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What is a nurse clinician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Experts
Lisa Rebeschi Ph.D.,
Kim Raines
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Nurse Clinicians work with patients throughout their stay to help doctors develop and implement treatment plans and strategies. They question patients about the symptoms being experienced, medical histories, and medications to provide doctors with the patient's medical needs and background. They also administer medication or treatments to patients as directed by the doctor. Also, nurse clinicians clean and sanitize the facility and maintain equipment. As expected, nurse clinicians work in the healthcare industry.

You need a minimum of a bachelor's degree in nursing for this job. However, you can also get a specialty certificate to increase your chances. To work in a public facility, you must obtain the necessary education, undergo training, and receive national certification. Nurse clinicians must possess medical assessment, critical thinking, patient care, interpersonal, attention to detail, and communication skills. They must also have extensive general medical knowledge. Their salary range is between $44,000 and $100,000. They earn about $66,371 on average yearly.

What general advice would you give to a Nurse Clinician?

Lisa Rebeschi Ph.D.Lisa Rebeschi Ph.D. LinkedIn Profile

Associate Dean of the School of Nursing Professor of Nursing, Quinnipiac University

One of the suggestions for new graduates is the importance of self-care. We have long known of the demanding nature of the nursing practice. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the nursing role's critical importance and the unique contributions made by nursing professionals. As the healthcare environment is extremely complex and challenging, nurses must remember to advocate for themselves and prioritize self-care.
ScoreNurse ClinicianUS Average
Salary
5.1

Avg. Salary $65,159

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
10.0

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.3
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.44%

Asian 9.64%

Black or African American 12.13%

Hispanic or Latino 8.81%

Unknown 4.25%

White 64.74%

Gender

female 89.12%

male 10.88%

Age - 43
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43
Stress Level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
9.1

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
7.8

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Nurse Clinician career paths

Key steps to become a nurse clinician

  1. Explore nurse clinician education requirements

    Most common nurse clinician degrees

    Bachelor's

    58.6 %

    Associate

    22.8 %

    Master's

    11.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific nurse clinician skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patients32.69%
    Patient Education5.17%
    CPR5.07%
    Emergency Situations5.05%
    Patient Outcomes3.04%
  3. Complete relevant nurse clinician training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New nurse clinicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a nurse clinician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real nurse clinician resumes.
  4. Obtain the necessary licensing

    Becoming a licensed nurse clinician usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed nurse clinician in most of states. 43 states require nurse clinicians to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.
    StateEducationExamLicense Url
    AlabamaDegree requiredState exam requiredRegistered Nurse (RN)
    AlaskaDegree requiredThird-party exam requiredNurse, Registered
    ArkansasDegree requiredThird-party exam requiredRegistered Nurse (RN)
    CaliforniaDegree requiredThird-party exam requiredNurse, Registered
    ColoradoDegree requiredThird-party exam requiredRegistered Nurse
  5. Gain additional nurse clinician certifications

    Nurse clinician certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific nurse clinician certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for nurse clinicians include Family Nurse Practitioner and Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN).

    More About Certifications
  6. Research nurse clinician duties and responsibilities

    • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
    • Provide high level nursing care for ER step down and ICU patients prior to transfer to critical care units.
    • Instruct ACLS and BLS classes.
    • Specialize care for telemetry and orthopedic patients.
  7. Prepare your nurse clinician resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your nurse clinician resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a nurse clinician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Nurse Clinician Resume templates

    Build a professional Nurse Clinician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Nurse Clinician resume.
    Nurse Clinician Resume
    Nurse Clinician Resume
    Nurse Clinician Resume
    Nurse Clinician Resume
    Nurse Clinician Resume
    Nurse Clinician Resume
    Nurse Clinician Resume
    Nurse Clinician Resume
    Nurse Clinician Resume
  8. Apply for nurse clinician jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a nurse clinician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Nurse Clinician Job

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Average nurse clinician salary

The average Nurse Clinician salary in the United States is $65,159 per year or $31 per hour. Nurse clinician salaries range between $48,000 and $88,000 per year.

Average Nurse Clinician Salary
$65,159 Yearly
$31.33 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do nurse clinicians rate their job?

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Nurse Clinician reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2021
Pros

Caring for patients

Cons

Staffing ratios, unfairness, constant expectations. Healthcare is a business but doesn’t treat nurses like business employees


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A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020
Pros

helping people and saving lives

Cons

the pay is not good not enough for the lifestyle I would like to live


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020
Pros

The feeling I get when helping people.

Cons

Nursing isn’t what it was 12yrs ago when I started. It is all about “family centered care” and not what is actually best for the patient. Not only am I a nurse and caring for the patient, but I’m the house keeper, waitress, and coffee go getter. There is no more respect for nurses and their patients.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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