Newstricky| Nurses are some of the most well-respected and in-demand professionals in the world today. Over the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact that it has had on healthcare has only served to further highlight the importance of the work that nurses do on a daily basis, making it clearer than ever for the general public to see just how crucial nurses are in our lives. Currently, there is a growing demand for nurses in the US, from registered nurses on the front lines of healthcare to nurses working in leadership and management positions. Nurse leaders work in various positions of authority to provide the healthcare industry with leadership that is patient-centered, strong, compassionate, and inspiring.
Nurses in leadership positions are having a growing impact on healthcare policy, and these professionals are often able to facilitate more positive changes for patients. Some of the main reasons to consider getting into a career in nursing management and leadership include:
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In the past, it may have been difficult at times for some nurses to get a master’s degree or another advanced qualification that would allow them to get into a management or leadership role in the future. Today, it is much more accessible for nurses to get an advanced degree while working in a registered nursing role full-time, thanks to online study. Studying online allows you to access programs such as the advanced nursing degrees from Baylor University Online, which are flexible, allowing nurses to fit their studies around their work.
Break Down Societal Barriers
Although nursing is a professional career path that requires individuals to become highly skilled in their field, society does still, unfortunately, view nursing as a blue-collar profession. While there are several different levels of education and training available to nurses, right up to the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, this is not well-known by the general public, who do not always know a lot about the nursing career path and may believe that there is only one professional level to nursing. Despite their growing importance in the industry, nurses are still not yet seen as key leaders or decision-makers. More nurses pursuing leadership will help to break these societal barriers down and encourage the public to see many nurses for the advanced professionals that they are.
Nurses Make Great Leaders
When it comes to working in a management or leadership position, nurses often tend to be a great fit for the role. Nurses have to develop a range of important skills while working to care for patients, which can easily be transferred into a successful leadership role. For example, nurses tend to be great problem-solvers and have the ability to take a holistic approach to look at the bigger picture. They can work well under a lot of pressure and are experienced in making important decisions without a huge amount of time to think it through. Nurses who get into leadership roles are usually already very used to collaborating with others and possess some of the most important skills for leaders such as compassion, empathy, and excellent communication skills.
High Demand
The growing demand for nurses at every level of this profession is just another reason for nurses to consider moving up the ladder into a management or leadership role. The US is currently facing a shortage of nurses and a lack of advanced healthcare professionals such as primary care physicians, who would normally be the healthcare professional most likely seen in leadership positions such as managing medical settings like doctor’s offices and outpatient clinics. The shortage of primary care physicians is one of the main driving forces behind the significant demand for nurses in leadership, with nurses stepping in to fill the gap that has resulted from the shortage.
Improve Patient Care
As more and more nurses move into advanced leadership positions to reduce the impact of a shortage of primary care physicians, it is becoming increasingly clearer to see that they are a professional that will often have the most positive impact on patients. Nurses in charge have led to a range of positive outcomes for patients including faster recovery times, lower rates of readmission to hospital and fewer hospital fatalities to name a few. More often than not, patients who are placed under the care of a nurse in an advanced leadership position report that they are highly satisfied with their level of care.
Career Progression
Leadership roles give nurses the chance to climb the career ladder and progress in their role, but this is not the furthest that they can go. There are also several opportunities to consider within the world of nurse leadership itself, allowing nurses to take their careers a step even further. Nurses might start out in a leadership role that involves managing a team of healthcare professionals or departments, and work their way up to managing the entire clinic or hospital. Along with this, the qualifications that are typically required for leadership roles will also allow nurses to pursue a wide range of further advanced roles that are currently experiencing high demand right now, including nurse practitioner and nurse educator roles.
Clinical Nurse Leadership Roles
If the idea of moving your career to office work does not appeal to you, the good news is that not all leadership roles in nursing are like this. The role of a nurse practitioner can also offer a lot of leadership responsibilities. This is especially true in the states where nurse practitioners are awarded full practice authority. As a nurse practitioner, you may be responsible for running a clinic, or managing your own clinic if you wish while also working with patients directly. This is the main role that is filling in for the shortage of primary care physicians and allows nurses to continue working with patients while taking on more leadership and management responsibilities.
Nurse management and leadership are ideal choices for registered nurses who are looking to advance their careers. It’s worth considering leadership roles for a range of reasons including high demand, and nurses’ ability to positively impact healthcare while in these roles.
