35.23
Mississippi
$80,344
$38.63
Missouri
$74,047
$35.60
Montana
$74,158
$35.65
Nebraska
$84,161
$40.46
Nevada
$88,963
$42.77
New Hampshire
$84,104
$40.43
New Jersey
$74,756
$35.94
New Mexico
$69,005
$33.18
New York
$87,069
$41.86
North Carolina
$69,040
$33.19
North Dakota
$90,078
$43.31
Ohio
$72,605
$34.91
Oklahoma
$78,220
$37.61
Oregon
$86,459
$41.57
Pennsylvania
$75,313
$36.21
Rhode Island
$91,746
$44.11
South Carolina
$81,018
$38.95
South Dakota
$87,447
$42.04
Tennessee
$73,134
$35.16
Texas
$72,682
$34.94
Utah
$71,788
$34.51
Vermont
$79,168
$38.06
Virginia
$83,057
$39.93
Washington
$88,887
$42.73
West Virginia
$75,679
$36.38
Wisconsin
$72,646
$34.93
Wyoming
$78,012
$37.51
*Data gathered using ZipRecruiter, October 2021
ER Nurse vs ICU Nurse: Duties and Salary Prospects
ER Nurses and ICU Nurses are both specialties of Registered Nurses, yet the differences between these two career tracks are considerable. ER Nurses work with patients who come directly to the Emergency Department of a healthcare institution. On the other hand, ICU Nurses are responsible for treating patients who require acute care in the Intensive Care Unit – a far more structured and controlled environment.
The ER and ICU are very different beasts. In the Emergency Unit, there’s often chaos, lots of running around, and a lack of organization. You never know what kind of injury or trauma will walk through the ER doors next. In the ICU, tasks are a lot more meticulously planned. There’s organization, planning, and tremendous attention to detail.
Both professions are important and rewarding and which one is a better fit for you is mostly related to your personality type. Certainly, both of them are fairly well compensated. While ER RNs earn, on average, $78,868, ICU Nurses have a mean salary of $91,986.
While the Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t offer job outlook projections for emergency nursing specifically, it does share official data regarding Registered Nurses’ expected employment levels. And since ER nurses are, by definition, Registered Nurses, the same statistics apply. Hence, from 2020 to 2030, employment of RNs is projected to grow by 7%, which is faster than other occupations. Emergency Room nurses with a BSN degree are likely to have great job prospects during this decade.
Enroll in Nightingale College’s RN-to-BSN program and take advantage of the great job prospects. Start your career as an ER Nurse in as few as 12 months!
Become an ER Nurse: Increase Your Earning Potential While Increasing the Quality of Urgent Care
All things considered, now is a great time to advance your education and pursue a career in Emergency Nursing. The demand for RNs is already high and will only continue to grow. Salaries are competitive and moreover, the work you do literally may save someone’s life – what can be more rewarding than that? But at the same time, make sure you take into account all aspects of an ER career. It is a stressful and challenging work environment. You may be subject to burnout and stable schedules can be uncommon. In the end, it’s up to you to decide if the benefits outweigh the hardships.
We can only guarantee one thing: the more you advance your education and the more experience you get in the field, the higher your chances of securing a well-paid position, with better benefits and tailored more accurately to your needs and wants.
Become a BSN trained ER Nurse. The future looks bright – for you and for the healthcare industry.
Do you see yourself working in Emergency Units? Does the unpredictability and dynamism of the job entice you? Follow your dream of becoming an ER Nurse. The online RN-to-BSN program from Nightingale College is just what you need. Enroll today and take charge of your professional future!
ICU Nurses are Registered Nurses responsible for assisting and treating patients who are in extremely critical conditions – patients who suffer from dangerous and potentially life-threatening symptoms or complications. It is a demanding career track, yet as challenging as it is, it is equal parts rewarding. Unquestionably, the job demands long hours, stressful work conditions, and the intensive care unit is bound to take its toll on a nurse’s physical and emotional wellbeing. But for ICU Nurses, saving lives is part of their daily routine.
Given the complex environment of critical care nursing, it is imperative that ICU Nurses be highly trained, and pursuing a BSN Degree is the best way to obtain this training. Of course, when weighing the benefits of advancing your education, one factor that may tip the scales is your earning potential. Generally, you can expect that getting your BSN degree will give your paycheck a significant bump.
And that is exactly the case for ICU nurses. Earning a Bachelor’s degree and subsequently pursuing a job on the Intensive Care floor will reward you both professionally and financially.
Keep on reading to find out more about what it takes to become an ICU RN; what exactly this job implies, and more importantly, how much you can expect to earn by embracing this career.
ICU Nursing: How to Get There & What to Expect
In order to become an Intensive Care Unit Nurse, you must first become a Registered Nurse. There are two ways of accomplishing this: either by getting your Associate’s Degree in Nursing or by pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree. Passing the NCLEX exam is the next step. Furthermore, you are likely to need at least two years of work experience before you can actually start working on the ICU floor.
Nowadays, most employers give strong preference to BSN-educated nurses. Typically, RNs with a Bachelor’s degree are linked with better patient outcomes (which is a big concern, especially when it comes to critical patients). Choosing BSN versus ADN trained nurses falls in line with recommendations coming from the Institute of Medicine, which has been strongly advocating for an 80% BSN educated nursing workforce by 2020.
While the goal of ensuring that 80% of the RNs working across the country have a BSN under their belt hasn’t yet been achieved, it’s clear that getting your Bachelor’s might soon become an actual requirement for RN practice. Especially if you are considering a career in ICU nursing, advancing your education to get a Bachelor’s Degree is an inspired decision.
Enroll in the RN-to-BSN program offered by Nightingale College and advance your nursing skills. Become an ICU Nurse in as few as 12 months!
Enroll Now
By definition, Critical Care Nurses work in the intensive care unit in a healthcare facility. They help treat patients who find themselves in extremely dangerous situations, from accidents to life-threatening diseases. The patients they look after are often intubated, ventilated, or their life might depend on certain medications being administered like clockwork.
Therefore, ICU Nurses must have a specialized technical skill set, must be knowledgeable, empathetic, but also, extremely attentive to detail, fast thinkers, and great communicators. It’s a very extensive skill set that makes a good Critical Care RN. Other duties include
Monitoring patients
Assessing their medical situation (which can worsen at any given moment) and making fast and effective decisions
Attentively and accurately documenting patient care, medication intake, symptoms, etc.
Providing comfort and preventing suffering (to the best of one’s ability).
Thus, an ICU Nurse’s job description is as far-reaching as it is sensitive. For sure, it’s not an easy job, but at least it’s a well-paid one.
How Much Do ICU Nurses Actually Earn?
Let’s take a closer look at how much you can expect to earn as an Intensive Care Nurse. Data regarding annual and hourly wages was gathered using the job platform ZipRecruiter. Since ZipRecruiter is a recruitment platform, the data is not only up to date but also in accordance with market reality.
Per ZipRecruiter data, the average salary of an ICU Nurse is $91,986. That is considerably above the mean salary for Registered Nurses. In 2020, the Bureau of Labour Statistics indicated that RNs earn a mean yearly salary of $80,010. However, due to the more specialized skill set and the slightly more complex duties Critical Care Nurses must fulfill, the higher salary they receive is righteously earned.
Want to know more about Registered Nurse Salaries across the US? Read our complete guide on RN Salary and find all the answers.
The highest paying states for ICU Nurses are New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Wyoming, and Maine. In New York, RNs working in intensive care can expect to earn up to $114,270. New Hampshire offers wages around $110,770, while in Vermont, an ICU Nurse’s earning potential can be as high as $104,700.
On the other side, among the states which pay the least are Michigan, Illinois, Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina. In North Carolina, Critical Care Nurses take home an average salary of $74,700. The wages for this specialty in Missouri round up to $80,220, while ICU Nurses working in Texas earn around $81,050 annually.
If you are interested in checking your earning potential but the state in which you live is neither in the top nor the bottom on the average salary scale, do not worry. We’ve got you covered. Below you will find a list of all 50 states listed in alphabetical order and their respective annual and hourly wages for ICU Registered Nurses.
ICU Nurse Salaries in Every State*
State
Annual Salary
Hourly Salary
Alabama
$89,953
$43.25
Alaska
$94,094
$45.24
Arizona
$95,480
$45.90
Arkansas
$82,096
$39.47
California
$89,752
$43.15
Colorado
$87,388
$42.01
Connecticut
$96,691
$46.49
Delaware
$87,167
$41.91
Florida
$86,810
$41.74
Georgia
$92,106
$44.28
Hawaii
$98,931
$47.56
Idaho
$83,996
$40.38
Illinois
$81,650
$39.25
Indiana
$94,868
$45.61
Iowa
$87,991
$42.30
Kansas
$88,219
$42.41
Kentucky
$89,554
$43.05
Louisiana
$89,652
$43.10
Maine
$101,826
$48.95
Maryland
$93,261
$44.84
Massachusetts
$101,673
$48.88
Michigan
$81,997
$39.42
Minnesota
$92,444
$44.44
Mississippi
$82,654
$39.74
Missouri
$80,224
$38.57
Montana
$96,472
$46.38
Nebraska
$91,746
$44.11
Nevada
$93,353
$44.88
New Hampshire
$110,772
$53.26
New Jersey
$95,695
$46.01
New Mexico
$87,799
$42.21
New York
$114,269
$54.94
North Carolina
$74,702
$35.91
North Dakota
$93,532
$44.97
Ohio
$91,813
$44.14
Oklahoma
$85,269
$40.99
Oregon
$89,462
$43.01
Pennsylvania
$98,812
$47.51
Rhode Island
$94,933
$45.64
South Carolina
$87,663
$42.15
South Dakota
$90,800
$43.65
Tennessee
$92,486
$44.46
Texas
$81,050
$38.97
Utah
$90,421
$43.47
Vermont
$104,709
$50.34
Virginia
$90,543
$43.53
Washington
$98,833
$47.52
West Virginia
$99,291
$47.74
Wisconsin
$92,378
$44.41
Wyoming
$102,025
$49.05
*Data was gathered from ZipRecruiter in October 2021.
Embrace a career as an ICU Nurse! Read more about our RN-to-BSN program.
Critical Care Nurses’ Job Outlook
While there isn’t any official data available with regards to the job outlook for ICU Nurses specifically, it’s safe to assume that it falls at least in the same ballpark as for Registered Nurses. Therefore, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of Registered Nurses is expected to grow steadily by 7% from 2020 to 2030. ICU Nursing, as a specialty of Registered Nursing, can be expected to grow at a similar rate.
To sum it up, it’s crystal clear that Registered Nurses with a BSN degree will be in high demand in the next decade. If you are considering a career switch towards ICU nursing, now is a great time to pursue your dream.
Great career opportunities, a competitive salary, and the unshakeable and invaluable feeling that you are making a difference in someone’s life when they most critically need the care – all that comes along with a career as an Intensive Care Nurse.
Enroll in Nightingale College’s RN-to-BSN degree and start your path towards becoming an ICU Registered Nurse today. The future awaits.
Nurse Managers, also known as Nurse Administrators or Nurse Executives, are BSN or MSN educated Registered Nurses who combine extensive nursing skills with administrative and leadership abilities. It’s a career track perfect for RNs who nurture a deep passion for helping others as well as a thorough understanding of the business aspect of the healthcare industry. Moreover, nursing administration is a terrific opportunity for nurses who want to climb the professional ladder and are ready to put in the work, advance their education, and secure the required BSN degree – an essential step towards a rewarding career.
If this description seems to fit the mold, you’re probably wondering: is it really worth switching careers and becoming a Nurse Manager?
If you are looking for a job that pays well, offers a great outlook, and a fairly stable schedule, then yes, you should definitely consider a career as a Nurse Administrator. But it’s certainly not a career to be taken lightly: you no longer care just for your patients, but you are also responsible for the nursing staff and the functioning of the healthcare institution, at least from a nursing perspective, up to the highest level.
Certainly, your earning potential plays an important role in your decision to advance your education. So, how much can you actually make as a Nurse Manager, what states offer the highest level of pay, and which industries bring the biggest paychecks?
Read on to find out.
What’s the Path to Becoming a Nurse Manager & What Do You Do Once There?
In order to pursue a career as a Nurse Manager, you must obtain at least your Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing prior to entering the nursing management field. While an MSN may set you apart from the competition and might sometimes be preferred by employers, a BSN is still widely accepted for becoming a Medical and Health Services Manager. Keep in mind that it’s possible for educational requirements to vary from one institution to another.
Enroll Now
Getting your BSN can take anywhere from one to four years, depending on your previous academic background. You will most likely have to undergo up to one year of supervised administrative experience in a hospital before you can “take the reins” yourself. In addition to that, it’s common for employers to require that prospective Nurse Managers have a few years of direct nursing experience in a hospital or other healthcare facility.
If you are already a working professional, becoming a Nurse Manager is that much closer. Enroll in Nightingale College’s online RN-to-BSN which can be completed in as few as 12 months and embark on the leadership journey of your dreams!
Advancing your education for a career in administration might not make sense, but in this case, you will need an advanced degree because of the huge responsibility Nurse Managers have on their hands.
Generally, the job requires directing, supervising, and leading the nursing staff in a healthcare setting. Some of the tasks a Nurse Manager has to handle on a daily basis range from creating schedules to managing budgets and dealing with personnel matters to assisting with creating policies within the institution.
All of these are sensitive, fundamental tasks that ensure the efficient functioning of a healthcare facility. Naturally, Nurse Managers should be well compensated for their role. Let’s find out how this particular career track translates in terms of paycheck.
What Is the Average Salary for Nurse Managers Across the US?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Medical and Health Services Managers, Nurse Managers included, earn an average salary of $118,800.
As a Nurse Manager, the top states to be working in, at least from a financial standpoint, are New York, Hawaii, California, and Massachusetts. However, Nurse Managers are bound to earn the highest salaries in the District of Columbia – $157,590. In New York, this job helps you cash in a paycheck of around $156,140. Hawaii offers a median pay of $139,650, and California is not too far behind with an average salary of $138,030 for Nurse Managers. Massachusetts also pays slightly higher than the national average. There, nurses working in administrative positions can expect to earn up to $136,930.
On the other side, the states where Nurse Managers receive the least money are Alabama, Iowa, and Arkansas. In Alabama, the average salary is $93,330; Iowa has mean wages of $93,160, while in Arkansas, Medical and Health Services Managers are remunerated with a pay of $89,700. Nonetheless, even in the states where the income for nurses in administrative roles falls on the lower side, the yearly earnings are still higher than those of Registered Nurses. Per the BLS, in 2020 RNs received an average salary of $80,010.
If you already work as a Registered Nurse and find yourself thinking about a career shift toward the more administrative side of nursing, then, understandably, you are curious about the salary prospects depending on where you live. Admittedly, alongside location, the salary of a Nurse Manager is closely tied to other factors as well. The type of institution where you find employment, years of experience, and education level are just some determinants of a higher salary.
Notwithstanding those factors, we can help you figure out your earning potential based on at least some of these factors. First off, let’s take a look at your earning potential based on where you live.
Below, you will find a list of the 50 states and their respective annual and hourly salaries for Medical and Health Services Managers.
Medical and Health Services Managers are essentially needed in every type of healthcare setting, so the job prospects are bright.
Most Nurse Managers work in general medical and surgical hospitals. Over 126,400 specialists are employed by this industry yearly. It is also one of the work environments which offer the highest pay – $127,330.
With almost 49,500 hires, physicians’ offices are second when it comes to employment levels. Here, Medical and Health Managers earn, on average, $112,700.
Other places where Nurse Managers are sure to be offered a job are:
Outpatient care centers. 29,520 Medical and Health Managers work here earning a median salary of $117,200.
Nursing care facilities. Countrywide, over 25,380 professionals are employed by skilled nursing facilities. Their paycheck rounds up to $100,160
Home healthcare services. Almost 20,540 managers are employed by this industry, where they typically earn around $100,800.
With almost 42,200 Health Managers employed, California is also the state with the highest level of employment for this occupation. In Texas, there are around 34,400 healthcare workers hired as managers, and New York, the highest paying state for this particular job, employs 24,360 Medical and Health Managers.
Take your nursing career further by pursuing a job as a Nurse Manager. Enroll in the BSN program offered by Nightingale College – a career in nursing administration is closer than you think!
What Is the Career Outlook for Nurse Managers?
Medical and Health Services Manager is one of the career tracks with the best outlooks on the job market. Employment in this sphere is expected to grow 32% by 2030. That is, of course, much faster than employment for other occupations, which are projected to grow on average by 4% over the decade.
The impressive projected rise is due (at least partly) to the aging baby-boom population. With increasing numbers of older people, as well as people staying active for longer, the demand for healthcare services is only bound to increase. This leads to the heightened need for healthcare workers. Essentially, as the demand for healthcare workers goes up, so does the demand for managers.
While this applies to the entire healthcare field, it is all the more pertinent in nursing. Due to the nursing shortage, the need for RNs is now more acute than ever. Consequently, Nursing Managers will be imperative for organizing and managing patient data as well as the nursing staff.
Nursing administration offers a greater deal of autonomy compared to other nursing jobs. Likewise, it’s one of the alternative careers perfect for BSN-educated nurses who want the same level of professional satisfaction and fulfillment even if they don’t want to work directly with patients anymore.
Find out what other nursing careers beyond bedside care are available for Registered Nurses who want to take a break from direct patient care.
All in all, becoming a Nurse Manager is a sure way to secure a well-paid, recession-proof career. It’s a great way to combine your love for nursing and your leadership skills. What are you waiting for?
Enroll in our RN-to-BSN program and take your first step towards becoming a Nurse Manager. A career in nursing administration awaits!
A Certified Nurse-Midwife is an advanced practice nurse whose main area of expertise revolves around women’s reproductive health and childbirth. It’s a career track that’s perfect for RNs who are equally as passionate about helping women become mothers as they are about newborns. It’s also an excellent opportunity for Registered Nurses who wish to advance their career and, in order to do so, are ready to embark on the BSN journey and not stop there.
There’s no doubt that midwifery is a very complex, albeit rewarding, nursing field. And for nurses who choose to specialize in this area, the rewards are manifold. First of all, they get the professional satisfaction of helping bring the miracle of life to the world. Equally important is the financial aspect: Nurse-Midwives are among some of the highest-paid nurses in the U.S.
But how much do Nurse-Midwives actually earn? In what parts of the US does an aspiring CNM have the highest earning potential? How promising is the job outlook for this particular APRN specialization? All in all, is it worth investing your time, energy, and money in getting a BSN degree, followed by an MSN in pursuit of a career in midwifery?
Keep reading to find out.
Job Outlook for Nurse-Midwives: Why Should You Consider This Career Path?
Nurse-Midwives play a central role in the healthcare industry. Their job goes far beyond just delivering babies. CNMs also provide care to women by performing gynecological exams, offering family planning services, and prenatal care. They also provide basic nutrition counseling, wellness care and they educate their patients on how to lead healthy lives. Nurse-midwives also have prescriptive authority in all 50 states.
With such a far-reaching job description, it’s clear that becoming a Nurse-Midwife is no walk in the park. In order to become a CNM, nurses have to start by obtaining their Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, followed by a Master’s Degree in the field. MSN-educated nurses typically have higher salaries, less stressful work environments, more autonomy, and consequently increased control over their schedules as well as a wider pool of job opportunities.
Get one step closer to your dream of becoming a Nurse-Midwife. Enroll in Nightingale College’s BSN program and advance your nursing skills to the point where a career in midwifery is right within your reach!
Enroll Now
An additional and equally compelling reason to pursue a career in midwifery is the increasing demand for Nurse-Midwives. Official data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 45% increase in job prospects for APRNs (Nurse-Midwives, Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Anesthetists) over the course of this decade. Let’s only take Nurse-Midwives into account. The expected job growth by 2029 is around 12%, which is still significantly higher than other occupations, which expect a projected rise in employment by 4%.
More than 800 job openings are projected for CNMs every year over the decade. So, if you are considering a career in midwifery, now is a great time to pursue an advanced degree that will get you one step closer to your dream career.
The job outlook for Nurse-Midwives is great, it’s a recession-proof career that also allows you to cash in a fairly high yearly salary. In the next section, let’s take a look at how high a Nurse-Midwife’s earning potential actually is.
How Much Do Nurse-Midwives Earn?
Whether you’re planning a career switch to midwifery or becoming a CNM has been your goal all along, the possibility of increasing your income makes this job very attractive.
At Nightingale College, we are firm believers in elevating healthcare through advancing your education. We aim to boost your nursing skills and be the springboard for your dream career, and that extends to midwifery. If you are already a working professional, enroll in our RN-to-BSN program to get your Bachelor’s Degree. If you are just commencing your nursing odyssey, our hybrid BSN program is the best first step.
Given their advanced degree, Nurse-Midwives receive a reasonably high salary. Naturally, their wages are tied to more factors than just the education level. Type of employer, years of experience, the state where they practice – each of these aspects are taken into account when it comes to midwives’ salaries.
According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for Nurse-Midwives in 2020 was $115,540.
Working as a CNM, you have the highest earning potential in California. In the Sunshine State – which is also the state with the highest employment level for this occupation – Nurse-Midwives can expect to make around $159,590 yearly. Second on the list of top paying states for CNMs is Utah, with an annual salary of $133,680, and not too far behind is Mississippi, where Nurse-Midwives can earn up to $127,960 a year.
On the lower-paying side of the spectrum, there is Georgia, with a mean wage of $92,840. In Idaho, Nurse-Midwives take home around $72,150, and finally, according to BLS available data, Florida CNMs have the lowest wages – $67,530.
Before embarking on any career path, having a clear idea regarding your earning possibilities would be a deciding factor. That’s why we put together a list of all the states for which official BSL data was available and in it, you will find how much Nurse-Midwives can expect to earn in each of them:
Take the first step toward a career as a Nurse-Midwife by getting your BSN Degree! Enroll in our online RN-to-BSN program today!
Average Salary of Certified Nurse-Midwives Based on Where They Work
As a Certified Nurse-Midwife, you can find employment in various settings. Still, you have the highest chance of being employed by physicians’ offices, followed by general medical and surgical hospitals and outpatient care centers.
Per the BLS, the industries which pay Nurse-Midwives best are as follows:
Local Government: here CNMs can earn up to $158,210. This particular industry’s employment levels are very low, with only around 80 Nurse-Midwives working in this position.
Outpatient care centers: typically pay slightly above average. Working here, Nurse-Midwives can expect to earn in the vicinity of $142,010 a year.
General medical and surgical hospitals: pay fairly high salaries: $111,420 a year.
Offices of physicians: employ a little over 3,000 Nurse-Midwives and offer salaries to midwives that typically range around $116,440.
Colleges, universities, and professional schools: Although just around 100 CNM are employed in academic settings, usually, these institutions offer relatively high salaries: $107,130.
If you have a passion for teaching, you can also consider nursing education as a career track. Find out more about becoming a Nurse Educator.
How Do Nurse-Midwives’ Salaries Compare to Other Nurses’?
As the population ages and the number of baby boomers with chronic and acute illnesses grows steadily, the demand for nurses is becoming more urgent than ever. The need for nurses on a national level is only accentuated by the high number of nurses who have reached (or are soon to reach) retirement age. So, nurses of all specialties are now in demand more than ever, which translates to quite high salaries for RNs.
Naturally, the more you advance your education level, the more your earning potential increases. Nurses with an MSN under their belt have significantly higher salaries compared to nurses with a BSN. At the same time, BSN-trained nurses automatically have salaries that generally surpass those of ADN-educated nurses.
If you are thinking about whether or not it’s worth advancing your education, one thing that may tip the scales one way or the other is knowing how big your paycheck is going to be depending on the route you take in your professional life. Surely, midwifery is an excellent choice in terms of pay. But how does it compare to other nursing jobs?
Below you will find a side by side comparison of salaries associated with different nursing specialties:
Registered Nurses- $80,010 per year.
Required education level: ADN or BSN – BSN highly preferred.
A passion for nursing and a passion for teaching? Why choose one when you can do both? Nurse Educators get the best of both worlds. Read our guide with Nurse Educator salaries and find out how much they earn in the US.
All in all, advancing your education is a sure way to also advance your paycheck. If you’re interested in a career in midwifery, the very first step is getting your BSN degree. Not only will you climb higher on the professional ladder, but you will also greatly impact the future of healthcare.
If you are interested in a nursing career, there are many ways you can fulfill this calling. You can start by enrolling in an LPN program if you want to test out the waters and decide if nursing is a good fit. You could also go for an Associate’s Degree or straight for a Bachelor’s. Regardless of what path you choose, there’s always room for improvement, for continuing education and career advancement.
As far as nursing careers go, you can become a Licensed Practical Nurse fairly quickly – training lasts around one year. Due to the substantial need for healthcare professionals, you are likely to easily find a job. Being an LPN serves as an excellent springboard for a future career in nursing. With an LPN program under your belt, it’s easier and faster to pursue either an ADN or a BSN program (depending on your goals, needs, and interests) and obtain that much desired RN role.
Naturally, due to the differences in education level, training and duties, Registered Nurses are, professionally, one step above LPNs and have much higher salaries. Yet, Licensed Practical Nurses are just as critical to the healthcare industry, and their wages are still above average compared to other occupations that require the same level of education.
Whether you already work as an LPN or are just considering embarking on this journey, it’s tremendously important to know what you can expect from a job. Find out everything you need to know from what LPNs do to how much they earn and how you can advance your career and earning potential if you start as a Licensed Practical Nurse.
What Is a Licensed Practical Nurse?
Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) – also known as Licensed Vocational Nurses in some states – are nurses who work under the supervision of Registered Nurses or physicians. Their role is, as their job title suggests, mostly practical.
Their primary duties include monitoring a patient’s health by performing tasks such as checking blood pressure. They can administer basic patient care that ranges from changing bandages, inserting catheters, and even starting intravenous drips in some states.
LPNs are also responsible for helping patients with everyday tasks, such as bathing, getting dressed, or eating. Generally, they must ensure patient safety and comfort while helping Registered Nurses provide the highest quality care to their patients. In some medical organizations, LPNs can also supervise Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs). Their duties go beyond those of a CNA as LPNs offer more extensive care.
To become an LPN, one must complete an approved educational program, which generally takes around 12 to 18 months. This kind of program typically offers a certificate or diploma. LPNs must pass the NCLEX-PN in order to be able to practice. Still, the requirements for becoming an LPN are significantly less pressing than those for becoming a Registered Nurse. That also translates to lower pay and less responsibility. However, it is a great stepping stone on the way to becoming an RN.
Nightingale College’s Practical Nurse Diploma Program will prepare you for PN licensure and you’ll be ready to sit for the NCLEX-PN in as little as 12 months. It’s an excellent program specifically tailored to teach you to demonstrate quality, competent, and patient-centered nursing care.
Enroll Now
How Much Do Licensed Practical Nurses Earn?
Similar to other nursing positions, LPN salary ranges depend on various factors, from the state in which they practice to years of experience or institution in which they work. However, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for Licensed Practical Nurses in 2020 was $50,090.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2017, people who only hold a postsecondary non-degree award earned a mean wage of $37,670. On the other hand, LPNs earned in 2020 an average of $50,090. So, being an LPN is a great way to gain experience in nursing and get started on this meaningful career path. It’s also a good way to earn a fairly decent salary proportional to the investment of time, money, and energy you put in.
As a Licensed Practical Nurse, you would earn the highest wages an LPN in the US can earn in Alaska, where LPNs take home around $67,620 yearly. California is second, with an annual salary of $64,090, and Massachusetts is a close third, with a yearly wage of $60,400. But at the same time, it’s worth mentioning that the level of employment in these top-paying states also differs significantly. In Alaska, only 330 LPNs are employed; in Massachusetts, that number surpasses 14,700, while in the Sunshine State, over 71,320 LPNs were employed as of May 2020.
In contrast, among the states where LPNs earn the least amount of money are West Virginia, where LPNs earn $38,940 yearly; South Dakota, with an annual wage of $39,420, and Mississippi, with its $40,340 yearly salary for Licensed Practical Nurses.
So, either you’re considering this as a first step towards a nursing career or are already working as an LPN and want to compare your earning potential in different parts of the US, if you are curious about how much LPNs make in every state, we have the answers. Below, you will find a list of all the 50 states and how much do Licensed Practical Nurses make in each of them.
Licensed Practical Nurse average salaries in every state*
Licensed Practical Nurses can find employment in a variety of settings; however, the most popular place where LPNs can find jobs is nursing care facilities. Currently, over 199,760 LPNs work in skilled nursing facilities, where they earn, on average, $51,200 yearly.
Physicians’ offices employ over 98,300 LPNs and pay them a median annual salary of $45,550. Around 84,460 Licensed Practical Nurses work in home health care services, where they earn slightly higher wages, rounding up to $51,600.
Other places where LPNs can be employed are general medical and surgical hospitals and Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities.
Job Outlook for Licensed Practical Nurses
Projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics see a rise in employment in all healthcare-related occupations, particularly when it comes to the field of nursing.
Licensed Practical Nurses are no exception. Employment of LPNs is expected to grow by 9% by 2029. That translates roughly to over 60,700 more LPNs being needed by the end of the decade. Licensed Practical Nurses who have additional certifications in specific areas of expertise, such as gerontology or intravenous therapy, will enjoy even higher job prospects.
One reason why LPNs can expect such a rise in employment is because of the aging population. As baby boomers age, the need for healthcare services is becoming more pressing and the healthcare industry is not saturated with enough professionals to handle it. Hence, growing numbers of LPNs will be needed, especially in residential care facilities, as well as home environments, to care for older patients.
LPNs vs. Other Nursing Specialities: Salary Comparison
There is no doubt that the nursing field is very diverse and that there is a myriad of career opportunities available to aspiring nurses just as diverse are the compensation and benefits for each job. If you are at the beginning of your nursing career, it might prove useful to see a comparison among different nursing specialties and how much each of them pays.
According to the BLS, Certified Nursing Assistants earn around $15.41 per hour or $32,050 per year. Salary-wise, LPNs earn significantly higher than CNAs; however, they are still some of the lowest earners in the nursing field due to the fairly short time they spend studying and training.
For instance, LPNs earn less than RNs by almost $30,000. As of 2020, The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that between May 2019 and May 2020, RNs brought in a mean salary of $80,010 per year, a significant increase compared to the LPN mean salary of $47,480.
