Post job

Certified medical technician vs registered nurse

The differences between certified medical technicians and registered nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a certified medical technician, becoming a registered nurse takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a registered nurse has an average salary of $73,349, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.

The top three skills for a certified medical technician include patients, vital signs and CPR. The most important skills for a registered nurse are patients, BLS, and CPR.

Certified medical technician vs registered nurse overview

Certified Medical TechnicianRegistered Nurse
Yearly salary$38,859$73,349
Hourly rate$18.68$35.26
Growth rate5%6%
Number of jobs164,424646,159
Job satisfaction-2.75
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 28%Associate Degree, 46%
Average age4444
Years of experience122

What does a certified medical technician do?

Certified Medical Technicians are specialists in medical diagnoses by performing laboratory testing and analysis for hospitals and physicians. Their duties include lab sanitization to prepare for testing and collection, recording medical samples for testing, specimen preparation, blood drawing for donation and testing, and assisting physicians with sample collection as well as equipment handling in surgical rooms. They must also understand how to use complex and sensitive testing equipment such as cell counters, analyzers, microscopes, and centrifuges.

What does a registered nurse do?

The primary responsibilities of a registered nurse involve caring for a variety of patients, from ill and injured to those who are healthy and wanting to stay that way. Nurses have different specialization and work with particular patients, such as newborn babies or those who are suffering from particular medical conditions. They work on different settings which includes hospital, outpatient facility, rehabilitation center, nursing home, dialysis center, home healthcare agency, and other offices. They can administer medications, wound care, and other aids or treatment plan. They also conduct medical tests, interpret the results, and monitor patients' recovery and progress.

Certified medical technician vs registered nurse salary

Certified medical technicians and registered nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

Certified Medical TechnicianRegistered Nurse
Average salary$38,859$73,349
Salary rangeBetween $28,000 And $53,000Between $45,000 And $117,000
Highest paying CityDenton, TXSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateAlaskaCalifornia
Best paying companyFavorite Healthcare StaffingNORCAL Ambulance
Best paying industryHealth CareHealth Care

Differences between certified medical technician and registered nurse education

There are a few differences between a certified medical technician and a registered nurse in terms of educational background:

Certified Medical TechnicianRegistered Nurse
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 28%Associate Degree, 46%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common collegeUniversity of ConnecticutDuke University

Certified medical technician vs registered nurse demographics

Here are the differences between certified medical technicians' and registered nurses' demographics:

Certified Medical TechnicianRegistered Nurse
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 20.4% Female, 79.6%Male, 12.3% Female, 87.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 15.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 10.0% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 9.0% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage8%9%

Differences between certified medical technician and registered nurse duties and responsibilities

Certified medical technician example responsibilities.

  • Maintain the cleanliness of storage areas, trays, centrifuges, refrigerators, freezers and work area.
  • Administer medications to patients according to their medication record as scheduled, as needed according to physician orders.
  • Perform laboratory test and procedures in areas including chemistry, hematology, urinalysis, coagulation, serology, and bacteriology.
  • Perform first aid and apply CPR when necessary.
  • Perform first aid or CPR during medical emergencies until paramedics arrive.
  • Assist the residents in their ADL needs and prepare their meals.
  • Show more

Registered nurse example responsibilities.

  • Manage patient care for individuals with multiple diagnoses including COPD, diabetes, stroke and cardiac issues.
  • Organize and manage regular clinics involving external physicians, including ophthalmology, ENT, Med/Surg, orthopedics, and podiatry professionals.
  • Manage surgical recovery patients including vascular, ENT, GI urological and neurological cases, coronary bypass surgery patients.
  • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
  • Provide care for cardiac patients in arrhythmia critical care unit, providing patient education and monitoring telemetry
  • Re-Cover surgical patients immediately after heart and vascular surgery until transfer out of ICU.
  • Show more

Certified medical technician vs registered nurse skills

Common certified medical technician skills
  • Patients, 17%
  • Vital Signs, 12%
  • CPR, 8%
  • Administer Medications, 7%
  • Resident Care, 6%
  • HIPAA, 6%
Common registered nurse skills
  • Patients, 24%
  • BLS, 10%
  • CPR, 6%
  • Acute Care, 5%
  • Acls, 5%
  • Home Health, 4%

Browse healthcare practitioner and technical jobs