We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Roles

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Does a Director of Nursing Do?

By C. Webb
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 16,285
Share

A director of nursing is a registered nurse who is responsible for overseeing all aspects of nursing within the health-care facility. In addition, the director of nursing handles administrative duties as they pertain to patient care, supply needs, and finance. While a director of nursing is an educated and licensed nurse, his or her primary responsibilities are supervision and administrative rather than working with patients.

Skill sets for a nursing director include patience, leadership abilities, tact, and the ability to work under pressure. In addition, strong organizational skills and the ability to communicate effectively are valuable assets for the job. Knowledge about finance and budget is called for in some director of nursing positions.

The nursing director often acts as a liaison between the nursing staff and the physicians or health-care facility managers. He or she is expected to understand the nursing staff's concerns and relay those concerns to management members and doctors. In addition, the director is expected to make suggestions to address the concerns of the nursing staff.

Planning and implementing strategies for operational management are primary job duties for a director of nursing. Meetings with physicians and staff members provide the director with the information needed to plan operational strategies. Implementation of those strategies may include training, hiring additional staff, or scheduling changes.

Market research is often conducted by the director to provide the foundation for strategic planning. In addition, meeting with staff nurses and gathering their input about changed needed to improve patient care can help the director learn what the patients need. Presenting research results to a board of directors is another possible duty of a director of nursing.

While the majority of a director of nursing's duties are administrative, he or she is typically expected to touch base with clinical areas to determine satisfaction levels of patients and staff members. This can be done through face-to-face conversations, satisfaction surveys, and other methods meant to elicit input. The education required for a director of nursing is usually a master's degree, although a bachelor's degree is acceptable in some regions. The director must be a registered nurse and maintain his or her regional nursing license.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-does-a-director-of-nursing-do.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.