Transitioning Your Career Into Nursing Leadership
Nurses are at the heart of health care. They also increasingly represent patients and RNs in hospital and health care system boardrooms. Studies on health care leadership have shown that evidence-based nursing leadership helps health care organizations improve productivity and quality of care. Effective nurse leadership reduces medical errors, boosts staff retention, and positively influences patient outcomes. As a result, there are more opportunities for nurses to step into leadership roles than ever before.
Yet many nurses report they are unsure about how to advance into these roles, uncertain of what the path to leadership looks like within their organizations. The Future of Nursing report from the Institute of Medicine states that nurses need foundational leadership skills and modernized, industry-specific leadership skills to be influential leaders. Those skills include "knowledge of the care delivery system, how to work in teams, how to collaborate effectively within and across disciplines, and the basic tenets of ethical care."
Non-clinical Master of Science in nursing leadership programs are some of the only academic pathways that provide clinical nurses with these competencies — and the credentials to advance into managerial positions and the C-Suite. The University of Michigan School of Nursing's Master of Science in Nursing in Leadership, Analytics and Innovation program gives nurses the data management and decision-making skills to lead in complex, technology-driven health care environments. If you are a clinical nurse looking to transition into nursing leadership but aren't sure how to make the leap, this article can help you start planning a path forward.
The Demand for Qualified Nurse Leaders
The ongoing nursing shortage has created a deficit of qualified nurse leaders. Yet, nursing leadership is crucial in a quickly evolving health care landscape, according to Assanatu (Sana) Savage, director of the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing (AAACN). "In our 21st-century health care industry, increasing the number of nurses in leadership roles will allow nursing to have a greater impact on policies, strategies, and tactical health care decision-making for communities and health systems across the nation," she told Minority Nurse.
Who Should Consider a Career in Nursing Leadership?
There are various nursing leadership positions for qualified, ambitious health care professionals. Registered nurses can become mid-level managers, members of hospital system administration, researchers, or case managers. They can also move into more nontraditional roles. But nursing leadership isn't for everyone, especially when it means moving away from bedside care.
Generally, nurses who move into leadership positions do so because they see room for bigger-picture improvement in their organizations or health care. Aspiring nurse leaders must be able to drive change on a broad scale. With their industry-specific knowledge, nurse leaders are adaptable, good communicators, critical thinkers, and have technological proficiency.
While some of these skills are inherent — such as critical thinking and drive — others are teachable. U-M's online Master of Science in nursing leadership program offers aspiring nurse leaders an edge because it includes core courses on data-driven decision-making. MSN courses such as "Foundations of Health Informatics" further increase career opportunities by equipping nurses with data analysis skills that allow them to evaluate costs, outcomes, value, and efficiency in their organizations. In "Decision Science for Complex Health Systems," students learn to use data analytics tools to improve health policy, resource allocation, quality, and safety in medical settings.
If using data and technological tools to improve health care and patient outcomes interests you, then taking the steps toward a nurse leadership position in informatics or quality, safety, and risk management might be the right move.
How to Transition into Nursing Leadership Roles
Gain Clinical and Administrative Experience
If you want to move into a nursing administration or management position, assess the pathway from inside your organization. Ask: what background do nurse leaders have in your workplace? Generally, nurses need at least five years of bedside experience before being considered for a management position.
Seek opportunities to stand out and gain leadership experience at the clinical level. Many hospitals and private practices have assistant nurse manager positions or openings for shift supervisors. Performing well in these roles provides critical job experience and will enhance your resume.
Earn an Advanced Degree in Nursing
Increased earning potential is an obvious reason to get a master's degree in any field, and nursing is no exception. There is also plenty of opportunity and room for advancement for nurses with a Master of Science in nursing leadership. Earning a degree from a top nursing school, such as the University of Michigan, helps nurses stand out in the job market.
Master's programs help nurses get better at utilizing evidence-based practice using data and research to improve patient safety and job satisfaction for the entire nursing staff. Earning an MSN can help you draw connections between personal experience and institutional policy.
A master's degree that offers specialization — like any of the certificates and concentrations offered by U-M — further qualifies nurses for leadership positions by enabling them with skills that others in the field may not have. For example, the U-M online Global Health Concentration teaches nurse leaders to serve diverse populations and influence global health policy.
Earn Additional Certifications
Professional development is essential in nursing. Some common certifications focused on nursing leadership include the Certified in Executive Nursing Practice (CENP), Certified Medical Practice Executive (CMPE), Certified Nurse Manager and Leader (CNML), and Nurse Executive (NE-BC) credentials.
The U-M MSN in Leadership, Analytics, and Innovation teaches AONL and ANCC nurse leader competencies, so graduates are prepared to take related ANCC and AONL certification exams. U-M also offers a graduate-level Certificate in Health Informatics. RNs in this program prepare to sit for several exams, including the ANCC Informatics Nursing Certification, which grants the Registered Nurse-Board Certified (RN-BC) credential.
Finding the Right MSN Program
There are several factors to consider when choosing a master's degree program. Prospective applicants must consider their time constraints and outside responsibilities. For many RNs, online programs are ideal because they are more flexible. Cost is also an important consideration for most degree seekers. U-M School of Nursing offers financial aid and tuition support may be awarded based on a variety of factors, including donor-directed criteria, merit, and/or demonstrated financial need.
Finally, nurses should consider their career goals carefully. U-M's Leadership, Analytics, and Innovation MSN program explores three non-clinical focus areas in leadership, informatics, and analytics. Data analytics is becoming an increasingly important skill. That's why choosing a future-facing MSN program is an intelligent move. The U-M nursing leadership program is designed to equip graduates with the skills needed to navigate evolving technology-based nursing informatics and health care administration.
Transition into Nursing Leadership at U-M
Graduate schools offer benefits beyond the curriculum. Faculty, alumni, and staff networks can support students and offer both community and valuable input about career transitions. U-M School of Nursing students have access to career resources, including a graduate studies advisor who provides one-on-one guidance and counseling. The program is also flexible — students complete 34 credits of coursework in either two or three years.
There isn't one particular path into leadership, but choosing an accredited and top-rated master's degree program with strong faculty support and a successful alumni network can help. To learn more about the online MSN and how it can help you transition into a leadership nursing role, look at U-M's Leadership, Analytics, and Innovation MSN program overview page or reach out to a graduate recruiter. When you're ready to advance your nursing career, apply online.
