Scholars make the case for graduate education for nurse managers

Although leading nursing organizations support advanced degrees for nurse managers, health systems can do more to facilitate graduate education for nurse leaders, according to two scholars. Writing in the Journal of Nursing Administration (JONA), the authors make the case that additional education is imperative, especially for the roughly 40% of nurse managers who have less than two years of experience in their roles. The authors lay out a business case for requiring graduate leadership education for nurse managers. They argue graduate study prepares nurses to understand and apply evidence in practice; improves nurses’ knowledge of financial management, change theory and the needs of diverse populations; and supports nurse managers in making data-driven decisions and delivering person-centered care. (JONA article, 8/21/19)