How to hire a nurse

How to hire a nurse, step by step

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

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

What does a nurse do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a 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

   A nurse's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, nurses from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of nurses and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Nurse	Description	Hourly rate
   Nurse	Registered nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their family members.	$18-41
   Emergency Department Registered Nurse	An emergency registered nurse is first in line for patients who need a response. These nurses are first to respond to emergency cases such as trauma, allergic reactions, and injuries... Show more	$23-64
   Registered Nurse Charge Nurse	A registered charge nurse is responsible for supervising nurses' workflow in a particular department or area, ensuring every patient gets the proper care that they need. A registered charge nurse has the discretion to direct tasks, arrange schedules, and monitor patients, such as in the aspects of admission and discharge... Show more	$22-52

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Home Health
   • CPR
   • BLS
   • Acute Care
   • Acls
   • Quality Care
   • Discharge Planning
   • Infection Control
   • Emergency Situations
   • Vital Signs
   • Triage
   • Rehabilitation
   • Critical Care

   Check all skills

   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.

   More nurse duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, nurses' average salary in mississippi is 50% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level nurses 56% less than senior-level nurses.
   • Certifications. A 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 a nurse's salary.

   Average nurse salary

   $57,564yearly

   $27.68 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level nurse salary

   $38,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 29, 2025

   Average nurse salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$81,015	$39
   2	Oregon	$75,010	$36
   3	New York	$73,670	$35
   4	Massachusetts	$73,301	$35
   5	Hawaii	$72,203	$35
   6	Washington	$70,962	$34
   7	District of Columbia	$69,860	$34
   8	Arizona	$66,368	$32
   9	Rhode Island	$66,326	$32
   10	Maryland	$63,768	$31
   11	Maine	$63,191	$30
   12	Pennsylvania	$62,161	$30
   13	Nevada	$61,731	$30
   14	Michigan	$58,319	$28
   15	Illinois	$57,691	$28
   16	Minnesota	$57,297	$28
   17	Colorado	$56,875	$27
   18	Texas	$53,678	$26
   19	Ohio	$52,617	$25
   20	Georgia	$52,250	$25

   Average nurse salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Conviva	$81,364	$39.12
   2	City of Los Angeles	$80,186	$38.55	4
   3	Terros Health	$79,801	$38.37	13
   4	Abbott	$78,406	$37.70	49
   5	Brandywine Counseling	$77,990	$37.50
   6	The Bryn Mawr School	$77,910	$37.46
   7	KPG	$77,731	$37.37
   8	Boston Public Schools	$77,102	$37.07	1
   9	University of California-Berkeley	$76,672	$36.86	2
   10	Guidehouse	$75,083	$36.10	17
   11	Touchstone Health Services	$74,275	$35.71	6
   12	Children's Hospital Colorado	$72,642	$34.92	30
   13	Legacy Health	$72,508	$34.86	93
   14	Marathon Petroleum	$71,913	$34.57
   15	Medical City Arlington	$71,847	$34.54	173
   16	Encompass Health	$71,782	$34.51	1,125
   17	Baptist Health Care	$71,314	$34.29	46
   18	Wellpath	$71,309	$34.28	716
   19	Student Conservation Association	$71,279	$34.27	10
   20	PROFESSIONAL NURSING SERVICES	$71,037	$34.15

4. Writing a nurse job description

   A job description for a nurse role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a nurse job description:

   Nurse job description example

   Congratulations Registered Nurse graduate! You've chosen a career that will change lives, including your own. So launch your nursing career at a company committed to the same, Genesis HealthCare.
   
   Westfield Center is looking for a Graduate RN to join its team per diem. Shift Differential applies to all hours after 3pm Westfield Center is offering base rates starting at $36.00 an hour and up with earning potential up to $43.00 plus a retention on bonus of 4000 for FT and 2000 for PT. Genesis also offers tuition reimbursement for 1000 for nursing students enrolled in an RN program. * Full time licensed nursing staff is offered our Vault Loan Payment Program which offers for our licensed nursing employee to receive an additional $3,000 a year towards the payoff of student loan debt in repayment status. Come check out all the great opportunities the Westfield center has to offer.
   
   Genesis HealthCare is one of the nation's leading providers of healthcare services from short-term to long-term care and a wide variety of living options and professional clinical services. We are changing how care is delivered by bringing together people like you -- passionate, highly skilled and motivated to make a difference.
   
   Position Highlights Deliver efficient and effective nursing care while achieving positive clinical outcomes and patient/family satisfaction. Manage patient care by performing nursing assessments delegating aspects of care to LPNs and CNAs Collaborate with the nursing team and other disciplines, patients and families to develop effective plans of care Communicate patient information with assigned staff during and between shifts
   
   Why Genesis? We offer various career paths for our employees as well as on-going education and training to help them achieve their goals. Founded in 1985, Genesis remains a strong, financially stable company constantly reexamining strategies to ensure continued industry longevity. We are committed to YOU! We focus on improving the quality of care through creativity and innovation, honesty and integrity in all we do. We Care Deeply about YOU! Guided by our Core Values, Code of Conduct and Ethics program, we foster a family-like work environment with a culture of compassion.
   NRG1
   
   Qualifications: Must be a graduate of an approved school of nursing Must be currently licensed by the State Board of Nursing or awaiting licensure number Experience in rehabilitative or geriatric nursing is preferred. To protect the health and safety of our patients, residents, employees, family members, and the communities we serve, Genesis has implemented a universal COVID-19 vaccination requirement for employees, care partners and onsite vendors.
   
   Position Type: Full Time
   
   
   Pay Target:
   
   Genesis HealthCare, Inc. and all affiliated entities are proud to practice Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action. Genesis provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, actual or perceived disability, marital status, genetic information, amnesty, or status as covered veterans in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Genesis takes affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified minorities, women, individuals with disabilities and covered veterans. This policy is fully supported by the CEO, COO and all members of the leadership team.

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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right nurse for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your nurse job on Zippia to find and attract quality nurse candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with nurse candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 nurse

   Once you've decided on a perfect nurse candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new nurse first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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 a nurse?