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The differences between registered nurse med/surgs and triage register 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 triage register nurse. Additionally, a registered nurse med/surg has an average salary of $84,812, which is higher than the $67,813 average annual salary of a triage register nurse.
The top three skills for a registered nurse med/surg include patients, BLS and acute care. The most important skills for a triage register nurse are patients, home health, and triage rn.
| Registered Nurse Med/Surg | Triage Register Nurse | |
| Yearly salary | $84,812 | $67,813 |
| Hourly rate | $40.77 | $32.60 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 515,200 | 458,151 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 46% | Associate Degree, 46% |
| 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 triage register nurse works at a hospital's emergency room where they are in charge of providing immediate care and assistance to patients who are usually in life-threatening conditions. Part of their job is to assess the patients' needs and symptoms, regularly check on the patients who are in the waiting areas, assist patients towards corresponding facilities, and sort priority groups according to guidelines. There are also instances when a triage nurse must initiate urgent treatment or receive calls, maintaining an active communication line with fellow nurses and staff for an efficient workflow.
Registered nurse med/surgs and triage register nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Registered Nurse Med/Surg | Triage Register Nurse | |
| Average salary | $84,812 | $67,813 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $145,000 | Between $45,000 And $101,000 |
| Highest paying City | Lancaster, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | California |
| Best paying company | Dignity Health | UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a registered nurse med/surg and a triage register nurse in terms of educational background:
| Registered Nurse Med/Surg | Triage Register Nurse | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 46% | Associate Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between registered nurse med/surgs' and triage register nurses' demographics:
| Registered Nurse Med/Surg | Triage Register Nurse | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.9% Female, 89.1% | Male, 6.7% Female, 93.3% |
| 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, 9.6% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.0% Asian, 9.0% White, 66.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |