Thinking of becoming a nurse administrator (repost)

elkpark · Apr 6, 2008

Although I've chosen not to work in administrative roles myself, my observation over the years has been that people usually move "up" into charge nurse roles and spend a number of years working as charge nurses, nurse managers, and "mid-level" positions within hospital nursing administrations before returning to school for an MSN in administration. That may be the type of "experience" the postings are talking about. In my own personal experience (for what that's worth :)), I've never heard of a new grad going directly into an administration grad program.

isel4u · Apr 6, 2008

I too recieved my master in Nursing Admin. within a short period after I recieved my BSN. This was 24 yrs ago and I am still at the bedside. I love what I do but am now looking into moving into a management role. I went back for my masters because I knew it would be harder to do later in life. I do not regret my decision. I look forward to hearing what my interviewer's will think about my waiting 24 yrs to use it!

Good luck to you.

MikeyJ, RN · Apr 6, 2008

There is a new nurse manager on my pediatrics floor -- it took her 10 years to get there. She worked as a floor nurse for 2 years before taking the weekend grave charge nurse position. She worked that position for another 8 years before being offered the unit clinical manager.

From what I understand, hospital administration jobs are fairly competitive, and you usually have people with many years of nursing applying. I highly doubt a new grad would ever land a hospital administrator position, even if you had your MSN. They still want people with many years of experience as a floor nurse. I have spoken with the CNO (Chief Nursing Officer -- highest nursing position in a hospital) before, and she actually became a CNO fairly young.. however, still had 15 years of floor nursing/charge nursing.

hollyvk, BSN · Apr 6, 2008

Hello all,
I've scrolled through a couple post and was not able to find any recent data about nurse administrator students. Anyway, I will be graduating next year with an ASN in nursing and plan to enroll in the RN-MSN program at Old Dominion University. I am interested in their Nurse Leadership and Healthcare Administration degree. I know that it is always good to have experience as a bedside nurse and plan to work full time while in school. I also still plan to work once I get my BSN at the bedside a few more years at least part time. But my question is what kinds of jobs are out there for new administrators and are they limited. Everything that I've seen as far as job posts go are for people who have 5-7 years of experience. If you are a new grad where are you supposed to work to gain this experience?

Yes, getting into nuring administration generally requires some previous clinical nursing experience. Through clinical experience you will learn how to prioritize and delegate work, and come face-to-face with the realities of budget constraints, staffing issues, and patient and physician expectations. And there is much to learn as a new nurse about all the various laws, regulations, and policies & procedures that impact both patient care and hospital operations. You will need to be completely familiar with all of these before you move into nursing admin.

Being a nursing administrator is not the same as being a hospital administrator. Completing an MBA will get you a healthcare admin job, even withou any prior experience. As a hospital administrator, your first priority is the well-being of your facility, followed by the well-being of the physicians (who bring in the revenue for the facility), then the patients, and then the staff. For a nursing administrator, the first priority is the patients, then the facility, and then the staff and physicians.

So you need to decide what your priorities are and how quickly you want to move into administration.

Good luck to you in which ever path you choose.

HollyVK RN, BSN, JD

llg, PhD, RN · Apr 6, 2008

I strongly agree with the others. School does not teach you all you need to know about how to run a nursing unit, how to handle the various problems that might come up, etc. Also, most staff members will not accept a "leader" who has no experience in the field.

The route "up the career ladder" is usually climbed one rung at a time. You start as a staff nurse, then take on charge nurse and preceptor responsibilities. As you work in those "shift leadership" roles, you start to develop your skills of working with people and learn how to handle some of the routine problems that arise. The next step is a unit leadership role (shift coordinator, assistant director, manager, etc.). When positions like that open up, those doing the hiring will look to hire someone who has proven themselves capable at the lower levels. An MSN will help get you noticed -- and may be required for some higher level positions and/or positions that have responsibility for large staffs and large budgets -- but it's rarely enough by itself. Experience and a track record of success counts a lot.

Of course ... there can be places that are desparate and who will hire any warm body with the right credentials. But I doubt you would want to work for a place that desparate.

elkpark · Apr 6, 2008

Of course ... there can be places that are desparate and who will hire any warm body with the right credentials. But I doubt you would want to work for a place that desparate.

