Reviewed by:
Former Chief Resident in Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, & Admissions Officer, Columbia University
Reviewed: 10/10/23
Curious about the career choices you have in nursing? Read on to learn more about how to become a nurse administrator, one of the most sought after professions in the healthcare industry!
When thinking about a nurse’s role, the most common image conjured up is a healthcare professional administering IV’s, checking vitals, and monitoring patients. While all nurses have some experience with bedside nursing, there are other roles they can play within healthcare.
For instance, once you have some experience as an RN, you can become a nurse administrator and play a larger, executive role in the hospital or clinic you work for. Rather than providing bedside care, you’ll be overseeing other nurses, implementing policies, and developing training programs.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to become a nurse administrator, this guide will share the steps required to join this profession, their duties, and career outlook!
Considering nurse administrators oversee other nurses, they require years of experience and training. Knowing this, you might be wondering: “how long does it take to become a nurse administrator?”
There isn’t a definitive timeline to become a nurse administrator because there are several paths you can take to join this profession. Depending on your chosen path, it can take at least five to seven years. Here’s what these years will involve:
Although this step does not count towards the estimated timeline to become a nurse administrator, it’s essential you maintain high grades throughout high school to secure a spot at a top nursing school. Nursing schools offer limited seats each year and aim to fill them up with the most promising and academically talented students.
There are two degrees students hoping to become RNs and eventually nurse administrators can choose from: an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN).
The former is the quickest option; it only takes two years and teaches you the basics of patient care. However, because an ADN does not provide the same extensive research, clinical, and leadership experience as a BSN, it is less sought after by employers.
Employers prefer RNs to have BSNs, which is a demanding and competitive four-year degree.
Once you’ve completed your nursing degree, you’ll have to write the NCLEX-RN to receive licensure to work as an independent practitioner. This exam has a relatively high passing rate but still requires adequate preparation.
It will test you on your ability to provide a safe and effective care environment, your healthcare promotion and maintenance, psychosocial integrity, and physiological integrity.
While earning a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) is not required to become a nurse administrator, some employers will strongly prefer if you have one.
Having this degree will also give you a competitive edge as an applicant. You may be able to secure a position as a nurse administrator with less experience than applicants that do not hold Master’s degrees.
These degrees take around two years to complete if you have a BSN. If you have an ADN, there are some ADN-MSN programs that typically take three years to complete.
Once you’ve completed your nursing education, you will have to gain significant experience in the field. The more advanced your education, the less experience you will require to qualify for nurse administrator positions.
For instance, nurses with ADN’s typically require at least three years of clinic experience to become nurse administrators, whereas BSN and MSN holders usually only need at least one or two years. The exact amount of experience you need will depend on your employer, but the more experience you have, the better.
Along with clinical experience, most jobs will require or prefer if you have some experience in nurse management or training.
You aren’t required to gain certification to become a nurse administrator, but doing so can enhance your expertise and advance your career.
The most popular certifications nurse administers pursue include:
The first three certifications are offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the last two are offered by American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE). All of these certifications involve examinations.
Now that you’re familiar with how to become a nurse administrator, you may be wondering why they require such comprehensive education and experience. These nurses’ roles involve management, policymaking, and training.
They must know the ins and outs of healthcare in order to oversee other nurses and ensure their patients are provided with the best care! To do so successfully, nurse administrators perform the following specific duties:
As its title suggests, nurse administrators are responsible for many administrative tasks. As such, they rarely interact face-to-face with patients or treat them. These professionals often work in hospitals, clinics, and residential care facilities.
Across the globe, there is a shortage of nurses, meaning there is a large job market for these professionals. Nurse administrators are also in high demand, with an expected job growth of 28% within the next decade. However, many nurses aim to join this profession, so there is typically fierce competition for these positions.
Nonetheless, if you do secure a nursing administration position, your salary will reflect your extensive education and experience. The average salary for nurse administrators is around $101,340 a year, however your pay potential depends on your location and experience.
For instance, nurse administrators in New York are paid the most, with median salaries of $155,430 a year.
We’ve explored the basics of how to become a nurse administrator and what to expect in this role. To find the answers to any further inquiries about this profession, read on!
When deciding if becoming a nurse administrator is worth it, there are several factors to consider. For one, reflect on your reasons for joining this field. If you are only entering the nursing field to become a manager so that you don’t have to interact with patients, this career is not the right fit for you.
You will have to complete several years of clinical experience to qualify for these positions, and will need to have a genuine passion for patient care to be an effective nurse administrator!
If you’re interested in patient care, policymaking, and management, then nurse administration is certainly worth it! You will play a large role within your healthcare organization and can make real change within it!
Yes, nursing administration is a great career that is highly sought after by nurses. You will not only have the authority to make changes to your hospital or clinic, but will be a leader in your field! You can also feel assured by the growing job market for nurse administrators, and expect a high salary once you join the profession.
Yes, all nurse administrators are RNs. They must have considerable clinical experience working as nurses before they become nurse administrators.
It will take at least five to seven years to join this profession:
These are the minimum expectations to join the field. The most competitive nurse administrator candidates will exceed these expectations. They will also have some experience working in a nursing manager, trainer, or leader capacity.
Nurse administrators typically work in hospitals, physician’s offices, or at residential care facilities.
Nurse administrators tend to earn the highest salaries working in hospitals, where the average salary is $101,512. Location wise, New York has the highest median salary for nurse administrators.
The first step to joining the nursing field is understanding your career options. Now that you know how to become a nurse administrator and the impact you can have in this role, you can decide if it’s a match for you and if you’re ready to put in the time and effort required to join this profession!
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