Hourly Rate for Industry: Nursing Home

Job Description for Nursing Home Nurses

The typical job description for nursing home nurses calls for a special kind of person. The general functions are that of a general nurse: monitoring patients, updating records, sanitizing and stocking equipment, assisting patients and doctors, and monitoring medication schedules and dosage. The job description for nursing home nurses may also include the duties of nurses aides, orderlies, and attendants depending on the size and budget of the facility. These duties could include feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming and moving patients; changing linens; light janitorial work; field trip assistance; general errand assistance; basic physical therapy and assistance with intellectual stimulation through conversations and general interaction.

Compassion, understanding, and empathy aren’t usually adjectives used in a normal job description, but they are a must in the job description for nursing home nurses or any other extended care employee. One important trait of nursing home nurses is the ability to show individualized care and compassion despite the fact that a patient may not be mentally responsive. Nurses who work in a nursing home must also accept that all patients will inevitably die regardless of their level of care. This natural process requires a strong willed individual who can handle losing relationships on a monthly or weekly basis.

Salaries for Nursing Home Nurses

PayScale's salary survey data shows that income varies greatly when comparing median salaries based on Job Titles for Nursing Home Nurses. We can see in the salary chart shown above that registered nurse salaries tend to be higher than salaries for many other nursing home positions. This reflects the higher level of training and responsibility generally required of registered nurses. Regardless of job title, nursing home nurses may be able to boost their salaries by completing certifications or gaining special skills. View the reports on Nursing Home Nurse Salaries by Certification and Skill/Specialty to see which skills have the biggest impact on salary.

To find information on the salary and job description for nurses working in other industries, check out the detailed report on Registered Nurse Salaries. For an insider's look at nursing careers, read "Nursing Careers: Become a Registered Nurse" in the PayScale blogs section. You'll find an interview with Michelle, a registered nurse and nursing coordinator with over 20 years of experience in the field.