Nursing Administration

Good nurses are an important part of the healthcare system, and that importance extends to the role of a nurse administrator. While nurses carry many responsibilities for patient care, a nurse administrator is responsible for managing or supervising other nurses. An administrator's range and area of responsibilities can be quite large.
A nurse administrator supervises other nurses to ensure that patients are receiving excellent care. In general, the administrator is responsible for recruiting, hiring and training new nurses, scheduling their shifts, evaluating their performance and making sure that they are receiving proper continuing education so they can keep their credentials current. The administrator may also act as a liaison between the nursing staff and other areas of the hospital or healthcare facility. The administrator is responsible for budgeting for the department, hospital or network which they oversee, and also helps set policies and procedures. He or she makes decisions regarding how departments are run in terms of services offered and equipment purchased. Good communication skills are essential, not only because an administrator must manage people skillfully but because the job can also involve writing and reviewing report.