How to hire a scrub nurse

How to hire a scrub nurse, step by step

Here's a step-by-step scrub 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 scrub nurse job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new scrub nurse
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your scrub nurse job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a scrub nurse for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a scrub nurse to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a scrub nurse that fits the bill.

   This list presents scrub nurse salaries for various positions.

   Type of Scrub Nurse	Description	Hourly rate
   Scrub Nurse	Registered 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.	$20-49
   Registered Nurse Charge Nurse	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... Show more	$22-52
   Nurse Clinician	A nurse clinician is a health expert who provides care and assistance to patients in hospitals, clinics, or similar establishments. Among their responsibilities include preparing equipment and documents, administering medication, monitoring the patient's condition, maintaining charts, and regularly reporting to physicians... Show more	$23-42

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Surgery Site
   • Direct Patient Care
   • Surgical Procedures
   • GYN
   • Ortho
   • Urology
   • IV
   • Vital Signs
   • Sterile Technique
   • PACU
   • General Surgery
   • Catheter
   • Sponges

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Organize and manage regular clinics involving external physicians, including ophthalmology, ENT, Med/Surg, orthopedics, and podiatry professionals.
   • Assist scrub nurse in the setup, arrangement and count of surgical equipment and sponges.
   • Maintain and accurately document proper counting of instruments, sponges and needles as per policy.
   • Include teaching at community outreach seminars and optometry seminars for patients and physicians
   • Provide teaching to patients and families regarding health care preparation in ambulatory/outpatient care.
   • Perform and participate in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your scrub nurse job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A scrub nurse salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, scrub nurses' average salary in maine is 52% less than in hawaii.
   • Seniority. Entry-level scrub nurses earn 58% less than senior-level scrub nurses.
   • Certifications. A scrub nurse with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a scrub nurse's salary.

   Average scrub nurse salary

   $66,672yearly

   $32.05 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level scrub nurse salary

   $43,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 30, 2026

4. Writing a scrub nurse job description

   A scrub nurse job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a scrub nurse job description:

   Scrub nurse job description example

   Job DescriptionPeterson Health is a not-for-profit rural community hospital located in Kerrville, TX. We are among the nation’s Best Places to Work and pride ourselves on our compassionate and team-oriented culture. We offer competitive pay, paid time off, as well as health and retirement benefits to our employees.
   Currently offering up to a $24,000 sign on bonus
   
   Under the general supervision of the Director, Heart and Vascular Services, the Cath Lab Scrub Nurse is responsible for the provision of services of a highly specialized nature to patients according to physician’s orders. Provides for patient safety and high quality testing. Also responsible for the operation of all X-ray equipment, scrubbing-in to assist the physician in complex angiographic procedures, and safe and effective monitoring of invasive or non-invasive procedures in the cath lab.
   
   Required Education:
   Graduate of accredited school of radiology technology, RCIS program, or of a nursing school (with appropriate training to scrub, pan, and monitor)
   
   Preferred Education:
   BS Radiologic Technology or BSN
   
   Required Technical Skills:
   Basic computer skills, radiation safety, monitoring patients vital signs via the hemodynamic system
   
   Preferred Technical Skills:
   Meditech Expanse, IR Coder, and DR Systems PACS proficiency
   
   Required Licensure/Registration/Certification:
   Certified Medical Radiology Technologist (ARRT), Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS), or LVN/RN with experience scrubbing/ panning and monitoring. Certified in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
   
   Preferred Licensure/Registration/Certification:
   ARRT (R) with RCIS or (CI) certification
   
   Required Experience:
   One year Cardiac Cath Lab experience
   
   Preferred Experience:
   Two or more years experience in a hospital Cardiac Cath Lab unit with both Vascular and Interventional Radiology proficiency
   
   IND123
   #ZR
   
   Company DescriptionAt Peterson Health, every employee contributes to the mission, vision, and values of the organization. In return, we aim to provide the best workplace our employees could hope for. In May of 2021, our efforts to create an exceptional work environment were recognized as we were proudly named one of the nation’s Best Places to Work by Modern Healthcare.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find scrub 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 scrub nurses they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level scrub 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 scrub nurse job on Zippia to find and recruit scrub 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

   During your first interview to recruit scrub nurses, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   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 scrub nurse

   Once you've found the scrub nurse candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new scrub nurse first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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.)

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