What Is Nursing Leadership &

Administration?
The definition of nursing leadership and management can be summarized in just a few
words. It’s the role of planning, organizing, and facilitating the delivery of patient
care through staff hiring, scheduling, training, and development.
Nurse administrators work in a variety of healthcare settings and take on a broad range
of responsibilities, such as:

 Managing and overseeing the work done by nursing personnel

 Making efforts to improve the quality and efficiency of patient care
 Serving as a liaison between governing boards, staff, and department heads
 Developing budgets, approving expenses, setting rates, and managing other
financial issues
 Overseeing or participating in the hiring of new staff
 Coordinating training
 Evaluating services to make improvements and manage risk
 Keeping tabs on the services and resources being used
 Drafting staff work schedules

To succeed in the role, it’s helpful to develop specific leadership qualities beyond

clinical knowledge and experience. A nurse administrator often needs to be:

 A natural leader with the ability to grow strong interpersonal relationships

 An active listener and strong communicator
 An excellent problem solver and decision maker
 A team builder and strategic planner
 An analytical thinker who is also perceptive of social nuances
 A flexible individual with good judgment and organizational skills