If you are a registered nurse with a desire to become a leader in healthcare, an MSN in Nurse Executive degree might be a strategic path for you to pursue.
Nurses who want to pursue management and higher-level administration roles might find this career path rewarding as they aim to make a difference in healthcare organizations.
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Graduates with masters in nursing leadership may have a variety of career paths open to them in various healthcare settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, and consulting firms.
Online MSN in Nurse Executive Programs
Pursuing a masters in nurse leadership may help you develop the leadership, management, and business skills needed to be an effective leader in the healthcare field.
As part of your program studies, you may gain in-depth knowledge of the following:
- Healthcare policy and advocacy
- Advanced knowledge of healthcare systems
- Issues and trends in nursing
- Quality improvement and safety in healthcare systems
- Foundations of nursing research
Experienced registered nurses may seek an MSN in Executive Leadership to use their prior nursing experience in an administrative role. Nurse executives may be responsible for patient care on a large scale by maintaining their healthcare organization’s standards, goals, and mission.
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They may also assume responsibility for managing an organization’s finances and budget. This can include finding the most cost-effective ways to provide high-quality patient care. Opportunities available to graduates are numerous and may include careers such as:
- Director of nursing
- Nurse administrator
- Chief nursing officer
- Clinical nurse manager
- Nurse consultant
Graduates may seek careers in hospitals, home health organizations, health clinics, nursing schools, rehabilitation centers, and consulting firms, to name a few.
You may also choose to use your degree and nursing experience to train other nurses or manage staff development, including hiring and training new nurses. Those who pursue a masters in nurse leadership often have strong organization, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking skills.
Some graduates of nursing leadership programs at the masters level go on to earn online DNP in Leadership degrees, and advance their educations even further.
Nursing Leadership and Management Careers & Salaries
After receiving your masters in nursing executive degree, you may pursue a variety of managerial and administrative healthcare careers with which to make an impact.
Some graduates work as nurse executives, shaping policies and procedures for a healthcare organization. Creating and implementing new policies may also be part of their responsibilities. Nurse consultants ensure that healthcare organizations follow legal protocol and maintain a high standard of patient care.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, below are some careers that graduates with an MSN in Nursing Leadership may pursue.
| Careers | Annual Median Salaries |
| Chief Executives | $179,520 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers — Hospitals | $119,450 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers — Government | $117,000 |
| Administrative Services Managers | $100,170 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers — Outpatient Care Centers | $99,540 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers — Offices of Physicians | $98,230 |
| General and Operations Managers | $97,970 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers — Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | $83,550 |
| Postsecondary Nursing Instructors and Teachers | $77,440 |
| Social and Community Service Managers | $74,000 |
You may also choose to use your nursing experience to educate and train other nurses or educate nursing students in a teaching hospital.
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Nurse administrators, such as charge nurses, supervise, train, and actively manage nursing staff while overseeing the quality of patient care. Healthcare is a field that will likely always be in demand, so professionals with expertise in healthcare management and administration are also needed.
MSN in Nurse Executive Curriculum & Courses
Courses in an MSN in Executive Leadership program focus on improving healthcare systems, budget management, and healthcare policy as well as developing leadership and business skills.
Courses you may come across in this type of program include:
- Healthcare Policy: In this course, you’ll learn how healthcare policy is developed, focusing on the role of nurse leaders as advocates in policy formation.
- Foundations of Nursing Research: This course teaches the basics of the research process, with a focus on examining research data relevant to nursing practices.
- Organization Psychology: In this course, you’ll examine the psychology behind workplace dynamics, including motivation, team building, culture, and job satisfaction.
- Nurse Leaders and Population Health: This course focuses on the social, political, and economic factors that affect health care in various populations, and it also focuses on problem-solving for healthcare dilemmas.
- Management of Human Resources in Nursing: In this course, you’ll develop the knowledge needed to develop and implement personnel policies to effectively manage human resources in a healthcare setting.
- Issues and Trends in Nursing: In this course, you’ll focus on the most recent changes and challenges facing nurses, including developing proposed solutions.
- Analysis and Application of Health Data: In this course, you’ll learn how to understand and analyze health data to improve health outcomes for patients.
- Effective Communication and Relationships: This course focuses on the skills needed for relationship-building across healthcare settings and developing advanced communication skills.
- Quality Improvement Strategies: In this course, you’ll learn the process of developing, implementing, and assessing quality improvement initiatives in healthcare settings.
- Finance and Economics in Healthcare Delivery: In this course, you’ll learn the basics of finance and budget management related to the nurse leader’s financial and operational responsibilities.
In addition to leadership, communication, and research courses, students enrolled with a nurse educator concentration may take science courses on topics such as pharmacology or pathophysiology.
Admissions Requirements
While admissions requirements vary from program to program, below are some admissions requirements that are commonly required to pursue an MSN in Nursing Leadership:
- Nursing license. Most leadership programs require you to have an active and unrestricted license as a registered nurse.
- Clinical hours. Some programs require you to have a minimum number of clinical hours as an RN.
- Minimum GPA. Some programs require a minimum GPA in your undergraduate coursework.
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing. You may be required to hold a BSN from a regionally accredited institution. If you don’t, you may be interested in one of the online accelerated RN to BSN programs offered at a growing number of universities.
In addition to the above criteria, you may be asked to provide your undergraduate transcripts, a resume, and a letter of intent.
Accreditation
Regional accreditation is a process of ensuring an educational institution meets a predetermined standard of quality. Many graduate programs require and only accept Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees from regionally accredited institutions. Credits are also more likely to transfer if they’re earned at an accredited school.
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When seeking employment, some healthcare organizations may only accept or recognize masters in nurse leadership degrees from regionally accredited institutions. You can visit the US Department of Education’s website for additional school accreditation information.
CCNE Accreditation
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) is an accrediting organization that ensures educational nursing programs meet predetermined criteria.
School programs accredited by CCNE meet national requirements and are recognized as following educational best practices in nursing. CCNE accreditation may affect your additional education opportunities, as some programs may only accept applicants with degrees from CCNE accredited programs.
You can learn more about CCNE accreditation and find out which programs are accredited on the CCNE website.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
As you look into masters in nurse leadership programs, you might want to explore the various financial resources that may be available to you.
If you’re currently employed as a registered nurse, your healthcare employer might offer financial assistance, reimbursement, or reduced tuition with certain MSN programs. Teaching hospitals may also offer reduced tuition to nurses enrolled in their affiliated programs. Some MSN programs also offer assistance to active military or veterans.
In addition, you can explore funding options that are available through state and federal loans, grants, or work-study programs. You can visit the Federal Student Aid website to learn more about the government financial aid opportunities that may be available to you.
What Is an MSN in Nurse Executive?
A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in Nurse Executive is designed to prepare nurses for a leadership role in a healthcare setting.
Nurse executive programs help nurses develop leadership, communication, business, research, analysis, and critical thinking skills that are necessary for management positions. MSN nurse executive courses position nurses to analyze and solve problems within healthcare settings, from conflict management to patient care and budget management.
Programs may also teach nurses to identify nursing challenges, to analyze healthcare-related data, and to propose solutions for improvement where needed.
What Can You Do with an MSN in Nurse Executive?
Graduates with an MSN in Nurse Executive may pursue a variety of high-level careers within health organizations. If you want to help health organizations ensure high-quality patient care while following all necessary protocols and procedures, you might consider the path of becoming a nurse consultant.
Graduates may also pursue careers as nurse executives or administrators if they want to be involved in an organization’s operations and management. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, employment for medical and health services managers is on the rise, with growth expected to be much faster than average over the next ten years.
What Is a Nurse Executive?
A nurse executive is an integral position to the management and operation of healthcare organizations. Nurse executives seek to maintain the highest quality of patient care while managing multiple financial and operations systems in their organization.
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This may involve budgeting and financial management, conflict resolution, creating new policies and procedures, and analyzing healthcare systems. Nurse executives generally need strong organization, communication, and critical thinking skills. These health professionals may also be in the unique position to identify and analyze current challenges and trends in nursing as well as work to create solutions.
How Long Does It Take to Get an Online MSN in Nurse Executive?
The length of time needed to complete your MSN in Nursing Leadership will depend on the exact number of credits required, thesis completion, and your schedule.
A 36 credit hour program with no thesis required can likely be completed in 1 year of full-time enrollment, including summer courses. Programs that require a thesis will generally take longer to complete, as will only taking courses on a part-time schedule.
Some online programs offer flexible or accelerated tracks to help you complete your program according to your schedule.
Is an MSN in Nurse Executive Worth It?
Yes, an MSN in Nurse Executive is worth it for many students. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical and health services management careers are expected to grow 28% over the next ten years.
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If you want to make an impact in healthcare organizations and ensure high-quality patient care on a large scale, this might be a beneficial degree path for you. Nurse executives are the backbone of healthcare organizations, and there will likely always be a need for individuals with these specialized skills and knowledge.
Universities Offering Online MSN in Nurse Executive Degree Programs
Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer degree programs online or in a hybrid format.
AGM University offers an MS in Nursing with a concentration in Executive Nursing. The program can be taken fully online and requires the completion 39 credit hours. Courses are 7 weeks long and available in English and Spanish. Graduates often work as Chief Nursing Executives in healthcare facilities. The curriculum includes classes such as Fundamentals of Epidemiology.
AGM University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Benedictine University offers an MSN with an Executive Nurse Leader concentration. The program is fully online. To graduate, students must complete 15 credit hours of foundation courses, 21 credit hours of courses in their concentration, and 140 clinical hours. The program begins in January, May, and August. There are six course sessions each year.
Benedictine University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Chamberlain University offers an MSN with a Nurse Executive concentration. Students can potentially complete the program in just 2 years. Coursework is entirely online, but the program does require a 144 hours in a practicum experience. The curriculum consists of courses such as Nursing Leadership in Healthcare Organizations. Applicants need a nursing degree or higher from an accredited institution to qualify.
Chamberlain University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Colby-Sawyer College offers an MSN in Nursing Management and Executive Leadership. The program is asynchronous and fully online. Courses are delivered in an 8 week format. Students working in New Hampshire rural health facilities may be eligible for a scholarship. The curriculum includes courses such as Evidence-Based Practice and Applied Nursing Research.
Colby-Sawyer College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
U.S. News & World Report named Duquesne University one of the best online schools for graduate degrees in nursing. The school offers a completely online program for an MSN in Executive Nurse Leadership and Health Care Management. The program requires the completion of ten courses for a total of 30 credit hours. It can potentially be finish in just 2 years.
Duquesne University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Missouri Baptist University offers an MSN with a concentration in Executive Leadership. Students can potentially complete the program in just 2 years, even while working full-time. The program is fully online, and students may be able to complete the clinical component where they work. Applicants must hold a BSN and an active RN license to qualify.
Missouri Baptist University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Students at Nebraska Methodist College can earn an MSN with a Nurse Executive concentration. The program is fully online and can potentially be completed in just 21 months. Courses are asynchronous. Each course is 5 to 10 weeks long, and students get a weeklong break between courses. The program does require the completion of a practicum.
Nebraska Methodist College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Northern Kentucky University offers an online program for an MSN with a concentration in Nurse Executive Leadership. The program requires the completion of 33 credit hours, which can potentially be done in just 12 months. There are six start dates throughout the year, and classes are 7 weeks long. To graduate, students must also complete a capstone practicum.
