8 Leadership Roles in Nursing and How to Pursue Them

Leadership in nursing begins with integrity and the passion to influence others toward a common goal. If you desire to promote excellence in nursing care delivery through exemplary vision and direction, a leadership role may be fitting for your future. This blog helps prospective nurses start planning for a career in nurse leadership by explaining what it takes to get there.

Who Makes a Good Nurse Leader?

While some individuals may naturally excel in leadership, anyone with strong compassion can become a good nurse leader with the proper training and mentorship. Nurses routinely have opportunities to positively impact the lives of their patients, colleagues, and communities.

Effective nurse leaders need to leverage their skills and personality traits to foster confidence in their team and be a beacon of calm when challenges are particularly complex. Communication and clinical competence help good nurse leaders articulate a compelling vision and inspire healthy work relationships built on mutual trust and respect.

Good nurse leaders are also adaptable and resilient. They actively listen to understand the perspectives of others and highly value people. Nurse leaders nurture staff development and professional growth through:

• Interdisciplinary collaboration
• Mentorship and coaching
• Fostering inclusivity
• Leading with honesty and ethical standards

Leadership in nursing is not limited to individuals with designated titles or specific roles, although nursing employment positions are designed intentionally for leadership.

Why High-Quality Nurse Leaders Are Needed

In a systematic review of research, 88% of studies showed a correlation between leadership styles and the job satisfaction of employed nurses. The leadership style that you might adopt will largely depend on your personality, but all of these styles have been proven to inspire confidence in nursing teams:

• Transformational: inspires others to work collectively on shared organizational goals with a charismatic approach and individualized consideration.
• Authentic: emphasizes integrity and develops close and trusting relationships with openness and honesty while valuing the views of all team members.
• Democratic: aligns well with reliability principles as it encourages the voices and perspectives of all employees.
• Servant: prioritizes the needs of others while sharing work with a willingness to learn and a strong commitment to morality.

Individuals exhibiting diverse leadership styles in nursing can contribute to achieving the primary goals of the profession, which center on the following:

• Health promotion and illness prevention
• Patient and family advocacy
• Delivering high-quality and safe patient care quality for better patient outcomes
• Practical stewardship of resources

Advanced nursing careers typically align with leadership roles, and salaries are often commensurate with experience and education. According to wage estimates published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), advanced practice providers with a master’s degree earned a median salary of $129,480 annually in May 2023, while medical and health services managers earned $134,440 annually.

Planning Your Nursing Career

The pathway to becoming a nurse leader starts with the completion of an undergraduate nursing program. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree is foundational for continued graduate education and the pursuit of specialty certifications. Nursing career paths for BSN-prepared nurses make advancement achievable.

Online BSN programs for non-nurses make it possible for those interested in the nursing profession to transition into nursing as a second career efficiently. A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree plus relevant work experience paves the way for future leadership opportunities.

Leadership Roles in Nursing

Read on to learn about different leadership roles you can pursue with information about the career outlook, qualifications needed, and primary responsibilities of the job.

Chief Nursing Officer

The Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) or Chief Nursing Executive (CNE) is one of the highest leadership roles overseeing all aspects of nursing care within a healthcare organization. To become a CNO/CNE, you will need substantial nursing work experience, graduate nursing education, and leadership training.

Responsibilities of a CNO/CNE include:

• Strategic planning and high-level decisions
• Establishing models of nursing care delivery
• Financial forecasting and accountability
• Collaboration to advance quality in your organization

The American Nurses Association (ANA) Nursing Resources Hub encourages continued progression through nursing leadership roles, including Nurse Manager and Director of Nursing positions, as preparation for becoming a CNO/CNE. Attainment of the Nurse Executive, Advanced Certification (NEA-BC) offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) is also encouraged as it demonstrates commitment toward excellence in leadership required for this prestigious and challenging role.

Healthcare Administrator

A healthcare administrator or healthcare executive is responsible for planning and directing medical and health services. This leadership role may oversee an entire organization or facility and be accountable for a specific specialty department or an outpatient clinic.

