Nurse Managers

Nurse managers should have proven track records of being good people managers and working with all levels of employees and management, as well as with patients and their families. In addition to well-honed clinical skills, they should possess excellent organizational and leadership capabilities and be able to make intelligent decisions in a fast-paced environment. Their backgrounds should include selecting, mentoring, directing, and motivating staff members as well as implementing quality improvement and educational programs.

Nurse managers should have experience in setting and executing policies and in seeing that they are followed and documented. They should be adept at ensuring that goals and objectives of services performed meet health care requirements and that quality care is provided to patients.

Nurse managers should be exemplary health care provider role models for subordinates. They should be compassionate as well as assertive in demanding professionalism from staff members and in insisting that procedures are done correctly and quickly.

These managers should have experience in developing budgets and other financial responsibilities, such as approving and monitoring purchases that are in compliance with budgetary guidelines.

Since new medical technologies and patient treatments are constantly being developed and implemented, nurse managers should have demonstrated backgrounds in staying current with new information and practices in the medical field as well as in insurance and government regulations and reporting requirements.