As RNs advance their education even further, their earning potential also increases significantly. For instance, Nurse Educators earn around $84,060 per year; Nurse Midwives bring home about $115,540 per year, Nurse Practitioners have a mean wage of $114,510, while Nurse Anesthetists can earn as much as $189,190 per year. Of course, all these specialties require an advanced level of education, a Master’s or above. The promise of salaries that can be doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled is a good reason (albeit not the only one) for LPNs to pursue more advanced education.
Moving Forward: Why Should You Consider Getting a BSN Degree?
For many aspiring nurses, working as an LPN is a stepping stone towards a more advanced nursing career, and getting their Bachelor’s in Nursing is the next step in their nursing education.
The good news is that your LPN experience can be advantageous on your path to a more advanced nursing role. At Nightingale College, if you are interested in pursuing a BSN degree and you already are an LPN, you can enjoy advanced placement, which will shorten your study time.
While getting certified as a Licensed Practical Nurse is a good way to get started with your nursing career and get a feel for the field, pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing is the way to go if you are interested in a career in nursing.
There are several reasons why pursuing a Bachelor’s degree is a good call. A decade ago, the Institute of Medicine called for 80% of the nursing workforce to hold at least a Bachelor’s degree by 2020. While this has not yet been achieved, there are clear steps taken in that direction. An annual survey conducted by the AACN found that in 2019 over 43% of hospitals and other healthcare settings required that all their new hires have a BSN. The same survey showed that over 82% of employers said they have a strong preference for BSN nurses. So, employers’ preference for nurses who hold a Bachelor’s degree is merely one of many reasons why it’s worth pursuing a BSN.
As mentioned earlier, the significant bump in salary could serve as another incentive to pursue a BSN. In addition to that, with a more advanced degree come other perks. You will have a much wider range of career options. For example, you can opt for leadership, administrative jobs, or positions in the educational field; you’ll have more control over your schedule and you can even choose alternative nursing specialties that allow you to find something meaningful and fulfilling away from the bedside.
All in all, LPNs have extremely favorable job prospects, tremendous opportunities for advancement, and initial salaries that translate well in terms of the invested time and energy.
Are you currently working as an LPN? Do you feel like it’s time for a new professional challenge that will benefit you (and the entire healthcare industry) in the long run? Take your nursing career one step further by pursuing a BSN Degree.
With advanced placement for LPNs, your dream of becoming a Registered Nurse is that much closer. Seize the chance!
Nursing is undeniably a tremendously fulfilling career. You play a direct role in helping people and saving lives – it doesn’t get more meaningful than that. It is also a field that’s brimming with options and possibilities – from informatics to working with children, you can choose the career track that best suits your interests and passions.
A great way to ensure you take advantage of all the benefits of a nursing career is to advance your studies and get a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. That will give you access to a wider pool of career opportunities. Just as importantly, earning your BSN is also the path to earning a higher pay. Of course, salary is largely dependent on your level of education, years of experience, the area where you live, and other factors. But if thoughts like “How much do BSN Nurses make?” and “Will getting a Bachelor’s degree really impact my earnings?” have crossed your mind, it’s worth exploring the financial gains that come hand in hand with that RN BSN title.
Read on to discover how much money you can expect to make as a BSN nurse. We have compiled data to answer any questions you might have – from starting salaries for BSN nurses to the average salaries in every state. But why stop there? Find out what are the highest paying nursing jobs for RNs who hold a Bachelor’s Degree and what other benefits you can enjoy as a BSN nurse.
Enroll Now
What Is the Starting Salary of a BSN Nurse?
When deciding whether or not to pursue a BSN education, the decisive factor may be your earning potential – and we’re not talking about how much you can earn after ten or twenty years of experience (although that’s just as important). From a pragmatic perspective, you undoubtedly want to know what paycheck you can expect to cash in even in the first years of your career as a BSN-trained Registered Nurse.
According to data from ZipRecruiter, one of the most popular online job boards currently on the market, as of October 2021, the starting salary for Entry Level BSN nurses is $47,127. That comes to approximately $22.66 an hour. At the same time, the majority of entry-level RNs earn between $33,500 and $51,000. California is the state in which BSN Nurses can expect the highest entry-level of pay, with employers in the city of Santa Clara making around $57,017 yearly.
To put this in perspective, the average base salary for all entry level positions in the United States is $40,153. Therefore, starting a job as a BSN RN would generally put your paycheck almost $7,000 above the national average. Keep in mind that entry level salaries vary greatly based on several factors, such as location, employer, as well as previous experience. If you already have previous experience working as a Registered Nurse, it’s likely you’ll be compensated better than a Registered Nurse fresh out of school.
Are you already a Registered Nurse? Give your paycheck a boost by enrolling in Nightingale College’s RN-to-BSN program!
What is the average salary for BSN Nurses?
Looking at entry level salaries is important because it offers a baseline for your future earning potential. It’s easier to determine what you can expect to earn in the longer run when you have a general idea of how much you will make when you first enter the BSN role. But you don’t have to resort to assumptions about BSN salaries, in general. In this section you will find all the information you need about the average salary for BSN nurses.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for a Registered Nurse is $80,010. However, it’s no secret that nurses who have pursued a more advanced degree, such as a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, have a higher earning potential. Since the BLS does not provide official data regarding the differences between RN and BSN salaries, we used ZipRecruiter data to compile a list of the median salaries for BSN nurses in every single state. Thus, the average salary for BSN Nurses across the US is $79,623, very close to the national average reported by the BLS.
Below, you will find a list of all 50 states and their respective annual and hourly salaries for BSN RNs so that you get a clearer picture of how much you can potentially earn based on your location.
State
Average BSN Salary
Average Hourly BSN Salary
Alabama
$69,016
$33.18
Alaska
$73,176
$35.18
Arizona
$73,256
$35.22
Arkansas
$63,981
$30.76
California
$83,471
$40.13
Colorado
$68,123
$32.75
Connecticut
$74,978
$36.05
Delaware
$67,994
$32.69
Florida
$66,604
$32.02
Georgia
$70,668
$33.97
Hawaii
$76,879
$36.96
Idaho
$78,592
$37.78
Illinois
$63,634
$30.59
Indiana
$72,786
$34.99
Iowa
$68,102
$32.74
Kansas
$68,489
$32.93
Kentucky
$69,767
$33.54
Louisiana
$69,294
$33.31
Maine
$77,249
$37.14
Maryland
$72,753
$34.98
Massachusetts
$79,179
$38.07
Michigan
$63,925
$30.73
Minnesota
$71,452
$34.35
Mississippi
$64,166
$30.85
Missouri
$62,562
$30.08
Montana
$74,017
$35.59
Nebraska
$71,585
$34.42
Nevada
$72,601
$34.90
New Hampshire
$84,739
$40.74
New Jersey
$73,703
$35.43
New Mexico
$67,721
$32.56
New York
$87,488
$42.06
North Carolina
$58,250
$28.00
North Dakota
$72,671
$34.94
Ohio
$70,923
$34.10
Oklahoma
$66,532
$31.99
Oregon
$69,488
$33.41
Pennsylvania
$75,659
$36.37
Rhode Island
$73,736
$35.45
South Carolina
$68,357
$32.86
South Dakota
$70,549
$33.92
Tennessee
$71,443
$34.35
Texas
$76,258
$36.66
Utah
$69,916
$33.61
Vermont
$80,022
$38.47
Virginia
$70,647
$33.96
Washington
$93,772
$45.08
West Virginia
$76,026
$36.55
Wisconsin
$71,264
$34.26
Wyoming
$78,178
$37.59
Take your career and your paycheck one step further. Enroll in our hybrid BSN program today and improve your education and your chances for a higher salary!
What Are the States Where BSN Nurses Have the Highest Wages?
Naturally, location plays an essential role in the value of monetary rewards you can expect for your services. If you go ahead and pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, you will have the chance of earning the highest wages in Washington, New York, New Hampshire, California, and Vermont. In the Evergreen state, the salary of a BSN RN rounds up to $93,770. New York is also high on the list of highest paying states for BSN-trained nurses. Here, you can expect to take home up to $87,500. New Hampshire offers wages of around $84,750, making it another great state for RNs with a BSN under their belt. However, you must keep in mind that while these states do offer the highest mean salaries, they also come with a high cost of living.
North Carolina, Missouri, and Illinois position themselves on the other side of the spectrum. With average salaries of $58,250, $63,562, and $63,634 respectively, these three states offer the lowest wages for BSN graduates.
A 2020 study by Medscape highlights the difference in pay between nurses who hold a Bachelor’s degree and those who do not. Therefore, the study shows that the median income of a BSN nurse is around $80,000 a year, while RNs with an Associate’s Degree earn on average $76,000 annually. Let’s dive into some of the best nursing jobs available for BSN holders and see how well-compensated they are.
1. Informatics Nurse – $102,230
If technology interests you but you don’t want to sacrifice your love for nursing, you should pick a career that combines both your passions. As a nurse informaticist, you are the bridge between the hospital staff and the IT staff, as your responsibilities include analyzing data to improve patient care, evaluating and supporting healthcare technology, both software and hardware. All in all, the use of technology is critical for any health institution, so informatics nurses are generously remunerated – they make over $102,000 annually.
Find out everything you need to know about a career in Nursing Informatics – from how you can become an NI to how much you can expect to earn.
2. ICU Nurse – $91,986
ICU nurses, or intensive care unit nurses, care for patients who are usually in critical conditions and demand incredibly structured and regulated settings. Their patients might be intubated, ventilated, or could require potentially saving medication drips that need to be administered with clockwork regularity. ICU nurses also work more structured shifts and enjoy a more disciplined work life. Their salary on average can be around $92,000.
Travel nursing is nursing with a twist: you can provide medical assistance all over the country (or even abroad). As a travel RN, you can generally choose the location and the specialty you would like to pursue during your assignment. Partly because of the added unpredictability of the job, travel nurses typically earn more than regular RNs, over $99,000 per year.
Wondering how much money Travel Nurses earn all across the country? Find out in our guide to Travel RNs salaries.
OR nurses work with patients right before they undergo surgery. They can also manage communication with the patients’ families. As a part of the surgery team, perioperative nurses assist the surgeon and make sure the procedure is happening in a secure, sterile, ready-to-go environment. Nurses who enjoy direct patient care can pursue this specialization and earn more than $91,000 per year.
