How to hire a special duty nurse

How to hire a special duty nurse, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a special duty nurse, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

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

   This list shows salaries for various types of special duty nurses.

   Type of Special Duty Nurse	Description	Hourly rate
   Special Duty 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.	$19-52
   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
   Nurse Educator	A nurse educator is responsible for teaching aspiring professional nurses, designing courses according to the curriculum, and organizing activities to practice and enhance the students' knowledge. Nurse educators manage clinical activities and observe the students' performance in actual training... Show more	$22-46

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Acls
   • MRI
   • Home Health
   • CPR
   • IV
   • Direct Patient Care
   • ICU
   • Medical Care
   • Physical Assessments
   • Vital Signs
   • CCU
   • Epic
   • Patient Education

   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.
   • Educate patients on chemotherapy and relate treatments including growth factors and radiation.
   • Take vitals and history of patients and enter into EMR (NexGen).
   • Operate the EMR system with proficiency to assist in the proper care of patients.
   • Interact closely with family members and patients in evaluating treatment plans and administer prescribed medications/treatments.
   • Perform and participate in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your special duty nurse job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A special duty nurse can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, special duty nurses' average salary in iowa is 45% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level special duty nurses 63% less than senior-level special duty nurses.
   • Certifications. A special duty nurse with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a special duty nurse's salary.

   Average special duty nurse salary

   $67,188yearly

   $32.30 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level special duty nurse salary

   $41,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

4. Writing a special duty nurse job description

   A good special duty 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 special duty nurse job description:

   Special duty nurse job description example

   • Current RN licenses for states of practice
   • Current certifications in Healthcare Provider BLS/CPR; ACLS; PALS or equivalent (if state or county required)
   • Current certifications such as TPATC, TNCC, PHTLS or ITLS (some states may require specific trauma certifications for flight nurses)
   • Current specialty training or willingness to let us train you in: NRP, FEMA, NIMS, IS 100, 200, 700, 800 and HazMat training

   Preferred Qualifications:

   Education: BSN or bachelor's degree in a health-related field

   Experience: Pre-hospital experience and flight experience

   Certifications: Specialty certifications such as CEN, CCRN, or CFRN

   Operation and Safety Requirements:

   As a member of the Clinical Flight Crew, any person employed in this position shall maintain a weight not to exceed 225 pounds including empty flight suit and boots.

   What we offer:

   Top tier benefits and clinical training including:

   • Annual high fidelity human patient simulation training
   • Annual participation in a cadaver lab
   • Flight simulator training
   • Paid continuing education, including ACLS, PALS, NRP and advanced trauma courses
   • Specialty certification stipend for CFRN paid annually
   • Opportunities to obtain licensure for work in additional locations with company-paid travel
   • Clinical leveling program and leadership positions provide ladder for advancement

   We can't be the industry-leading air medical company without you.

   
   Air Methods is an EEO/AA employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

   #LI-BC1

   Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

   The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right special duty nurse for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with special duty nurses they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit special duty nurses who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your special duty nurse job on Zippia to find and recruit special duty nurse candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit special duty nurses, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 special duty nurse

   Once you've decided on a perfect special duty nurse candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   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.)

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