Becoming a Nurse Executive: What You Need to Know

A nurse executive is known as one of the most senior nurses within an organization. Not only are nurse executives in charge of the administration side of healthcare organizations, but they also play an important role in helping organizations follow and deliver their mission of providing excellent healthcare services, ensuring all facilities and teams are operating according to plan.

If you are interested in becoming a nurse executive, here is a guide on the roles and responsibilities expected of you, as well as the skills, credentials, and knowledge you will need to possess.

Roles and Responsibilities

The main purpose of a nurse executive is to help healthcare organizations implement their missions and values, while simultaneously maintaining the delivery of excellent healthcare. Nurse executives also help in shaping healthcare policies, as well as empowering staff to provide the best level of care possible for patients. Other duties of a nurse executive include:

·       Designing and managing patient care

·       Creating and managing budgets

·       Developing patient care procedures

·       Delivering continuing education courses

Nurse executives also take on the role of a human resources manager for healthcare organizations, meaning they must know how to communicate successfully with various teams.

Communication and Relationship Building

One of the key traits that a nursing executive must possess is the ability to communicate clearly and effectively with their team members. Nurse executives need to learn how to facilitate conflict resolution, as well as create an environment that is safe and trustworthy. Also responsible for producing oral and written healthcare presentations, nurse executives need to possess excellent communication skills in order to succeed. There are various benefits that go hand in hand with effective communication, such as:

·       Building a team

·       Making things clear

·       Managing diversity within the nursing sector

·       Dealing with problems

·       Surviving difficult situations

Knowledge of the Healthcare Environment

To succeed as a nurse executive, it’s crucial that you have a strong background and knowledge in healthcare economics, governance, clinical practice, and healthcare policy. Nurse executives must be familiar with the concepts of evidence-based practice, as well as know-how to make the right decisions based on research to provide excellent patient care.

Leadership

Nurses who are in an executive position need to show their authority and assertiveness with members of staff. If you are interested in making a difference and like to take charge, a nurse executive requires you to have excellent leadership skills. There are key benefits of effective leadership that you can gain from a nurse executive position, such as:

·       Improved productivity

·       Growth in confidence

·       Improved communication & listening skills

·       Ability to succeed under pressure

If you have the confidence and drive to motivate your team within the nursing sector, the leadership aspect of a nurse executive role may be of interest to you.

Business Skills

Apart from the management element, a nurse executive must be able to understand healthcare from a business point of view. There are various duties that a nurse executive is required to carry out that link with business, such as:

·       Managing financial resources

·       Hiring, training, and managing staff

·       Conducting SWOT analyses

·       Keeping pace with technological change

To flourish in a nurse executive role, you will need to not only be business savvy but have a strong knowledge of the healthcare sector. Understandably, those who have obtained a business degree alongside a DNP will have an added advantage. If you are interested in the business aspect of a nurse executive role, it’s important that you demonstrate strong interpersonal skills.

Professionalism

No matter who you encounter throughout your career as a nurse executive, you are expected to demonstrate a high standard of professionalism in your work. The job demands a sense of professional and personal accountability, as well as:

·       Setting professional standards for colleagues

·       Maintaining the team’s ethics

·       Coaching teams in developing their career plans

·       Adhering to corporate policies at all times

Working Environments

There are various healthcare environments that you can work in as a nurse executive. These include:

·       Hospitals

·       Home health agencies

·       Healthcare clinics

·       Rehabilitation centers

·       Schools of nursing

A well-qualified nurse executive will be able to find job opportunities in the healthcare settings listed above, so make sure that you research vacancies within your local area once you have completed your DNP degree.

Study a DNP Program

Now that you have a better understanding of the key traits and skills needed to work as a nurse executive, your next step should be to gain the relevant credentials. Look into DNP nursing leadership programs that can help take your career to the next level, giving you the necessary skills needed to flourish as a nurse executive. To ensure you’re qualified for the positions you are applying for, it’s crucial that you have a DNP degree at your disposal. Before you sign up for the course, make sure that you look at career outcomes, the modules you are expected to undertake, as well as course fees so you can be confident that you can financially afford to study.

Online Studying

With many nurses working longer hours than ever, finding the time to go back into education can be difficult. If you’re serious about becoming a nurse executive, there is the option to study online, rather than having to attend nursing school or a traditional educational facility. Studying online not only gives you flexibility but enables you to learn from the comfort of your own home.

