Professional nurses who desire to pursue managerial positions and leadership roles should consider earning the Nurse Administrator Graduate Certificate offered by Kaplan University in the online format. This certificate program prepares students to take certification examinations depending on the level of leadership of a person within an organization. These would include the Nursing Executive Certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center and different Advanced Certification examinations.

The program requires students to complete a minimum of twenty-three (23) credit hours. Required Courses include Organizational Theory and Behavior, Healthcare Finance, Strategic Planning and Budgeting, Human Resources Management, Information and Healthcare Technologies, and the Nurse Administrator Practicum. Credits earned from this program may be applied towards future graduate studies.

Prospective students include registered nurses with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in nursing who are seeking career advancement. The university is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Nurse administrators perform various executive functions in the nursing department such as strategic planning as well as budgeting and setting goals and objectives. Graduates of this program who are likewise master’s degree holders have opportunities for positions such as nursing school administrator, nursing project director, nursing case manager, or chief nurse executive. The head nurse is considered the basic level of nurse administration.

Specific duties and responsibilities of nurse administrators consist of supervising staff nurses, providing and arranging for training, and observing if nurses are properly delivering patient care. Employment opportunities are presented in hospitals, long-term care facilities, community health, and other healthcare systems. Successful nurse administrators should be visionary, self-disciplined, and determined.