As we all know nurses play a key role in the healthcare system. They provide care for the patients and make sure that they are given the best care possible. If you are thinking of becoming a nurse, in this blog we will discuss the types of nurses, their salaries, duties, and educational requirements.
What are the different types of nurses?
Here is the list of different types of nurses, their duties, degrees, and salaries.
Acute Care RN:
Acute care RN nurses treat patients with sudden illness, injury, or trauma.
Educational requirements:
- ADN OR BSN Degree
- Optional Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Certifications: Certified Acute Care Nurse (ACNPC-AG), Certified Critical Care Nurse (CCRN), Advanced Certification for Acute Care Nurse Practitioners (ACNP-BC)
Salary: (January to July 2024)
The per-hour rate of acute care nurses was $55 in January and now it has increased to $60 per hour in July 2024.
Emergency Room Nurse (ER RN):
These nurses provide urgent care to the nurses in the emergency room department. When the patients are admitted to the ER, they are the first nurses to respond and take care of the patient.
Educational requirements: ADN (2 years) or BSN (4 years) degree.
Certifications: Optional CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse), ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support), PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support), TNCC (Trauma Nursing Core Course).
Salary: (January- July 2024)
The per-hour salary rate of emergency room nurses in January 2024 was $58/ hour and in July, it increased to $65/ hour.
ICU RN:
Different types of nurses also include ICU or intensive care unit nurses. As the name indicates, they provide care to patients in the ICU or in critical condition.
Educational requirements:
Degrees: ADN or BSN degrees and pass NCLEX-RN exam then gain at least 2 years of experience.
Certifications: Adult Critical Care Nurses or (CCRN Adult)
Labor & Delivery nurse (L&D)
Types of nurses also include labor and delivery nurses who are specialized in taking care of women during labor and delivery. They help the mother during labor and after childbirth.
Educational requirements:
Degree: Obtain nursing degrees such as And OR BSN degree and pass NCLEX exam.
Certifications: Inpatient Obstetric Nursing (RNC-OB), Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP).
Salary: (January 2024- July 2024)
The salary of labor and delivery nurses in January 2024 was $62 per hour which increased to $66/ hour in July.
Med Surg RN:
Med surge nurses provide care to adult patients with various medical conditions. These conditions can be chronic illnesses and more.
Educational requirements:
Degree: ASN (Associate of Science in Nursing), ADN (Associate Degree in Nursing), or BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) degree.
Certifications: Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN) or Medical Surgical Nursing Certification (MED SURG-BC).
Salary:
The salary of med surg nurse has seen a slight change from January 2024 to July 2024. Per hour the rate of med surg nurse is $60.
Operating Room RN:
These types of nurses provide care to patients who are undergoing surgery. They take care of the patients before, during, and after surgery.
Educational requirements:
Degree: Obtain either an ADN Degree which is of 2 years or a BSN degree which is of 4 years.
Certifications: CNOR or Certified Perioperative Nurse Certification.
Salary: (January-July 2024)
The per-hour salary of operating room nurse is $68 in July 2024
Progressive care unit (PCU RN):
These types of nurses provide care to patients who are more serious than general floor Patients but less serious than ICU patients. For example, the patients who are recovering from surgery or have suffered trauma.
Educational requirements:
Degree: Associate or bachelor’s degree in nursing and pass the NCLEX exam to get their license.
Certifications: BLS (Basic Life Support), PALS (Pediatric Advance Life Support), ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support), PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse).
Salary:
Per-hour salary for progressive care unit nurses in July 2024 is $61.
Physical therapist:
These types of nurses help the patients to improve their body movements. For example, a patient had an accident and was unable to move his legs. A physical therapist will use techniques to help the patient to recover.
Educational requirements:
Degree: DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy) usually takes 3 years.
Certifications: Can obtain the following certifications CMT (Comprehensive Manual Therapist), Orthopedics Manual Physical Therapy, Sports Physical Therapy, NCS (Neurologic Clinical Specialist and more.
Salary:
The salary of the physical therapist in July 2024 is $52 per hour.
Stepdown RN:
These types of nurses provide care to patients who were in ICU before but now are getting better. These nurses are also known as intermediate care nurses. They take care of less serious patients than ICU patients but require more care than typical floor patients.
Educational requirements:
Degree: Associate Degree in Nursing or bachelor’s degree in nursing.
Certifications: CCRN (Critical Care Registered Nurse Certification), PCCN ( Progressive Care Certified Nurse)
Salary:
According to July 2024, the per-hour rate of step-down nurses is $61.
Telehealth nurse:
Telehealth nurses provide care to patients remotely using technology. For example, a telehealth nurse can talk on the phone through a call or video call and provide patient care. This is very convenient when the condition is not very serious.
Educational requirements:
Degree: ADN or BSN degree. After getting a degree you must pass the NCLEX exam to become a registered nurse.
Certifications: You can consider the following certifications to enhance your knowledge and skills. Ambulatory Care Nursing Certification (RN-BC), Board Certified Telehealth Professional.
Salary:
The per-hour salary for telehealth nurses in January 2024 was $62 which went down to $57 in July 2024.
What are the different types of nursing degrees?
The different types of nursing degrees are the following:
- Certified nursing assistant (CAN) certificate (4 to 12 weeks)
- Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) certificate (12 to 18 months)
- Associate degree ADN (2-year program)
- Bachelor of Science Degree BSN (4-year degree program)
- Master of Science Degree or MSN (2 years)
- Dual master’s degree (getting 2 degrees at the same time)
- Doctoral Nursing Degree (2 to 5 years)
What are the types of nursing jobs and salaries?
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Salary: $38,200 per year or $18.36 per hour (BLS)
- Registered Nurse (RN) Salary: $86,070 per year or $41.38 per hour (BLS).
- Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Salary: $59,730 per year or $28.72 per hour (BLS).
- Pediatrics Salary: $109,492 per year or $53 per hour (ZipRecruiter).
- Labor and Delivery Salary: $96,421 per year or $46 per hour (ZipRecruiter).
- Oncology Nurse Salary: $91,094 annually or $44 per hour (ZipRecruiter).
- Neonatal ICU Nurse Salary: $128,211 annually or $62 per hour (ZipRecruiter).
- Emergency Room Registered Nurse Salary: $86,737 per year or $42 per hour (ZipRecruiter).
- Oncology Nurse Salary: $91,094 annually or $44 per hour (ZipRecruiter).
- Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Registered Nurse Salary: $85,205 annually or $41 per hour (ZipRecruiter).
Conclusion:
Nursing has a vast range of opportunities. Each specialty has its roles, duties, educational requirements, and salaries. In this blog, we have discussed the types of nurses and their educational requirements and salaries. The salaries of nursing jobs depend on the location, type of nursing degree, experience, and No matter what type of nurse are you, the main goal is to provide professional care to the patients. Join skills to become a travel nurse and have the best experience of your life.
