Post job

Step-down nurse vs traveling nurse

The differences between step-down nurses and traveling 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 traveling nurse. Additionally, a traveling nurse has an average salary of $83,961, which is higher than the $83,807 average annual salary of a step-down nurse.

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

Step-down nurse vs traveling nurse overview

Step-Down NurseTraveling Nurse
Yearly salary$83,807$83,961
Hourly rate$40.29$40.37
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs435,149585,515
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 56%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age4444
Years of experience22

Step-down nurse vs traveling nurse salary

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

Step-Down NurseTraveling Nurse
Average salary$83,807$83,961
Salary rangeBetween $52,000 And $133,000Between $53,000 And $132,000
Highest paying City-Detroit, MI
Highest paying state-Hawaii
Best paying company-Maxim Healthcare Group
Best paying industry-Professional

Differences between step-down nurse and traveling nurse education

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

Step-Down NurseTraveling Nurse
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 56%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Step-down nurse vs traveling nurse demographics

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

Step-Down NurseTraveling Nurse
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 17.3% Female, 82.8%Male, 15.9% Female, 84.1%
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, 11.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between step-down nurse and traveling 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.
  • Show more

Traveling nurse example responsibilities.

  • Manage critically ill patient as a result of trauma, including vent management, ICP monitoring, and CRRT.
  • Manage and further help stabilize elective and/or urgent surgical patient in their post-operative, post PACU admission to the floor.
  • Manage bedside care per MD orders, administering medications, ensuring patient safety, assisting in ADL care, etc.
  • Monitor chemotherapy and administration of oral chemo medication, obtain laboratory specimens to manage client status via central lines.
  • Travel nurse who provide care to patients in SICU, MICU, CCU, and CVICU.
  • Work in both MICU and SICU
  • Show more

Step-down nurse vs traveling nurse skills

Common step-down nurse skills
  • Patients, 30%
  • BLS, 15%
  • Acute Care, 8%
  • Life Support, 7%
  • Acls, 6%
  • Telemetry, 4%
Common traveling nurse skills
  • Patients, 15%
  • Acute Care, 10%
  • Healthcare, 9%
  • Acls, 6%
  • Surgery, 6%
  • Telemetry, 4%

Browse healthcare practitioner and technical jobs