Benefits of a MBA for a Nurse Manager

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Benefits of a MBA for a Nurse Manager

Nursing education provides preparation for clinical nursing practice. Knowledge and skills needed for management roles in nursing are not learned in basic nursing programs. The Master of Business Administration with a healthcare management emphasis will provide the skills needed to effectively manage employees and make fiscally responsible decisions in the changing healthcare environment. I have been a registered nurse since 1977. My educational path to becoming a registered nurse was obtaining a BSN. I remember thinking that my education was complete when I received the BSN. I had no desire for further education. My plan was to remain at the bedside throughout my nursing career. The path that my career has followed has been different from the one I envisioned as a young, fresh out of school nurse. I have progressed from a bedside nurse to being the manager of the unit that I have worked on since 1978. As I have stepped beyond the bedside nurse role, I have realized that the foundation my nursing education gave me was a basis to build on instead of being the only education I would need. The focus of the bedside nurse is on the patient and his or her immediate needs. There may be little attention paid to what is going on in the healthcare environment or how it affects nursing and the place of employment. Two things are important to the bedside nurse. Having the supplies and equipment to provide care to the patient are a necessity. The bedside nurse is also concerned with personal needs and wants-compensation, benefits, and scheduling. The focus of manager is much broader than the focus of the bedside nurse. The manager is responsible for meeting the staffing and resource needs of the nursing unit’s patients and staff. Receiving a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in
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