Post job

How to hire a registered professional nurse

Registered professional nurse hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring registered professional nurses in the United States:

  • HR departments typically spend 15% of their expenses on recruitment.
  • It usually takes about 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • It typically takes 36-42 days to fill a job opening.
  • The median cost to hire a registered professional nurse is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend an average of $1,105 per registered professional nurse on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • There are currently 1,931,789 registered professional nurses in the US and 681,526 job openings.
  • Dallas, TX, has the highest demand for registered professional nurses, with 7 job openings.
  • New York, NY has the highest concentration of registered professional nurses.

How to hire a registered professional nurse, step by step

To hire a registered professional nurse, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a registered professional nurse:

Here's a step-by-step registered professional 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 professional nurse job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new registered professional nurse
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
jobs
Post a registered professional nurse job for free, promote it for a fee
  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the registered professional nurse you need to hire. Certain registered professional nurse roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A registered professional nurse's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, registered professional 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.

    The following list breaks down different types of registered professional nurses and their corresponding salaries.

    Type of Registered Professional NurseDescriptionHourly rate
    Registered Professional NurseRegistered 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.$20-59
    NurseNurses are medical professionals assigned to a specific department in the hospital and provide their trusted department services. Nurses are in charge of taking patients' medical histories, getting vital signs, preparing patients for checkups or procedures, explaining upcoming practices, answering any questions, and communicating any concerns to the assigned doctor... Show more$18-41
    Staff NurseStaff 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
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Patients
    • BLS
    • Patient Safety
    • Acls
    • EKG
    • Compassion
    • Healthcare Professionals
    • Surgery
    • Advanced Life Support
    • Nursing Diagnosis
    • CPR
    • Patient Teaching
    • Critical Care
    • Patient Outcomes
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
    • Provide direct patient care to but not limit to acute, palliative care, and oncology patients.
    • Provide telemetry monitoring for cardiac patients.
    • Involve in prescribing patients individual rehabilitation programs in conjunction with staff exercise physiologists and helping patients meet their expect goals.
    • Provide excellent and compassionate ICU patient care.
    • Assist ICU manager with scheduling and work assignments.
    More registered professional nurse duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in the registered professional nurse job description is a good way to get more applicants. A registered professional nurse salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

    For example, the average salary for a registered professional nurse in North Dakota may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level registered professional nurse. Additionally, a registered professional nurse with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

    Average registered professional nurse salary

    $73,268yearly

    $35.23 hourly rate

    Entry-level registered professional nurse salary
    $43,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 20, 2026

    Average registered professional nurse salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1New York$88,757$43
    2California$87,519$42
    3Massachusetts$85,483$41
    4Georgia$78,338$38
    5Texas$76,543$37
    6Arizona$73,687$35
    7North Carolina$67,496$32
    8Pennsylvania$65,761$32
    9Ohio$61,523$30

    Average registered professional nurse salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Accountable Healthcare Holdings Corp.$102,354$49.2169
    2Medical City Arlington$100,260$48.20131
    3Express Healthcare Professionals$93,427$44.92
    4Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego$93,174$44.8013
    5Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation Inc.$79,180$38.07123
    6PeaceHealth$78,406$37.70174
    7Lakeland Regional Health$74,325$35.731
    8Kettering Health Network$74,298$35.7279
    9Tufts Medical Center$73,071$35.134
    10Highmark$72,592$34.90310
    11TRC Companies$71,839$34.541
    12MVP Health Care$70,097$33.7010
    13Medstar Health$69,363$33.35199
    14Geisinger Medical Center$68,532$32.95490
    15State of Connecticut$67,904$32.6511
    16Mount Sinai Health System$67,427$32.42121
    17Clinical Management Consultants$66,074$31.77
    18Monroe County$65,918$31.69
    19Topeka Public Schools$65,331$31.414
    20Sentara Healthcare$64,971$31.24566
  4. Writing a registered professional nurse job description

    A good registered professional 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 professional nurse job description:

    Registered professional nurse job description example

    • Graduated BSN program accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) with a minimum GPA of 3.0
    • Possession of an active unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) license in the State of New Jersey
    • Possession of American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare Provider Certification
    • 2 Letters of Recommendation from Clinical Instructors
    • Less than 12 months work experience as a Registered Nurse in an acute care setting
    • Hired as a Full Time Registered Nurse

    OUR MISSION, VISION & VALUES:

    Employees of Saint Barnabas Medical Center are committed to exemplifying the Standards of - Exceptional Communication, Compassionate Care, Outstanding Teamwork, Professional Integrity and Ownership & Accountability - creating an environment of C ompassionate Care, Healthcare Excellence and Superior Service (CCHESS) for all that enter our facility. If you share the commitment, dedication and drive meet the CCHESS challenge, we welcome your application.

    Since 1865, Saint Barnabas Medical Center (SBMC), located at 94 Old Short Hills Road in Livingston, is New Jersey s oldest nonprofit, nonsectarian hospital. The 597-bed institution is one of the largest health care providers in the state, treating more than 35,500 inpatients and over 84,000 Emergency Department patients each year. The Medical Center and the Saint Barnabas Ambulatory Care Center provide treatment and services for more than 300,000 outpatient visits annually.

    The Medical Staff is comprised of more than 1,600 physicians in 100 medical and surgical specialties and there are over 3,400 employees. As a teaching institution, we have nine residency programs and one fellowship in Mammography and a shared Nephrology fellowship with Newark Beth Israel. There are a total of 154 residents and fellows.

    Among Saint Barnabas nationally recognized facilities are The Burn Center, the only certified burn treatment facility in the state; the Barnabas Health Care System Renal and Pancreas Transplant Division, one of the most active transplant programs in the country; The Saint Barnabas Heart Centers, a world-class cardiac surgery program in affiliation with Newark Beth Israel Medical Center; The Neurology and Neurosurgery Program which is the only program in New Jersey to be ranked by US News and World Report as a Top Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. It is led by an unprecedented team of experts dedicated to diagnosing and treating disorders of the brain and nervous system; the Regional Perinatal Center, providing care for high-risk and critically ill infants in New Jersey s leading Level III, a 56-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; comprehensive Pediatric Services including a dedicated intensive care unit; The Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence, designated by the American Society of Bariatric Surgery; a nationally accredited Chest Pain Center, The Center for Sleep Disorders; The Comprehensive Stroke Center at Saint Barnabas; extensive services in robotic and minimally-invasive surgery, The Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Science at Saint Barnabas, the widely recognized assisted reproductive technology program; and comprehensive cancer programs and services that includes one of the largest Radiation Oncology programs in northern New Jersey and a highly-specialized Gastrointestinal Cancer Center of Excellence.

    SBMC is an equal opportunity employer.

  5. Post your job

    To find registered professional nurses for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any registered professional nurses they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level registered professional nurses with the right educational background.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your registered professional nurse job on Zippia to find and recruit registered professional nurse candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting registered professional nurses requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    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 professional nurse

    Once you have selected a candidate for the registered professional nurse position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

    It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

  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.)
    Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire a registered professional nurse?

Recruiting registered professional nurses involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

You can expect to pay around $73,268 per year for a registered professional nurse, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for registered professional nurses in the US typically range between $20 and $59 an hour.

Find better registered professional nurses in less time
Post a job on Zippia and hire the best from over 7 million monthly job seekers.

Hiring registered professional nurses FAQs

Search for registered professional nurse jobs

Ready to start hiring?

Browse healthcare practitioner and technical jobs