What Do Directors of Nursing Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for directors of nursing?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what directors of nursing do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Directors of Nursing Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about directors of nursing by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Directors of Nursing plan, direct, or coordinate medical and health services in hospitals, clinics, managed care organizations, public health agencies, or similar organizations.
Popular Job Titles For Directors of Nursing
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Directors of Nursing
- Assistant Directors of Nursing
- Medical Directors
- Clinical Supervisors
- Charge Nurses
- Laboratory Managers
- Directors of Rehabilitation
- Clinical Nurse Coordinators
- Clinical Directors
- Directors of Nursing/Registered Nurses
- Clinical Managers
- Executive Directors
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for directors of nursing can be found.
Best Industries for Directors of Nursing
Directors of Nursing Jobs By Industry
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals: 23.3%
- Offices of Physicians: 12.7%
- Outpatient Care Centers: 7.5%
- Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities): 5.4%
- Home Health Care Services: 4.8%
- Offices of Other Health Practitioners: 4.3%
- Other: 42%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of directors of nursing can be found working in the General Medical and Surgical Hospitals sector. In 2022, about 23.3% of all jobs for directors of nursing were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Offices of Physicians (12.7%), Outpatient Care Centers (7.5%), Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) (5.4%), Home Health Care Services (4.8%) and Offices of Other Health Practitioners (4.3%).
Top Online College For Working Adults
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 Do Directors of Nursing Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what directors of nursing do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work directors of nursing do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that directors of nursing tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for directors of nursing, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - 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% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Directors of Nursing
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Directors of Nursing | 76,940 | 19.9% |
| Assistant Directors of Nursing | 42,835 | 11.1% |
| Medical Directors | 24,348 | 6.3% |
| Clinical Supervisors | 21,641 | 5.6% |
| Charge Nurses | 20,746 | 5.4% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was directors of nursing, with 27,722 unique job postings. Assistant directors of nursing were second, with 9,661 postings, followed by medical directors, clinical supervisors and charge nurses.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to directors of nursing.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Directors of Nursing | 76,940 | 19.9% |
| Assistant Directors of Nursing | 42,835 | 11.1% |
| Medical Directors | 24,348 | 6.3% |
| Clinical Supervisors | 21,641 | 5.6% |
| Charge Nurses | 20,746 | 5.4% |
| Laboratory Managers | 16,705 | 4.3% |
| Directors of Rehabilitation | 22,653 | 5.9% |
| Clinical Nurse Coordinators | 16,141 | 4.2% |
| Clinical Directors | 17,116 | 4.4% |
| Directors of Nursing/Registered Nurses | 14,610 | 3.8% |
| Clinical Managers | 13,188 | 3.4% |
| Executive Directors | 16,191 | 4.2% |
| Practice Managers | 14,466 | 3.7% |
| Program Directors | 13,982 | 3.6% |
| Nursing Home Administrators | 13,335 | 3.4% |
| Operations Managers | 8,033 | 2.1% |
| Directors of Clinical Services | 9,097 | 2.3% |
| Clinic Managers | 9,791 | 2.5% |
| Directors of Behavioral Health | 7,109 | 1.8% |
| Clinical Coordinators | 8,197 | 2.1% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for directors of nursing? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for directors of nursing.
How much do directors of nursing make?
Directors of Nursing: How do you become one?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.