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Registered health nurse vs staff nurse

The differences between registered health nurses and staff 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 registered health nurse and a staff nurse. Additionally, a registered health nurse has an average salary of $75,713, which is higher than the $68,342 average annual salary of a staff nurse.

The top three skills for a registered health nurse include patients, home health and CPR. The most important skills for a staff nurse are patients, BLS, and CPR.

Registered health nurse vs staff nurse overview

Registered Health NurseStaff Nurse
Yearly salary$75,713$68,342
Hourly rate$36.40$32.86
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs538,508699,636
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 44%Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Average age4444
Years of experience22

What does a registered health nurse do?

Registered health nurses work in collaboration with other health care professionals. They provide direct patient care, assess and record symptoms, progress, and reactions, all of which provides the source for care planning and intervention. They also manage nursing care plans, instruct patients and their families in the right care, and aid individuals and groups to improve or maintain their good health. It also requires a large base of knowledge and experience in order to assess, plan, and give intervention to promote health, avoid disease, and help patients cope with ailments.

What does a staff nurse do?

Staff nurses are registered nurses who are usually assigned to work in a care home, a company, or in a clinical setting. They advise the physical assessments of patients, employees, and residents. They also handle the checking of vital signs, providing basic medical procedures, giving first aid, and, if possible, providing over the counter medication. Staff nurses provide medical attention to the people in their place of assignment. They help pave the path to their patients' full recovery. Staff nurses are expected to be patient and have good interpersonal skills.

Registered health nurse vs staff nurse salary

Registered health nurses and staff nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

Registered Health NurseStaff Nurse
Average salary$75,713$68,342
Salary rangeBetween $50,000 And $112,000Between $42,000 And $109,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CABurlingame, CA
Highest paying stateRhode IslandCalifornia
Best paying companyBaptist Health CareWashington Hospital Healthcare System
Best paying industryHealth CareHealth Care

Differences between registered health nurse and staff nurse education

There are a few differences between a registered health nurse and a staff nurse in terms of educational background:

Registered Health NurseStaff Nurse
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 44%Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Registered health nurse vs staff nurse demographics

Here are the differences between registered health nurses' and staff nurses' demographics:

Registered Health NurseStaff Nurse
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 11.1% Female, 88.9%Male, 12.3% Female, 87.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.9% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between registered health nurse and staff nurse duties and responsibilities

Registered health nurse example responsibilities.

  • Operate specialize equipment such as cardiac monitor, EKG, DEA, managing nasal pharyngeal and gastric suction.
  • Manage ventilator settings and complete tracheostomy care on chronically ill patients.
  • Manage patient care monitoring vital signs, performing physical assessment, checking patients medications for effectiveness.
  • Participate in manage care activities to produce health change, specifically providing diabetes education and lifestyle counseling in chronic disease areas.
  • Deliver a complete range of care to general Medicare, Medicaid home care patient's.
  • Obtain knowledge of medical diagnostic and billing codes used for private insurance, Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements.
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Staff nurse example responsibilities.

  • Manage and further help stabilize elective and urgent care surgical patients in their post-operative/post PACU admission to the floor.
  • Accomplish extensive critical care course with EKG interpretation and yearly critical care medication exam.
  • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
  • Participate in discharge planning including teaching family members and patients wind care and medication administration process after discharge.
  • Provide direct nursing care to patients in a variety of settings with an emphasis in critical care and PACU settings.
  • Prepare patients for surgery and endoscopy procedures including initiating intravenous lines, physical assessments and administering medications.
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Registered health nurse vs staff nurse skills

Common registered health nurse skills
  • Patients, 24%
  • Home Health, 23%
  • CPR, 8%
  • Quality Care, 4%
  • Mental Health, 3%
  • Compassion, 3%
Common staff nurse skills
  • Patients, 28%
  • BLS, 9%
  • CPR, 6%
  • Acls, 5%
  • Acute Care, 4%
  • Direct Patient Care, 3%

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