Leadership and Management in Nursing: Understanding the Difference

While every industry can benefit from competent leadership, leadership, and management in nursing are particularly important. In nursing, leaders establish the mission and vision and influence the quality and delivery of care.

There is a slight distinction between nurse leadership and management. Nurse managers are always leaders, but not all nurse leaders are managers. A nurse leader can hold various titles, and every nurse has the potential to exhibit leadership qualities.

At the University of St. Thomas (UST), our Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program strives to instill in our students the values needed to become nursing leaders. Throughout every aspect of our program — online coursework, skills labs, and clinical rotations — UST students are taught to approach each situation with our primary mission in mind: think critically, communicate effectively, succeed professionally, and lead ethically.

Let’s learn more about what that can mean in a nursing career.

What Is Leadership in Nursing?

A nurse leader is often, but not always, someone with a job title that grants them a supervisory or administrative role. This includes charge nurses, nursing directors, and nurse managers. However, any type of nurse has the potential to demonstrate leadership qualities in nursing—including registered nurses (RNs) without a supervisory or administrative job title.

Leadership is about demonstrating behaviors and actions that set a positive example for others. Ideally, a nurse leader:

• Motivates others to reach their full potential
• Guides others to elevate the standard of care
• Encourages professional development
• Adheres to high standards of personal conduct and professionalism
• Prioritizes nursing excellence

What Is the Role of a Nurse Manager?

A nurse manager is different from a medical and health services manager. A nurse manager is an RN or advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who may, at some facilities, continue to provide some bedside care alongside their managerial duties. The role of a nurse manager is to:

• Supervise nursing personnel
• Oversee operations
• Manage human resources and finances within their assigned nursing unit
• Align their nursing unit’s operations with the facility’s overall mission and goals
• Serve as a liaison between nurses and upper management and be an advocate for their staff
• Handle staffing matters, including scheduling

Other Opportunities in Nurse Leadership and Management

In addition to the nurse manager responsibilities listed above, there are many other opportunities in nurse leadership. They include the following:

Charge Nurse

A charge nurse is a highly skilled practitioner who has extensive clinical experience and demonstrates leadership qualities in nursing. Charge nurses lead the nursing unit for any given shift. (There are generally a few designated charge nurses, with one assigned to each shift.) Their role is to ensure the smooth operation of the nursing unit, overseeing and offering guidance to fellow nurses. For example, the charge nurse may answer questions about patient care, consult family members, and ensure that all nurses follow proper protocols.

Clinical Nurse Leader® (CNL)

Although “nurse leader” doesn’t refer to a specific job title, a Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) is a specific designation. A CNL is a nurse who has completed a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and earned the CNL certification through the CNL Certification Program from the Commission on Nurse Certification (CNC). The CNC is a branch of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).

A certified CNL serves as a resource for the entire care team. They focus on ensuring that the care provided is evidence-based and clinically appropriate, that all team members follow safety protocols and that patients benefit from advanced healthcare technology. CNLs may oversee care coordination, change care plans when applicable, and provide direct patient care, particularly in complex cases.

Nurse Administrator

Nurse administrators are either licensed RNs or APRNs; however, they no longer provide direct patient care. Rather, their sole focus is on leadership and management in nursing. The nurse administrator primarily focuses on human resources-related matters, such as hiring, training, and scheduling nurses. Administrators oversee nursing staff in a nursing unit or clinical area, ensuring departmental policies are followed. They are also usually tasked with developing budgets and drafting reports.

Nursing Director

The nursing director, or director of nursing, is one of the top-ranking individuals in a healthcare organization. The director can significantly influence the direction of the organization, its policies, and the patient care experience. They make decisions regarding the hospital’s business plan and budget, staff hiring, and policy development and implementation.

Becoming a nursing director generally requires extensive clinical experience and a graduate degree in nursing. Aspiring nursing directors might first work in leadership roles such as charge nurse or nurse administrator. To climb the ladder, it can be helpful to earn voluntary certification, such as passing the Certified Director of Nursing Exam (CDONA).

Chief Nursing Officer (CNO)

The chief nursing officer is the top executive-level nurse in the healthcare organization. The CNO is responsible for advancing the quality of care and ensuring that all nursing standards comply with regulations and the organization’s mission and vision. A CNO is generally involved with strategizing, financial forecasting, quality assurance, staff and patient engagement, and other high-level decision-making matters.

Essential Leadership Skills in Nursing

Every individual who works in leadership and management in nursing can benefit from a blend of soft and hard skills. Of course, nurse leaders are expected to have strong nursing competencies, including a solid track record of patient safety and an unwavering commitment to nursing excellence. However, they can also benefit from the following:

• Emotional intelligence
• Communication skills
• Accountability
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Professional ethics
• Critical thinking
• Cultural competence

Benefits of Effective Leadership and Management

There are many benefits of competent leadership and management in nursing, including:

Positive Work Environment

An effective nurse leader cultivates a positive and supportive work environment. They advocate for needed resources for their unit, exhibit professionalism at all times, and encourage positive interpersonal interactions.

Better Staff Morale and Job Satisfaction

Everyone benefits when a nursing unit or facility can rely upon competent nurse leadership and management. Other nurses within the unit or facility feel more supported at work, which improves satisfaction and staff morale.

Safety-Minded Work Culture

Safety is critically important in nursing, so patient safety must be a top concern of all nurses. Nurse leaders can focus on safety and work toward improving care delivery while also advocating for safer working conditions for their fellow nurses.

Encouragement of Professional Development

Another benefit of competent nursing leadership is that influential nurse leaders support ongoing education and professional development. For example, they may advocate for new training opportunities for the nursing staff.

Better Patient Outcomes

Each of the above benefits of solid nursing leadership can contribute to better patient outcomes. By serving as a role model, a nurse leader can elevate the quality of patient care.

Pursue a Meaningful Career in Nursing

Prepare to become an RN and develop a strong foundation for future leadership roles. The University of St. Thomas Houston’s ABSN program leverages your prior non-nursing education so that you can graduate in as few as 12 months.

Our comprehensive curriculum includes the foundations of clinical leadership and other core components of nursing education. Contact our admissions counselors today to find out if the ABSN program at UST could be a good fit for you as you plan your future in nurse leadership and management.