Post job

What is a clinical nursing coordinator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read
Quoted expert
Michelle Collins Ph.D., CNM, RNC-EFM, FACNM, FAAN, FNAP
introduction image

A clinical nursing coordinator is a specialized nursing professional responsible for coordinating patient care in a clinical setting. They work closely with other healthcare professionals to ensure patients receive the best possible care and treatment. Clinical nursing coordinators oversee patient care plans, manage patient records, and coordinate communication between healthcare providers and patients. They may also provide direct patient care, administer medications, train and develop staff, and perform other clinical duties as needed.

What general advice would you give to a clinical nursing coordinator?

Michelle Collins Ph.D., CNM, RNC-EFM, FACNM, FAAN, FNAP

Dean and Professor, Loyola University New Orleans

Be flexible in regard to job opportunities. There may not be the exact position with the desired hours in the one unit in which you are interested in working (or that dream job may be available!) But keep your mind open, and go into your first job with an open mind. This is also good advice through your career as you never know what opportunities may come your way. Most of the opportunities that I have greatly enjoyed in nursing came as a result of just being open to new options and trying new things even if I wasn't sure at first that I would enjoy that opportunity.
ScoreClinical Nursing CoordinatorUS Average
Salary
5.4

Avg. Salary $69,669

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
10.0

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.3
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.44%

Asian 8.93%

Black or African American 11.19%

Hispanic or Latino 9.35%

Unknown 4.29%

White 65.81%

Gender

female 89.78%

male 10.22%

Age - 43
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43
Stress level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
9.1

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.8

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a clinical nursing coordinator?

Pros

  • Opportunity to make a positive impact on patients' lives

  • Varied job duties and responsibilities

  • Opportunity to work with and supervise other nurses

  • High demand for nursing coordinators in healthcare industry

  • Chance to improve patient care and satisfaction

Cons

  • High stress environment, with fast-paced work and long hours

  • Large workload with many responsibilities

  • Must be able to handle difficult patients and challenging situations

  • Can be difficult to balance administrative duties with patient care responsibilities

  • Requires strong leadership skills to manage other nurses effectively

Clinical nursing coordinator career paths

Key steps to become a clinical nursing coordinator

  1. Explore clinical nursing coordinator education requirements

    Most common clinical nursing coordinator degrees

    Bachelor's

    49.9 %

    Associate

    28.0 %

    Master's

    13.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific clinical nursing coordinator skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patients29.35%
    Patient Safety10.25%
    Surgery7.62%
    Quality Care4.29%
    Oncology3.93%
  3. Complete relevant clinical nursing coordinator training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New clinical nursing coordinators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a clinical nursing coordinator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real clinical nursing coordinator resumes.
  4. Obtain the necessary licensing

    Becoming a licensed clinical nursing coordinator usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed clinical nursing coordinator in most of states. 43 states require clinical nursing coordinators to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.
    StateEducationExamLicense url
    AlabamaDegree requiredState exam requiredRegistered Nurse (RN)
    AlaskaDegree requiredThird-party exam requiredNurse, Registered
    ArkansasDegree requiredThird-party exam requiredRegistered Nurse (RN)
    CaliforniaDegree requiredThird-party exam requiredNurse, Registered
    ColoradoDegree requiredThird-party exam requiredRegistered Nurse
  5. Gain additional clinical nursing coordinator certifications

    Clinical nursing coordinator certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific clinical nursing coordinator certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for clinical nursing coordinators include Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN) and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).

    More About Certifications
  6. Research clinical nursing coordinator duties and responsibilities

    • Manage team of medical support personnel, orient new clinical employees and develop new guidelines for chemotherapy administration.
    • Demonstrate clinical competency and compassion in providing care, using technology, administering medications, performing procedures and managing emergencies
    • Care include pre-operative teaching, postoperative follow-up care, liaison between patient, physician, hospital, home health and/or rehabilitation.
    • Perform duties of staff nurse; assist in writing nursing care plans; carry out medical care plans; ACLS certify.
  7. Prepare your clinical nursing coordinator resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your clinical nursing coordinator resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a clinical nursing coordinator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable clinical nursing coordinator resume templates

    Build a professional clinical nursing coordinator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your clinical nursing coordinator resume.
    Clinical Nursing Coordinator Resume
    Clinical Nursing Coordinator Resume
    Clinical Nursing Coordinator Resume
    Clinical Nursing Coordinator Resume
    Clinical Nursing Coordinator Resume
    Clinical Nursing Coordinator Resume
    Clinical Nursing Coordinator Resume
    Clinical Nursing Coordinator Resume
    Clinical Nursing Coordinator Resume
  8. Apply for clinical nursing coordinator jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a clinical nursing coordinator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first clinical nursing coordinator job

Zippi

Are you a clinical nursing coordinator?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average clinical nursing coordinator salary

The average clinical nursing coordinator salary in the United States is $69,669 per year or $33 per hour. Clinical nursing coordinator salaries range between $54,000 and $89,000 per year.

Average clinical nursing coordinator salary
$69,669 Yearly
$33.49 hourly

What am I worth?

salary-calculator

How do clinical nursing coordinators rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Clinical nursing coordinator reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2019
Pros

The People I meet, the problems I help solve

Cons

Significant time restraints with each person/problem I am faced with. Long hours.


Working as a clinical nursing coordinator? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall rating*
Career growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse healthcare practitioner and technical jobs