Travel Nurse vs. Staff Nurse

A travel nurse is a nurse who is constantly changing places and tends to work in short-term facilities or home healthcare, while a staff nurse has a permanent position in a long-term facility like a hospital or healthcare clinic.

How long does it take to become a Staff Nurse?

It takes 4 years of professional experience to become a staff nurse. That is the time it takes to learn specific staff nurse skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 7 to 9 years years to become a staff nurse.

What is a staff nurse and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Experts

Lisa Rebeschi Ph.D.,

Kim Raines

A staff nurse provides direct patient care and assists physicians in medical procedures. They work in healthcare settings, such as hospitals and nursing homes. Staff nurses are responsible for monitoring patient health, administering medication, and providing patient education. They also assist with diagnostic tests and procedures, record patient information, and communicate with patients and their families about their care. Staff nurses play a critical role in ensuring the well-being of their patients while providing care.

What general advice would you give to a Staff Nurse?

Lisa Rebeschi Ph.D.

Associate Dean of the School of Nursing Professor of Nursing, Quinnipiac University

One of the suggestions for new graduates is the importance of self-care. We have long known of the demanding nature of the nursing practice. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the nursing role's critical importance and the unique contributions made by nursing professionals. As the healthcare environment is extremely complex and challenging, nurses must remember to advocate for themselves and prioritize self-care.

ScoreStaff NurseUS Average

Salary

5.3

Avg. Salary $68,342

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

10.0

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.44%

Asian 8.92%

Black or African American 11.83%

Hispanic or Latino 8.79%

Unknown 4.24%

White 65.77%

Gender

female 87.67%

male 12.33%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress Level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

9.1

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

7.8

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Staff Nurse?

Pros

Job security due to the high demand for nurses
Competitive salary and benefits package
Opportunities for career advancement and specialization
Ability to work in a variety of healthcare settings
Flexibility in scheduling, with options for part-time and full-time work

Cons

Exposure to infectious diseases and hazardous materials
Long, irregular work hours including nights, weekends, and holidays
Dealing with difficult or uncooperative patients and families
Reliance on technology that can malfunction or be unreliable
Potential for workplace violence or aggression from patients or visitors

Key steps to become a staff nurse

Explore staff nurse education requirements

Most common staff nurse degrees

Bachelor's

44.0 %

Associate

39.8 %

Diploma

8.1 %

Start to develop specific staff nurse skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	28.01%
BLS	8.85%
CPR	5.76%
Acls	4.51%
Acute Care	4.37%

Complete relevant staff nurse training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New staff nurses learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a staff nurse based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real staff nurse resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming a licensed staff nurse usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed staff nurse in most of states. 43 states require staff nurses to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

State	Education	Exam	License Url
Alabama	Degree required	State exam required	Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
Alaska	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Nurse, Licensed Practical
Arkansas	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
California	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Licensed Vocational Nurse
Colorado	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Licensed Practical Nurse

Gain additional staff nurse certifications

Staff nurse certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific staff nurse certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for staff nurses include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC).

More About Certifications

Research staff nurse duties and responsibilities

Manage and further help stabilize elective and urgent care surgical patients in their post-operative/post PACU admission to the floor.
Accomplish extensive critical care course with EKG interpretation and yearly critical care medication exam.
Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
Participate in discharge planning including teaching family members and patients wind care and medication administration process after discharge.

Prepare your staff nurse resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your staff nurse resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a staff nurse resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

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