According to the BLS, the duties of healthcare administrators include database management of facility records and serving on governing boards. Other responsibilities may include:

• Developing objectives for improving the quality and efficiency of care
• Compliance with laws and regulations
• Staff supervision (recruitment and training)
• Managing patient fees and billing

The job outlook for healthcare administrators is favorable with employment projected to grow approximately 28% from 2022 to 2023. The anticipated need equates to about 54,700 employment openings per year during this timeframe.

Nursing Director

Another prominent and influential leadership role is the Director of Nursing, who liaises between various nursing departments and outside organizations to promote quality healthcare delivery. Required qualifications for this position often include an advanced nursing degree and certifications to validate competency in leadership skills.

Employers seeking to find a nursing director typically prefer previous work experience in a healthcare administrator role. When the full career path leading up to a director role is considered, several years of prior leadership commitment are often needed to establish the background for this position.

Clinical Nurse Manager

A clinical nurse manager is an RN who oversees the administrative aspects of a clinical department or unit. Because the role includes legal and regulatory oversight, clinical nurse managers may also benefit from a background in business administration. This role is typically more office-based and differs from a charge nurse who directly oversees the nursing unit and provides direct patient care.

Responsibilities of a nurse manager include:

• Handling scheduling and staffing fulfillment
• Supervising and providing coaching and mentoring when needed
• Serving as a liaison between care providers and upper management
• Ensuring the organizational strategic plan is executed effectively within the unit

Nurse managers are influential in creating environments that can promote wellness and prevent burnout. A master’s degree and previous nursing work experience are generally preferred for nurse managers.

Patient Care Services Director

The leadership role of a patient care services director encompasses a wide variety of responsibilities. Patient care services include a range of care delivery offerings available to patients throughout their healthcare journey. Examples within a hospital system or other large-scale health organization include:

• Nursing and medical care
• Diagnostics and rehabilitation
• Nutritional services
• Psychosocial support
• Hospice and palliative care

The director of patient care services implements financial decisions, quality improvement, staff development, and patient satisfaction efforts for safe and effective health care delivery throughout the organizational system. A high level of interdepartmental collaboration and teamwork characterizes the role.

Nursing Coordinator

A nursing coordinator is responsible for leading the nursing care of an organization through clinical oversight and intervention when necessary to maintain quality and safety. Monitoring clinical metrics and planning improvement initiatives is an essential responsibility. A nursing coordinator intentionally focuses training and education of nursing staff to ensure policies and procedures are carried out and refined based on data.

The nursing coordinator role also has components of direct patient and family communication, such as addressing concerns and providing updates on care plans. After discharge, a nursing coordinator may work with patients to ensure seamless transitions and continuity of care plans.

Shift Supervisor

A nursing shift supervisor is often a direct patient care leadership role that oversees the patient care activities of a particular unit. Responsibilities include completing patient rounds, supportive mentorship of newer nurses, and serving as the central point of communication. The shift supervisor may have additional administrative duties and is responsible for shift handoff.

A shift supervisor's essential responsibilities include a thorough knowledge of patient statuses and real-time awareness of ongoing care needs. Managing nursing staff according to changing situations is also a priority in this position.

Nurse Educator

The main responsibility of a nurse educator is to provide quality nursing education to other nurses and nursing students. This role may be found in clinical and academic settings and requires clinical competency and practice experience before educating others.

Assessment of learning needs and incorporation of evidence-based teaching methods are core components of nursing education. A quality nurse educator will align continuing education offerings with professional development opportunities to support positive patient outcomes.

Step Into Your Future Nursing Career Today

You can fast-track your nursing career by taking the first step toward becoming a nurse and exploring the available Accelerated BSN (ABSN) program options. If you already have a BSN, you can pursue a Nurse Practitioner program or DNP program. Input your zip code below to see what accelerated BSN programs are available in your area.