5. Oncology Nurse – $87,340
Caring for people diagnosed with cancer is definitely a sensitive area of practice. Oncology nurses help patients deal with the cruelness of the disease, their main goal being to help cancer patients become cancer survivors. The annual salary of a BSN-trained oncology nurse is over $87,000.
6. Emergency Room Nurse – $78,868
ER nurses are in charge of treating patients who come to the emergency departments of a hospital. One of the main characteristics of this job is its unpredictability: rushing through the doors of the ER will be people with various symptoms, from having had a heart attack, to being shot or having been in a terrible accident. Emergency room nurses have mean wages that can be in the ballpark of $85,000.
The main responsibility of a legal nurse consultant is to provide invaluable consultation and expertise to attorneys regarding medical matters, such as the delivery of nursing and other healthcare services or the nature and cause of certain injuries. Legal nurse consultants need a strong educational and experiential foundation, but the fact that their mean wage is around $85,000 makes the effort worthwhile.
8. Pharmaceutical Nurse – $84,348
Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing opens a lot of doors for jobs in the pharmaceutical industry. You could pursue a career as a sales representative, or you could become a technical writer, writing articles in publications focused on the pharma industry. You can even pursue a career as a trainer/educator, offering guidance for pharmaceutical industries on how to use new drugs, therapies, or machines. The pharmaceutical industry is a lucrative field, making for one of the highest-paid specializations for nurses – on average RNs who work in this industry make around $84,000 a year.
9. Cardiac Care Unit Nurse – $83,438
Cardiac care unit nurses work closely with cardiologists providing care to patients suffering from various heart maladies. They are directly involved in diagnosing, treating, and controlling conditions that affect the complex cardiac system. In addition, they can also be involved in a patient’s process of cardiac rehabilitation by guiding them toward the lifestyle change that would prevent the aggravation of the disease. Cardiac care unit nurses take home a salary of around $83,000 yearly.
10. Hospice Nurse – $81,417
As a hospice nurse, you will be taking care of patients at the end of their lives. This specialization isn’t focused as much on curing or fixing a patient, but rather helping ensure their quality of life during their remaining days. In addition to helping the patient live with the least amount of pain possible, hospice nurses provide the emotional support that is tremendously needed both by the patient and their family. Typically, they work at the patient’s home or in a hospice center, and on average they earn close to $81,000 a year.
11. Critical Care Nurse – $74,600
As a critical care nurse, you will treat patients suffering from extremely serious, even life-threatening illnesses. The job can get rather stressful, so critical care nurses must always be alert even after long hours of intensive work. According to the AACN, critical care nurses make up for about 37% of the RNs who work in hospitals. This is one of the highest-paid nursing jobs, with CCNs making around $74,600 yearly.
Find out more about the experience of a Nightingale College graduate who works as a Critical Care Nurse and is currently on the frontlines in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
12. Dialysis Nurse – $73,769
Dialysis nurses’ main focus is treating patients suffering from kidney failure and helping return their kidneys to a functioning state. Although dialysis nurses’ salaries vary based on several different factors, such as institution size or experience level, on average they earn around $73,000.
13. Surgical Nurse – $74,004
Surgical nurses are the health professionals that assist surgeons both during routine and more complex surgical procedures. As a surgical nurse, your responsibilities range from prepping the patient for surgery, monitoring the patient’s vitals and handing instruments to the surgeon during the surgery and making sure post-surgical care is up to the highest standards. In this position, you will earn over $74,000 a year.
14. Nurse Case Manager – $72,076
Case management nurses are in charge of long-term care plans for their patients, so, generally, they work with patients who require ongoing medical attention, such as geriatrics, HIV, or cancer patients. Nurse case managers earn over $72,000 a year.
15. Pediatric Nurse – $59,084
The job description of a pediatric nurse ranges from working with toddlers to treating teenagers. As a pediatric nurse, you also have to educate the parents on how to provide the best care for their children and how to make sure they grow healthy and unharmed. Pediatrics is a very gratifying career to pursue as a nurse, especially if you love children. The median salary for pediatric nurses is about $59,000 per year.
*Data regarding the average salaries for each nursing specialization was gathered using ZipRecruiter.
Do you already work as an RN and want to advance your career? Enroll in our online RN-to-BSN program and reap the rewards of a higher paycheck in as few as 12 months!
Why Should You Pursue a BSN?
Pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing goes beyond higher pay. As numerous studies show, BSN-trained nurses are linked to better patient outcomes, fewer medical errors, and lower mortality rates.
Also, earning your BSN might become a requirement. In 2010 the Institute of Medicine called for an increase in the percentage of the BSN educated nursing workforce to 80% by 2020. More and more hospitals are falling in line with this recommendation. According to a 2020 AACN survey, 41.1% of hospitals and other healthcare settings are requiring new hires to have a Bachelor’s degree in nursing, while 82.4% of employers are expressing a strong preference for BSN program graduates.
Therefore, earning a BSN degree is an important stepping stone to a more fulfilling career that offers higher pay, better benefits, more flexibility, and more opportunities. But advancing your education is a serious commitment that requires time, money, and energy, so, in the end, it’s up to you to decide if this is the right next step for you and your career.
Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are advanced practice nurses who focus on managing people’s health conditions and preventing disease. They diagnose illnesses, treat conditions and serve as educators for the population.
Not only does their extensive training allow them to do it up to the highest standards, but also at significantly lower costs compared to physicians. Hence, NPs are increasingly becoming the go-to health care provider for more and more people, with over 1.06 billion visits to their offices every year. Moreover, research shows that turning to a Nurse Practitioner as a primary healthcare partner translates into fewer emergency room visits, shorter hospital stays, and lower medical costs.
Their essential role in healthcare and the immense responsibility lying on their shoulders makes Nurse Practitioners some of the highest-paid Registered Nurses. But is it worth it – from a financial standpoint – advancing your education, pursuing a BSN degree, and then an MSN to become a Nurse Practitioner? How much do NPs make in every state, and how promising is a career as a Nurse Practitioner?
Keep reading to find out.
Is There Demand for Nurse Practitioners?
The demand for Nurse Practitioners is growing exponentially especially as the baby boom population ages and the levels of required specialized care correspondingly increase. The high levels of retirement among nurses also lead to higher demand for specialists in this area.
According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, the overall employment of APRNs (Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives) will grow by 45% from 2019 to 2029.
Simultaneously, a survey conducted by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) found that in 2019 alone the number of NPs jumped from 270,000 in January to 290,000 in December. This falls in line with projections formulated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which state that over the next decade there will be around 114,900 job openings for Nurse Practitioners. That is exponentially higher than the number of job openings Nurse Anesthetists (5,600) and Nurse Midwives (800) can expect.
The numbers don’t lie. With a stringent need for qualified Nurse Practitioners, the demand is on the rise. So if you’re considering becoming an NP, now’s the time to do it.
Nightingale College is ready to help you go after this goal. The first step towards getting your NP status is pursuing a BSN degree. If you already have an ADN diploma and are a working professional, the best course of action would be to enroll in our online RN-to-BSN program and get your BSN degree in as few as 12 months. This first step towards advancing your education will have a great impact on your professional future.
Enroll Now
How Much do Nurse Practitioners Actually Earn?
The very promising job prospects are by themselves a great reason to consider a career as a Nurse Practitioner. But excellent job security is only part of what this profession has to offer.
Generally, the more you advance your education, the higher your chances of securing a well-paying job. Therefore, being advanced practice nurses means NPs are compensated fairly well.
Subsequent to getting your BSN, you will most likely need to obtain your Master’s degree in order to become a Nurse Practitioner. An MSN usually takes around two years to complete. The extended time you spend studying is worth it in the long run, as the financial remuneration for this profession is significantly higher than other nurses’ salaries.
According to the BLS, Nurse Practitioners’ median wage is $111,680, at least $31,000 more than what Registered Nurses make.
An NPs salary depends on many factors, however: from years of experience to chosen specialization and place of employment, to the state in which they practice.
How Much Do Nurse Practitioners Earn in Every State?
While Nurse Practitioners’ average salary is $114,560, that number fluctuates depending on the state in which they practice. So, the state where NPs can expect the highest wages compared to everywhere else in the U.S. is California. In the Sunshine State, Nurse Practitioners have a median income of $145,970. New Jersey is the second among top paying states with $130,890 and Washington is a close third. Here, NPs take home around $126,480 annually.
On the other side of the spectrum are Tennessee with an annual salary of $99,370, Alabama, where NPs earn on average $99,790, and Florida, where the median income is $101,060 – lower on the spectrum for NPs, but still a very respectable salary to draw.
If you are considering a career shift towards Nurse Practitioner and would like to know your earning potential based on where you live, we are here to help. Below you will find a list of all 50 states and how much you can expect to earn in each of them.
Nurse Practitioner average salaries in every state*
Where Do Nurse Practitioners Work & How Does That Impact Their Salary?
Their extensive training allows NPs to give primary, acute, and specialty care to diverse populations, based on their specialization. Generally, Nurse Practitioners can find employment in a variety of settings from hospitals to universities. Nonetheless, according to the BLS, the industries with the highest levels of employment for NPs are:
Physician’s offices. With over 101,220 job openings, physicians’ offices are the most popular place for NPs to find work. Here, they earn on average $111,310 yearly.
General medical and surgical hospitals are responsible for the employment of around 49,920 NPs. The median salary of nurse practitioners working in hospitals is $118,210.
Outpatient care centers employ 18,920 NPs who earn around $123,850.
Colleges and universities. 6,970 Nurse Practitioners work in academic settings and earn a median salary of $108,060.
A Nurse Practitioner’s duties range from examining medical histories and performing evaluations to actually ordering and performing different medical tests such as X-rays or lab work. They are also allowed to prescribe medication all over the United States and they hold the right to administer certain controlled medications in most states.
Nurse Practitioners can also choose a specialization and depending on their choice, the wages they earn will also vary. Some of the most popular areas of certification include:
General Nurse Practitioner
Family Nurse Practitioner
Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
According to a survey conducted by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), in 2019, the most sought-after specialization for Nurse Practitioners was Family NP, with an interest rate of over 65%. Adult NP was the second most desired certification, with a 12.6 interest rate, followed by Adult-Gerontology – 7.8% and Pediatrics, with almost 4%.
Findings from the same survey showed that Nurse Practitioners who specialize in Psychiatric Mental Health earn the highest median base salary – $125,000. At the same time, earning around $70 per hour, Emergency NPs reported the highest median hourly rate.
What Does Getting Your MSN Mean for Your Earning Potential?
The great demand for nurses makes this field very competitive in terms of remuneration. Granted, the more you advance your education, the higher your salary. So, getting your Master’s Degree in Nursing (MSN) is a great investment in your professional future and earning potential, as MSN-prepared nurses, like Nurse Practitioners, earn more than their BSN-trained counterparts. They also have access to more job opportunities, more flexible schedules, less stressful career options and a higher chance of securing management, research, or leadership positions.
How Does the Nurse Practitioners’ Salary Compare to Others?
Being an advanced practice role, NPs generally earn very competitive salaries, with a median of $114,510. But how exactly does it measure up compared to similar positions? Here’s a quick rundown of how much other nurses earn to help you put things into perspective.
Can Nurse Practitioners Increase Their Salaries Even Further?
While a Master’s Degree is the minimum requirement for practicing as an NP, it doesn’t mean you have to stop there. If you want to increase your income, you can get certified in one of the more highly compensated areas, such as psychiatry. Pursuing additional certifications can definitely lead to an income boost.
As an NP you will likely have to complete continuing education courses every few years to ensure you stay at the top of your field. By fulfilling these continuous education courses you make sure you’re up to date with the latest practices and your level of expertise is always up to the highest standards of the healthcare industry. And that, consequently, increases your professional value and can lead to better income prospects.
Another sure way is to advance your education even further by getting a DNP, a Doctoral degree in Nursing Practice. The more advanced your education, the more desirable you are in the field.
Why Become a Nurse Practitioner?
The benefits of becoming a Nurse Practitioner are manifold and go far beyond the profession’s financial rewards. It’s a career track that allows for a great level of independence, as in many states NPs have a rather progressive scope of practice and don’t require a doctor’s supervision. It’s also a particularly meaningful nursing experience as NP care is directly linked to fewer emergency room visits, shorter hospital stays, and lower medical costs.
Pursuing a Nurse Practitioner career track is definitely fulfilling and rewarding – financially, personally, and professionally. Does this sound like the right career track for you?
Take the first step towards becoming a Nurse Practitioner by enrolling in Nightingale College’s online RN-to-BSN program.
Many times people use the terms Nurse Manager and Nurse Leader interchangeably. While they do share some things in common, the management and leadership paths in nursing are otherwise distinct.
This guide will closely examine each of these roles, paying particular attention to the differences between job description, duties and responsibilities, education, and salary. We also touch upon the essential skills and qualities that set these highly trained professionals apart from other Registered Nurses.
Let’s throw some light upon the differences and similarities between nursing leadership and management.
What Are the Differences Between Nurse Manager and Nurse Leader?
While both positions require similar skills and aim to advance and improve nursing practice, they are not synonymous. One implies a more hands-on approach, while the other operates “behind the scenes.” Nurse Managers (NMs) and Nursing Leaders (NLs) deal with directing nursing staff, maximizing efficiency among the nurse workforce, mentoring RNs, and leading their teams in providing quality patient care. However, the scope of their practice, the sphere of influence, and focus differ.
What is a Nurse Leader?
Holding a higher-level nursing role, a Nurse Leader’s main aim is improving nursing practice and outcomes. Their approach is less hands-on and more focused on the bigger picture: implementing the vision, fulfilling the mission, and developing long-term plans for the organization in which they work.
Nurse Leaders’ help and expertise are invaluable in creating annual strategies for achieving financial and operational goals. They oversee the upholding of ethical, professional, and medical standards within their institution. Also, they spearhead projects and initiatives which revolve around two essential goals: increasing the quality and reducing the costs of patient care.
RNs working in nursing leadership can hold positions such as Head Nurse, Patient Care Director, or Chief Nursing Officer. They will generally delegate tasks to Nurse Managers. At the same time, they keep a birds-eye view over the improvement of patient health outcomes.
Nurse Leaders focus on empowering others and motivating, inspiring, and influencing the nursing staff to meet the standards of the organization.
What is a Nurse Manager?
As with all other professions, a management position in nursing implies overseeing, directing, and organizing employees and making sure that the department they supervise functions like a well-oiled machine.
Certain processes within a healthcare organization fall under the jurisdiction of Nurse Managers. Planning, organizing, staffing, and guiding the nursing staff is the direct responsibility of the NM. They are in charge of the daily operations of the department and coordinating the patient’s continuum of care.
Nurse Managers are also the person the staff goes to when they have issues with fulfilling their duties, when they encounter problems with coworkers, or when they need advice and guidance on accurately diagnosing or offering care to patients. They may not be as hands-on as bedside RNs. However, they are still involved in patient care planning, overlooking the collaboration and communication between nurses and other members of the healthcare team.
Also, a position in nursing management necessitates a thorough understanding of the business side of healthcare. Nurse Managers will often deal with budgets in addition to their other responsibilities.
Nursing Management vs. Leadership: Duties and Responsibilities
Because of the different roles they hold within the organization, Nurse Leaders and Nurse Managers fulfill a different set of tasks. Here is an overview of the day-to-day duties and responsibilities of each of these highly skilled professionals:
What Does a Nurse Leader Do?
A Nurse Leader’s job description concentrates on setting policy, influencing nursing teams, and kick-starting transformation and change in nursing practice. They must always be well informed about the latest developments in healthcare research. Some of the responsibilities of a Nurse Leader include:
Introducing initiatives and projects meant to shorten the average length of patient hospital stays
Developing strategies for reducing patient readmission rates
Committing to reducing healthcare costs
Overseeing the implementation of quality and safety measures in their institution
Developing treatment plans
Ensuring the employees’ compliance with rules, regulations, and ethical standards
Managing fiscal responsibilities
Working to reduce the turnover rates of RNs
Advocating for patients, nurses, and the profession in general
What Does a Nurse Manager Do?
A Nurse Manager’s role centers around increasing the efficiency of the nursing staff by directly overseeing their activities. While the list of responsibilities is vast, here are some of the most common duties that come with the Nurse Manager title:
Identifying staffing requirements and ensuring that the institution is adequately staffed
Evaluating the performance of Registered Nurses and offering constructive feedback
Hiring and firing nurses
Creating schedules and distributing assignments to nursing staff
Offering career mentoring advice
Managing the budget of the department they supervise
Ensuring that their department is supplied with the appropriate equipment and supplies
Encouraging the professional development of staff by planning and implementing educational opportunities
Evaluating the quality and effectiveness of nursing practice within the institution
Serving as the liaison between the nursing staff and the top management, thus making sure Registered Nurses are involved in the decision making and the implementation of initiatives that affect them directly
What are the Qualities They Should Possess?
Nursing leadership and management are different in some regards, but at the heart of both these roles is a similar skill set. Certain qualities are indispensable to both Nurse Managers and Nurse Leaders. Let’s glance over some of the qualities that make a great Nurse Leader or Manager:
Leadership skills. This comes as no surprise, but leadership skills are essential for both roles. Effective leaders know how to motivate their teams. They are pros at handling and delegating responsibilities and are great problem solvers. They always manage to find creative solutions to problems, which is a requirement for NMs and NLs. Also, good command of leadership skills helps motivate staff, keep morale high, and contribute to job satisfaction.
Interpersonal skills. Jobs that require teamwork and dealing with people on a daily basis would be hard to fulfill without a firm grip on interpersonal skills. Nurse Managers and Nurse Leaders need to communicate with both groups and individuals in their professional lives, so they must build good relationships and work efficiently with others.
Analytical skills. This is another high-priority competency for those who wish to pursue nursing management and leadership positions. Analytical skills allow you to find solutions to any problem thrown your way and help you make informed decisions about the best course of action. Understanding problems and scrutinizing the situation for viable solutions is a crucial skill for Nurse Managers and Leaders. In order to sharpen these skills, they must understand and follow current regulations in nursing and adapt to new laws.
Communication skills. By their very nature, nurse management and leadership roles require fantastic communication skills. These professionals must be able to communicate policies and procedures effectively. They must ensure that the staff and people they oversee follow and comply with the new policies and regulations. Knowing how to communicate them properly plays a crucial role in their adoption.
Technical skills. Nurse Leaders and Nurse Managers must always be on top of the game. Hence, they must follow the newest advancements in healthcare technology and data analytics. For instance, suppose a Nurse Manager doesn’t know how to operate the Electronic Health Record Systems. How will they train and prepare the nursing staff to use them when the facility adopts these technologies? Proficiency in the technical side of nursing plays a significant role in the success of NMs and NLs.
What Is the Educational Route They Must Pursue?
In order to start their practice, Nurse Managers and Nurse Leaders must fulfill specific education requirements. These requirements might differ from one employer to another. Still, typically, they need at least a Bachelor’s Degree to enter the profession. However, obtaining your Master’s Degree in Nursing is far more common among pursuant of these advanced roles. Moreover, when looking to fill NM and NL positions, employers in the healthcare field strongly prefer MSN-trained Registered Nurses.
Graduate programs take between two and three years to complete. They include coursework and practical experience directly related to leadership and management. Thus, graduates of MSN programs are better prepared to take on the responsibilities associated with being a manager or leader in the healthcare industry.
Many aspiring Nurse Leaders and Managers also contemplate advancing their nursing degree even further by pursuing a doctorate. Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs elevate learners’ skills and knowledge, allowing them to pursue and excel in more senior positions.
Nursing Management vs. Leadership: Salary Expectations
Nursing management and leadership positions come with higher than average wages. A Registered Nurse earns on average $80,010 yearly. Meanwhile, according to the BLS, a Nurse Manager’s mean annual salary is around $118,800. The bump in pay reflects the higher level of education and the increased responsibility level that comes with the position.
As far as Nurse Leaders are concerned, according to the 2019 Salary and Compensation Study for Nurse Leaders elaborated by the American Society of Nursing Leadership, they earn more than $150,000 annually.
Final Thoughts
Both leadership and management roles are essential to the good functioning of the healthcare system. While these positions may not be synonymous, they definitely are complementary. It’s best when effective Nurse Leaders also excel at management and when Nurse Managers are effective leaders. The nursing workforce is like a living organism, and good collaboration, successful communication, and effective leadership are its backbone.
Nurse Leaders and Managers must be passionate, respected, and committed individuals. They need to work ceaselessly to improve the quality of care for the patients and job satisfaction for the employees.
