Many aspiring nursing candidates aim to work in leadership nursing roles once they’ve gained a few years of clinical experience. After all, moving up the career ladder from bedside care to a management level position is the next natural step to recognize progression in your specialty field.
But the question is, what are the best nursing management and leadership positions? There isn’t one answer to that question. In fact, due to the availability of various leadership and administrative opportunities in nursing, the roles you can apply for can be confusing most of the time.
Furthermore, according to the AACN (The American Association of Colleges of Nursing), more than 3.1 million registered nurses are working throughout the United States. Nursing is amongst the highest-paying careers across the nation, as more than 100 jobs are advertised daily with their perks, salaries, and growth potential.
What’s more, nurses who enroll in higher education degrees will be better positioned to take on various leadership roles within their field of work. That said, let us look at a few ways of taking leadership positions in the nursing field.
Chief Nursing Officer
CNOs are tasked with overseeing the entire functioning of a healthcare facility’s nursing department. These professionals ensure that nursing units and teams have the proper staffing and equipment to meet the demands of patients.
They are also responsible for coordinating with nursing administration, typically nurse administrators, to procure supplies, develop budgets, hire nursing staff, and much more. Moreover, whenever there’s an emergency the internal nursing staff cannot handle, a chief nursing officer takes over.
If you try searching for the term how to become a chief nursing officer on Google, you’ll know proven management and leadership skills are a must, in addition to a DNP or MSN. According to the BLS, the median salary of a chief nursing officer is around $104,980/year.
Nursing Educator
A nursing educator is responsible for educating the next crop of nurses in a specialty area. In addition, they are tasked with providing continuing education and positioning new nurses into a nursing school or program.
Furthermore, A nursing educator can also serve as a valuable asset for nursing staff and patients for help and guidance on various medical situations and issues. This nursing leadership role requires candidates to work a nine-to-five or 1st shift job where they spend most of their time training nursing staff.
Typically, nursing educators are employed by healthcare agencies, nursing schools, extended care facilities, hospitals, and clinics.
Candidates must first obtain a BSN and a valid state-issued RN license to apply for this position. However, to improve chances of employment at a healthcare facility, previous working experience in a teaching job and an MSN are preferred.
In addition to this, excellent verbal and written communication skills are necessary to succeed in this role. According to Payscale, the average salary of a nurse educator is around $78,014/year.
Nurse Administrator
As one of the top leadership positions in the nursing field, a nurse administrator is typically responsible for directing and hiring nursing staff for a healthcare facility. However, roles vary from one institution to another.
For instance, while working at the federal government level, nursing administrators help provide oversight and leadership for government health organizations and public health programs. Furthermore, individuals working as nurse administrators can also be hired as chief nursing officers, nurse managers, or directors of nursing.
A bachelor of science in nursing and a valid RN license are needed to work in this leadership and management role. However, depending on the healthcare institution’s requirements and job duties, an MSN might also be required. Furthermore, at least five years of clinical experience is a must to work as a nurse administrator, just like any other nursing leadership position. According to the BLS, the average salary of a nurse administrator is around $118,800 per year.
Clinical Nursing Leader
A CNL is a knowledgeable and experienced nurse who serves as an essential resource for a team of nurses. As one of the more promising and newer nursing leadership positions, this specialty came into existence to accommodate highly skilled and knowledgeable nurses into the healthcare system.
That said, the role’s primary focus is to improve the quality of patient care. CNLs typically work alongside administrators, doctors, and other nurses to help educate healthcare professionals and achieve better patient outcomes.
Clinical nursing leaders aren’t restricted to only working inside a hospital. Instead, these professionals can work in other healthcare institutions like consulting firms, research facilities, nursing schools, and private clinics.
Applicants looking to apply for this nursing leadership role must graduate from an accredited MSN program and become an RN with valid practicing licensure. Furthermore, a master’s degree in Clinical nurse leadership will also improve chances of employment at a reputable healthcare facility or institution.
Moreover, candidates must also have five years of previous working experience in a leadership or management role. According to Salary.com, the salary of a clinical nursing leader ranges from $84,420 to $105,856 per year.
Nursing Program Director
A nursing program director or NPD is responsible for directing and implementing nursing programs at the university level as per accreditation standards. In fact, the NPD is usually the one who heads a nursing school’s nursing department.
In addition to maintaining accreditation of nursing programs, these professionals also have to develop learning curricula, manage nursing faculty, and ensure that nursing students remain satisfied.
To become a nursing program director, aspiring candidates must obtain an advanced nursing degree such as an MSN. However, a DNP or Ph.D. in nursing is usually preferred to work in this leadership position.
In addition to becoming an RN (Registered Nurse), applicants must also have two years of teaching experience as a nursing faculty member and five years of clinical experience as a nurse. Moreover, effective leadership and communication skills are also necessary to succeed in this role.
According to PayScale, the average salary of a nursing program director is around $87,429 per year.
Conclusion
As you can see with the job titles mentioned above, a leadership role in nursing can take your career to the next level. Therefore, with the motivation to advance your career and the right experience and educational credentials, you can eventually become the one in charge of your healthcare facility’s nursing department. You can find all nursing leadership jobs in the USA on Jooble https://jooble.org/jobs-nursing-leadership.