Whether you have a family to look after, or a busy household to run, being able to learn as and when you please can reduce stress levels and help you feel more in control. There are lots of reasons why you should study online for your DNP, including:

·       Lower total costs

·       Gives you self-motivation

·       Teaches time management skills and self-discipline

If you are a nurse who is passionate about helping healthcare organizations flourish, a career as a nurse executive may be the best route for you to take. Before you can qualify, you will need to complete a DNP degree which can teach you the key skills and attributes needed to succeed in this position.

How to Study for Your Property and Casualty Exam

To become a licensed property and casualty (P&C) insurance agent, you'll need to pass an exam to test your general knowledge. While the test varies from state to state, they typically include multiple-choice questions to get a sense of your knowledge surrounding insurance. The topics covered, as well as the exam structure, are usually the same no matter which state you are in. Here are some ways to prepare yourself to pass the P&C exam. 

Use a Study Calendar

On average, you should expect to spend somewhere around 37-40 hours studying for the property and casualty insurance test. Although it may be tempting to leave studying until the last minute, avoid cramming during the week of the exam. Not only is this stressful, but it can lead to lower test scores because your brain is under stress while trying to learn. The best way to plan out your studying is to utilize a study calendar. You can find one to print out online or keep track of one digitally if you prefer. 

Take a Pre-licensing Education Course

Even if your state doesn't require you to do so, it's still a good idea to take some sort of exam prep course. The property and casualty insurance tests aren't easy, and a prelicensing education course can help you make sense of all the information you'll need to pass. Most of these classes can be done online, at your convenience. It doesn't have to take up a huge chunk of your time, but it can help when it comes to passing the test. 

Study Without Distractions

While turning on the TV or the radio for background noise may seem like a good idea, it can hinder your ability to absorb new information. Becoming an effective learner is a skill that you can develop. It's important to remove any distractions so you can concentrate on the task at hand. While this may not be as easy as it sounds, try to plan some time on your study calendar that will allow you to study undistracted over a few-weeks time. 

Take Breaks

There's nothing worse than studying for such long periods that your brain refuses to take in any more information. It's important to remember to take breaks so that you can give your brain a chance to absorb what you've just learned. Some people find that taking a small break every half hour is effective. Others prefer to take breaks once an hour or so. When your brain starts feeling fuzzy, make sure to give it a rest. 

Give these tips a try to increase your scores on the P&C test. 

What Does an Executive Producer Do?

If you want to pursue a career in the entertainment industry, you have many options. While it can be hard to break into the entertainment world, you aren't stuck just acting or singing. Consider becoming an executive producer, like Heather Parry, where you can work on movies and shows but stay behind the scenes.

Money Minded

Part of producing a movie or television show is getting the funding to hire a cast and crew and make the whole thing happen. Without a big enough budget, you might have to make cuts to the show or movie. As an executive producer, you have to know how to find money to pay for the projects you work on so that you can get to the more creative aspects of the job.

Detailed but Flexible

The next step for an executive producer is to find the cast and crew, find a script, and select the filming location. Once that's done, you have to schedule out when each scene will be shot. While the show or movie is in production, you will have to coordinate with the director and the production studio to make sure everyone is on the same page. You may have to make decisions at a moment's notice, and you have to be willing to make changes to your plan.

Get Creative

One of the best parts of being an executive director is getting to work with writers and showrunners. You can bounce ideas off of the writing team, and you can make suggestions when something doesn't make sense. If you're still in pre-production, you can give your input on characters and storylines. As you move into production, you'll have the final say over a lot of what happens on set.

Is Producing Your Dream?

While your first job probably won't be as an executive producer, you can work your way up. There are many roles that are essential for making a movie or show, and it's important for the executive producer to know a bit about them all. That way, when you do become an executive producer, you can use your experience to make the best show or movie of your career.

Nursing Demand Increases in 2020 and Beyond: Where Are the Jobs?

While the general projection for growth in the healthcare sector over the next decade or two continues, perennial problems like oversupply for certain services and personnel shortages in others continue to change the landscape for new nurses seeking jobs, mid-career individuals looking for a change without changing careers, and nursing students selecting a program like Grand Canyon University nursing. If you're looking at entering the job market within the next couple of years, here's what you should know about the trends that are emerging in 2020.

Skilled Nursing Roles Continue To See Increased Demand

Skilled nursing roles in specific areas of medicine require extra professional development and often a BSN instead of an RN qualification, but they also provide rewarding benefits and long-term career mobility. Many skilled nurses go into nursing management, teaching, or even LPN programs as their careers mature. Today's market for skilled nursing is changing, though.

• Hospital and surgical services are in high demand, leading to a need for more staff in every role from physician's assistants OR nurses.

