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The differences between registered nurse med/surgs and registered nurses charge 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 med/surg and a registered nurse charge nurse. Additionally, a registered nurse med/surg has an average salary of $84,812, which is higher than the $71,342 average annual salary of a registered nurse charge nurse.
The top three skills for a registered nurse med/surg include patients, BLS and acute care. The most important skills for a registered nurse charge nurse are patients, BLS, and CPR.
| Registered Nurse Med/Surg | Registered Nurse Charge Nurse | |
| Yearly salary | $84,812 | $71,342 |
| Hourly rate | $40.77 | $34.30 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 515,200 | 645,134 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 46% | Associate Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
The job of registered medical-surgical nurses is to care for patients with either surgical or non-surgical conditions. They are responsible for aiding patients to cope with their illness, prevent diseases, and promote good health. Entry-level registered nurses often rely on standardized care plans and medical procedures and make scientific-based nursing judgments. On the other hand, intermediate level nurses are more skilled in developing care plans that meet client needs. Requirements to become a medical-surgical nurse include a college degree in nursing, excellent assessment and observation skills, and patient education skills.
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. Furthermore, a registered charge nurse must maintain an active line of communication and coordination among nurses, physicians, and other personnel involved as the conditions in a hospital can be unpredictable.
Registered nurse med/surgs and registered nurses charge nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Registered Nurse Med/Surg | Registered Nurse Charge Nurse | |
| Average salary | $84,812 | $71,342 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $145,000 | Between $46,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | Lancaster, CA | San Diego, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Dignity Health | Alameda Health System |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a registered nurse med/surg and a registered nurse charge nurse in terms of educational background:
| Registered Nurse Med/Surg | Registered Nurse Charge Nurse | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 46% | Associate Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between registered nurse med/surgs' and registered nurses charge nurses' demographics:
| Registered Nurse Med/Surg | Registered Nurse Charge Nurse | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.9% Female, 89.1% | Male, 12.1% Female, 87.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 9.1% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |