How to Become a Medical-Surgical Nurse: Career Guide

Pathways to Becoming a Medical-Surgical Nurse

There are multiple pathways to becoming a nurse, depending on your prior education and career. You can choose the path that makes sense for your future, including online nursing program options.

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)

An Associate Degree in Nursing is an undergraduate degree that may teach nursing students core knowledge and skills they needed to pursue licensure as registered nurses. Programs may take two years, but there are some programs that take as few as 18 months. Pursuing an ADN may allow you to enter the field quickly and prepares you to advance to a BSN or MSN if you desire. You’ll need some introductory science courses such as high school chemistry and biology in your background to get started. Program length and structure are described further by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN)

A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree involves coursework and clinical practice. Depending on the program, the coursework may include traditional bachelor’s degree subjects in addition to nursing-focused topics. If you’re starting from scratch, expect a BSN program to take four years as a full-time student, per the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. If you already have an associate degree in nursing and are licensed as a RN, you may pursue an RN to BSN program that takes two years.

RN to BSN

For those with an ADN, the RN to BSN bridge program may be completed in one to two years. The additional coursework and clinical experience give nurses a broader understanding of patient care and health care issues. You can also specialize in nursing disciplines such as pediatrics or oncology.

Direct-Entry Master’s in Nursing (MSN)

If you already have a non-nursing degree and would like to pursue a nursing career, the direct-entry MSN program or accelerated MSN nursing program is an option. The curriculum will prepare you to work as an RN with a master’s degree or pursue post-graduate certification to become an advanced practice nurse (APRN). Research the program requirements because some are designed for students with a BSN, and some are structured for those without a nursing background, per American Association of Colleges of Nursing guidance. If you don’t have a nursing or science foundation, you may be required to take some prerequisite courses to prepare.

Master’s in Nursing (MSN)

A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree prepares students for advanced career opportunities such as nurse educators, administrators or health policy experts. The MSN also prepares students to work as advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) in a specialty area such as a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, certified registered nurse anesthetist or certified nurse-midwife. If you already have a BSN, the MSN program may be completed in two years or less, per American Association of Colleges of Nursing program-length data. For those students already working, online MSN programs offer flexibility to complete your degree while taking your schedule into account.

Should I Become a Medical-Surgical Nurse?

A medical-surgical nurse is one of the primary caregivers in a health care setting, providing bedside care for patients recovering from surgery or helping patients prepare for surgery and operations.

Salary and Career Outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, the median annual wage for registered nurses was $97,550 in May 2025, with wages for the middle 80% of registered nurses ranging from about $68,940 (10th percentile) to $137,470 (90th percentile). The salary will vary depending on the location and type of medical facility where you work. Medical-surgical nurses often work in shifts to provide round-the-clock care in a hospital or nursing care facility. They may receive additional pay for working nights, weekends and holidays.

Roles and Responsibilities

A medical-surgical nurse is part of a team of nurses and other providers assigned to patients in the hospital or health care facility. They may be recovering from a surgical procedure or are receiving treatment for an illness. Nurses may assess patients’ conditions, communicate with physicians and specialty providers such as respiratory therapists and respond to patients’ needs. Medical-surgical nurses may pass medications, manage IV medications, change dressings and perform other surgical-related tasks.

Skills

Because they deal with many different types of patients, medical-surgical nurses develop an array of clinical skills honed through daily practice. Basic nursing skills include assessing patients’ conditions, administering medicines and treatments and planning for post-discharge care. They may educate patients on how to manage an illness or treatment and provide any necessary at-home tasks. Also, nurses must have exceptional time management and communication skills and an ability to rapidly adapt to new priorities and be ready to provide emotional support to patients and families.

Medical-Surgical Nurse Certifications

Two organizations offer professional nursing certifications in the medical-surgical specialty.

Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board (MSNCB)

Certified Medical-Surgical Nurse Certification (CMSRN)

Eligibility requirements: active RN license and 2,000 hours of clinical experience in a medical-surgical setting within the past three years (two years of practice is recommended by MSNCB, though not required).

Fees: (per MSNCB’s current exam fee schedule)

• $267 for Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) members
• $394 for non-members, plus a separate, non-refundable $90 application processing fee

Renewal: Certifications must be renewed every five years. Renewal by contact hours requires 90 contact hours and 1,000 practice hours in the past five years. Fees for renewal by contact hours are:

• $225 for AMSN members
• $325 for non-members, plus the separate $90 processing fee

MSNCB also offers renewal by re-examination as an alternative to the contact-hour pathway.

American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)

Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification (MEDSURG-BC™)

Eligibility requirements: active RN license, two years of experience as a registered nurse, 2,000 hours of clinical practice in the specialty and 30 hours of continuing education in the past three years, per ANCC’s current eligibility criteria.

Fees:

• $295 for American Nurses Association members
• $395 for non-members

Renewal: Certifications must be renewed every five years. Fees for renewal are, per ANCC’s current renewal requirements:

• $250 for American Nurses Association members
• $350 for non-members

Medical-Surgical Nurse Resources

• Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses: This professional association for medical-surgical nurses is dedicated to helping nurses throughout their career path. The organization offers professional development, scholarship, certification and advocacy.
• Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board: The MSNCB is a professional organization that administers the Certified Medical-Surgical Nurse credential. It sets requirements and fees and offers resources for preparing for the initial exam and recertification.

Related Nursing Careers

As a registered nurse, you can prepare to work in many nursing careers that fit your personal and career goals.

• Registered nurse: To become a registered nurse (RN) you must complete an on-campus or online registered nurse (RN) program. A registered nurse is equipped to work in a variety of health care settings.
• Gastroenterology nurse: To become a gastroenterology nurse, you must complete an RN program and begin caring for patients who undergo endoscopy or colonoscopy. Certification through ABCGN requires working in a gastroenterology setting for two years in a full-time capacity (or the part-time equivalent of 4,000 hours within the past five years) and passing the certified gastroenterology registered nurse exam.
• Operating room nurse: Nurses work with patients before, during and after surgery. In some cases, they are separate specialties, while nurses may perform some or all of the functions in other situations. Nurses are in the operating room assisting surgeons during the procedure and also care for patients in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU).
• Plastic surgery nurse: A plastic surgery nurse cares for patients who have undergone a cosmetic or reconstructive surgical procedure. Duties include patient education, managing surgical room preparation and administering treatments.

Medical-surgical nurses deliver care in various settings, from hospitals and outpatient centers to homes and telemedicine. Here are answers to common questions about this fast-growing nursing discipline.