Nurse Executive
Hospitals are divided into various levels within the organization
that are headed by nurses with expertise in management and leadership.
Typically, most hospitals have a number of patient units, each with a
different medical focus and each run by a nurse manager. Units that
treat patients with similar conditions are combined into departments led
by a director to whom the nurse managers report. All patient care
departments for the entire hospital are supervised by the most senior
nurse in the organization, an executive who usually has the title of
Vice President of Patient Care Services.
Nurses in managerial and executive practice must ensure that nursing care is provided at the highest levels of quality and implement systems to ensure accountability. These nurses are a part of senior leadership teams and are responsible for such functions as facilitating collaboration, coaching, mentoring, diversity, co-creating, communicating and coordinating outcomes. Patient outcomes, financial management, staffing and scheduling, and employee satisfaction are some of the significant aspects of their roles.
Nurses who are managers and executives must have strong leadership and management skills; decision-making and critical thinking skills are also required. Nurse managers and midlevel directors should possess a bachelor’s degree and strong clinical experience in the relevant specialty. For senior directors and nurse executives, completion of graduate education from an accredited school with master’s degree in nurse administration, hospital administration, or business administration is also necessary.
Associations:
American Organization of Nurse Executives
325 7th Street NW
Washington, DC 20004
Telephone 202-626-2240
Fax: 202-638-5499
E-mail: aone@aone.org
Web site: www.aone.org
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