8 MSN Nurse Leadership Jobs You Should Consider
Effective leadership in healthcare facilities is crucial to ensure proper patient care. With healthcare careers being highly in demand and offering high salaries, getting a job in leadership positions in the healthcare industry is the way towards career success. To get a nurse leadership job, an MSN degree is a crucial step. Read this article to learn more about the MSN degree, its benefits, as well as various job positions you can consider.
What is MSN in Leadership and Administration?
Among the various nursing degree programs, the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree focuses on leadership, administration, educational functions, and other non-clinical advanced roles while still working bedside other professionals occupied with direct patient care. Upon earning an MSN in leadership and administration, you will be eligible for positions that manage teams of nurses and other healthcare workers to help improve the system, guide and integrate patient care services, as well as advance the healthcare facility through lifelong learning.
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing published nine essential outcomes expected from MSN graduates upon completing a nursing program, including organizational and system leadership. The AACN acknowledges how crucial leadership and administration are in promoting high-quality and safe patient care in any facility. It states that skills in such areas are required to ensure ethical decision-making and build effective working relationships.
Interested in pursuing a degree in California?
Fill out the form and get all the detailed information you need regarding your chosen program.
3 benefits of getting an MSN degree
Deciding to pursue a master's degree is no easy choice, as you will typically be committing two or more years of your time, in addition to the tuition fees and work you put into the program. However, there are many reasons why you should consider pursuing an MSN degree, including the following three main potential benefits:
A deeper understanding of a specific nursing area
Although you will be following some general nursing courses, MSN programs usually enable students to pick a specialty field and then go more in-depth into that area of their studies. Whether you choose leadership and administration, clinical, or education as your specialization, the program will help you become an expert in the field.
The many program options you can choose from
Nowadays, from full-time to part-time, accelerated, and even online programs, it is easier than ever to effectively incorporate and customize your schedule to fit an MSN program. As schools continue to cater to students and their busy lives, these options are beneficial for anyone already working while simultaneously seeking to earn such a degree.
High financial compensation
Reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that professionals with an MSN degree earn more per year in various healthcare positions than those with BSN degrees. The numbers show that while RNs earn around $64,000 per year on average, professionals with an MSN degree earn about $86,000.
MSN Nurse Leadership Jobs to Consider
In addition to the previous benefits, another positive aspect of completing an MSN degree is the career doors it opens. If you are interested in pursuing an administrative role within a healthcare facility, earning an MSN is in your best interest as it can help you end up in one of the following MSN leadership and management jobs.
Chief nursing officer
One of the top nursing leadership and management jobs you can pursue is the role of a Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) as part of the highest managerial positions within a healthcare organization. CNOs are the representatives and supervisors of the facility's nursing team. They are responsible for establishing policies as well as for ensuring that the staff is working smoothly according to the organization's practice standards, for helping senior management manage budgets, preparing patient service programs, conducting performance evaluations, and partaking in board meetings for the benefit of the nursing staff.
Job prospects and salary
Reports from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that pursuing any top executive role, including that of a Chief Nursing Officer, is a good idea since the position is expected to increase by 8% from 2020 to 2030. Furthermore, when working as a Chief Nursing Officer in the United States, you can expect to earn $142,012 per year on average, with the numbers going up to $218,694 for CNOs who gather years of experience in this title.
Education, training, and experience
The road towards becoming a Chief Nursing Officer requires years of hard work and dedication. The educational journey begins with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from an accredited four-year nursing school. Once you become a registered nurse, most healthcare organizations require CNOs to complete a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree concentrating on Nursing Administration and have 5-6 years of experience dealing with administrative roles within healthcare facilities. Another possible route you can follow is to earn a Master of Health Administration (MHA) or Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, and to better your chances of succeeding in this field, you can even complete a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program concentrating on administration.
Clinical nurse manager
Clinical nurse manager's job revolves around ensuring that the nursing staff delivers safe and high-quality treatment to their patients. Working in hospitals, medical clinics, or other healthcare organizations, these managers are responsible for evaluating the work of the other nurses, overseeing the inventory of supplies, as well as directing the interviewing, hiring, and training process for new nurse practitioners. These professionals' primary purpose is to help nurses improve and deliver proper clinical care in the facilities where they work.