Good point -- that reminds me of all the older threads here started by "young" nurses eager to move into administration, who accepted administrator positions that were offered to them by irresponsible or desperate organizations (organizations that just wanted a warm body to fill the chair), and then found themselves in very bad situations they were completely unprepared to deal with ...

nububare · Apr 6, 2008

Thank you for the advice. I am thinking about working in some kind of community program that is involved with women's health. I am really not interested in working in a hospital as an administrator. There are so many different titles that one can have with this kind of degree that it can get a little confusing. I definitely know that coming straight out of school, I really would have to prove to others that I'm capable of being in a leadership position. You have been most helpful! :tinkbll:

just1, MSN · May 14, 2008

I agree--you need the clinical experience as well as the education to enter a management position and especially for a position in administration. I worked 12 years as a staff RN then another 9 years in UR, Asst Head Nurse, Head Nurse positions before my current job as COO/Chief Nursing Officer.

MBARN · Jul 19, 2008

What sort of job opportunities are available for someone with an MBA with 15 years of sales and consulting experience who is just getting her BSN RN degree? What would be the best first job and how can the MBA/RN be used most effectively?

ImThatGuy, BSN, RN · Nov 21, 2010

Yes, getting into nuring administration generally requires some previous clinical nursing experience. Through clinical experience you will learn how to prioritize and delegate work, and come face-to-face with the realities of budget constraints, staffing issues, and patient and physician expectations. And there is much to learn as a new nurse about all the various laws, regulations, and policies & procedures that impact both patient care and hospital operations. You will need to be completely familiar with all of these before you move into nursing admin.
Being a nursing administrator is not the same as being a hospital administrator. Completing an MBA will get you a healthcare admin job, even withou any prior experience. As a hospital administrator, your first priority is the well-being of your facility, followed by the well-being of the physicians (who bring in the revenue for the facility), then the patients, and then the staff. For a nursing administrator, the first priority is the patients, then the facility, and then the staff and physicians.
So you need to decide what your priorities are and how quickly you want to move into administration.
Good luck to you in which ever path you choose.
HollyVK RN, BSN, JD

Good information there.

I was in an administrative role in my last career doing what I note below, before going to nursing school for that coveted (kidding) BSN. I have a degree from earlier in life, and I've thought about moving into healthcare administration at some point in the not too distant future. I thought I'd research this topic on our favorite website here to see what others have said. Hopefully some of you reply....hint hint

I understand that administration deals largely with interpreting outside or upper tier policies, communicating them to staff, enforcing them; setting organizational goals; planning, operating within, and justifying a budget; and addressing the sundry personnel issues that come about when working with people including supervision of people more experienced than the supervisor.

I've looked at the curricula of two master's programs at the same institution yielding an MHA in healthcare management and an MNSc in nursing administration. As there are more programs seemingly available with an MSN, or some variation, in nursing administration who feels that one program is stronger than another?

What led me to nursing school involved two trains of thought. One, I was ready to move and change jobs, although I did like mine believe it or not, and two, I like learning "medical stuff," as silly as that may seem for motivation. Patient care is interesting, but I don't personally feel that my calling in life falls under that umbrella. At one time I worked on part-time basis as a paramedic, before my primary job absorbed me, so I've been around patients and nurses, and I think I can adequately judge my last statement based on that experiene reflecting also on what I did/observed in nursing clinicals this semester. Also, due to that experience, I feel clinically I'm best suited for the emergency realm as I initially get my feet wet, but ultimately I think I'd rather go back to the office, if you will, as a long-term career choice. Perhaps my whole career change was poorly thought out.

CCL RN, RN · Nov 21, 2010

. I definitely know that coming straight out of school, I really would have to prove to others that I'm capable of being in a leadership position.

Here's the thing: You're not capable of being in a leadership position right out of school.

It's not an education thing; true leadership stems from experience. If you are unfortunate enough to obtain a leadership position without an appropriate amount of experience (years at the bedside) then you must understand that you will not be respected.