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The differences between registered 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 nurse and a staff nurse. Additionally, a registered nurse has an average salary of $73,349, which is higher than the $68,342 average annual salary of a staff nurse.
The top three skills for a registered nurse include patients, BLS and CPR. The most important skills for a staff nurse are patients, BLS, and CPR.
| Registered Nurse | Staff Nurse | |
| Yearly salary | $73,349 | $68,342 |
| Hourly rate | $35.26 | $32.86 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 646,159 | 699,636 |
| Job satisfaction | 2.75 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
The primary responsibilities of a registered nurse involve caring for a variety of patients, from ill and injured to those who are healthy and wanting to stay that way. Nurses have different specialization and work with particular patients, such as newborn babies or those who are suffering from particular medical conditions. They work on different settings which includes hospital, outpatient facility, rehabilitation center, nursing home, dialysis center, home healthcare agency, and other offices. They can administer medications, wound care, and other aids or treatment plan. They also conduct medical tests, interpret the results, and monitor patients' recovery and progress.
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 nurses and staff nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Registered Nurse | Staff Nurse | |
| Average salary | $73,349 | $68,342 |
| Salary range | Between $45,000 And $117,000 | Between $42,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Burlingame, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | NORCAL Ambulance | Washington Hospital Healthcare System |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a registered nurse and a staff nurse in terms of educational background:
| Registered Nurse | Staff Nurse | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between registered nurses' and staff nurses' demographics:
| Registered Nurse | Staff Nurse | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 12.3% Female, 87.7% | Male, 12.3% Female, 87.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 9.0% White, 66.1% 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 Percentage | 9% | 9% |