How to hire a registered nurse charge nurse

How to hire a registered nurse charge nurse, step by step

Here's a step-by-step registered nurse charge 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 registered nurse charge nurse job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new registered nurse charge nurse
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a registered nurse charge nurse do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a registered nurse charge 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 registered nurse charge nurse's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, registered nurses charge 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.

   This list presents registered nurse charge nurse salaries for various positions.

   Type of Registered Nurse Charge Nurse	Description	Hourly rate
   Registered Nurse Charge 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.	$22-52
   Staff Nurse	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... Show more	$20-52
   Intensive Care Unit Nurse	An Intensive Care Unit Nurse is specialized in providing care in intensive care units of hospitals. They assist in the treatment of acutely ill patients with life-threatening conditions.	$23-62

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • BLS
   • CPR
   • Acls
   • Direct Patient Care
   • Rehabilitation
   • Resident Care
   • Acute Care
   • Infection Control
   • Quality Patient Care
   • Compassion
   • Medication Administration
   • Critical Care
   • Patient Safety

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage intravenous therapy via peripheral and central catheters; antibiotic, TPN/lipid, constant cardiac medication infusion and fluid administration.
   • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
   • Assess and carefully monitor medically diverse patients who require telemetry and safely administer medications.
   • Collaborate with ICU team to provide excellent patient care utilizing critical thinking skills and evidence-base practice.
   • Document patient medical history and symptoms, administer treatment and medications, and follow-up with patients during rehabilitation.
   • Respond to codes, administering CPR and oxygen, monitoring vitals and preparing medications in anticipation of physician orders.

   More registered nurse charge nurse duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your registered nurse charge nurse job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A registered nurse charge nurse salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a registered nurse charge nurse in Iowa may be lower than in Hawaii, and an entry-level registered nurse charge nurse usually earns less than a senior-level registered nurse charge nurse. Additionally, a registered nurse charge nurse with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average registered nurse charge nurse salary

   $71,342yearly

   $34.30 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level registered nurse charge nurse salary

   $46,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average registered nurse charge nurse salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$102,895	$49
   2	Oregon	$96,358	$46
   3	New York	$93,131	$45
   4	Washington	$92,361	$44
   5	Maryland	$85,229	$41
   6	Nevada	$84,160	$40
   7	Arizona	$77,053	$37
   8	Maine	$75,722	$36
   9	Colorado	$73,232	$35
   10	Virginia	$70,913	$34
   11	Ohio	$68,446	$33
   12	Indiana	$68,372	$33
   13	Illinois	$67,847	$33
   14	Texas	$67,784	$33
   15	Florida	$66,461	$32
   16	Georgia	$65,837	$32
   17	New Mexico	$63,951	$31
   18	Louisiana	$63,525	$31
   19	Alabama	$62,759	$30
   20	Missouri	$59,974	$29

   Average registered nurse charge nurse salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Alameda Health System	$115,891	$55.72	19
   2	Student Conservation Association	$98,394	$47.30	10
   3	Sutter Health	$96,591	$46.44	233
   4	Westways Staffing	$94,264	$45.32	16
   5	Favorite Healthcare Staffing	$93,561	$44.98	33
   6	United Medical Corporation	$93,258	$44.84
   7	Sharp HealthCare	$93,015	$44.72	16
   8	Goodwin Recruiting	$92,703	$44.57	4
   9	Northpointe Behavioral Healthcare System	$92,115	$44.29	2
   10	American Red Cross	$92,054	$44.26	3
   11	Four Seasons	$91,444	$43.96	16
   12	Wellpath	$90,742	$43.63	857
   13	The Garden	$89,406	$42.98	4
   14	Palomar Health	$88,704	$42.65	27
   15	All Medical Personnel	$87,582	$42.11	80
   16	Cedars-Sinai	$87,142	$41.90	242
   17	The Arora Group	$86,170	$41.43	91
   18	HealthTrust	$85,511	$41.11	1,358
   19	LifePoint Health	$85,341	$41.03	1,252
   20	DaVita Kidney Care	$84,952	$40.84	1,602

4. Writing a registered nurse charge nurse job description

   A good registered nurse charge 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 a registered nurse charge nurse job description:

   Registered nurse charge nurse job description example

   US-OR-Tualatin
   
   Type: Regular Full-Time
   Meridian Park Medical Ctr campus
   
   Overview
   
   

   The Legacy nursing philosophy focuses on patients and their families. Our nurses embody this philosophy in everything they do, as advocates, communicators, problem-solvers and caregivers. Their expertise is sought after and respected by our health care team. In short, they are the face of wellness at Legacy. Does this sound like an environment in which you could thrive? If so, we invite you to consider this opportunity.

   Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center is the South Metro area's full-service medical center, with the friendly feel of a community hospital and the skill and services of a much larger medical center. Among our specialties: stroke, chest pain, minimally invasive and robotic surgery, cancer care and orthopedic and total joint surgery. Plus a birth center and breast health center.

   
   
   Responsibilities
   
   

   The RN Charge Nurse is accountable for the direct coordination and supervision of unit operations. Serves as a role model and resource for patient care. Provides leadership and promotes team-building among staff. Facilitates communication between staff, physicians, management and all other customers. Is responsible for effective implementation of policies, procedures and standards.

   
   
   Qualifications
   
   

   Education: Academic degree in nursing (BSN or MSN/MN) required.

   Experience: One year of relevant clinical experience at proficient to expert level of practice required. Demonstrated knowledge of operations, including staffing and scheduling, budget management, workflow planning, performance management and staff development.

   Skills: Ability to manage a broad span of control through implementation of a self-directed team approach. Strong communication and leadership skills, and a willingness to lead by example. Must meet requirements of RN Staff Nurse Job Description and performs duties in any clinical capacity as needed. Keyboard skills and ability to navigate electronic systems applicable to job functions.

   LEGACY'S VALUES IN ACTION:

   Follows guidelines set forth in Legacy's Values in Action.

   Equal Opportunity Employer/Vets/Disabled

   
   
   

   PI193372217

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right registered nurse charge 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 registered nurse charge nurse job on Zippia to find and recruit registered nurse charge nurse candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit registered nurses charge nurses, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 registered nurse charge nurse

   Once you've found the registered nurse charge 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 also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new registered nurse charge 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 a registered nurse charge nurse?