by Mel Beasley, CSB Marketing Assistant

Are you currently in the nursing program or working as a nurse, but are thinking of ways to move to the next level of your career down the road? There’s a growing need in nursing management positions, and the promotion would likely bump up your nursing salary to anywhere from $83,000 to over $100,000. If you are a natural leader looking to advance your career in the nursing field, we highly recommend this position. 

 So, what is nursing management exactly? “Most nurse managers play the role of command central—providing support, recognition, just-in-time information, a calm hand and cool head in emergencies, and advocacy for patients, families, and staff. They also have an opportunity to encourage personal development and professional growth among staff.” (from American Nurse Today). Think of yourself as the middle-man who helps maintain strong communication between staff members and upper-level management. As a nurse manager, you are expected to make vital decisions about patient care and you have a defined set of duties.  

• Staff management 
• Case management 
• Treatment planning 
• Recruitment 
• Budgeting 
• Scheduling 
• Discharge planning 
• Mentoring 
• Developing educational plans 
• Records management  

Nurse managers are the best of the best in their respective fields, and they possess multiple other skills that go beyond traditional nursing. “The job requires management skills, budgeting and business acumen and leadership qualities. Communications and interpersonal skills are also vital” according to Duquesne University School of Nursing. In addition to these traits, nurse managers must have an interest in the business side of nursing.  

How do you become a nurse manager? 

To be considered for a nurse management position, you must first be a registered nurse. In other words, you’ve already completed your college training and started working in your field. “After this has been completed, the nurse must obtain experience in the form of direct patient care, ideally in an acute care setting such as a hospital. Length of experience is variable, though many employers will require at least 5 years' experience for this type of role” according to the Registered Nursing website. Those interested must also pursue certification in either Executive Nursing Practice (CENP) or Nurse Manager and Leader (CNML). 

If you are interested in nurse management or any other upper-level nursing position, we recommend you take the Swain Center's 5-week course, “Leadership Essentials for Nursing.” This online program provides leadership essentials for new and aspiring nurse leaders to take on jobs such as Nurse Manager, Administrative Coordinator, and Coordinator through an excellent e-learning experience. Participants go through the 10 modules in a cohort over five weeks. 

The course will cover the following topics: 

• Introduction to Healthcare Management 
• Leadership & Emotional Intelligence 
• Human Resource Management 
• Effective Teams, Mindfulness & Conflict Management 
• Accounting Essentials 
• Healthcare Revenue & Delivery Models 
• Quality Improvement: Employee & Patient Satisfaction 
• Improving Operations
• Ethical, Legal & Regulatory Issues
• Creating Change 

Register for the pilot program that begins in March of 2019 and save $49 off of the normal program fee!