Hospital supervisor vs nurse

The differences between hospital supervisors and 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 hospital supervisor and a nurse. Additionally, a nurse has an average salary of $57,564, which is higher than the $41,899 average annual salary of a hospital supervisor.

The top three skills for a hospital supervisor include patients, HR and hospital policy. The most important skills for a nurse are patients, home health, and CPR.

Hospital supervisor vs nurse overview

	Hospital Supervisor	Nurse
Yearly salary	$41,899	$57,564
Hourly rate	$20.14	$27.68
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	14,851	696,124
Job satisfaction	5	4
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	2

What does a hospital supervisor do?

A hospital supervisor has the important responsibility of supervising and evaluating the work activities of hospital personnel. This includes medical, nursing, technical, service, and maintenance personnel. Their job is to establish and supervise work schedules to ensure shifts are always covered. They are also in charge of delegating responsibilities to staff and giving orientation and training to new staff. A hospital supervisor is also always on the lookout for areas that need quality improvement.

What does a nurse do?

Nurses are medical professionals assigned to a specific department in the hospital and provide their trusted department services. Nurses are in charge of taking patients' medical histories, getting vital signs, preparing patients for checkups or procedures, explaining upcoming practices, answering any questions, and communicating any concerns to the assigned doctor. Nurses should ensure that patients follow the medical advice given to them. They also assist patients in completing administrative requirements, such as filling out forms, validating details, and endorsing payments.

Hospital supervisor vs nurse salary

Hospital supervisors and nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Hospital Supervisor	Nurse
Average salary	$41,899	$57,564
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $63,000	Between $38,000 And $86,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	RSM US	Conviva
Best paying industry	Health Care	Government

Differences between hospital supervisor and nurse education

There are a few differences between a hospital supervisor and a nurse in terms of educational background:

	Hospital Supervisor	Nurse
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Duke University

Hospital supervisor vs nurse demographics

Here are the differences between hospital supervisors' and nurses' demographics:

	Hospital Supervisor	Nurse
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 36.1% Female, 63.9%	Male, 14.0% Female, 86.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between hospital supervisor and nurse duties and responsibilities

Hospital supervisor example responsibilities.

Interact successfully with regulatory and oversight agencies, which lead to more streamline operations of complex healthcare reimbursement programs.
Maintain the cleanliness of the food court in the international concourse in Hartfield-Jackson airport.
Maintain high standards of sanitation and expect levels of cleanliness and appearance at all times.
Work in labor and delivery, medical, surgical, psychiatry, rehabilitation, and administration.
Work in accordance with HIPPA regulations and maintain patient confidentiality.
Coordinate emergency helicopter services to and from the facility of critically ill or injure patients.

Nurse example responsibilities.

Monitor patients' status during surgery (circulate in operating room) and manage patients in PACU.
Manage high-acuity cardiac/pulmonary and psychiatric patients
Monitor patients for cardiac rhythm changes and implement medication according to ACLS guidelines.
Educate patients and families on diseases processes, medications, wind care, and iv infusion.
Provide care for patients on medical/surgical, transplant, cardiac, orthopedic, postpartum, neonatal ICU, and psychiatric units
Demonstrate competence in CPR and other medical emergency situations.

Hospital supervisor vs nurse skills

Common hospital supervisor skills

Patients, 31%
HR, 8%
Hospital Policy, 7%
Patient Safety, 7%
Wine, 4%
Rehabilitation, 4%

Common nurse skills

Patients, 21%
Home Health, 7%
CPR, 6%
BLS, 6%
Acute Care, 5%
Acls, 4%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Hospital Supervisor
Hospital Supervisor vs Nurse

Updated January 8, 2025

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