What skills will help Registered Nurses earn the most?

There is a national nursing shortage. This has increased due to older nurses reaching retirement age along with the ongoing pandemic. Certain specialty certifications may increase a nurse's salary. Typically salaries are driven by years of experience, the geographical location, and any specific salary structures or scales that are implemented by the hospital system itself. Nurses who are newly hired are often able to secure sign-on bonuses, moving stipends, and increased hourly pay if they have previous experience in the specialty area in which they are applying. I would encourage any new nurses to reach out to experienced nurses in their community and do some research on what base pay rate they should expect, and meet with human resources to discuss benefits, especially continuing education, before signing any contracts.