How to hire an instructor nurse

How to hire an instructor nurse, step by step

Here's a step-by-step instructor nurse hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an instructor nurse job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new instructor nurse
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an instructor nurse do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an instructor nurse, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect instructor nurse also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of instructor nurse salaries for various roles:

   Type of Instructor Nurse	Description	Hourly rate
   Instructor Nurse	Postsecondary teachers instruct students in a wide variety of academic and career and technical subjects beyond the high school level. They also conduct research and publish scholarly papers and books.	$20-51
   Nursing Program Coordinator	A Nursing Program Coordinator typically works at universities and community colleges where they are in charge of coordinating nursing programs. Although the extent of their responsibilities depends on their employment institution, it usually includes conducting research and analyses, liaising with internal and external parties, working together with directors in developing curriculums, and overseeing committee works... Show more	$21-43
   Nursing Faculty	Nursing faculty members are professionals who are responsible for providing education and instructional materials about topics that are related to the nursing profession. These professionals must maintain communication with the Director of Nursing to discuss the progress and concerns of their nursing students... Show more	$21-43

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • BSN
   • Professional Development
   • MSN
   • Student Learning
   • CPR
   • NCLEX
   • Patients
   • Curriculum Development
   • Course Materials
   • Mental Health
   • Course Objectives
   • Course Content
   • Clinical Practice
   • Student Performance

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Assess clinical education deliver to patients and clients utilizing a variety of health education delivery methods.
   • Serve as clinical instructor in Med-Surg, TCU and ICU settings.
   • Provide clinical instruction in community health nursing in the downtown Orlando area to first year BSN students.
   • Provide program syllabus per requirements.
   • Develop courses and assist in syllabus development.
   • Specialize in medical-surgical, fundamentals and pediatrics.

   More instructor nurse duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your instructor nurse job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An instructor nurse can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, instructor nurses' average salary in arizona is 44% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level instructor nurses 60% less than senior-level instructor nurses.
   • Certifications. An instructor nurse with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an instructor nurse's salary.

   Average instructor nurse salary

   $68,098yearly

   $32.74 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level instructor nurse salary

   $43,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 30, 2026

   Average instructor nurse salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$96,857	$47
   2	California	$89,121	$43
   3	Massachusetts	$82,927	$40
   4	Colorado	$81,869	$39
   5	Nevada	$79,709	$38
   6	Pennsylvania	$77,869	$37
   7	New York	$76,980	$37
   8	Idaho	$75,211	$36
   9	Indiana	$74,858	$36
   10	Florida	$71,545	$34
   11	Wisconsin	$71,056	$34
   12	Washington	$69,346	$33
   13	Ohio	$68,027	$33
   14	Wyoming	$67,821	$33
   15	South Carolina	$66,613	$32
   16	Georgia	$65,222	$31
   17	North Carolina	$62,247	$30
   18	Virginia	$60,809	$29
   19	Oklahoma	$58,722	$28
   20	New Mexico	$57,778	$28

   Average instructor nurse salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	University of Mississippi Medical Center	$175,638	$84.44	2
   2	Medical University of South Carolina	$129,314	$62.17	10
   3	Lehigh Valley Health Network	$123,855	$59.55
   4	St. Peter's Health Partners	$122,642	$58.96
   5	Mission Regional Medical Center	$118,992	$57.21	9
   6	Baylor College of Medicine	$112,370	$54.02
   7	Kern Community College District	$112,029	$53.86	45
   8	North Central Texas College	$107,641	$51.75	5
   9	Emory University	$101,049	$48.58	24
   10	Baptist Health Home Care	$97,835	$47.04	7
   11	Emory Healthcare	$97,463	$46.86	60
   12	Oregon Health & Science University	$96,497	$46.39	5
   13	University of Rochester	$94,064	$45.22	54
   14	The University of Alabama	$91,681	$44.08	44
   15	Research Foundation of The City University of New York	$90,604	$43.56
   16	International Medical Group	$88,962	$42.77
   17	West Coast University	$88,648	$42.62	36
   18	Signature Healthcare	$87,351	$42.00	5
   19	Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs	$87,058	$41.85
   20	Legacy Health	$86,977	$41.82	28

4. Writing an instructor nurse job description

   A good instructor nurse job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an instructor nurse job description:

   Instructor nurse job description example

   Primary purpose is to provide instruction for students in an Associate of Applied Science degree in a Nursing Program with Practical Nurse and Registered Nurse exit points. The instructor will be expected to teach primarily medical-surgical content as well as components of maternity, pediatrics, and mental health nursing; and pharmacology. The focus of student instruction includes application of relevant theoretical frameworks, development and refinement of psychomotor skills, integration of pathophysiology and disease processes, and the nursing care of hospitalized and community-based clients across the lifespan with simple to complex alterations in health. Nursing Faculty are expected to create a caring learning environment that will promote active learning and foster critical thinking.
   
   * This is a part-time (< .50 FTE) non-benefited position, hired on a term-by-term basis. Hours of work may include evening or weekend teaching assignments.
   
   * Part-Time Instructor compensation begins at Step 1 / $628 per load unit (LU). Load Unit is not always equivalent to class credit; and shall include both teaching and other assignments.
   
   * Part-Time Faculty positions are not represented by the Faculty Forum Collective Bargaining Agreement.
   * May include travel throughout the College district.
   * Official transcripts are required upon hire. Applicants anticipating Degree completion must supply a letter from his/her university stating the degree title and that the degree will be granted by that date.
   * COCC employees must work and reside in the state of Oregon at the time their work is being performed.
   * The College is NOT able to support Visa applications for this position. Applicants must already be eligible to work in the United States to be considered for this position.
   * Upon hire, must pass criminal background check and/or driving history; only information relevant to the position will be considered.
   * Effective Monday, April 18, 2022, COCC implemented a COVID-19 vaccination requirement for all employees, including benefited employees, part-time faculty, and temporary workers such as irregular wage, work study and community education. Upon hire, new employees will receive an email with instructions outlining how to upload proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or request a medical or religious exception.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right instructor nurse for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with instructor nurses they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit instructor nurses who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your instructor nurse job on Zippia to find and attract quality instructor nurse candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit instructor nurses, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new instructor nurse

   Once you've found the instructor nurse candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new instructor nurse. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an instructor nurse?