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What is a head nurse and how to become one
What general advice would you give to a Head Nurse?
Lisa Rebeschi Ph.D.
Associate Dean of the School of Nursing Professor of Nursing, Quinnipiac University
Avg. Salary $80,173
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth Rate 6%
Growth Rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.44%
Asian 8.85%
Black or African American 12.25%
Hispanic or Latino 9.04%
Unknown 4.26%
White 65.17%
Genderfemale 86.94%
male 13.06%
Age - 43American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 43Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity Level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work Life balance is good
6.4 - fair
Head Nurse career paths
Key steps to become a head nurse
Explore head nurse education requirements
Start to develop specific head nurse skills
Skills 
Percentages Patients 30.99% BLS 9.14% Compassion 6.30% Acute Care 6.12% Acls 3.93% Complete relevant head nurse training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New head nurses learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a head nurse based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real head nurse resumes.Obtain the necessary licensing
Becoming a licensed head nurse usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed head nurse in most of states. 43 states require head nurses to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.State Education Exam License Url Alabama Degree required State exam required Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Alaska Degree required Third-party exam required Nurse, Licensed Practical Arkansas Degree required Third-party exam required Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) California Degree required Third-party exam required Licensed Vocational Nurse Colorado Degree required Third-party exam required Licensed Practical Nurse Gain additional head nurse certifications
More About CertificationsHead nurse certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific head nurse certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.
The most common certifications for head nurses include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Medical Assistant.
Research head nurse duties and responsibilities
- Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
- Receive intensive training for critical care skill development upon transferring to the medical ICU.
- Perform advanced nursing care to acute/chronic medical/surgical, cardiac, thoracic surgery, neurosurgery, orthopedic and oncology/ hematology patients.
- Certify staff in CPR and blood glucose monitoring.
Prepare your head nurse resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your head nurse resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a head nurse resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Head Nurse Resume templates
Build a professional Head Nurse resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Head Nurse resume.
Apply for head nurse jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a head nurse job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How Did You Land Your First Head Nurse Job
Are you a Head Nurse?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average head nurse salary
The average Head Nurse salary in the United States is $80,173 per year or $39 per hour. Head nurse salaries range between $48,000 and $132,000 per year.
What Am I Worth?
How do head nurses rate their job?
Head Nurse reviews
Caring for patients
Staffing ratios, unfairness, constant expectations. Healthcare is a business but doesn’t treat nurses like business employees
helping people and saving lives
the pay is not good not enough for the lifestyle I would like to live
The feeling I get when helping people.
Nursing isn’t what it was 12yrs ago when I started. It is all about “family centered care” and not what is actually best for the patient. Not only am I a nurse and caring for the patient, but I’m the house keeper, waitress, and coffee go getter. There is no more respect for nurses and their patients.
Updated January 8, 2025