Job prospects and salary
With one of the highest percentages, the medical and healthcare services management team is projected to experience a 32% growth in employment throughout the decade, from 2020 to 2030. Each year, around 51.800 new positions will be available for managers of the medical field, making the role of clinical nurse manager one of the most promising career options in healthcare and definitely worth considering.
In addition to the excellent job prospect, a career as a clinical nurse manager comes with a median annual salary of $91,189, with the possibility of the number reaching up to $122,831 as time goes and you gather more experience in the field.
Education, training, and experience
If you are considering pursuing a career as a clinical nurse manager, you need advanced nursing degrees and solid clinical nursing background. Typically, the education requirements to become a clinical nurse manager include an MSN degree, in addition to a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree.
Furthermore, years of bedside experience are requested since you will be the manager of other nurses in this job. Usually, you will need a minimum of five years of experience before becoming a clinical nurse manager.
Director of nursing
The role of a Director of Nursing relates to the administration of the healthcare system by overseeing the healthcare facility's nursing operations. Among the many responsibilities of this position are:
the assessment and directing of the other nursing employees,
dealing with the task of appointing objectives for the nursing department, and
developing and enforcing compliant healthcare policies.
When necessary, directors of nursing also manage the department's budget and communicate with other healthcare professionals, patients, and family members concerning patient health.
Job prospects and salary
As part of the positions with managerial functions in the healthcare field, similar to the previous job option, nursing directors are expected to experience a 32% job growth throughout the upcoming years until 2030. The position comes with a satisfactory median salary of $91,412 per year, plus the possibility for the earnings to rise up to $143,273 per year.
Education, training, and experience
There are several steps you need to go through to become a director of nursing. Starting from education— you need at least a bachelor's degree. However, nowadays, most healthcare facilities prefer their director of nursing to have a master's degree. In this case, you can choose between an MSN degree or earning your master's in either public administration or business management.
Next, you need to consider experience and certification prerequisites. The years of experience and required certifications can vary depending on the employer. Usually, you need at least three years of experience and at least one of them to be in a supervisory role. Moreover, you need to earn certifications in healthcare management or specialty nursing areas.
Director of Patient Care Services
Among numerous masters in nursing leadership and management jobs, the director of patient care services is a superintendent role that merges managerial skills and nursing knowledge to maintain high-quality patient care within an established budget.
Professionals of this role have to fulfill many responsibilities, such as overseeing patient admission and keeping detailed records, coordinating effective budget plans, and ensuring staff comply with facility's and federal regulations to facilitate smooth functioning of the whole healthcare organization.
Job prospects and salary
The field of healthcare continues to grow and add many new job openings each year. On this point, the Director of Patient Care Services position has a promising job outlook and median salary associated with it. According to reports, the average salary of a director of patient care services in the United States is estimated to be $68,690 per year. However, the highest salaries of this career can reach up to $139,959 per year.
Education, training, and experience
To become a director of patient care services, you must become a licensed registered nurse. Then, employers value candidates who have degrees in nursing, administration, or management, so the wise thing to do is pursue an MSN degree program that combines all three areas of study.
Additionally, to make yourself an even more marketable job candidate, you should gather work experience within a healthcare facility.
House Supervisor
House supervisors function on behalf of general management, and they are responsible for ensuring that all departments within the hospital function properly. They help by:
coordinating the staff,
managing any issues that may arise (including injuries or sick calls from the employees),
ensuring an adequate number of nurses and other healthcare professionals for each shift, and
looking after patients when needed.
So, when working as a house supervisor, you will have to make many administrative decisions, especially in case of issues arising with the staff while on duty.
Job prospects and salary
The prospect of working as part of the Administrative Services and Facilities Managers is a compelling idea since reports show the job outlook for such positions until 2030 is estimated to grow by 9%— a growth as fast as the average for all jobs.
Combined with that percentage, you have a median salary of $66,041 per year to look forward to, although with hard work and a few years on the job, you can accelerate up to $109,431 per year.
Education, training, and experience
To secure the position of house supervisor, as with many other managerial roles, you are first required to obtain a bachelor's degree in nursing and become a licensed registered nurse. Employers always value MSN degrees, especially since you need to have extensive knowledge of supervisory and leadership positions for this role, which you might not obtain only through undergraduate degrees.
