Ways to Get Promoted as a Head Nurse

By Paul Standish | Oct 19, 2008

Becoming a head nurse is a very challenging job. It’s also very demanding but if you’re prepared, it is a responsibility with great rewards. Being a head nurse isn’t just a job where you can demonstrate your education and training but it’s also an opportunity in which you can help the establishment you work for (whether it’s a hospital, nursing care community, clinic, etc.) develop and maintain excellent standards of patient care in a highly organized manner.

If you’re looking for a way to get promoted as a head nurse, here are ways you can increase your chances:

Accept work responsibility.
Becoming a head nurse means knowing how to manage different tasks at the same time. Be prepared to work harder and show initiative when taking on tasks and responsibilities. Your employers want to see someone who is capable of taking on the job. By demonstrating that you not only have the qualifications but also the spirit for it, you increase your chances of getting noticed for a head nurse promotion.

Show people management potential.
Having the right communication skills and getting on well with your peers are good signs that you are easy to work with. Demonstrate the skills of leadership not by bossing people around but by volunteering for certain tasks such as creating and starting committees and local clubs for nurses. By showing that you can lead (and others will follow), you let your superiors know that you can be trusted as a leader and organizer, two characteristics and key qualities of an effective head nurse.

Show problem solving skills.
Being a nurse means you will be faced with situations that will challenge your training and skills continuously. Show that you are up to par by demonstrating calmness and using both logical and innovative approaches to solve problems. It’s important for a future head nurse to be able to prove that she can grow in the job and that she can bring value not just to the organization but also to the patients and the other staff as well.

Seek specialized training.
Depending on which type of nursing function you chose, there are certain specialized trainings you might want to sign up for. Find out what type of trainings are required for the head nurse position and determine how and when you can get them. Most hospitals and health care establishments prefer to promote people from within, so the next time a head nurse vacancy is open, make sure you’re prepared by having the right training and certification to help you land the job.

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