How to hire a step-down nurse

How to hire a step-down nurse, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The step-down nurse hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

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

   Here's a comparison of step-down nurse salaries for various roles:

   Type of Step-Down Nurse	Description	Hourly rate
   Step-Down 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.	$25-63
   Emergency Department Registered Nurse	An emergency registered nurse is first in line for patients who need a response. These nurses are first to respond to emergency cases such as trauma, allergic reactions, and injuries... Show more	$23-64
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • BLS
   • Acute Care
   • Life Support
   • Acls
   • Telemetry
   • Quality Care
   • Restraints
   • Critical Care
   • GI
   • COPD
   • Med/Surg
   • Heart Failure
   • Vital Signs

   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.
   • Work with EKG monitor technicians to evaluate and interpret EKG strips.
   • Interpret laboratory results and cardiac tests, and proactively educate patients in health promotion and disease prevention.
   • Initiate intravenously therapy, administer medications, provide care for post-operative open-heart patients and post cardiac catheter patients.
   • Maintain responsibility for clinical activities of all nurses caring for patients assign, prepare annual evaluations on all nurses assign.
   • Perform electrocardiogram monitoring and medication administration.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, step-down nurses' average salary in iowa is 46% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level step-down nurses 61% less than senior-level step-down nurses.
   • Certifications. A step-down 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 step-down nurse's salary.

   Average step-down nurse salary

   $83,807yearly

   $40.29 hourly rate

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   Entry-level step-down nurse salary

   $52,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a step-down nurse job description

   A step-down 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 step-down nurse job description:

   Step-down nurse job description example

   As a Charge Nurse at St. Vincent, you'll oversee a department of frontline nurses caring for patients. Your previous experience in acute care adds tremendous value to our nursing team.
   
   Every interaction is an opportunity to improve your understanding of a patient's needs, the needs of your nursing team, or the needs of your unit. You'll advocate for your fellow nurses as you support them in reaching their full potential, which aligns with your department's operational goals and objectives.
   
   To thrive in this role, you need to be accountable and confident. You're an excellent communicator in 1:1 interactions and in front of groups. It's also important for you to be comfortable holding tough conversations, as you are responsible for the performance of your people and your unit.
   
   St. Vincent North is a 69 bed non-profit facility providing quality health care to patients and communities in and around Sherwood, AR. We are part of CommonSpirit Health which operates 139 hospitals and more than 1,000 care sites across 21 states, making our services accessible to nearly 1 in 4 U.S. residents.
   
   If you are committed to social justice, health equity, and prepared to deliver care in new, innovative ways, you belong with us.
   Responsibilities
   Ability to serve as leader and teammate Ensure your direct reports and department are positioned to deliver the best care possible to our patients High level of engagement with the floor- visibly connecting with nurses, patients, and families Attend meetings with leadership to learn about new initiatives, areas for improvement, etc. and share that information with your team Monitor productivity and efficiency of your department Mentor people on your team. Share your knowledge and confidence with assistant nurse managers, charge nurses, and others We are offering a $15,000 Sign On Bonus in addition to relocation to new hires who meet the eligibility requirements.
   Qualifications
   Associates Degree In Nursing Admission to a BSN program within one year or obtainment of a Bachelor degree within 2 years of assuming position is strongly encouraged. One (1) Year Of Experience In Stepdown in Acute Care Environment Active Registered Nurse (RN) license in good standing with the Arkansas State Board of Nursing Basic Life Support (BLS) before hire Advance Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) must be obtained within 6 months of hire A compensation range of $66,000 - $81,000 is the reasonable estimate that CommonSpirit, in good faith, believes it might pay for this particular job based on the circumstances at the time of posting. CommonSpirit may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range as permitted by law. While you're busy impacting the healthcare industry, we'll take care of you with benefits that include health/dental/vision, FSA, matching retirement plans, paid vacation, adoption assistance, and more!

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find step-down nurses for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your step-down nurse job on Zippia to find and recruit step-down 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

   Your first interview with step-down nurse candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 step-down nurse

   Once you have selected a candidate for the step-down 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 also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new step-down nurse. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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