These are not easy roles to fill, but one is bound to succeed with the proper education, training, and skillset.
If you see yourself in a career in management or leadership, start paving the road for yourself today. Enroll in Nightingale College’s RN-to-BSN program and get one step closer to your dream job!
Congratulations! You graduated from nursing school, you got your new scrubs on, and you’re ready to make the world a better place, one patient at a time. As you start your nursing career, you go in filled with hope and ambition. You know that people’s safety, recovery, and even lives, depend on you being great at your job. And you’re ready to prove yourself worthy.
And still, there’s no guarantee that you’ll never make a mistake on the job. Even the most competent and well-trained professionals can have an oversight, may experience a bad day, or can involuntarily alienate a coworker or patient. Being a good nurse 24/7 is close to impossible. You don’t have to beat yourself up if you’re not perfect for every second of your life.
While perfection is out of reach, you still have to try to be the best nurse you can be. And especially as a new nurse, there are some common nursing mistakes that you may be making even without realizing it. Little errors can be easy to correct once you acknowledge and address them.
Afterall, you don’t want to be the bad nurse in your unit – the pariah neither liked by the team nor the patients. Throughout your nursing career, you want to keep the hope and ambition you had when you first walked through the door.
So, here are the nursing mistakes to avoid if you don’t want to be the “bad nurse” in your department:
Acting Like a Know-It-All
As a new graduate entering the nursing workforce, you are packed to capacity with textbook knowledge. Information you learned during your nursing program is extremely valuable and is an immense asset for the new RN. You can’t wait to display it all and prove what a great nurse you are.
If you walk into your workplace and immediately assume you know-it-all, you’ll most likely be perceived as arrogant. That’s not you putting your best foot forward as a nurse. You need to keep learning even after you’re finished with nursing school. Listen to the experienced RNs’ advice. Observe and learn from their experiences. Absorb their know-how. Ask them questions when you’re not sure of something.
What you lack at the beginning of your nursing career is on-ground, bedside professional expertise. You may have some experience from your clinical rotations, but this is the real world. Textbook cases that you were so good at solving in school are rare. The seasoned nurses who work in your department have gained experience beyond what is taught in school. Take advantage of their advice and mentorship.
Thinking that you always know best is the sign of a bad nurse. You need to be open to receive help.
Giving Into Imposter Syndrome
On the other side of the spectrum are nurses who experience “imposter syndrome,” which is when you constantly doubt your knowledge and abilities. It’s feeling incompetent and stressed at all times. You are relentlessly assuming you are not smart enough or qualified enough for this position. It’s when you have no faith in yourself and the educational foundation you have from nursing school. And that attitude is wrong. Crippling self-doubt can also turn you into a bad nurse.
When you feel like you’re not cut out to be a nurse, you may close yourself off. You feel guilty for not remembering every single thing you learned in school. You may be fearful of asking too many questions. Maybe you feel distressed asking for help because you think everyone already has too much on their plate without you adding your queries to it.
That’s when you need to stop and remember every nurse was a beginner once. Talk about your insecurities with your colleagues or Nurse Manager. They can help you get over your fears by providing feedback on your work and performance. Ask for help, absorb information like a sponge, and keep improving your skills every day. This will build your confidence and will make you a better nurse.
Failing to Be Professional on the Job
One common nursing mistake is acting and looking unprofessional. There are a myriad of ways in which this manifests itself. You are often late for your shifts. You neglect your attire. You constantly interrupt people who are trying to help you or give you advice. This type of behavior can definitely ruin your reputation as an RN and make your team see you as the “bad nurse” in the ward or department.
If you want to turn your peers’ opinions around, you need to make sure you are always professional and presentable on the job. Show up on time for your shifts, or let the supervisor know if you will be late. Your fellow nurses need to be able to rely on you, and that means getting to work on time. When people try to explain something to you, make sure you listen carefully and don’t jump the gun with your comments.
Importantly, always look and be ready for work. Your scrubs need to be clean and tidy, and they must be the right size to fit you. That is for practical as much as aesthetic reasons. Wearing the wrong size scrubs will be uncomfortable, and you don’t want to add personal discomfort on top of your already demanding shift.
Starting or Engaging in Nurses Station Gossip
Gossiping is certainly a sign of a bad nurse. Some see it as more of a gray area, saying that some innocent gossip builds a sense of camaraderie. But in fact, gossip can be very harmful. It will likely damage your relationship with others and paint you as a person who is not worthy of respect or trust.
Regardless if it’s about patients, colleagues, supervisors, or others, tittle-tattling without their knowledge is rude and disrespectful. Often gossip is demeaning and belittling, so it can make people feel insecure and lower their morale. You don’t want to be the kind of nurse who brings people down. You want to be supportive and lift them up. It’s in everyone’s best interest that coworkers collaborate and communicate with each other instead of behind each other’s backs.
Being Lazy and Uncooperative
When it comes to work ethic, in every workplace, there are different types of people. Some employees are very dedicated and work harder than others. Some will choose the “work smarter, not harder” route. And then there are those who will only do the bare minimum and not lift a finger more. Things are the same in the nursing field.
If you don’t want to be a bad nurse, you should do your best to stay away from the third category. Being constantly bothered by the patient’s requests, refusing to perform certain tasks, rushing through assignments without worrying about the quality of your work – these actions will affect your standing within the organization. Moreover, they can be harmful to the patient.
People don’t appreciate the nurses who spend too much time on your phone even though they see their coworkers drowning in work. Refusing to help your colleagues because “it’s not your job” is a sign of a lousy nurse. By being lazy on the job, you show disinterest and unwillingness to cooperate. And cooperation, teamwork, and synergy are some of the cornerstones of good nursing practice.
Disregarding Nursing Protocols
Not paying attention to following the nursing protocols and the patient care routines is one of the more severe mistakes a nurse can make. It’s not only your reputation amongst your colleagues that’s at risk, but also your patients’ wellbeing.
For example, not following protocol when entering and leaving isolation rooms can help spread disease to other patients and coworkers. Not cleaning the equipment properly can lead to infections or other problems. Errors in charting can lead to potentially dangerous missteps in care. Suppose you misrecord or forget to record patient interactions. You accidentally forget to mention a patient’s allergy to penicillin in their medical history. Or maybe you don’t record your actions, such as giving or stopping certain medications. These types of medical errors can have more severe outcomes.
Not Owning Up to Your Mistakes & Learning From Them
Generally, nurses strive to be perfect at their job because they know the immense responsibility lying on their shoulders. But to err is human. As much as RNs would like to avoid it, there’s no guarantee that they’ll never make a mistake on the job. Maybe you documented things incorrectly or made a medication error. Perhaps you weren’t able to prevent a patient’s fall. You called a patient by the wrong name, or you missed something important about the patient’s state because you rushed through an assessment. Some mistakes are less severe; others, unfortunately, may have dire consequences.
The difference between a good nurse and a bad nurse is in what happens immediately after the mishap.
Some nurses choose to keep silent. They may try to cover up the mistake or find a scapegoat because they are too embarrassed, ashamed, or afraid of the consequences. And that can be detrimental. The first thing when a mistake happens should be acknowledging and reporting it. Be accountable for your actions and be proactive about fixing your errors. Speak to your manager and see if you can be part of the solution. Most mistakes are remediable as long as you don’t hide them.
Also, always reflect on what led to the mistake in the first place. Was your attention impaired because you were exhausted and overworked? Was it impossible to focus on your task because of something else going on in your personal life? Did you lack the expertise but were too embarrassed to ask for advice? Find the root problem and work to ensure you don’t let that affect your performance again. It’s important to reflect, not ruminate. Nursing mistakes are a learning opportunity. Use them to improve your skills and become a better nurse.
At the same time, don’t bury your feelings. Be angry, be remorseful, cry, and talk about it. Seek professional help if you need it. If you’re not going to process your emotions, they’ll come back to haunt you later.
Additionally, it’s best to share your mistakes with other nurses. The more transparent you are about your missteps, the easier it will be for yourself and others to avoid them in the future. Nurses learn from each other and grow together as a team and as better professionals. Instead of tip-toeing around a topic, the healthy thing is to bring it out in the open.
Not Listening to Your Body
By definition, nursing is a very stressful profession. Especially in bedside nursing, your schedule is irregular; you work long shifts and are on your feet all day. You’re around a lot of pain and suffering, so that may affect your emotional state.
At a certain point, you may feel unbearable emotional exhaustion. You’re tired, drained of energy, and overwhelmed. You become a lot more cynical; it’s harder to empathize with your patients or find joy and value in what you do. Concentrating is increasingly challenging, and errors become a more frequent occurrence.
All of these are burnout symptoms. Your body is telling you you’ve reached a point of physical and emotional exhaustion that can be detrimental to you and your patients. When you are not well, that will affect your work, attitude, and relationships with your colleagues and patients. Burnt out nurses tend to be bitter, unpleasant to work with, and more importantly, they can hinder their patients’ safety.
Everything from a healthy diet, practicing self-care to setting boundaries can help you prevent burnout and avoid becoming the bad nurse in your institution. Discover more strategies to combat burnout and get back to being the great nurse everyone knows you have the potential to be.
Takeaway Advice
The bad nurse label doesn’t have to be your scarlet letter. Throughout your nursing career, you can learn from your nursing mistakes, grow by listening to your mentors and fellows; you can improve by being receptive to constructive feedback. Suppose you see the characteristics of a bad nurse in yourself and do everything in your power to combat them. In that case, you will become better – a better professional, a better caregiver, coworker, employee, and a better human.
No nurse is a bad nurse as long as they’re willing to learn.
Good nursing practice comes from a strong foundation. Enroll in our BSN program and start building that foundation brick by brick. Boost your nursing skills and take your education one step forward with our online RN-to-BSN program. A good nurse is one who never stops improving.
I love helping others, but I hate being a nurse. Has this thought ever crossed your mind? If it has, you’re not alone. And you don’t have to feel guilty for it.
Nursing can be an exhausting job. Especially when instead of just doing what you came here to do – help people – you have to deal with controlling bosses, tired and snappy co-workers, mountains of paperwork, the occasional rude patient. On top of that, your professional life seems like a race against the clock. The patients keep coming, yet the nurse ratios don’t change. So you’re overworked, exhausted, and on the brink of burnout. No wonder sometimes you want to scream into a pillow, “I hate my job. I just hate being a nurse!”
