What to expect: Even with all the challenges that a staff nurse may feel in working with clients who often have to deal with excruciating pain and bodily disfigurement, staff nurses on a burn unit still earn a median salary well below the median overall salary. As a specialized work site, additional understanding and assessment in specific areas will be needed. While working more closely with other professions than in some areas of nursing, assessment skills and independent thinking are still crucial. Prior experience in acute care is part of the preparation.