For professional nurses looking for an outlet for their skills, there may be no better route than higher education. It may be becoming more popular for BSN holders and RNs to pursue master's level education in order to open up more opportunities in the field and follow their dreams of becoming the best healthcare professionals they can be.
If you are interested in learning more about the diverse MSN options available to you, read along in this guide pertaining to the MSN - Executive Leadership path.
Consider a sponsored online MSN program taking applicants for 2023.
| School | Program | Admissions |
|---|---|---|
Benedictine University |
Nurse Executive Leader MSN | Website |
Sacred Heart University |
MSN - Clinical Nurse Leader | Website |
Sacred Heart University |
RN-BSN-MSN - Clinical Nursing Leader | Website |
Sacred Heart University |
RN-BSN-MSN - Nursing Management & Executive Leadership | Website |
View more online MSN programs currently taking applications.
The MSN - Executive Leadership path was designed for BSN nursing professionals currently employed in the field. This degree program requires that professionals have 5 or more years of professional work experience prior to becoming enrolled, since most of the material learned in this program pertains to real-world scenarios in the nursing environment.
The executive component of this degree program can help students learn more about providing leadership during the treatment process and being an asset to a healthcare team.
View more online MSN programs currently taking applications.
Consider a sponsored online MSN program taking applicants for 2023.
| School | Program | Admissions |
|---|---|---|
Benedictine University |
Nurse Educator MSN | Website |
Benedictine University |
Nurse Executive Leader MSN | Website |
Sacred Heart University |
MSN - Clinical Nurse Leader | Website |
Sacred Heart University |
MSN - Family Nurse Practitioner | Website |
Sacred Heart University |
MSN - Nursing Education | Website |
Sacred Heart University |
RN to BSN to Master of Science in Nursing | Website |
Sacred Heart University |
RN-BSN-MSN - Clinical Nursing Leader | Website |
View more online MSN programs currently taking applications.
The guide below can prove to be helpful in learning more about each of these topics along the way. The curriculum for this degree program can include concepts from different disciplines other than just nursing, since the leadership topic may include business and policy in its studies. The course review in the next section can provide you with more information pertaining to specific course work for this program.
Before you make the decision to enroll in the MSN – Executive Leadership program, you should review what is involved in obtaining this degree, what types of careers you can choose from after graduation and the earning capabilities of nursing professionals at this level.
Courses Unique to the MSN Executive Leadership Degree
An interesting characteristic of MSN – Executive Leadership programs is that they contain so many different elements that may be relevant to the field of nursing. Students that might be interested in pursuing this degree program can potentially gain advanced skills in the practice of nursing, as well as the techniques required to be an effective management professionals.
Our team of educational experts has researched some of the most preferred MSN programs across the country and provided a list of common courses in the list below this section.
As you read through the courses provided, keep in mind that these are just a sample of the core component that may be required throughout your experience. Depending on the university you choose to attend, you may see that there are even more various topics that are covered throughout your program.
The list below shows the topics of interest of master’s level learners and some of the most important components of being an effective healthcare leader.
Management of Adults with Acute/Chronic Health Problems
This course helps students learn about the care of adults with acute or chronic illness. Students may experience critical thinking exercises that can help with diagnostic and symptom-based assessment skills. Decision-making skills and timing may also be addressed as a fundamental learning topic in this course.
Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Blending aspects of physiology, chemistry, and nursing practice, this course can help students gain a better understanding of the usefulness and application of pharmaceuticals and therapeutic interventions in a clinical setting. Drug testing, toxicity, adverse effects and dosing may also be discussed.
Hospital Management
Topics in this course may include a look into the different sectors of hospitals and healthcare centers. Human resources, basic healthcare finance and technology may be some of the subjects included in this course. The goal of this class is to create more effective and knowledgeable medical managers to provide leadership in busy healthcare environments.
Clinical Problem Solving
This course can help students apply knowledge and skills learned through master’s-level education to actual scenarios present within the field of nursing. Students may be tasked with using critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills and clinical application to acute and complex issues.
Ethics in Nursing
Beginning with law and policy, students can learn the foundations for ethics in the field of nursing. Personal concerns that may arise during the course of a normal work day may be discussed, as well as ethical concerns that can come about when working with members of the public. Patient confidentiality, healthy working environments and technological safety may be part of the topics covered in this course.
How Much Does An MSN Executive Leadership Degree Cost?
The amount of time you spend in your degree program may also have a profound effect on your quality of life. For some, each day spent in school is taking away from potential work time, which is difficult when planning for a financially-smart future. Online degree programs can help make it easier to balance work and school, but it is still important to find programs that maximize the use of your time. The schools provided offer programs that can be completed anywhere from 1 to 2 years.
