Nurse administrator vs consultant nurse

The differences between nurse administrators and consultants nurse can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a nurse administrator and a consultant nurse. Additionally, a nurse administrator has an average salary of $72,224, which is higher than the $71,690 average annual salary of a consultant nurse.

The top three skills for a nurse administrator include patients, acute care and direct patient care. The most important skills for a consultant nurse are excellent interpersonal, patients, and discharge planning.

Nurse administrator vs consultant nurse overview

	Nurse Administrator	Consultant Nurse
Yearly salary	$72,224	$71,690
Hourly rate	$34.72	$34.47
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	619,218	58,140
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	2

What does a nurse administrator do?

Nurse Administrators are responsible for the coordination of all operational and administrative tasks relating to the nursing team. They are responsible for the retention, hiring, and firing of nursing staff, creating budgets, authorizing spending, ensuring regulatory guidelines compliance, implementing staff mentorship sessions, and accomplishing patient satisfaction, safety, cost savings, and efficiency objectives. Other duties include preparing reports, attending meetings, supervising fundraising projects, and forming partnerships with the academic and medical community.

What does a consultant nurse do?

A Consultant Nurse is responsible for providing healthcare consultations and technical advice to patients. This job also involves consulting with nursing groups about professional and educational problems.

Nurse administrator vs consultant nurse salary

Nurse administrators and consultants nurse have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Nurse Administrator	Consultant Nurse
Average salary	$72,224	$71,690
Salary range	Between $48,000 And $107,000	Between $50,000 And $101,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Stockton, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Community Health Systems	CVS Health
Best paying industry	Government	Pharmaceutical

Differences between nurse administrator and consultant nurse education

There are a few differences between a nurse administrator and a consultant nurse in terms of educational background:

	Nurse Administrator	Consultant Nurse
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Duke University

Nurse administrator vs consultant nurse demographics

Here are the differences between nurse administrators' and consultants nurse' demographics:

	Nurse Administrator	Consultant Nurse
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 16.3% Female, 83.7%	Male, 10.6% Female, 89.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 9.0% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between nurse administrator and consultant nurse duties and responsibilities

Nurse administrator example responsibilities.

Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
Instruct employees in first aid, safety, CPR, growth and development of children and nutrition.
Care planning and coordinating with the MDS team on restraints, psychoactive medications, infections, falls and restraints.
Make referrals for medical treatment: and follow-up with psychiatric rehabilitation programs, treating physicians, pharmacies and other treatment collaterals.
Make referrals for medical treatment and follow-up with psychiatric rehabilitation programs.
Administer intravenous medications for conscious sedation and monitor patients during in office procedures per protocol.

Consultant nurse example responsibilities.

Monitor patients' status during surgery (circulate in operating room) and manage patients in PACU.
Subpoena, organize and review medical records for defense counsel in medical malpractice, product liability and personal injury litigation.
Conduct medical record analysis and provide case summation in complex personal injury, product liability, employment and insurance defense litigation.
course for the LTC R.N.
Conform to all applicable HIPAA, billing compliance and safety guidelines.
Create new staffing patterns for surgical and medical and ICU units.

Nurse administrator vs consultant nurse skills

Common nurse administrator skills

Patients, 33%
Acute Care, 9%
Direct Patient Care, 6%
Infection Control, 4%
Rehabilitation, 3%
Quality Patient Care, 3%

Common consultant nurse skills

Excellent Interpersonal, 8%
Patients, 7%
Discharge Planning, 6%
Customer Service, 6%
Patient Care, 5%
Rehabilitation, 4%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Nurse Administrator
Nurse Administrator vs Consultant Nurse

Updated January 8, 2025

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