Registered Nurse Jobs in Memphis, TN
Memphis employs nearly 14,000 registered nurses at a median of about $39 an hour, and the Medical District hospitals post RN openings every week. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring, what the work pays and how to get licensed in Tennessee.
Current registered nurse Openings in Memphis, TN
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Registered Nurse Work in Memphis
RN jobs in Memphis concentrate in the Medical District, where Methodist University Hospital, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, Regional One Health and the Memphis VA Medical Center sit within a few blocks of Union and Jefferson avenues, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is just north on Danny Thomas Place. A second cluster runs through East Memphis, with Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis on Walnut Grove Road and Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis on Park Avenue, and the big systems also staff hospitals in Germantown, Collierville, Whitehaven and north Memphis.
What sets Memphis apart is the mix of specialty work. Regional One runs the Elvis Presley Trauma Center, the Firefighters Burn Center and the Sheldon B. Korones Newborn Center, while Le Bonheur and St. Jude make the city a magnet for pediatric and oncology nurses. Because Baptist and Methodist also run hospitals in Southaven and Olive Branch, nurses here often compare offers on both sides of the Mississippi state line.
Top Memphis Employers Hiring Registered Nurses
These Memphis hospitals had RN openings or active RN recruiting on their own career sites this month:
- Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare - the largest RN recruiter in the city, hiring for Methodist University, Le Bonheur Children's, Methodist North, Methodist South, Germantown and system float pools.
- Baptist Memorial Health Care - hires med-surg, emergency and oncology RNs at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis, plus Collierville and its clinics.
- Regional One Health - the Medical District trauma and burn hospital hires RNs and runs a Nurse Residency Program for new graduates.
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital - the Magnet-recognized pediatric hospital hires RNs for inpatient units, outpatient clinics and surgical services.
- Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis - the East Memphis hospital posts telemetry, med-surg and emergency RN roles, including PRN shifts.
- Memphis VA Medical Center - the VA hospital on Jefferson Avenue recruits RNs through a dedicated nurse recruiter and USAJOBS.
Registered Nurse Salaries in Memphis
- Entry level: about $31 to $38 an hour for new graduates and nurses early in their careers.
- Experienced: roughly $38 to $46 an hour for staff nurses with a few years on a unit.
- Senior: about $46 to $54 an hour or more for specialty, charge and senior nurses, with seasonal flex roles posted as high as $60.
These are estimates drawn from federal wage data for the Memphis metro and pay posted by local hospitals. Critical care, emergency, operating room and pediatric specialty units pay more, as do night and weekend shifts. Internal float pools and seasonal flex teams, like Le Bonheur's $60 an hour flex team, trade schedule flexibility for a higher rate.
How to Become a Registered Nurse in Memphis
You need an associate or bachelor's degree from an approved nursing program, then a passing score on the NCLEX-RN and a license from the Tennessee Board of Nursing. Southwest Tennessee Community College offers the associate degree in nursing at its Union Avenue Campus, with day and evening or weekend tracks, and the University of Memphis Loewenberg College of Nursing and Baptist Health Sciences University on Monroe Avenue offer the BSN. Tennessee is part of the Nurse Licensure Compact, and nurses working at hospitals in Southaven or Olive Branch should confirm the license that site requires.
What the Job Involves
Registered nurses assess patients, give medications and treatments, start IVs, monitor vital signs and watch for changes, and chart everything in the electronic health record. They carry out physician orders, coordinate with doctors, therapists and case managers, teach patients and families how to manage care at home, and supervise LPNs and patient care staff on the unit. Hospital RNs usually work three 12-hour shifts a week.
Skills Employers Look For
- Active RN license and BLS, with ACLS or PALS for critical care and pediatrics
- Sound clinical judgment and patient assessment
- Electronic health record charting
- Calm communication with patients, families and physicians
- Time management across a full patient assignment
- Willingness to work nights, weekends and holidays
Career Path and Advancement
Many Memphis RNs start in med-surg or a residency like Regional One Health's 12-month Nurse Residency Program, then move into critical care, emergency, pediatrics or oncology at Le Bonheur and St. Jude. From there the path leads to charge nurse, nurse educator and unit manager, or back to school for a BSN or graduate degree to become a nurse practitioner. LPNs can climb into the role through Southwest Tennessee Community College's LPN Mobility Track.
Related Careers in Memphis
If nursing interests you, these related Memphis guides are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do registered nurses make in Memphis?
Federal wage data puts the Memphis median near $39 an hour, or about $81,500 a year. Most nurses fall between about $38 and $46 an hour, and specialty, night and flex roles pay more.
Who licenses registered nurses in Tennessee?
The Tennessee Board of Nursing, part of the Tennessee Department of Health, licenses RNs after you graduate from an approved program and pass the NCLEX-RN. Tennessee is in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so a multistate license from your home compact state can also qualify you to work here.
Can I work in Mississippi with a Tennessee nursing license?
Several Memphis systems run hospitals in Southaven and Olive Branch, and employers there require a license valid in Mississippi. Check the posting and confirm with the hiring hospital before you apply across the state line.
Do Memphis hospitals hire new graduate nurses?
Yes. Regional One Health runs a 12-month Nurse Residency Program for graduates and nurses licensed one year or less, with placements from med-surg to the burn and trauma ICUs. Other systems hire new graduates into their own orientation programs.
What schedule do hospital nurses work in Memphis?
Most hospital RNs work three 12-hour shifts a week, days or nights, with every other weekend and some holidays. Clinics, school health programs and outpatient centers offer daytime schedules for nurses who want them.
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