Nurse Supervisors: Careers in Nursing Supervision

Nurse supervisors coordinate the organization, staffing and operational activities for healthcare programs and clinics. They also develop and monitor an institution’s protocols and standards while identifying its resource needs. Essentially, a nurse supervisor functions as a director of the employee health services of an organization.

Qualifications for Nurse Supervisors

Often, nursing supervision positions require several years of experience as a registered nurse. Interested applicants should have a state registered nursing license, a C.P.R. certificate and, for some positions, a driver’s license. A bachelor’s degree in nursing is also often necessary, while a master's degree can better prepare you for any nursing position.

Nurse Supervisor Job Description

Because nurse supervisors have a heavily managerial role, they have a wide variety of duties. Some main areas that nurse supervisors work in are:


Staff and Employee Coordination/Management

A large part of a nursing supervisor's job is to manage the nursing staff and other employees. Nursing supervisors make sure the nursing department runs smoothly so that employees can concentrate on helping patients more effectively. To accomplish this, a nursing supervisor could:
  • Assist workers in securing medical or other aid.
  • Establish a work schedule for nursing staff.
  • Interpret departmental policies and health policies and regulations for nursing staff and employees.
  • Monitor workflow by reviewing and evaluating work methods and procedures.
  • Plan and execute health information programs designed to improve efficiency and reduce absenteeism and accident rates. Along these lines, nurse supervisors also typically review safety and universal precaution standards, then implementing them by ensuring staff compliance.
  • Recommend hiring more nurses.
  • Resolve problems between staff or with other departments.
  • Train new staff by designing and implementing orientations and training sessions. Similarly, nurse supervisors will, if necessary, conduct classes in home nursing for employees.

Patient Care

Some nursing supervisors are registered nurse supervisors and, therefore, have the necessary medical knowledge to care for patients. A nursing supervisor may serve as a clinical resource in the management of patient care and sometimes coordinates placement of critically ill patients.

Other Duties

Nursing supervision also involves some administrative and organizational work, including:
  • directing, coordinating and reviewing the work plan for health care and clinic staff
  • preparing and conducting presentations at schools, outside organizations and community agencies regarding a variety of healthcare issues
  • reviewing and analyzing statistical data regarding healthcare services. This analysis can be in-depth, requiring some to prepare reports and other documentation as necessary.

Careers in Nursing Supervision

As you can see, the skills that are necessary to do perform these job duties can be used at any hospital or medical establishment. Therefore, finding a good nursing supervision job and obtaining the proper education to do so is only limited by your work ethic.
 
A registered nurse supervisor will earn, on average, $55,503 per year. Nursing supervisors earn, on average, between $47, 825 per year and $97,619.
Share |