Last Updated: April 17, 2026

Updated: April 2025 | Hub: Healthcare Jobs | Positions: RN, LPN, CNA, Respiratory Therapist, Physical Therapist | Min Age: 18

Kindred Healthcare Application Guide (2025): How to Apply for a Nursing or Clinical Job

Quick Answer: Kindred Healthcare is one of the nation’s largest providers of long-term acute care (LTAC) hospital services, operating through LifeCare Hospitals (which acquired the Kindred brand) with approximately 100+ long-term acute care hospitals across the U.S. To apply, visit kindredhealthcare.com/careers. Registered Nurses start at $30–$40/hr, LPNs earn $22–$30/hr, and CNAs earn $16–$22/hr. Kindred focuses on medically complex patients requiring extended hospital stays — a specialty clinical environment that offers distinct career development for nurses who want acute care experience beyond traditional hospitals.

Kindred Healthcare at a Glance

Specialty: Long-term acute care (LTAC) — patients who need acute hospital care for extended periods (average stay 25+ days vs. 4–5 days at traditional hospitals)
Patient population: Complex medical patients — ventilator-dependent, post-ICU, medically complex wound care, multi-organ failure
Facilities: 100+ LTAC hospitals nationwide (operating as LifeCare Hospitals)
Employees: 40,000+
Glassdoor rating: 3.4 out of 5 stars
Career note: LTAC nurses gain deep experience with ventilator management, complex wound care, and long-term patient relationships — a valuable specialty for career advancement

How to Apply at Kindred Healthcare

Step 1: Visit kindredhealthcare.com/careers

Kindred’s careers portal lists openings by facility and position type. Filter by your state and specialty. Clinical positions (RN, LPN, CNA, RT) are the primary openings. Create a candidate profile with your license information, current certifications, and clinical experience. You can also search for Kindred/LifeCare Hospital openings on Indeed if you cannot find your specific location on the corporate portal.

Step 2: Submit Clinical Credentials

For all licensed clinical positions, you’ll need to provide your license number, state, and expiration date. Include your BLS/ACLS certification status. RN applicants should highlight any ICU, step-down, or ventilator experience — directly relevant to LTAC patient populations. CNA applicants need a current state CNA certification.

Step 3: Nurse Manager or HR Interview

Clinical interviews at Kindred include behavioral competency questions and clinical scenario questions. For RN candidates: expect questions about ventilator management, complex wound assessment, and experience with multi-system failure patients. For CNA candidates: patient handling, safety protocols, and communication are assessed.

Kindred Healthcare Pay Rates (2025)

Kindred Healthcare Pay Rates by Position (2025)
Position	Starting Pay	Experienced Pay	Type
CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant)	$16–$19/hr	$19–$24/hr	Full-time / Part-time
LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse)	$22–$27/hr	$27–$33/hr	Full-time
RN (Registered Nurse)	$30–$36/hr	$36–$45/hr	Full-time
Respiratory Therapist (RRT)	$28–$34/hr	$34–$44/hr	Full-time
Physical Therapist (PT)	$38–$46/hr	$46–$58/hr	Full-time
Director of Nursing	$90,000–$115,000/yr	$115,000–$145,000/yr	Salaried

Requirements

RN: Active state RN license (BSN preferred), BLS/ACLS required, ICU or step-down experience strongly preferred.
LPN: Active state LPN/LVN license, BLS required.
CNA: Current state CNA certification required.
RT: Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential, BLS/ACLS required.
PT/OT/SLP: State license required; LTAC experience preferred.
Background check: OIG exclusion list check, criminal background check, and drug screening required for all clinical hires.

Benefits

Health insurance: Medical, dental, vision.
401(k): Company match retirement plan.
Tuition reimbursement: Kindred offers tuition assistance for nurses pursuing BSN, MSN, or specialty certifications.
Career development: LTAC experience with ventilator-dependent patients is a highly valued specialty — Kindred nurses are competitive candidates for ICU, critical care, and travel nursing positions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is LTAC and why work there vs. a traditional hospital?

Long-term acute care (LTAC) hospitals serve patients who are medically too complex to discharge to a skilled nursing facility or home, but who no longer require the hyper-acute interventions of an ICU. The typical LTAC patient is ventilator-dependent, has complex wounds, or is recovering from multi-organ failure over weeks to months. For nurses, LTAC offers deep experience with specific complex conditions, smaller patient ratios than traditional acute care hospitals (typically 4–6 patients per nurse vs. 6–8 at step-down units), and longer patient relationships. The tradeoff is less variety than a traditional hospital — you see similar patient types consistently rather than the breadth of conditions in a general acute care hospital.