Fastest Way Up the Ladder

cgwrn · Nov 28, 2011

I'd be interested in hearing this as well. I start my MSN in Nursing Leadership, Management and Healthcare Delivery this January and my eventual goal is to become a CNO. WOuld love to hear how others have climbed the ladder.

stephva1008 · Nov 28, 2011

I wouldn't say any track is detrimental to moving up the ladder. Even OB isn't just OB. It's L&D, postpartum, newborn nursery and, in some hospitals, women and children are under the same director.

To move up the ladder you need to have outcomes. To start your management journey, sign up to be a shift manager or house supervisor after hours, then a unit manager, then director, then CNO. But you need to have outcomes and make your productivity and budget targets from a UM on up.

Then there are other nonclinical departments like performance improvement, risk management, etc. I wouldn't imagine a CNO coming from a nonclinical area. A CNO needs to understand the average staff nurse and unit's struggles. But I'm sure it's been done before, lol.

Welcome to the journey!

danceluver · Jun 5, 2012

Is it practical to get into hospital administration as it relates to nursing (unit manager, department head, CNO, administrator, etc) if one has never worked or had little experience working in a hospital setting in the capacity as an RN? Does outpatient experience benefit? What about advanced degrees (like in nursing administration or MBA, etc)? The job market for new grads is not as fruitful as it once was, I have an interest in nursing management (hospital administration) one day and would love to find out other avenues to make that happen? Thanks