Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between registered nurse med/surgs and registered nurse in the icus 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 in the icu. Additionally, a registered nurse in the icu has an average salary of $92,881, which is higher than the $84,812 average annual salary of a registered nurse med/surg.
The top three skills for a registered nurse med/surg include patients, BLS and acute care. The most important skills for a registered nurse in the icu are patients, BLS, and acls.
| Registered Nurse Med/Surg | Registered Nurse In The ICU | |
| Yearly salary | $84,812 | $92,881 |
| Hourly rate | $40.77 | $44.65 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 515,200 | 631,825 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| 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 nurse in the ICU, or intensive care unit, is responsible for monitoring a patient's progress and performing regular reports to physicians and families. Most ICU patients require extensive attention and assessment, which will require a nurse to be more observant and proactive. A nurse may also have duties producing paperwork, arranging schedules, responding to various inquiries, and crafting a particular care plan. Furthermore, should there be any emergencies, it is crucial to inform the assigned physician right away.
Registered nurse med/surgs and registered nurse in the icus have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Registered Nurse Med/Surg | Registered Nurse In The ICU | |
| Average salary | $84,812 | $92,881 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $145,000 | Between $54,000 And $156,000 |
| Highest paying City | Lancaster, CA | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Dignity Health | Scripps Health |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a registered nurse med/surg and a registered nurse in the icu in terms of educational background:
| Registered Nurse Med/Surg | Registered Nurse In The ICU | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between registered nurse med/surgs' and registered nurse in the icus' demographics:
| Registered Nurse Med/Surg | Registered Nurse In The ICU | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.9% Female, 89.1% | Male, 17.5% Female, 82.5% |
| 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, 11.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 9.2% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |