how to become a director of nursing

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how to become a director of nursing

A director of nursing may lead a health care system’s nursing department and overall standards of care. Learn how to become a nursing director here.


Nursing as a profession typically involves attending to patients in a health care setting. However, for those wishing to advance their careers or transition out of day-to-day patient care, they might pursue a position as director of nursing.

What is a Director of Nursing?
A director of nursing, otherwise known as a nurse director, is a registered nurse who leads the administrative work of an organization in the health sector.

Nurses in this field combine their clinical experience, education, and managerial skills to ensure the smooth running of a health care organization. They may also guide the cadence of the nursing department and determine the structure and standard of nursing care.

Director of Nursing Responsibilities

Direct all administrative work in the nursing department, including formulating and implementing new policies and procedures
Ensuring full compliance of their organization with all local, state, and federal regulations
Lead hiring and other employee development, including training
Plan and establish long-term goals for the nursing department
Keep a record of all the activities in the nursing department
Demonstrate excellent skills in leadership and development
Conduct business plans and budgets for the nursing department

To become a director of nursing, there are some core requirements you must first meet.

Complete a Bachelor of Nursing or Associate Degree in Nursing Program
The first step to becoming a director of nursing is to enroll in an undergraduate nursing program. This will begin your path to licensure and allow you to pursue further graduate education.

Aspiring nursing directors must attend a nursing school or institution that offers either a bachelor of science in nursing or associate degree in nursing.

These programs set a foundation in the knowledge and application of nursing theory, research skills, and more—all in the context of a wide range of health care settings.

Take the NCLEX-RN Exam and Achieve Licensure
After completing your undergraduate degree, the next step in becoming a director of nursing is to take the NCLEX-RN exam.

The NCLEX-RN exam, organized by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, tests your knowledge and competencies in the nursing field and establishes your eligibility as a registered nurse (RN).

After passing the NCLEX, graduates are able to obtain state licensure as a nurse. For more information about nursing licensure state-by-state, head to this blog.

Apply for a Master of Science in Nursing Program
Aspiring nursing directors are expected to achieve a graduate degree in nursing before entering higher administrative roles. Programs like The Chicago School’s Master of Science in Nursing, Nursing Leadership Administration degree specifically prepare students to become leaders in the field of nursing.


Obtain Certification
In addition to becoming a registered nurse through the NCLEX exam, aspiring nurse leaders should also achieve certification specific to higher-level nursing roles. These include certifications such as:

The ANCC Nurse Executive Certification Examination
The American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) Nurse Manager and Leader and Executive Nursing Practice certifications
After achieving a graduate degree in nursing and passing relevant state licensure and certification exams, you are qualified for leadership positions.

Enroll in a Doctoral Nursing Program
Although this is not a necessary requirement, a doctorate in nursing further qualifies you and ensures career development and growth opportunities for aspiring nursing directors.

Nurses with this degree are leaders in the health care world and are given active roles in shaping the future of the health care system.

Management and Leadership in Nursing
Nursing leaders will always be in demand and require a host of knowledge, experience, and unique skill sets. Great nursing directors and leaders do not only ensure the smooth running of the nursing unit but also work to provide the best outcome for their patients.

Director of nursing salary

Attend Nursing School
The first step to becoming a Director of Nursing is nursing school. You’ll need to earn either an ADN or a BSN from an accredited nursing program in order to take the first steps to becoming a registered nurse.

Pass the NCLEX-RN
Your next step is to study for and pass the NCLEX examination to become a registered nurse.

Gain Experience or Continue Your Education
Nurses can choose to gain some nursing experience before going back to school or go directly into an MSN program depending on their unique situation. ADN-prepared nurses will need to complete an additional step of either completing their BSN degree or entering into an accelerated RN to MSN program which will let them earn their BSN and MSN at the same time.

Graduate with an MSN degree
In order to become a Director of Nursing, you’ll usually need at least a Master’s degree, typically in healthcare administration or nursing leadership.

Get Certified
There are several certifications for Directors of Nursing. The most specific is offered by the American Association of Directors of Nursing Services is the Director of Nursing Services – Certification (DNS-CT). In order to earn it, you’ll need to hold a current RN license and have the equivalent of two years of full-time long-term or post-acute care experience, with a minimum of one year of experience either as a DNS or relevant nursing leadership experience.

Get a Management Role
Aspiring Directors of Nursing will want to obtain a role in management to get the experience they need. This can be something like a nurse manager, clinical leader, or department manager.

Enroll in a Doctoral Nursing Program or Gain Administrative Experience
This is not required, but it is preferred for the Director of Nursing to earn a doctoral degree. You can also gain experience by working in administrative roles.

A Director of Nursing, also known as a Nurse Director, is an advanced nursing role where you’re responsible for leading a nursing department or an entire healthcare system.

Nursing Directors typically have years of bedside clinical nursing experience as well as leadership skills, and an advanced education — either an MSN or DNP.

As a Director of Nursing, you have a lot of responsibilities, including overseeing the nursing staff, as well as communicating between the nursing and medical teams and other healthcare professionals throughout the organization.

The Nursing Director role certainly comes with a lot of responsibilities, but it has a high salary to match. While the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 2019 median salary of $100,980 per year or $48.55/hr, the BLS does not differentiate between different healthcare administrators and managers; so this figure isn’t specific to Directors of Nursing.

However, according to glassdoor.com the average annual salary for a Director of Nursing is $81,104. And Payscale.com reports an annual average salary of $88,174 or $38.10/hr.

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