This educational route, combined with job experience in managerial positions, will help you succeed as a house supervisor.
Hospital Administrator
Continuing the trend of most nurse leadership jobs, the position of a hospital administrator is also closely related to the overall function of the healthcare facility. The responsibilities that such employees have on a daily basis are linked with overseeing the work of the medical staff. When working as a hospital administrator, you will be regarded as the link between medical staff and governing boards and responsible for organizing, supervising, and coordinating projects concerning policies and scientific research.
Furthermore, you would also be in charge of recruiting other administrators, nurses, and doctors, as well as planning budgets and setting rates for the health services the facility provides.
Job prospects and salary
Hospital administrator is yet another job position that falls into the category of medical and health services managers, thus benefiting from the job outlook of 32% projected by the BLS.
With this much faster than average employment growth and a median salary of $74,191 per year, becoming a hospital administrator ensures a promising career ahead of you. As you gain more experience, you can earn a salary of up to $133,000 annually.
Education, training, and experience
The minimum requirement for the position of a hospital administrator is a bachelor's degree. In addition, an MSN or a master's degree in healthcare administration is often required by employers. Next, getting job experience before or after earning your master's degree is another step towards your goal.
Becoming a hospital director doesn't necessarily require any certification or training. However, many hospital administrators choose to get certified through different organizations. They often get accreditation as a Certified Medical Manager (CMM).
Nursing Shift Supervisor
Nurse shift supervisors are RNs that present a blend of clinical and administrative duties. These professionals supervise the nursing staff and manage staff administration into their respective departments, as well as patient care for work shifts.
While working in this role, you would be responsible for planning and directing many department operations, clinical and administrative tasks aiming to provide quality patient care while simultaneously sticking to the objectives of the healthcare facility. Other smaller tasks include dealing with patient files, substituting absent staff, and dealing with complaints regarding the staff's performance.
Job prospects and salary
Being a nurse shift supervisor and part of the medical manager profession in the healthcare industry comes with the advantage of fast employment growth. The predicted 32% growth and the average salary of $78,040 per year, with the possibility of raising your earnings to $110,000, are among the reasons that make working as a nurse shift supervisor a smart career choice.
Education, training, and experience
Each healthcare facility has its requirements for the nursing shift supervisor position, however, a bachelor’s degree in nursing is a starting point. Along with that, you will need several years of experience working in a medical environment.
Based on the current market, a master's degree is often preferred by employers. An MSN or another master's degree in an administrative field would give you an advantage to getting the job.
Specific certifications can also be part of the position prerequisites. Nursing shift supervisors usually possess CPR, ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support), and BLS (Basic Life Support) certifications.
Nursing Coordinator
Lastly, nursing coordinators are yet another type of registered nurse, and they deal with arranging treatment plans between the patient that receives it and medical staff.
Generally, these professionals work with patients whose diagnoses require therapy in various departments within or outside the healthcare facility, so the nursing coordinators act as communicators for interdisciplinary teams. They are also part of the post-treatment of patients, whom they have to inform and discuss treatment pathways with once discharged from the medical facility.
Job prospects and salary
High employment chances characterize a job in the fast-growing industry of healthcare. As the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics projects a 16% employment growth for healthcare professionals in general, a job as a nursing coordinator would be an excellent choice for your career. You would make an average of $72,870 annually, with a possible salary increase up to approximately $108,000 per year.
Education, training, and experience
The main requirement for a career as a nurse care coordinator is a nursing degree. Start with a bachelor's degree in nursing and move to an MSN degree, since most employers seek a master's degree for this position.
In addition, job experience is often a crucial factor in becoming a nursing coordinator. Many nurse care coordinators have previous experience of several years working as registered nurses or as licensed practical nurses.
Meanwhile, certifications are not always required but would benefit your overall job knowledge, like the Care Coordination and Transition Management (CCTM) certification offered by the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification by the American Heart Association, and more.
The Bottom Line
If you want to be a successful leader in healthcare facilities, go ahead and earn that MSN degree! Pursuing an MSN degree you focus on a particular nursing area, which you get a deeper understanding of while also enjoying a plethora of programs to choose from. Furthermore, an MSN degree opens doors to some of the most profitable leadership and management jobs in the healthcare industry that offer high salaries and have high job prospects.