The critical role of the nurse for the modern clinic is rapidly recognized in an increasing number of countries. Thus, the nurse no longer only performs technical tasks for the treating physician but is instead able to provide professional clinical care independently, ensure effective communication, and monitor medication administration and therapy adherence. With the expansion of the core competencies of nurses, however, the position of the nurse leader is becoming increasingly important, not only to perform precision medicine-related functions but also to provide leadership cohesion and integrity within the staff team.
More specifically, the nurse leader or executive nurse is the senior administrative authority representative at the head of the team of subordinate nurses: any critical moments, guidelines, and rules are initiated and agreed upon by this employee. The executive nurse’s professional competencies can be roughly divided into five domains represented by the areas of professionalism, business skills, awareness of the clinical environment, relationship building and communication, and finally, leadership (AONL, 2019). As a consequence, the most influential nurse leaders have balanced competencies in each area and represent a holistic and well-rounded employee.
Because it is recognized that the professional responsibility of an executive nurse is meaningfully higher than that of colleagues, not every individual can qualify for this role. For example, the critical characteristics of a successful administrative nurse are developed emotional intelligence and critical thinking, teamwork and management skills, ethical and constructive mentoring, and integrity, initiative, and open-mindedness (AONL, 2021). However, it is impossible to single out one most crucial professional characteristic because only a balanced combination of the traits described can produce a competent and competent administrator.
In addition to leadership and administrative skills, the executive nurse must be able to perform essential clinical services: a critical skill for two reasons at once. First of all, to effectively manage and develop a team of employees, the leader must have in-depth knowledge of the area within which their professional abilities are exercised. Secondly, in case a subordinate nurse becomes ill or is unable to provide services, the executive administrator must perform the insurance function and take care of the patient himself or herself.
Therefore, the executive nurse’s primary responsibilities include collecting and taking a medical history, managing therapy, monitoring medications, and cooperating and communicating professionally with colleagues, patients, and family members (AANC, n.d.). In addition, such a nurse must be able to operate medical equipment, perform diagnostic testing, and provide patient and subordinate staff education.
Given the critical importance of the executive nurse role and the skills and competencies described above, the requirements for the candidate should be summarized. In order to qualify for this position, an individual must have a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in health sciences. Thus, six years is the minimum length of study in the major for a candidate to have the opportunity to be an executive nurse (NLM, 2021; AANC, n.d.).
At the same time, it is evident that such an employee must have a valid RN license, which means that this requires independent expert testing of knowledge and competencies, which is not free of charge. Notably, only a bachelor’s degree is sufficient by some standards, but the candidate must have at least two years of experience in administrative areas in clinical practice. Regardless of the requirements of a particular agency, it is clear that a career-minded employee should pay much attention to excellent study and have as much and overall core experience as possible in order to have an employment advantage.
References
AANC. (n.d.). CNL frequently asked questions. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Web.
AANC. (n.d.). Master’s education. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Web.
AONL. (2019). Nurse executive competencies. Web.
AONL. (n.d.). Nurse leader competencies. AONL. Web.
NLM. (2021). Nurse executive. Nursing License Map. Web.