So, you hate being a nurse. Now what? Now you take some action. You try to rediscover the spark that drew you to nursing. You need to acknowledge the risks of being constantly overworked. You must build your career on healthy habits.
And here’s how you do it. We’ve compiled a list of solutions for overworked nurses to help them find the balance and the joy in what they do. To turn that “I hate nursing” into “I love my job.”
Let’s find out what they are.
What Are the Risks of Overworked Registered Nurses?
The fact that nurses are often overworked is unfortunately no longer a surprise for anyone. But the outcomes of this can be detrimental. Nurses who feel overworked cannot offer the best care to their patients. The longer the shifts for hospital nurses, the higher the levels of burnout, patient dissatisfaction, and the lower the levels of patient safety and nurses’ wellbeing.
Overworked nurses can put their patients’ health in jeopardy. Fatigue-related errors are bound to happen when RNs go through long shift hours and are sleep-deprived. Exhaustion leads to slower reaction times, loss of concentration, less attention to detail, less energy, less empathy, and a higher possibility of mistakes.
Researchers found that high nurse workloads are directly linked to lower odds of survival for ICU patients. A groundbreaking study also showed that shift length and overtime are directly associated with medical errors. Nurses who work shifts longer than 12.5 hours are three times more likely to make errors in patient care. The increased overtime hours are also associated with increased hospital-acquired infections, skin ulcers, needle injuries, and urinary tract infections.
Overworking is a significant factor in nurse burnout and high staff turnover. When RNs are asked repeatedly to work back-to-back shifts or longer straight shifts, they will feel exhausted, jaded, and unappreciated. Eventually, they may think that the only way out is quitting. Nurses leave, and everyone has to suffer.
The bottom line is overwork, understaffing, high patient-nurse ratios are bad – both for the nurses and the patients. If these underlying problems aren’t addressed immediately, things will only continue to worsen. Healthcare employers have their work cut out for them. But at times, you have to take your fate into your own hands and try to find solutions that can help better your professional situation.
What to Do When You No Longer Want to Be a Nurse
You have invested so much time, money, energy, and passion into your nursing career, and now you feel stuck. The good news is there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. If the thought “I hate being a nurse” has entered your mind, here’s what you should do:
Find the Why
Why do you hate being a nurse?
The truth is, you probably don’t hate nursing. You dislike the messy, even toxic environment, the overworking, the understaffing, the constant pressure to meet quota. But nursing – you still love it. You love your patients, and you love the feeling that each day when you clock into work, you make someone’s life better. Caring for others is what keeps you going.
The first step to regain your love for nursing is figuring out what made you lose interest in your job. You can’t fix a problem until you get to the root of it. You may want to write down a list of all the things that bother you and try to find solutions for each of them. If you’re dealing with a nurse bully, make sure to bring it up to the manager. If you need to change your shift hours to make it to your daughter’s piano recital, speak to the scheduling nurse about it. If you already feel overworked, don’t say yes to an extra shift just because the Charge Nurse is trying to get you to stay. Maybe this area of nursing is no longer bringing you professional satisfaction. It’s never too late to try a new one.
The “why” will often tell you the changes you need to make. So, you need to figure out why you hate being a nurse, and then you can make changes to overcome this challenge.
Make Sure You Set Boundaries and Stick to Them
It’s in your nature to put the needs of others before yourself. That’s why it may be hard to say no when you get called in on your day off. Sometimes you’ll be asked to stay over your 8 or 12-hour shift because the unit is short-staffed. Maybe you’ll avoid calling in sick because you feel guilty your colleagues have to work extra in your absence.
But you need time to recover. You need rest, family time, personal time, and a life outside the workplace. You need to learn to prioritize yourself – you can’t provide quality care to others if you don’t take care of yourself first. You need to set boundaries – both emotional and physical. Your days off are your time to recharge. When your shift ends, you leave the work and the worries at the hospital. When superiors are trying to manipulate you into working longer hours, you have to put yourself first.
Check-In with Your Nurse Manager
There should be open channels of communication between management and nursing staff. So, when you feel overwhelmed and overworked, make sure you bring it up to the Nurse Leader. Reiterate the problems on the ground, be it difficulties with colleagues, scheduling issues, long hours, poorly designed technology, lack of resources, and so on. Make your voice heard.
Don’t Discount the Benefits of Vacation Time
The importance of vacation time for a person’s overall well-being has been extensively researched. Taking a holiday from work increases happiness, improves sleep habits, boosts cardiovascular health, and reduces stress. For nurses specifically, taking time off can prevent burnout and compassion fatigue.
Sometimes you feel like you can’t take time off. The hospital is so understaffed, and meanwhile, you relax? Maybe you want to save up your free days just in case something comes up and you need them later. Or perhaps it’s family obligations that prevent you from taking a well-deserved vacation.
However, you have to remember: working non-stop will do more harm than good in the long run. It would help if you made time for yourself, and a vacation can be the breath of fresh air you so much needed.
Here are some tips on how to ensure that you take advantage of vacation time. First, you need to plan ahead. The major holidays and summer vacation are the most coveted time for holidays, so many nurses will ask for time off. That’s why you need to think ahead and put your request in as soon as you can. If possible, opt for off-season vacations. It will be easier to get the time off if you plan around the most popular vacation days. Also, make sure you put it in writing. Add your vacation days to the shared workspace calendar so that your absence doesn’t take anyone by surprise.
Breaks at Work Are a Necessity, Not a Luxury
Many nurses don’t take breaks when they are at work. It’s an unhealthy trend that has been proven time and time again. A study conducted by the American Nurses Association found that 35% of nurses “rarely or never” took a meal-length break.
Nurses feel constantly stressed to get tasks done and to uninterruptedly care for patients to the detriment of the little free time they are entitled to as employees. The workplace pressures that are forcing nursing staff to miss breaks are harmful. You mustn’t give into them.
You need to take breaks during your shift in order to rest, rehydrate, and refuel. Breaks help you relax, get your thoughts together, and find the energy to keep fulfilling your responsibilities. Working without breaks will make you stressed, anxious, and burnt out. That may have severe consequences for your mental and physical health. We know nursing is a very demanding profession, but if you don’t take care of yourself during your shifts, you’ll end up overworked and hating your job.
Find a Hobby
Having a hobby and practicing it regularly is an invaluable form of self-care. It’s a great way to release tension and make you forget at least temporarily about the worries, challenges, and work-related stress. Hobbies can also improve your social relationships and can prevent you from falling into a painstakingly monotonous rut. They’re a way to disconnect and focus on yourself.
If all you do is work, you’re bound to start hating your job sooner or later. You need to find a hobby, and it will enrich your life. You can take up gardening or knitting. Try outdoor sports or have a shot at jewelry making. Start a blog or a scrapbook. The possibilities are endless.
Cut Down to Part-Time
If you simply cannot shake this feeling that you hate being a nurse, you can try working part-time at least for a while. Maybe the problem isn’t nursing itself, but the fact that it took over your life completely. So, perhaps reducing the number of hours and finding something else to do on the side will give you more time for yourself while rekindling your passion for nursing.
If the financial aspect is what’s keeping you from cutting down to part-time, there’s a solution. You can reduce the number of hours at the institution where you now work full time and get a side gig. This way, you’ll still have a stable monthly income, and you have the other occupation making up for lost wages.
Give PRN a Chance
PRN is a fairly common practice in the nursing field. The acronym itself stands for the Latin phrase “pro re neta,” which means “as the need arises.” PRN Nurses are temporary or short-term employees of a healthcare facility. Essentially, when hospitals need more nurses to fill staffing shortages, they will employ PRN RNs.
Many nurses turn to staffing agencies and pursue PRN roles either full-time or part-time. It allows them a lot more flexibility in their professional life. They have more control over the work environment because they can choose where they work and when. Generally, they can opt for weekly or even daily commitments. A great solution to feeling overworked all the time? Take charge of how much, when, and where you work.
Try a Different Department
One of the best things about nursing is the versatility of the field. Maybe you lost interest in the area of nursing you initially chose. You don’t have the spark in your eyes when you talk about your role anymore. A switch to a different nursing department might do the trick and reignite your passion for nursing. Seeing a new perspective, working in a new department, diversifying your patient base can quickly turn “I hate being a nurse” into “I guess I was in the wrong specialty because nursing is actually amazing.”
Especially if you have a Bachelor’s degree in nursing, you have a wide range of opportunities as far as your career is concerned. If the ICU life is starting to be too much, maybe give Geriatrics a chance. Do you feel overworked and burnt out in the Emergency Department? Maybe working as a Dialysis RN will be more up your alley. Do you find that Hospice nursing isn’t all you wished for? You can try working with babies instead. Is working in the Oncology department too draining physically and emotionally? Transition to a career in Nursing Informatics, for instance. As long as you’re not afraid of change, you’ll find that nursing has a lot to offer.
Enroll Now
There are many career paths to choose from for Registered Nurses. Our guide on the subject can help you get inspired.
Switch to an Alternative, Less Stressful Nursing Career
If you don’t enjoy working at the bedside, or if you’ve just had enough of it, it may be time to pursue an alternative career. One that is less stressful, more flexible, and balanced. Luckily for you, you don’t have to start from scratch. A BSN in nursing opens the door to a lot of alternative nursing careers.
Although not a new concept, Telehealth nursing is currently gaining a lot of momentum and can be a very lucrative and relatively stress-free career. You can try Public Health Nursing if you’d rather care for communities than individual patients in a hospital. You can become a Nutritionist Nurse or an Occupational Health Nurse if your goal is a less stressful nursing career.
Or you can switch the hospital rooms for a classroom and pursue a career as a Nurse Educator. Becoming a nursing instructor means a stable schedule, a good salary, benefits, and a fantastic job outlook. On top of that, it’s a gratifying career because you get to educate and train the nurses of tomorrow.
Ready to Change Narratives?
There’s no denying that nursing is an exhausting job. You were aware of that, and you still chose to pursue this career. You’re a natural caregiver, so nothing compares to the feeling of helping people, saving lives, making the world a better place. The problem is when tiredness takes over and impacts your efficiency, mental state, and job satisfaction – when you lose the passion that drove you to embrace nursing in the first place.
“I hate being a nurse.” When this thought creeps into your mind, you need to take action and find solutions that will help you change the narrative. Take charge of your future in the nursing field and make the best decisions for your well-being and career.
