There are endless job possibilities for registered nurses. From working as a travel nurse in a traditional nursing role to holding a leadership position, there is an ideal fit out there for everyone. To find out more about leadership jobs as an RN, we recently spoke with Chad Mislivec, a branch manager at Aureus Medical Group. Here is a breakdown of the duties, expectations and opportunities for RNs interested in pursuing management positions in the nursing field.
Job trajectory
The first step for nurses who are interested in assuming a leadership position is becoming a charge nurse, a clinical coordinator or a house supervisor. Mislivec explained that aspiring leaders should demonstrate leadership, even in their job as an RN.
“There are endless job possibilities for registered nurses.”
“Most importantly they need to start showing their leadership skills within their own department, by taking the lead, showing initiative and creating good working relationships with their peers,” he said. “It doesn’t take a title to be a leader.”
According to Mislivec, RNs should connect with their bosses to explore career options at their respective workplaces because the opportunities are vast and vary between health care facilities.
“They should express their desire to take on more responsibility, their career goals and see what opportunities are there for them,” Mislivec said. “There is every type of leadership position available at hospitals, from charge nurses to directors of nursing.”
The standard job trajectory of an RN has multiple steps:
- Charge nurse.
- Clinical coordinator.
- House supervisor.
- Department or unit supervisor.
- Department manager.
- Unit director.
- Multiple department director.
- Service line director.
- Director of nursing.
Depending on how your workplace is structured, this progression may differ slightly. Nonetheless, there will be multiple positions with varying degrees of managerial responsibility at any healthcare facility.
Keys for success
In order to advance your career, it is important to know what hiring managers and staff are looking for in future leaders in the workplace. Beyond being an expert in your specialty with in-depth knowledge on current practices and trends, Mislivec explained that RNs should have strong interpersonal skills and be team players.
“Nurses need to have good people skills, be proactive, be a good relationship builder and have good conflict manager skills, able to give effective feedback, multitask and be a good follower,” Mislivec said. “You need to be a good follower to be a good leader. It’s an old adage, but so true.”
For RNs who do not have leadership positions on their resumes, it is helpful to display the inner initiative and management skills needed of a leader within their current nursing role. This will be valuable when it is time for promotions.
Mislivec suggested that RNs take the lead and be good role models. They should also have the ability to mentor others, have flexibility and promote positivity about hospital initiatives and changes, even if the RN does not fully agree with the changes.
Hiring managers do not just look at an RN’s recent performance. They also consider the RN’s work history as a platform for potential job advancements.
“Nurses currently in leadership positions need to have a proven track record in their current role to advance to the next level,” Mislivec explained.
Finally, education is becoming increasingly critical for RNs pursuing management roles, according to Mislivec.
“We are seeing that schooling, certifications and skills are becoming more important to hiring authorities these days,” he explained. “It is very common for a hospital to require a BSN, even for a house supervisor position. Certifications and being active members in their specialty’s organization is important as well.”
For some positions, a master’s degree may be the standard. Mislivec said that a Master of Science in Nursing, Master of Business Administration or Master of Healthcare Administration is a good degree to have when moving up the managerial ladder. However, not having a master’s degree will not completely prohibit RNs from high-level leadership roles.
“That being said some hospitals, especially smaller facilities, will look at a candidate’s experience versus their degree,” Mislivec said. “We have had success promoting our candidates’ experience, even if they didn’t have all the degrees required.”
Benefits of nursing leadership
One of the greatest advantages of working as a leader is the ability to make a substantial difference in your workplace. RNs in management roles have “more input in the daily operations of their unit/department,” according to Mislivec.
Additionally, leadership roles are typically accompanied by a salary increase and a flexible project and work schedule, depending on the specific healthcare facility.
A day in the life
The day of a traditional RN versus an RN who is in a managerial role have some overlapping and some independent duties. Nursing leaders are involved in patient care, though in an indirect way, according to Mislivec.
“Instead of providing direct patient care, they will be responsible for ensuring their team provides good patient care,” he explained. “Nursing leaders, depending on the position, are responsible for patient care and safety, productivity, quality assurance, scheduling, budgets and developing their staff. They will also be more involved with their higher-ups and the doctors.”
Most of the interaction with doctors and other managers focuses on staff and patient care. According to Mislivec, these collaborations and communications may include work with departments in the healthcare facility including accounting, account payable, purchasing and acquisitions, safety and compliance, and quality assurance. Depending on the RN, work with these departments may be a new experience and challenge.
The overlap between nursing leaders and RNs varies depending on the respective position and hospital size.
“Some of the smaller hospitals require working managers,” Mislivec said. “Managers that oversee the unit/department, but still need to give direct patient care.”
Opportunities for leadership
There are management and leadership roles available for RNs at every kind of workplace. According to Mislivec, RN leaders can work in hospitals, home health, long-term care, nursing homes, outpatient services, private practices and surgery centers.
“Aureus Medical offers both types of leadership positions.”
These jobs can be interim or permanent. In fact, Aureus Medical Group offers both types of leadership positions.
“We have both travel (interim) and direct hire positions at all levels of nursing, all across the country,” Mislivec said.
Wherever you choose to work, Mislivec explained that the opportunities are endless.
“The sky is the limit,” he said. “With the proper education and experience, a nurse can work their way up to a chief nursing officer level.”
To get more information on nursing leadership, contact Aureus Medical Group. They have a team that can connect nurses, physical therapists and other healthcare professionals to jobs and career options throughout the country.