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The differences between discharge planners and student 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 discharge planner and a student nurse. Additionally, a discharge planner has an average salary of $52,855, which is higher than the $37,281 average annual salary of a student nurse.
The top three skills for a discharge planner include patients, social work and home health. The most important skills for a student nurse are patients, vital signs, and direct patient care.
| Discharge Planner | Student Nurse | |
| Yearly salary | $52,855 | $37,281 |
| Hourly rate | $25.41 | $17.92 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 31,021 | 578,210 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
In the health industry, a discharge planner is primarily responsible for assessing and meeting the patients' needs as they transition to their lives after being in the hospital. It is their duty to study the patients' medical history, provide discharge summaries to the patients' insurance providers, arrange services with external parties such as rehabilitation centers or therapists, and develop discharge plans that would guide the patients' on their journey to recovery. Moreover, they coordinate with medical experts and work with the patients' families to ensure the patient's welfare.
A Student Nurse is responsible for treating and taking care of a patient's needs while upholding all the rules and medical regulations of a hospital or clinic. They work and function under the supervision of a Clinical Instructor while still gaining practical experience. Furthermore, among the duties of a Student Nurse revolves around following guidelines given by superiors, administering medication according to schedule, dressing patients, handing meals and changing beds, gathering and charting data, and coordinating with the instructor at all times.
Discharge planners and student nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Discharge Planner | Student Nurse | |
| Average salary | $52,855 | $37,281 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $82,000 | Between $26,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Oxnard, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | - | Boston Medical Center |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a discharge planner and a student nurse in terms of educational background:
| Discharge Planner | Student Nurse | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Nursing |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Duke University |
Here are the differences between discharge planners' and student nurses' demographics:
| Discharge Planner | Student Nurse | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 13.6% Female, 86.4% | Male, 15.5% Female, 84.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 11.3% White, 64.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |