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Step-down nurse vs registered nurse

The differences between step-down nurses and registered nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a step-down nurse and a registered nurse. Additionally, a step-down nurse has an average salary of $83,807, which is higher than the $73,349 average annual salary of a registered nurse.

The top three skills for a step-down nurse include patients, BLS and acute care. The most important skills for a registered nurse are patients, BLS, and CPR.

Step-down nurse vs registered nurse overview

Step-Down NurseRegistered Nurse
Yearly salary$83,807$73,349
Hourly rate$40.29$35.26
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs435,149646,159
Job satisfaction-2.75
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 56%Associate Degree, 46%
Average age4444
Years of experience22

Step-down nurse vs registered nurse salary

Step-down nurses and registered nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

Step-Down NurseRegistered Nurse
Average salary$83,807$73,349
Salary rangeBetween $52,000 And $133,000Between $45,000 And $117,000
Highest paying City-San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state-California
Best paying company-NORCAL Ambulance
Best paying industry-Health Care

Differences between step-down nurse and registered nurse education

There are a few differences between a step-down nurse and a registered nurse in terms of educational background:

Step-Down NurseRegistered Nurse
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 56%Associate Degree, 46%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Step-down nurse vs registered nurse demographics

Here are the differences between step-down nurses' and registered nurses' demographics:

Step-Down NurseRegistered Nurse
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 17.3% Female, 82.8%Male, 12.3% Female, 87.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 9.0% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between step-down nurse and registered nurse duties and responsibilities

Step-down nurse example 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.
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Registered nurse example responsibilities.

  • Manage patient care for individuals with multiple diagnoses including COPD, diabetes, stroke and cardiac issues.
  • Organize and manage regular clinics involving external physicians, including ophthalmology, ENT, Med/Surg, orthopedics, and podiatry professionals.
  • Manage surgical recovery patients including vascular, ENT, GI urological and neurological cases, coronary bypass surgery patients.
  • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
  • Provide care for cardiac patients in arrhythmia critical care unit, providing patient education and monitoring telemetry
  • Re-Cover surgical patients immediately after heart and vascular surgery until transfer out of ICU.
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Step-down nurse vs registered nurse skills

Common step-down nurse skills
  • Patients, 30%
  • BLS, 15%
  • Acute Care, 8%
  • Life Support, 7%
  • Acls, 6%
  • Telemetry, 4%
Common registered nurse skills
  • Patients, 24%
  • BLS, 10%
  • CPR, 6%
  • Acute Care, 5%
  • Acls, 5%
  • Home Health, 4%

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