Northern Kentucky University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Northwest Missouri State University offers an MSN with a Nurse Executive concentration. The program is fully online and requires the completion of 30 credit hours. Students can potentially complete the degree in just 12 months. There are six start dates throughout the year, and classes are offered in an accelerated, 7 week format.
Northwest Missouri State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Students at Nova Southeastern University can earn an MSN with a concentration in Executive Nurse Leadership. The program is offered fully online and at the school’s Palm Beach Regional Campus. The program requires the completion of 15 credit hours of core nursing classes and 21 credit hours of health leadership classes. Three of those hours are earned in a mentored practicum.
Nova Southeastern University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Purdue University Northwest offers an MSN with a Nurse Executive concentration. The program can be completed entirely online, and students may be able to do their practicum where they work. The program can potentially be completed in just 1 year when attending full-time and 2 years when attending part-time. Students must complete 32 credits to graduate.
Purdue University Northwest is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Sacred Heart University offers an MSN with a specialization in Nursing Management and Executive Leadership. The program is offered completely online. Students must complete 36 credit hours to graduate. The program can potentially be completed in just 2 years. Courses are offered in an asynchronous format. The curriculum consists of courses like Creating a Professional Work Environment.
Sacred Heart University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
U.S. News & World Report named Seton Hall University one of the best graduate schools for nursing. The school offers an MSN with a Nursing Administration and Executive Nurse Leadership concentration. The program has start dates in the fall and spring. It requires the completion of 36 credit hours, which can potentially be done in just 3 years.
Seton Hall University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Students at South College can earn an MSN with a Nurse Executive concentration. The courses are offered completely online. Students may complete their clinical locally. The program is also available for students on campus. Applicants are required to have a bachelor’s in nursing and hold an active license.
South College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Spring Hill College offers an MSN with an Executive Leadership concentration. The program is offered entirely online. Students must complete a residency, but it may be done locally. There are start dates in the fall, spring, and summer. Students must complete 36 credit hours to graduate. The program can potentially be finished in just 1 year.
Spring Hill College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
The University of Memphis offers an MSN in Nursing with a concentration in Executive Leadership. The College of Nursing’s online program is ranked #17 nationally by U.S. News & World Report. Courses are entirely online, but students are required to attend four intensives and two conferences. Students must complete 37 credits to graduate.
The University of Memphis is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
U.S. News & World Report named the University of Scranton one of the best grad schools for nursing. The school offers an MSN in Executive Nurse Leadership. The program requires the completion of 30 credits. Students must also complete 125 hours of practicum for their capstone credits. The program starts in the fall and spring.
The University of Scranton is accredited by The Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
The University of West Florida offers an online program for an MSN with a Nurse Executive concentration. Students can potentially complete the program in just 2 years. The program requires 39 total credit hours, 27 of which are in the concentration. Students must also complete a practicum and a capstone project. The curriculum consists of courses such as Fiscal Administration for the Health Professional.
The University of West Florida is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Walden University offers an MSN with a Nurse Executive concentration. The program is entirely online. Students can choose between a conventional online track or a track that lets them work at their own pace. They can opt for a BSN-to-MSN or an RN-to-MSN. Students in either program must complete a capstone practicum to graduate.
Walden is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Widener University offers an MSN with a concentration in Nursing Leadership. The program is offered in a hybrid format, with courses online and a local practicum experience. Students are required to complete 41 credit hours to graduate. The program can typically be completed in 2 to 3 years. Classes start in the fall, spring, and summer.
Widener University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Getting Your MSN in Nurse Executive Online
Earning your MSN in Nurse Executive online can help you expand your career opportunities as a registered nurse.
The healthcare field is in need of nurses with the strategic skills and training to take on leadership roles in a variety of healthcare settings. Careers in this field are on a positive growth trajectory, and they tend to offer competitive and higher-than-average salaries.
If you wish to advance your professional qualifications and potentially qualify for leadership roles in healthcare, you can start looking into online nurse executive masters programs from accredited universities.
