Nursing Administration

For many people who don’t work in healthcare, their idea of the nursing profession often begins and ends at the bedside. Nurses are the direct caregivers. Full stop. But that’s hardly the case in the real world. There are many jobs available to nurses that don’t require much (if any) patient interaction. Nursing administration is among such jobs, and it’s at the center of any successful healthcare system.

Take a moment to think about all the moving pieces involved in running a healthcare organization, whether it’s a university hospital or a local clinic. Those pieces are put into place and maintained by nursing administration and management. Without this core leadership team, a healthcare system simply wouldn’t function.

What Is Nursing Administration?

Nursing administrators are responsible for overseeing staff, patients and residents, and the organization itself. Most jobs that fall within the admin category don’t often involve direct contact with patients and residents, but providing quality care is still at the crux of the job. The role of a nurse administrator can include any or all of the following duties:

• Creating and maintaining a budget
• Scheduling nurse shifts
• Hiring and managing staff
• Attending meetings with executive staff
• Overseeing building maintenance

Certain roles have more interaction with patients than others. For example, a charge nurse may provide some direct caregiving, but a utilization review nurse will spend more time record-keeping and communicating with insurance companies.

Pursuing Nursing Administration

In terms of background requirements for jobs in administration, it’s often necessary to obtain a nursing administration degree or related advanced degree. You may be more attractive to employers if you have a master of science in nursing (MSN), a master of business administration (MBA), or a master in health administration (MHA). You might need additional credentials depending on which nurse administrator role you want to pursue.

For jobs within administration, as with bedside nursing jobs, you must be a natural problem-solver and have excellent people skills. Positions like nurse recruiter and director of patient care services are dependent on a person’s ability to communicate effectively and make informed decisions. Again, your ultimate goal is to serve patients and their families with a high quality of care.

Learn More About Nursing Administration

If you’re curious about the other admin-type jobs within the nursing sphere that are available and in-demand, the articles in this section will give you additional information. We can help you determine a solid career path for your future.