• National nursing care facility staffing shortages continue a strong overall demand for nurses in long-term care facilities, but regional oversupply does exist in certain areas

• A continuing bottleneck in available staff due to education and an aging workforce is likely to strengthen these trends through the year

What does this mean? Simply put, it means that even if there is an oversupply when it comes to nursing care facility services in your community, there's likely to be a large enough shortfall in staffing to create available positions. It also means the demand for nurses operating in outpatient hospital services will be on the rise, as well as those serving in traditional inpatient hospital environments. In addition to those trends, the shortfall in graduating class populations will continue to drive demand across the board in many areas.

Paths To Your Nursing Career

For those looking at long-term career development, options like the Grand Canyon University of Nursing accessible education with a strong track record when it comes to candidate placement in the niches that are currently seeing a growth in demand.

With an accelerated RN to BSN path for nurses already in the profession, the program's model is built around helping candidates acquire the skills and training needed to move into those high-demand jobs that are currently experiencing shortfalls in staffing due to a limited pool of applicants. Grand Canyon's program offers a BSN in as little as 12 months if you are already an RN, and there are other paths to a degree for those who are looking to enter the career for the first time, too.

Tips For Finding Your Ideal Program

While there are consistent national standards for nursing excellence promoted by industry and professional associations, local protocols and legal stipulations do make it a good idea to enroll in a program that's at least in the same state where you want to work. Even if you don't need to do it for certification's sake, being local to the job market makes you a less expensive hire for many employers, and your school is likely to have the most solid professional networking and connections to institutions in its vicinity.

If you're looking for a program with strong online options, it's a good idea to check out where their graduates wind up so you can find one that will aim you at the employers you want to work for once you graduate. Your choice of programs is the beginning of your nursing career in many ways, not just a prerequisite for it. Similarly, if you're expanding your credentials, the program you choose will set the trajectory for the next phase of your career.

4 Growing Careers To Consider Pursuing

Choosing the right career path can be difficult, especially if you want it to be the career you do for the rest of your life. With so many changes in the world, including continuous technological advancements, there are many new careers to add to your choices. Deciding to train for a job in a growing career will ensure that you will get the chance to grow, develop and advance within your industry and maintain a bit of variety in your job, which will help you to keep your enthusiasm. Here a few growing careers that you could consider pursuing:

Software development 

With the constant development of new technology, there is a high demand for people who can develop new software and applications. Software developers can help to create the software and programs that enable you to do different tasks on your digital devices, and others will develop the systems that help run the networks and devices. You will need to have detailed knowledge of code and programming languages to be a software developer, so doing a degree or some training will be required. As technology is always developing, changing and improving, there will continue to be a demand for more software developers. Developing all your IT skills will help you to get a job working within the ever-changing world of technology.

Computer Forensics

We all know about the role of forensics in the combat of crime, and computer forensics is no different. As technology use increases, so does digital crime. That means there is an increased demand for people who are trained to be computer forensics investigators so that digital evidence can be found. Through the use of knowledge of digital technology and training in investigative procedures, a computer forensics investigator will be able to identify evidence of any illegal activities on any digital device. Take a look at this ultimate guide to decide if a career in computer forensics is for you.

Bicycle Repairer

As people become more conscious of the environment and the importance of exercise, people are more frequently choosing to cycle to their destinations instead of driving or using public transport. More people using bikes means that there is an increasing demand for bicycle repairers. Bicycle repairers repair and maintain bikes and can be trained on the job. It could be a role for someone considering a mechanical career as it requires a lot of mechanical work.

Wind turbine service technicians

As we try to move towards more renewable sources of energy, we will need people that are trained to ensure that our renewable energy sources are always in excellent working condition. Wind turbine service technicians are trained to maintain, install, and repair wind turbines. Technicians will be required to work outside, at height and in confined spaces. If you don’t mind this then you could have plenty of job opportunities as the building of new wind turbines over the next decade is expected to increase exponentially as the demand for electricity generated by wind increases.

There are growing careers for people with all interests and qualification levels; you just need to take the time to find something that interests you and then search for the opportunities. 

Developing Your Skills For A Career In IT

Technology is all around us. With our lives being enhanced in every area through the use of technology, there is clearly a lot of money to be made in this sector. This makes careers in the IT sector very appealing. If you gain the right skills and experiences, there not only are there a  lot of opportunities out there to earn a considerable sum of money working within the industry, there is the chance to help create and develop future technologies and prospects.

Getting ahead in the world of technology means moving with the times and honing the right skills. You need a broad palette that takes in a number of different technologies and ways of working and keeping up means pushing yourself down new avenues. 

Amazon Web Services

An area that you may well be interested in gaining skills and experience in is Amazon Web Services (AWS). The secure cloud services platform is one of the most popular in the world. It is used by some of the biggest brands including the likes of Netflix and Unilever. 

