Nursing Profiles
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
- Ambulatory Care Nurse
- Camp Nurse
- Cardiac Care Nurse
- Cardiac Cath Lab Nurse
- Case Management Nurse
- Certified Nurse Midwife
- Clinical Nurse Leader
- Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Correctional Facility Nurse
- Critical Care Nurse
- Dermatology Nurse
- Developmental Disabilities Nurse
- Diabetes Nurse
- Domestic Violence Nurse
- Emergency Nurse
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Flight/Transport Nurse
- Forensic Nurse
- Gastroenterology Nurse
- Geriatric Nurse
- Gynecology/Obstetrics Nurse
- Hematology Nurse
- HIV/AIDS Nurse
- Holistic Nurse
- Home Health Care Nurse
- Hospice Nurse
- Independent Nurse Contractor
- Infection Control Nurse
- Labor & Delivery Nurse
- Lactation Consultant
- Legal Nurse Consultant
- Licensed Practical Nurse
- Long-Term Care Nurse
- Managed Care Nurse
- Medical Assistant
- Military Nurse
- Missionary Nurse
- Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse
- Nephrology Nurse
- Neuroscience Nurse
- Nurse Advocate
- Nurse Anesthetist
- Nurse Attorney
- Nurse Educator
- Nurse Entrepreneur
- Nurse Executive
- Nurse Manager
- Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Researcher
- Nursing Informatics
- Occupational Health Nurse
- Oncology Nurse
- Operating Room Nurse
- Ophthalmic Nurse
- Orthopaedic Nurse
- Otorhinolaryngology Nurse
- Pain Management Nurse
- Parish Nursing
- Pediatric Endocrinology Nurse
- Pediatric Nurse
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Perianesthesia Nurse
- Perinatal Nurse
- Plastic Surgery Nurse
- Psychiatric Nurse
- Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
- Public Health Nurse
- Pulmonary Care Nurse
- Radiology Nurse
- Registered Nurse
- Rehabilitation Nurse
- Reproductive Nurse
- Rheumatology Nurse
- School Nurse
- Substance Abuse Nurse
- Surgical Nurse
- Toxicology Nurse
- Transplant Nurse
- Trauma Nurse
- Travel Nurse
- Urologic Nurse
- Wound Care Nurse
Nursing Schools by State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Nursing Career Info
Featured Article

Demand for Nurses
Nurses may be the most in-demand health care position in the country.
Nursing Articles
- 10 Fastest-Growing Careers in Nursing
- Financial Aid for Nursing Schools
- Finding the Best Nursing School for You
- How to Become a Nurse
- How to Choose a Nursing School
- How to Know if Nursing School is Right for You
- Nursing School Accreditation
- Nursing Shortage
- Nursing Skills
- Returning to School
- Types of Nurses
- What Is Nursing?
- Why Nursing School Is a Smart Career Choice
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Featured Sponsored Program

BS - Nursing: RN to BSN
Building on Purdue's mission to provide greater access to affordable, world-class education, Purdue University Global delivers a fully personalized online experience that's tailored for working adults.
Independent Nurse Contractor
What Does an Independent Nurse Contractor Do?
Independent nurse contractors perform the same duties as other nurses, only they work on a contractual basis rather than being directly employed by a health care provider. Travel nurses are typically independent nurse contractors as well. Because they work under contract, they are free to choose to work wherever they want for whichever client is in need of their services, including hospitals, outpatient clinics, physician's offices, nursing homes and home health care agencies. Since the U.S. is currently in the midst of a nursing shortage, independent nurse contractors play a major role in filling the gap in under-served areas and at medical facilities that are having difficulty hiring and retaining qualified nurses. Many independent nurse contractors are self-employed; others work through agencies. Their duties as a nurse are similar to that of nurses across the U.S.—they take medical histories, develop and initiate a plan of care for a patient, monitor and record a patient's recovery, administer medications and treatments, and educate patients on their health condition.
How Can I Become an Independent Nurse Contractor?
The first step toward becoming an independent nurse contractor is to complete an approved nursing education program. The most common way of doing this is to earn a degree in nursing. Most people earn either an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited college or university. Less common is earning a nursing diploma, a program typically offered through hospitals. After completing a nursing program, all future nurses go on to take an exam called the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) so they can become licensed to practice nursing in their state. Before you can become an independent nurse contractor, you typically must first gain experience as a staff nurse in a hospital or some other health care setting. Agencies usually look to bring on experienced nurses, and if you wish to start your own contract business, it is important that you have the experience to succeed.
What Is the Career and Salary Outlook for an Independent Nurse Contractor?
The career outlook for nurses overall is excellent, and those who choose to be independent nurse contractors have the added benefit of being able to choose the hours they will work and what health care provider they will work for. Employment of registered nurses is projected to grow by 22 percent between 2008 and 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Independent nurse contractors can often negotiate higher salaries because their services are being used on a temporary basis. The average annual salary for an independent nurse contractor is $72,000, according to SimplyHired.com, a site that calculates average salaries based on what is listed in the job postings it receives. However, a number of factors can affect your salary as an independent nurse contractor, including how many years of experience you have, what certifications you have, what region of the U.S. you live in, and whether you choose to work in a metropolitan or rural area. Advanced practice nurses (who are trained at the master's level) also earn significantly higher salaries on average as contract nurses.
Top Nursing Colleges
Purdue University Global - Certification, Associate's & Bachelor's Degree.
A Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree could help registered nurses (RNs) seek broader professional responsibilities and career opportunities. If you are an RN and want to advance your career, Purdue Global's online Bachelor of Science in Nursing completion program could help you pursue new opportunities in specialized nursing and nursing management.


Grand Canyon University - B.S. in Nursing (Registered Nurse - B.S.N.)
Grand Canyon University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and offers nursing degrees at affordable prices. Grand Canyon University allows students to practice what they learn with hands on teaching methods.


Liberty University - Master's Degree.
Liberty University is one of the most respected names in online colleges and provides a variety of online degree plans, including a MSN program. Liberty University makes it possible to earn your entire nursing degree online.

