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What is a contractor-registered nurse and how to become one
A contractor-registered nurse is a nursing professional who works on short-term contracts for healthcare facilities. They typically have the same responsibilities as a regular registered nurse, including administering medication and monitoring patients. However, as contractors, they may work for multiple employers and have more flexibility in their schedules. Contractor-registered nurses often work in high-demand areas, such as intensive care units or emergency departments, and must be able to adapt quickly to new environments and patient needs.
What general advice would you give to a contractor-registered nurse?
Lisa Rebeschi Ph.D.
Associate Dean of the School of Nursing Professor of Nursing, Quinnipiac University
Avg. Salary $128,474
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 6%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.44%
Asian 9.13%
Black or African American 12.21%
Hispanic or Latino 8.84%
Unknown 4.25%
White 65.13%
Genderfemale 84.83%
male 15.17%
Age - 43American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 43Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is good
6.4 - fair
What are the pros and cons of being a contractor-registered nurse?
Pros
Higher pay rates
Potential tax benefits
Possibility of choosing own benefits
Opportunity to gain diverse experience
Chance to network with different professionals
Cons
Lack of consistency in work schedule
Need to constantly search for new assignments
Possibility of being treated as a temporary employee
Possible isolation from co-workers and work environment
Need to maintain own licensure and certifications
Contractor-registered nurse career paths
Key steps to become a contractor-registered nurse
Explore contractor-registered nurse education requirements
Start to develop specific contractor-registered nurse skills
Skills Percentages Patients 30.24% BLS 10.42% ICU 8.87% Compassion 7.79% Acls 5.27% Complete relevant contractor-registered nurse training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New contractor-registered nurses 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 contractor-registered nurse based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real contractor-registered nurse resumes.Obtain the necessary licensing
Becoming a licensed contractor-registered nurse usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed contractor-registered nurse in most of states. 43 states require contractor-registered nurses to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.State Education Exam License url Alabama Degree required State exam required Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Alaska Degree required Third-party exam required Nurse, Licensed Practical Arkansas Degree required Third-party exam required Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) California Degree required Third-party exam required Licensed Vocational Nurse Colorado Degree required Third-party exam required Licensed Practical Nurse Gain additional contractor-registered nurse certifications
More About CertificationsContractor-registered nurse 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 contractor-registered nurse certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.
The most common certifications for contractor-registered nurses include Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) and Legal Nurse Consultant Certified (LNCC).
Research contractor-registered nurse duties and responsibilities
- Assign to cardiac vascular recovery units, manage open-heart recovery, critical care, and post-anesthesia patients.
- Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
- Contract RN caring for patients in ICU, CCU, and telemetry floor.
- Float to other floors such as orthopedics, oncology, and skil units.
Prepare your contractor-registered nurse resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your contractor-registered nurse 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 contractor-registered nurse resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable contractor-registered nurse resume templates
Build a professional contractor-registered nurse 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 contractor-registered nurse resume.
Apply for contractor-registered nurse jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a contractor-registered nurse job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first contractor-registered nurse job
Are you a contractor-registered nurse?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average contractor-registered nurse salary
The average contractor-registered nurse salary in the United States is $128,474 per year or $62 per hour. Contractor-registered nurse salaries range between $72,000 and $228,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do contractor-registered nurses rate their job?
Contractor-registered nurse reviews
Caring for patients
Staffing ratios, unfairness, constant expectations. Healthcare is a business but doesn’t treat nurses like business employees
helping people and saving lives
the pay is not good not enough for the lifestyle I would like to live
Nursing isn’t what it was 12yrs ago when I started. It is all about “family centered care” and not what is actually best for the patient. Not only am I a nurse and caring for the patient, but I’m the house keeper, waitress, and coffee go getter. There is no more respect for nurses and their patients.
The feeling I get when helping people.
Updated January 8, 2025
