A master of science in nursing administration is designed to open the door for nurses who want to take their career to the next level. Choosing to focus on administration in your master’s degree will help to prepare you specifically for a leadership role in a hospital or a management role in a healthcare organization.
Those with a master’s degree in healthcare or nursing administration are prepared to handle the business aspects of running a hospital, and the caring parts of any job associated with nursing. These people strive to increase the productivity and efficiency levels within healthcare institutions. They work with the nursing staff, adjust the finances within each department, and help to maintain policies and laws in the healthcare industries. Jump to 30+ Online Masters in Nursing Degrees.
They will allocate jobs and help to improve communication among nursing staff, while offering supervision within daily roles. They can take on any leadership or management role in a number of environments including assisted living facilities, hospitals, and clinics. Here, we’ll look at five of the best career options you can consider with a masters of nursing administration degree.
Here, we’ll look at five of the best career options you can consider with a masters of nursing administration degree.
#1 Nurse Administrator or Manager
The most obvious career choice for someone with a masters degree in nursing administration is that of a nurse administrator or manager. If you have a knack for organizing people and tasks, then this position could be a great option for you. Most of the time, nurse administrators act as leaders within their organization. Also known as nursing directors or vice presidents of nursing, they can be responsible for overseeing entire departments, including financial groups and human resources.
Nursing administrators are typically responsible for a range of things within a healthcare setting. They can monitor staffing levels, develop important criteria for evaluating workplace performance, and help to create opportunities for continued education. Usually, the responsibilities of a nurse manager and nurse administrator are very similar. However, in some cases, the “manager” title will be used to refer to a position that is on a smaller scale. Also, the title may depend on the particular organization you work for.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that medical and healthcare managers earned a median salary of $96,540 per year as of May 2016. Job growth in this career is predicted to be 17% from 2014 to 2024, which higher than average.
#2 Nursing Consultant
A slightly less common career for someone who holds a masters degree in nursing administration is that of the nurse consultant. These are professionals who use their business and nursing expertise to identify any problems within a healthcare setting and determine solutions that could impact the entire industry.
A perk of working as a nursing consultant is that some will be able to choose to be self-employed. In addition, there are opportunities for those who prefer to work in larger organizations too. Some law firms will hire consultants as permanent members of staff to make sure they have experts for medical cases. Although nursing consultants only make up a small portion of the workforce today, they are some of the highest paid professionals in the nursing industry.
Nursing consultants are recognized by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as registered nurses who had a median salary of $72,180 per year as of May 2016. However that is conservative estimate because NurseJournal.org indicates that the average salary for a nurse consultant is $125,000.
#3 Health Services Manager
Any health care organization requires a high degree of coordination and organization to run properly. For this reason, the role of a health services manager is essential. It should be noted, however, that this position isn’t always limited to people with a master’s degree. Those with experience in both managerial positions and nursing can thrive in this role. These professionals typically work behind the scenes with insurance providers, physicians and others to solve problems in the industry. Health services managers are like nursing managers, except that instead of dealing with a particular part of a hospital or a specific team, they work on improving the entire healthcare organization.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical and health service managers had a median salary of $96,540 per year as of May 2016, with those covering the entire industry earning much more than those who only work for one hospital or healthcare environment. If you are considering this position, now is a good time because the predicted job growth rate is 17% from 2014 to 2024.
#4 Nursing Executive
A nursing executive is yet another good career option for someone with a master’s degree in nursing administration. These executives help to focus the mission of their overall healthcare organization by effectively communicating with teams and encouraging creativity for better financial performance. They also provide continued education courses for their staff and get them involved with national organizations for nursing.
The role of the nursing executive is somewhat new, but it’s very similar to the position of a nursing manager. Ideally, the focus is on creating good healthcare facility budgets, and making sure that the right policies and procedures are in place to keep the organization running smoothly. With experience as a nurse executive, you could also become an executive in other fields too, if you become tired of the healthcare industry.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for any executive was $103,950 per year as of May 2016.
#5 Clinical Nurse Leader
The role of the “clinical nurse leader” is perhaps one of the newest positions for people with a master’s degree in nursing administration to consider. Clinical nurse leaders have been recognized by the American Association of Colleges and Nurses. The new role was introduced as a way to prevent the many errors present in health facilities. In the past, these errors have been responsible for numerous injuries and deaths in patients.
As a clinical nurse leader, you would be expected to counsel, advise, and mentor other nurses, particularly in the case of complex procedures. You might be able to find employment in a range of hospitals and clinics, as well as private healthcare facilities. You will need to have a significant amount of valuable knowledge and experience in your area, which you can use to improve the work of other nurses and enhance the overall safety of your hospital.
Because the position of clinical nurse leader is new, there isn’t much information about it in the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, some experts suggest that the national median annual salary is around $84,000. Wages may grow by up to 20% from 2012 to 2022.
References
- Medical and Health Services Managers. (2015, Dec. 17). Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm
- Registered Nurses. (2017, Mar. 31). Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291141.htm
- Top Executives. (2015, Dec. 17). Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/top-executives.htm
- What Is The Salary Outlook For Clinical Nurse Leader? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://nursejournal.org/clinical-nursing/what-is-the-salary-outlook-for-clinical-nurse-leader/
