A nursing staff coordinator is responsible for the coordination of the nursing staff among various hospital or medical-facility medical departments. The staff coordinator must gather nurse application materials, then interview and hire nurses for various clinical employers. A registered nurse's license and medical supervisory experience are required. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a high growth for this occupation for the 2008-to-2018 decade.

Professional Responsibilities

The nurse staffing coordinator is responsible for providing nursing staff for various medical care facilities. The nurse coordinator must communicate with department heads to understand the staffing needs. Interviewing, hiring and training nursing staffers may also be the coordinator's responsibility if the medical facility does not have its own interviewing and training system in practice. Reviewing daily schedules and filling in for inadequate coverage is a part of the daily job.

Technical Skills

The staff coordinator must have proficient computer skills as the staffing assignments are processed electronically. Office skills, including the ability to use most common office equipment such as fax machines and copiers, are required. The coordinator must have experience using telephones with multiple lines.

Knowledge of the medical field and general nursing staff requirements are necessary.

Qualitative Skills

Excellent interpersonal communication and multitasking skills are a must. The coordinator's ability to efficiently staff medical departments with the appropriate nursing staff is highly dependent upon the ability to communicate with medical department heads. Excellent problem-solving abilities are a requirement, since schedule conflicts are bound to arise that will require creative solutions.

Education and Experience

A nurse staff coordinator must have a nursing degree and a valid state registered nurse's license. The license requires a satisfactory score on the National Council for Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) and other state requirements that will vary.

The coordinator must also have at least three years' nursing experience and at least one year of nurse staffing experience.

Job Outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the projected job growth for medical and health services managers is higher than the national average for other occupations for 2020 to 2030. This translates to a 32 percent job growth for this industry. The catalyst for growth is an increase in health-care accountability and cost efficiency, plus greater emphasis on preventive care.

Medical and Health Services Managers salary

• Top 10% Annual Salary: More than $195,630 ($94.05/hour)
• Median Annual Salary: $104,280 ($50.13/hour)
• Bottom 10% Annual Salary: Less than $59,980 ($28.84/hour)