What Are the Duties of a Director of Nursing?
A director of nursing, also known as a nursing director, holds an entry-level position in the executive leadership of a hospital. She oversees several nurse managers and reports to the chief nursing officer.
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Responsibilities
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A nursing director is responsible for a number of nursing departments (such as intensive care units) or a clinical service line (such as cardiac care). She coordinates the strategic planning and global operations of those business units.
Functions
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A nursing director plans, develops, implements and evaluates new programs. She also oversees quality improvement measures to improve existing programs.
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Requirements
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A director of nursing typically has five to seven years of nursing experience as well as a master of science degree in nursing (MSN), health or a business-related field. She may also hold national certification in nursing management.
Significance
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According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, nursing directors and other nurse leaders are playing key roles in transforming today's health care environment in a way that improves patient outcomes, ensures safety and controls costs.
Salary
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Salaries for nursing directors vary a good deal depending on the nurse's geographic location, type of employer, education and experience. According to Salary.com, the median salary for directors of nursing in the U.S. is $108,679 a year.
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Andrew Kuznetsov
