Directors of Nursing: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of directors of nursing about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for directors of nursing to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of directors of nursing expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for directors of nursing.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Directors of Nursing?
Do directors of nursing need a degree? What kind of experience do directors of nursing typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for directors of nursing to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Directors of Nursing
Jobs Postings for Directors of Nursing By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 308,154 (37%)
- No Education Listed: 222,911 (27%)
- Master's degree: 159,574 (19%)
- High School or GED: 93,514 (11%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 56,674 (7%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of directors of nursing. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 37% of positions. In 27% of job listings no education level was listed and in 19% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Directors of Nursing
Jobs Postings for Directors of Nursing By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 72,717 (15%)
- 2-3 Years: 203,186 (43%)
- 4-6 Years: 126,279 (27%)
- 7-9 Years: 33,207 (7%)
- 10+ Years: 39,497 (8%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for directors of nursing. In 43% of job postings for Directors of Nursing, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 27% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 15% of job postings for directors of nursing.
What Kind of Degree Do Directors of Nursing Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for directors of nursing, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 40 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective directors of nursing, and in 2021 a total of 451,940 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective directors of nursing.
Top Degree Programs for Directors of Nursing
Top 5 Degree Programs for Directors of Nursing (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse. | 262,831 |
| Health/Health Care Administration/Management. | 31,252 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences. | 30,075 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General. | 29,637 |
| Public Health, General. | 22,677 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse. | 262,831 |
| Health/Health Care Administration/Management. | 31,252 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences. | 30,075 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General. | 29,637 |
| Public Health, General. | 22,677 |
| Pharmacy. | 15,589 |
| Nursing Administration. | 9,752 |
| Nursing Practice. | 7,956 |
| Health and Wellness, General. | 6,105 |
| Hospital and Health Care Facilities Administration/Management. | 4,391 |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs, Other. | 4,010 |
| Nursing Science. | 3,788 |
| Public Health, Other. | 3,404 |
| Health Information/Medical Records Administration/Administrator. | 3,302 |
| Health Services Administration. | 3,027 |
| Community Health and Preventive Medicine. | 2,272 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services, Other. | 2,200 |
| Medical Informatics. | 2,004 |
| Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies. | 1,984 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, Other. | 1,906 |
| Medical/Health Management and Clinical Assistant/Specialist. | 1,099 |
| Bioethics/Medical Ethics. | 663 |
| Science/Technology Management. | 430 |
| Long Term Care Administration/Management. | 353 |
| Clinical Research Coordinator. | 344 |
| Health Policy Analysis. | 318 |
| Healthcare Innovation. | 183 |
| Public Policy Analysis, Other. | 114 |
| Veterinary Office Management/Administration. | 71 |
| Dental Public Health and Education. | 49 |
| Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality. | 43 |
| Regulatory Science/Affairs. | 29 |
| Medical Staff Services Technology/Technician. | 26 |
| Health Unit Manager/Ward Supervisor. | 22 |
| Infectious Disease and Global Health. | 13 |
| Disease Registry Data Management. | 8 |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics, Other. | 5 |
| Veterinary Administrative Services, General. | 5 |
| Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities, Other. | 3 |
| Arts in Medicine/Health. | 0 |
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Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Directors of Nursing
Tackle the complexities of the healthcare industry and advance your career with a transfer-friendly 100% online bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Strengthen your leadership skills to play a pivotal role in creating, evolving, and sustaining scientifically based and economically focused healthcare initiatives.
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Years To Complete: 2
- Accreditation: CCNE
Advance your leadership role and improve the effectiveness of healthcare.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Years To Complete: 3
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Be an expert in health policy, operational effectiveness and global healthcare with this online graduate program.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 21
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Earn a 14-month online Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree with a Specialization in Healthcare and gain interdisciplinary communication and decision-making skills alongside specialized knowledge on healthcare policies, operations and analytics.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Skills Do Directors of Nursing Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by directors of nursing to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for directors of nursing, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Directors of Nursing
Based on 711,071 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Directors of Nursing
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | 193,666 | 27% |
| Auditing | 61,150 | 9% |
| Marketing | 61,027 | 9% |
| Project Management | 56,613 | 8% |
| Medical Records | 50,016 | 7% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Directors of Nursing
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 308,011 | 43% |
| Communications | 296,984 | 42% |
| Leadership | 277,305 | 39% |
| Operations | 241,027 | 34% |
| Planning | 141,793 | 20% |
Based on 711,071 job postings related to directors of nursing, nursing was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 27% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for auditing, marketing, project management, medical records and billing were also highly sought.
As for common skills, management was the most desired skill found in job postings for directors of nursing, followed by communications, leadership, operations, planning and customer service.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | 193,666 | 27% |
| Auditing | 61,150 | 9% |
| Marketing | 61,027 | 9% |
| Project Management | 56,613 | 8% |
| Medical Records | 50,016 | 7% |
| Billing | 49,897 | 7% |
| Care Coordination | 47,978 | 7% |
| Workflow Management | 45,237 | 6% |
| Social Work | 44,551 | 6% |
| Quality Improvement | 43,803 | 6% |
| Performance Improvement | 42,441 | 6% |
| Process Improvement | 41,063 | 6% |
| Case Management | 40,086 | 6% |
| Performance Appraisal | 40,015 | 6% |
| Nursing Care | 39,681 | 6% |
| Finance | 36,812 | 5% |
| Mental Health | 36,331 | 5% |
| Home Health Care | 35,853 | 5% |
| Clinical Experience | 35,498 | 5% |
| Electronic Medical Record | 35,170 | 5% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 308,011 | 43% |
| Communications | 296,984 | 42% |
| Leadership | 277,305 | 39% |
| Operations | 241,027 | 34% |
| Planning | 141,793 | 20% |
| Customer Service | 139,319 | 20% |
| Coordinating | 130,854 | 18% |
| Problem Solving | 106,817 | 15% |
| Writing | 90,088 | 13% |
| Scheduling | 85,817 | 12% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 75,280 | 11% |
| Research | 71,064 | 10% |
| Microsoft Excel | 69,760 | 10% |
| Detail Oriented | 66,561 | 9% |
| Supervision | 64,207 | 9% |
| Microsoft Office | 63,632 | 9% |
| Coaching | 63,529 | 9% |
| Organizational Skills | 58,274 | 8% |
| Computer Literacy | 56,703 | 8% |
| Decision Making | 56,341 | 8% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about directors of nursing? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for directors of nursing.
What do directors of nursing do?
How much do directors of nursing make?
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