How to hire a trauma nurse

How to hire a trauma nurse, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the trauma nurse you need to hire. Certain trauma nurse roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

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

   This list presents trauma nurse salaries for various positions.

   Type of Trauma Nurse	Description	Hourly rate
   Trauma 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.	$24-61
   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
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • BLS
   • Acls
   • Critical Care
   • ICU
   • Triage
   • Certifications
   • Quality Care
   • Direct Patient Care
   • CPR
   • TNCC
   • Patient Safety
   • Emergency Room
   • Advanced Life Support

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage surgical recovery patients including vascular, ENT, GI urological and neurological cases, coronary bypass surgery patients.
   • PAL's instructor, TNCC, ENPC and ACLS obtain.
   • Provide both BLS and ACLS emergency care to sick and injure
   • Respond to various traumas and emergency situations and triage numerous phone calls.
   • Document clinical findings in medical records and perform triage survey on new patients.
   • Provide continuity of care for all trauma patients from resuscitation through outpatient follow up.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your trauma nurse job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A trauma nurse salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, trauma nurses' average salary in iowa is 51% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level trauma nurses earn 60% less than senior-level trauma nurses.
   • Certifications. A trauma nurse with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a trauma nurse's salary.

   Average trauma nurse salary

   $80,928yearly

   $38.91 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level trauma nurse salary

   $51,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

4. Writing a trauma nurse job description

   A job description for a trauma nurse role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a trauma nurse job description:

   Trauma nurse job description example

   Pediatric Trauma Nurse Registrar -Trauma Administration - (220001VV) Description
   Facility Profile
   TGH is the area's only level I trauma center and one of just two ABA-verified adult & pediatric burn centers in Florida. With five medical helicopters*, we transport critically injured or ill patients from 23 surrounding counties to receive the advanced care they need. The hospital is home to one of the busiest solid organ transplant centers in the country. TGH is a nationally designated comprehensive stroke center, and has a 32-bed Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit. Other outstanding centers include cardiovascular, orthopedics, high-risk and normal obstetrics, urology, ENT, endocrinology, and the Children's Medical Center, which features a nine-bed pediatric intensive care unit and pediatric kidney transplant services. As the region's leading safety net hospital, Tampa General is committed to providing area residents with world-class and compassionate health care ranging from the simplest to the most complex medical services.
   
   Tampa General Hospital was named the #1 hospital in Tampa Bay by U.S. News & World Report, 2020-2021, and recognized as one of America's Best Hospital's in five medical specialties: Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Diabetes & Endocrinology, Gastroenterology & GI Surgery, Nephrology, and Orthopedics. Tampa General Hospital has been designated a Magnet Hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the highest recognition for nursing excellence, for the fourth consecutive time - an accomplishment that fewer than one percent of hospitals nationwide have earned. TGH is accredited by The Joint Commission and was awarded disease-specific certification in five medical specialties. TGH is also accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). *Air transport provided by Metro Aviation, Inc.
   
   Department Profile
   
   Tampa General's Emergency & Trauma Center has six trauma rooms, including one dedicated to pediatric patients. The center has 66 treatment rooms and two operating rooms. There were more than 75,000, adult emergency and trauma visits in FY2014, and more than 15,000 pediatric patient visits. The center has areas dedicated to minor emergency, chest pain, and stroke. The Emergency & Trauma Center has a dedicated pediatric emergency care center which includes a pediatric waiting area. Our multi-system trauma program and state-licensed stroke center have received disease-specific certification from The Joint Commission. Our team of dedicated emergency care professionals provides patients with the highest quality of care. Our highly qualified and experienced Aero med medical team includes RNs, Paramedics and EMTs. Our aviation partners, the pilots and mechanics, also are integral team members.
   
   Job Summary
   
   Accurately performs concurrent high quality data collection and data entry for pediatric trauma patients in compliance with the National Trauma Data Standards (NTDS). Assists the Trauma Performance Improvement Coordinator and the Pediatric Trauma Program Coordinator in monitoring quality indicators and analyzing data to support the performance improvement and patient safety (PIPS) process. Responsible for report generation as well as data submission to regulatory agencies. Performs ICD-10 coding, E-coding, and injury scaling (AIS) on all pediatric trauma patients. Collaborates with Pediatric Trauma Medical Director, Pediatric Trauma APRN and Pediatric Trauma Program Coordinator to provide clinical and systems oversight and trauma education to ensure provision of efficient, quality care. Assists in continuing education, pediatric trauma outreach, and research initiatives through the pediatric trauma team. Responsible for performing job duties in accordance with mission, vision, and values of Tampa General Hospital.
   
   Qualifications Required Skills
   Graduate of an accredited baccalaureate program in nursing. Licensed to practice nursing in the state of Florida. Requires 2-3 years of trauma and/or critical care experience, pediatric experience preferred. Must attend or have previously attended the American Trauma Society's Trauma Registry Course and the Association of the Advancement of Automotive Medicine's Injury Scaling (AIS) Course. Must maintain minimum registry-specific continuing education requirements per year and become CSTR certified within two years of hire. Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course (ENPC) certification required with instructor status within 2 years of hire. Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). Current certification of at least one of the following: CPEN, TCRN, CPN
   Primary Location: TampaWork Locations: TGH Main Campus 1 Tampa General Circle Tampa 33606Job: Nursing (LPNs, RNs) Organization: TGH - HospitalSchedule: Full-time Scheduled Days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, FridayShift: Day JobJob Posting: Aug 29, 2022, 3:50:45 PM

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find trauma 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 trauma nurse job on Zippia to find and recruit trauma 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

   During your first interview to recruit trauma nurses, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to 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 trauma nurse

   Once you have selected a candidate for the trauma 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.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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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