Getting certified to work on Amazon Web Services will open a wealth of working opportunities. Taking the Architecting on AWS course will be an important place to start when it comes to opening up in this specific area of expertise. The course can be completed in just a few days, and then you can take your assessment for certification. Once you have formal qualifications, you can use this to get work either through a company or as a freelancer.

With cloud-based services representing the future of the computing industry, and Amazon Web Services being a huge proponent of this sector, spending that time and money on adding that string to your bow is vital. 

Studying An IT Degree

Many recruitment managers expect to take on employees with IT degrees within their organization. Having concrete evidence of a formal qualification underlines your knowledge and experience. While there are many companies out there that will hire based on hands-on experience, rather than classroom taught knowledge, academia is a route that you should think hard about if you are serious in making that sector your life’s work. 

A degree may offer a wide range of different skills, and with the IT departments in many universities leading the way in research, the knowledge, and experience that you may gain could be cutting edge, offering you the chance to see the early stages of developments before they hit the commercial market. 

Of course, you will need to weigh up the benefit of doing a degree against taking the route of learning on the job. Degrees are expensive, and generally, you will need to take out a loan to pay your tuition and living expenses, and this may take you many years to fully repay. Those who are fortunate may be able to apply for a bursary or a grant to assist with their funding, but one must decide whether you will benefit financially by completing the formal education route.

5 Exciting Finance-Based Careers to Consider Pursuing in 2020

There’s no question it can be hard to choose that one perfect career path to follow for the rest of your life. What makes you happy now and leaves you feeling fulfilled just may not be the case 10, 20, even 30 years from now. Rather than put off education and joining the workforce, often the best approach is to pick a field that offers variety and growth both now and in the future. What this means is that your skills and experiences can take you down different job paths over the years, constantly filling that need for change, advancement, and growth.

One field that can definitely tick off all of these boxes is that of the financial industry. This field is massive, to put it mildly, touching almost every other industry out there. Stating that you want a job in the financial industry won’t limit you, nor will it make you choose one singular path to follow. Here we’ve gone ahead and highlighted five exciting finance-based careers that you may consider pursuing in 2020 and beyond.

Financial Analyst

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, this is a field that is enjoying an average rate of growth right now, which means there are jobs to be found. With a median pay of $85,660/year, it's also a rather attractive option in terms of salary. As a financial analyst, it will be your job to offer sound advice to individuals and businesses when it comes to their investments.

This can be a very busy and fast-paced job, often with overtime hours required - depending on where you work, of course.

Accountant

Then there is the career of an accountant, which is enjoying a 6% growth rate at the moment. This is on-par with the national average. You'll be making a little less in this position, as its median pay is $70,500 - still quite healthy. As an accountant, it's up to you to prepare and then examine the financial records of your client. Clients can be individuals or businesses.

While you’ll be busy year-round, tax season always tends to be extremely hectic for accountants. Expect to be putting in long hours in the weeks leading up to the filing deadline. The great thing about accounting is that you have a lot of flexibility when it comes to your employer. You can work in an accounting firm, for a business in a designated accounting department, or even start your own accounting company.

Credit Analyst

As a credit analyst, you will be investigating business' and individual's financial statements as well as their credit information. Your job is to determine what their risk factor is in terms of lending them money - credit. You will need to draft and file reports that support your findings. This particular job offers a fair bit of variety since you will constantly be working with different applicants.

As for the median wage for this job, it is listed as $82,900 for 2018.

Investor Relations Associate

As an investor relations associate, it will be up to you to put together and then present financial information to other analysts, investors, businesses, and even the media. Not only do you need the proper educational credentials, but you also need to be the type that is very detail-oriented and has strong analytical skills.

Personal Financial Planner

If you want to be able to take all of your knowledge and help individuals, then the job of a personal financial planner could be the best path to pursue. This particular career is growing a little faster than the national average and has a median pay of $88,890/year. If you have dreams of going into business for yourself, again, this can be the perfect career.

While there are personal financial planners that work for banks and other institutions, many of them are self-employed. This gives you the ability to determine what path you take in your job.

Setting Yourself Up for Success

Of course, to be successful in any of these careers, you’ll need to start with the foundation – which is education. Schools such as Suffolk University, https://online.suffolk.edu/programs/ms-finance, offer a well-respected Master of Science in Finance (MSF) through an online program. The program is meant to create well-rounded, prepared, and knowledgeable individuals who can take on the challenges of the financial industry.

No matter which of these paths may seem right for you, they all share one thing in common – that they are growing and are in demand. This could spell out a very bright future for you.