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Head nurse vs contractor-registered nurse

The differences between head nurses and contractor-registered 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 head nurse and a contractor-registered nurse. Additionally, a contractor-registered nurse has an average salary of $128,474, which is higher than the $80,173 average annual salary of a head nurse.

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

Head nurse vs contractor-registered nurse overview

Head NurseContractor-Registered Nurse
Yearly salary$80,173$128,474
Hourly rate$38.54$61.77
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs649,127648,022
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 49%Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age4444
Years of experience22

Head nurse vs contractor-registered nurse salary

Head nurses and contractor-registered nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

Head NurseContractor-Registered Nurse
Average salary$80,173$128,474
Salary rangeBetween $48,000 And $132,000Between $72,000 And $228,000
Highest paying CityMinneapolis, MNWashington, DC
Highest paying stateCaliforniaRhode Island
Best paying companyAstraZenecaDignity Health
Best paying industryEducationHealth Care

Differences between head nurse and contractor-registered nurse education

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

Head NurseContractor-Registered Nurse
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 49%Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Head nurse vs contractor-registered nurse demographics

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

Head NurseContractor-Registered Nurse
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 13.1% Female, 86.9%Male, 15.2% Female, 84.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 8.8% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black 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%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

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

Head nurse example responsibilities.

  • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
  • Receive intensive training for critical care skill development upon transferring to the medical ICU.
  • Perform advanced nursing care to acute/chronic medical/surgical, cardiac, thoracic surgery, neurosurgery, orthopedic and oncology/ hematology patients.
  • Certify staff in CPR and blood glucose monitoring.
  • Develop and implement an intensive care class for the staff; implement ACLS class for all staff.
  • Develop process improvement plan with bundles for sedation and ventilation.
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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.
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Head nurse vs contractor-registered nurse skills

Common head nurse skills
  • Patients, 31%
  • BLS, 9%
  • Compassion, 6%
  • Acute Care, 6%
  • Acls, 4%
  • CPR, 3%
Common contractor-registered nurse skills
  • Patients, 30%
  • BLS, 10%
  • ICU, 9%
  • Compassion, 8%
  • Acls, 5%
  • Acute Care, 5%

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