The growing demand for NPs and other APRNs creates diverse nursing career paths for nurses looking to qualify for leadership roles in health care. The BLS forecasts that the number of jobs for NPs, nurse anesthetists and nurse midwives will increase by 45% between 2020 and 2030, which is much faster than the projected average job growth for all occupations. Several factors contribute to the growing demand for DNP degree holders:
- Greater emphasis on preventive care
- The health care demands of an aging population
- Medical advances that convert formerly deadly diseases into manageable chronic conditions
- Changes in state laws that allow APRNs to perform a wider range of medical procedures and other health care services
Health Policy Analyst
Health policy analysts research topics related to the impact of existing and prospective government policies on health care providers and the health care industry. Government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and community groups employ health policy analysts.- Typical duties: Health policy analysts gather data related to health care policies or supervise others collecting the data. These analysts apply advanced data analytics techniques to convert the data into actionable intelligence that policymakers can use to inform their health care decisions.
- Essential skills: The position typically requires a graduate degree in public health, public policy, or a similar field. Analysts must have strong research and communication skills for preparing reports and making presentations to executives, administrators, and the public.
- Median annual salary: PayScale estimates that the median annual salary of health policy analysts is about $64,000 as of June 2022. The median salary of starting health policy analysts is around $53,000 annually, and analysts with more than 20 years of experience have a median salary of about $81,000 annually.
Nurse Educator
Nurse educators are charged with preparing the next generation of nurses and nurse leaders. They contribute to the design of nursing curricula and analyze the effectiveness of nursing education programs. Nurse educators work in classrooms and a range of clinical settings, including clinics, hospitals, and nursing homes.- Typical duties: Among the skills that nurse educators teach are how to administer medication and change dressings. They serve as coaches and mentors for nursing students throughout their education, and they instruct working nurses and other health care workers in training sessions. Nurse educators may conduct research and participate in professional nursing organizations.
- Essential skills: Nurse educators must possess strong communication and interpersonal skills when working with groups of students and in one-on-one teaching situations. They bring their practical nursing experience to bear as they instruct students in hands-on nursing skills.
- Median annual salary: The median annual salary of nurse educators is about $78,000, according to July 2022 data from PayScale. The median salary of starting nurse educators is approximately $71,000 annually, and nurse educators with more than 20 years of experience have a median annual salary of about $87,000.
Advanced Clinical Educator
Advanced clinical educators share practical knowledge about nursing in clinical settings with nursing professionals who work in specialized fields. These educators work in classrooms and healthcare settings and interact with nurses, clinicians in training, public health care workers and patients.- Typical duties: Advanced clinical educators need to be good communicators in group settings and one-on-one teaching situations. They differ from nurse educators in that they focus on specialized instruction for working nurses and other health care professionals, as well as those in training.
- Essential skills: Advanced clinical educators must be licensed health care professionals who possess specialized clinical knowledge about their areas of instruction. They often work with seasoned professionals who are keeping their skills and knowledge up to date.
- Median annual salary: PayScale estimates that the median annual salary of clinical educators was about $78,000 as of July 2022. The median salary of starting clinical educators is about $69,000 annually, and clinical educators with 20 or more years of experience have a median salary of approximately $89,000 annually.
Chief Nursing Officer
CNOs are responsible for the operation of all nursing activities in a health care institution. They ensure the organization’s nursing care complies with all standards and regulations and that patients receive quality care. CNOs work with health care professionals, officials in business and government, community groups, and the public.- Typical duties: A primary duty of CNOs is ensuring sufficient staffing of nursing units across shifts and workdays. They participate in developing contingency plans for a range of emergencies and are also responsible for the organization’s nursing budget, including purchasing supplies and equipment.
- Essential skills: Serving as a CNO requires practical nursing skills; management and administrative skills; and political skills for dealing with policymakers, community groups, and patients.
- Median annual salary: PayScale estimates that the median annual salary of CNOs is about $134,000 as of June 2022. The median salary of starting CNOs is about $124,000 annually, and those with 20 or more years of experience have a median salary of approximately $149,000 annually.
