Burn Care Nurse Salary Guide

The American Nurses Association recognized burn nursing as a specialty in August of 2020. This recognition highlighted the essential role burn nurses play across the healthcare spectrum. Burn ICU nursing is considered one of the most challenging specialties and requires all of one’s nursing expertise. Burn ICU RNs are always in high demand due to the significant number of severe burn injuries that occur every year. Demand along with several other factors can influence the salary of a burn ICN RN.

Burn ICU nurses are registered nurses who specialize in providing emergency burn care to patients who’ve sustained traumatic burn injuries, which may have been caused by fire, chemicals, hot liquids, steam, or electricity. Burn nurses treat a broad range of patients across ages who may be suffering from other severe injuries that occurred at the same time as their burns. Burn ICU RNs play critical roles in acutely burned patients’ care and make a distinct difference during the urgent moments of initial intake, all the way through stabilization.

Burn ICU nurses must obtain RN licensure by earning an Associate Degree in Nursing or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from a program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Graduates must pass the NCLEX-RN licensing exam. Because burn ICU nursing is so specialized, most employers prefer applicants with a BSN and additional training.

Burn ICU nurses are specially educated and trained to treat, support, and promote the recovery of patients who’ve sustained severe burn injuries. Working in this specialty combines several subspecialties, so years of experience, additional skills, certification, and work setting can all play big parts in how a burn ICU RN’s salary is based.

Most employers prefer burn ICU nurse applicants with some hands-on experience in critical care within the ICU or trauma unit and base salary may reflect this preference. Experienced nurses with advanced knowledge of burn pathophysiology and the critical care aspects of treating burn patients’ immediate, potentially fatal injuries typically have higher salaries than those just starting out in burn nursing.

RNs new to the burn ICU may warrant a higher base salary if they’ve already mastered wound care, which often takes more time to learn than critical care. Other valued clinical skills that can impact a burn ICU RN’s base salary include triage, fluid balance, pain management, and stabilization. Salaries may also be based on a burn ICU nurse’s knowledge in the use of different types of equipment and techniques used to monitor, treat, and ventilate burn patients.

Work setting can be another key aspect of how burn ICU RN’s salaries are based. Burn nurses are often employed in stand-alone burn care centers or burn care units within hospitals. Burn nurses may also work in a general hospital’s ICU, trauma center, or emergency department. Specialty hospitals, followed by general hospitals, are some of the highest-paying employers of nurses, after outpatient care centers.

All burn ICU RNs must obtain Basic Life Support certification and many facilities require Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support certification. Because burn patients may be children, some facilities may require Pediatric Advanced Life Support certification. Required certifications generally won’t factor into base salaries but additional certifications acquired voluntarily almost always will.

Although not required, employers look favorably on burn RNs who’ve completed the American Burn Association’s Advanced Burn Life Support (ABLS) program. This program provides additional education on the immediate care of burn patients during the first 24 hours following injury. It also focuses on emergency triage, prioritizing transport, burn survivability, and treatment. Receiving additional education relevant to the field is an ideal way for burn ICU RNs to increase their salary.

Professional certifications may be another way burn nurses can give their salaries a boost, but currently, there aren’t any certifications specific to burn care nursing. However, burn RNs may warrant higher salaries for earning certifications critical to the care of burn patients. One option is earning Critical Care Registered Nurse (Adult) through the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. Eligibility includes completing 1,750 hours in direct care of acutely/critically ill adult patients in two years or 2,000 hours in five years.

Because a major part of treating burn patients involves wound management, earning wound care certification may impact salary. The American Board of Wound Management offers a Certified Wound Specialist exam after completion of three-plus years in clinical wound care.

Take a look at Vivian's Burn Nurse Career Guide for more information, including required education, responsibilities, pros and cons and more.