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Contractor-registered nurse vs staff nurse

The differences between contractor-registered nurses and staff nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a contractor-registered nurse and a staff nurse. Additionally, a contractor-registered nurse has an average salary of $128,474, which is higher than the $68,342 average annual salary of a staff nurse.

The top three skills for a contractor-registered nurse include patients, BLS and ICU. The most important skills for a staff nurse are patients, BLS, and CPR.

Contractor-registered nurse vs staff nurse overview

Contractor-Registered NurseStaff Nurse
Yearly salary$128,474$68,342
Hourly rate$61.77$32.86
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs648,022699,636
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 43%Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Average age4444
Years of experience22

What does a contractor-registered nurse do?

A contractor-registered nurse is responsible for taking care of patients in a medical facility or a similar setting under a contractual arrangement. Their responsibilities are no different from regular registered nurses. They also administer medicines, assist patients and their families, manage schedules, monitor patient conditions, update charts, maintain accurate records, and work full-time. Furthermore, they must coordinate with physicians and other health experts in creating and executing care plans for patients, all while maintaining an active communication line.

What does a staff nurse do?

Staff nurses are registered nurses who are usually assigned to work in a care home, a company, or in a clinical setting. They advise the physical assessments of patients, employees, and residents. They also handle the checking of vital signs, providing basic medical procedures, giving first aid, and, if possible, providing over the counter medication. Staff nurses provide medical attention to the people in their place of assignment. They help pave the path to their patients' full recovery. Staff nurses are expected to be patient and have good interpersonal skills.

Contractor-registered nurse vs staff nurse salary

Contractor-registered nurses and staff nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

Contractor-Registered NurseStaff Nurse
Average salary$128,474$68,342
Salary rangeBetween $72,000 And $228,000Between $42,000 And $109,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCBurlingame, CA
Highest paying stateRhode IslandCalifornia
Best paying companyDignity HealthWashington Hospital Healthcare System
Best paying industryHealth CareHealth Care

Differences between contractor-registered nurse and staff nurse education

There are a few differences between a contractor-registered nurse and a staff nurse in terms of educational background:

Contractor-Registered NurseStaff Nurse
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 43%Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Contractor-registered nurse vs staff nurse demographics

Here are the differences between contractor-registered nurses' and staff nurses' demographics:

Contractor-Registered NurseStaff Nurse
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 15.2% Female, 84.8%Male, 12.3% Female, 87.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 9.1% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between contractor-registered nurse and staff nurse duties and responsibilities

Contractor-registered nurse example 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.
  • Collaborate with house nursing supervisor for transfer and admittance of new patients to the ICU.
  • Assist with staffing needs in PACU recovering post-op surgical patients after general, spinal, and conscious sedation anesthesia.
  • Show more

Staff nurse example responsibilities.

  • Manage and further help stabilize elective and urgent care surgical patients in their post-operative/post PACU admission to the floor.
  • Accomplish extensive critical care course with EKG interpretation and yearly critical care medication exam.
  • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
  • Participate in discharge planning including teaching family members and patients wind care and medication administration process after discharge.
  • Provide direct nursing care to patients in a variety of settings with an emphasis in critical care and PACU settings.
  • Prepare patients for surgery and endoscopy procedures including initiating intravenous lines, physical assessments and administering medications.
  • Show more

Contractor-registered nurse vs staff nurse skills

Common contractor-registered nurse skills
  • Patients, 30%
  • BLS, 10%
  • ICU, 9%
  • Compassion, 8%
  • Acls, 5%
  • Acute Care, 5%
Common staff nurse skills
  • Patients, 28%
  • BLS, 9%
  • CPR, 6%
  • Acls, 5%
  • Acute Care, 4%
  • Direct Patient Care, 3%

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