What Does a Nurse Administrator Do?

Nursing is a growing field that is only projected to grow in the upcoming years. If you have always dreamed of entering the rewarding field of nursing, it is important to understand what career path you would like to travel down. Then you can complete your formal training and gain the experience that you need to turn your dreams into your future. If your goal is to earn your Master of Health Administration after you have gained experience in the field as a Registered Nurse, you may want to consider becoming a Nurse Administrator. Not only do nurse administrators have a lot of interaction with patients in their setting, they also oversee nursing staff. Read on to learn exactly what a nurse administrator does so that you can decide if this is the right occupation for you.

What Are the Primary Responsibilities of a Nursing Administrator?

The nursing administrator is in charge of many different aspects of nursing care within a hospital, a long-term care facility or a medical office. As the head nurse in charge of the nursing staff, the administrator will act as an intermediary between LVNs, RNs, nursing assistants, doctors, external departments, and patients within the organization. As the middleman between so many different professionals, the nurse administrator must be qualified and possess an expansive amount of knowledge regarding patient care.

In addition to being the intermediary, a nursing administrator will also create schedules and oversee the entire nursing department. You will be more than a patient care expert; you will also be like the HR manager for the nursing staff. When there are new hires, you will train these nurses about procedures and operations. When a staff member calls in sick, you will schedule a replacement to cover the shift. Based on the traffic within the facility, you will also be responsible for allocating nurses and patients to different rooms, beds, and departments.

Why Should You Pursue a Career as a Nursing Administrator?

If you like a challenge, there is no denying that nurse administrators have a very challenging role in healthcare. If the challenge is not enough to persuade you to apply to a graduate program in Health Administration, set aside a little time to research the average salary a Nurse Administrator earns. While the starting salaries vary from state to state, the national average for this nursing profession is $72,006 for first-line administrators. After you gain some experience and become a senior level administrator, you can make well over $95,000 per year.

Pay is not the only reason that many experienced nurses chose to take the leap into nursing administration. Of all of the health administration positions that exist today, being a nurse administrator is one of the most emotionally gratifying choices these professionals have made. You can help people and feel good in the process.

If you are interested in pursuing this career, the right track is getting the training that you need. By enrolling in a MHA program with an accredited school, you can gain the leadership skills you need to advance into this upper-management position. While in school, enjoy a stable career and study to compete for open positions to prove that you are a valuable asset.