What is nursing administration?
Nursing administration is the management side of nursing: scheduling, budgets, hiring, quality and policy. Titles run from nurse manager to director of nursing to chief nursing officer, and senior roles usually need a master’s or doctoral degree.
The ladder
Charge nurse, nurse manager, director, then chief nursing officer. See nurse manager for the first step. Master’s programs in nursing administration or a dual degree, see MSN/MBA and MSN/MHA, prepare for the upper levels.
Certification
The American Organization for Nursing Leadership offers certification for nurse executives and managers, and the American Nurses Credentialing Center offers nurse executive certification. Both are voluntary.
Context
39.9% of RNs said in the 2024 workforce study that they intended to leave nursing within five years, which makes retention and staffing a central part of the job.
Pay and projections: Bureau of Labor Statistics. NCLEX figures: NCSBN. Enrollment: AACN. Sources and years are ondata sources.