- Saint Xavier University: Online MSN – Executive Leadership – $750 per credit hour – 1-2 years for completion
- Chamberlain University: Online MSN – Executive Leadership – $650 per credit hour – 2 years for completion
- Nebraska Methodist College: Online MSN – Executive Leadership – $719 – 2 years for completion
How Much Does An MSN Executive Leader Make?
With this being said, there are many different areas in the healthcare field that call upon educated nursing professionals to fill open positions. Our team has researched some of the most popular career positions for graduates at this level in order to show you more about the actual financial earnings of each position. There are numerous sectors of the healthcare field that can be filled with nurse leaders, so the salary data below can accommodate for this variation.
- Hospital Management: $107,230 on average per year (BLS).
- Management – Office of Physicians: $89,760 on average per year (BLS).
- Management – Outpatient Care: $89,910 on average per year (BLS).
The MSN – Executive Leadership program can provide you with skills that can be extremely useful in the healthcare field. There are many different areas of expertise that can be mastered in this program, including financial management, personnel management, healthcare technology and corporate teaming.
In addition to these factors, leaders in the healthcare field can also maximize their abilities in providing ethical and law-abiding workplaces that are inviting for patients in need of healthcare.
Common Questions About The MSN Executive Leadership Degree
What makes the Executive Leadership different from traditional MSN – Nursing Leadership programs?
Executive degree programs originated in the field of business. This form of the degree is designed for current professionals that have 5 or more years of experience in the field. Some of the topics and projects in executive-level programs may require you to pull from your work experience in order to complete.
Are there in-person requirements for this program?
There are many different schools that offer the executive option for MSN programs. Depending on where you enroll, there may be practicum requirements require for graduation. Be sure to thoroughly review the requirements of your institution prior to becoming enrolled.
Can I enroll in this program as a RN?
If you hold an Associate’s degree in Nursing and are licensed to work in the field, you should look into RN to MSN programs available online. These programs were designed specifically for those at your degree level and can be completed in a faster timeframe than moving to the BSN first and then on to the MSN.
Nursing Executive Leadership vs Nurse Administrator
Since there are so many diverse MSN programs available for upcoming students to choose from, it can be easy to get disoriented when finding the right fit for what you desire in a career. Some of the MSN specialties closely resemble one another, so you should always be aware of what each specialization provides and how it can be utilized when entering into the field.
Two of the closest concentrations for the MSN is Nursing Leadership and Nursing Administration. Our team of experts has broken down some of the different components of both the nursing leadership and nurse administrator specialization to help you make the right choice for your program.
Nursing Leadership is a degree program that can help you learn advanced nursing skills that can be applied in multiple healthcare settings in the United States. The skills learned in this program can help you gain more expertise in leadership, as well as the evaluation skills needed to provide oversight during the client treatment process.
Here are some of the primary duties of professionals at this level:
- Establishing a Health Work Environment
- Providing Oversight and Planning During the Treatment Process
- Being a Direct Support to Nursing Staff
- Coordinating Patient Treatment Plans
- Integrating Cooperative Healthcare Services
The Nurse Administrator degree program can contain some similar elements to the Nursing Leadership program, in that both can use their skills in the field of nursing to help lead and work with a staff of nursing professionals.
However, there are certain components of the Nurse Administrator path that include different areas of business and healthcare during the degree program. If you want to know more about the daily responsibilities of individuals in this career field, take a look at the list of duties:
- Providing Leadership to a Team of Nursing Professionals
- Management of Finances and Budgeting for Nursing Departments
- Maintenance and Oversight of Client Records
- Healthcare Law and Policy Assurance
- Reviewing Work Activities of Current Healthcare Staff
Be Passionate About Leadership
People often believe that being an effective leader means knowing everything possible about their current field. Having experience in the field of nursing can give you an advantage when leading others and possibly help you make more educated decisions about the happenings in your healthcare center.
However, there is more to the field of nursing than just knowing about the tools and techniques available for use. In order to be the best leader you can be, you should have a dedication to the field of nursing and truly be passionate about being a leader.
Passion in leadership can mean different things depending on the person you ask. For most people, having a passion in your work can mean gaining feelings of happiness or satisfaction in your daily duties. For others, passion may be investing your time and energy into ensuring that your job is done well and thoroughly each day. If you really want to stand out from others in nursing leadership, you should have a blend of both schools of thought in order to be the very best leader you can be.
The field of nursing leadership can involve many complex and difficult decisions. Professionals that work at this level in the healthcare field should have the skills to work through issues with patient care, staff or even ethical and legal violations.
Having a strong heart for leadership in this field can give you the strength to maintain focused toward productive goals and provide you with a sense of satisfaction for solving issues related to your team. If you can see yourself being a passionate asset to the nursing leadership field, we encourage you to move forward with your dream of completing a degree program such as this one.
