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Surgical nurse vs medical surgical staff nurse

The differences between surgical nurses and medical surgical staff 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 surgical nurse and a medical surgical staff nurse. Additionally, a medical surgical staff nurse has an average salary of $67,649, which is higher than the $64,025 average annual salary of a surgical nurse.

The top three skills for a surgical nurse include patients, BLS and acute care. The most important skills for a medical surgical staff nurse are patients, CPR, and acute care.

Surgical nurse vs medical surgical staff nurse overview

Surgical NurseMedical Surgical Staff Nurse
Yearly salary$64,025$67,649
Hourly rate$30.78$32.52
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs638,444720,628
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 46%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age4444
Years of experience22

Surgical nurse vs medical surgical staff nurse salary

Surgical nurses and medical surgical staff nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

Surgical NurseMedical Surgical Staff Nurse
Average salary$64,025$67,649
Salary rangeBetween $39,000 And $103,000Between $39,000 And $115,000
Highest paying CityThousand Oaks, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateHawaiiCalifornia
Best paying companyUniversity of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, Berkeley
Best paying industryProfessionalHealth Care

Differences between surgical nurse and medical surgical staff nurse education

There are a few differences between a surgical nurse and a medical surgical staff nurse in terms of educational background:

Surgical NurseMedical Surgical Staff Nurse
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 46%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Surgical nurse vs medical surgical staff nurse demographics

Here are the differences between surgical nurses' and medical surgical staff nurses' demographics:

Surgical NurseMedical Surgical Staff Nurse
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 11.2% Female, 88.8%Male, 9.6% Female, 90.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between surgical nurse and medical surgical staff nurse duties and responsibilities

Surgical nurse example responsibilities.

  • Manage GI bleeds, asthmatics, bowel resections, fractures, patients with chest and feeding tubes.
  • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
  • Maintain BLS, NRP, ACLS
  • Prepare patients for procedures, initiate and maintain intravenous therapy, and obtain 12-lead EKG.
  • Establish care plans and perform care for ICU, CCU, cardiac, and neurological patients.
  • Serve as a BLS/ ACLS instructor.
  • Show more

Medical surgical staff nurse example responsibilities.

  • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
  • Provide comprehensive nursing care to a variety of in-patient medical, surgical and telemetry patients.
  • Coordinate and provide direct patient care for cardiac/telemetry, surgical, orthopedic, respiratory, geriatric and pain management patients.
  • Obtain CPR certification for the first time.
  • Assist with patients that have acute active GI bleeding.
  • Administer rapid response and cardiac arrest care as a part of resuscitation team.
  • Show more

Surgical nurse vs medical surgical staff nurse skills

Common surgical nurse skills
  • Patients, 31%
  • BLS, 15%
  • Acute Care, 7%
  • Acls, 5%
  • Rehabilitation, 4%
  • Quality Care, 3%
Common medical surgical staff nurse skills
  • Patients, 34%
  • CPR, 10%
  • Acute Care, 7%
  • Acls, 5%
  • Direct Patient Care, 4%
  • Telemetry, 4%

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