Nursing Home Administrator |
Career OverviewThe nursing home administrator’s role is to facilitate the smooth and orderly operation of a nursing home both in day-to-day operations and in long-term management. A nursing home administrator should have a good understanding of the various types of services and treatments that the nursing home offers as well as know basic medical procedures and understand how to work with families and the elderly.
A nursing home administrator must be able to work within a budget, manage staff and staff scheduling, work with various committees and management teams to ensure continued growth and development of the facility as well as monitor and keep the facility operating at the required level. The nursing home administrator is often involved very closely with the human resources manager to ensure the best possible level of staffing and care for patients.
The nursing home administrator must be able to communicate with a variety of different groups including the elderly, their families, board of director members, financial stakeholders and the community in general. Often a nursing home administrator is spokesperson or contact person for nursing home and may be required to attend community functions and fundraising events.
A nursing home administrator should have a solid business or healthcare background and have an ability to monitor and oversee all the day-to-day operations involved in running the nursing home. This ability to multitask and manage multiple projects and tasks at one time is a key element of being a successful nursing home administrator.
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Career RequirementsA nursing home administrator must meet state and federal requirements for licensing and should have at least a Bachelors or preferably a Master’s level education in healthcare or hospital administration. The nursing home administrator must pass all the specifications for the State Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administrators. Each state has slightly different standards that can be found at:
http://www.longtermcareeducation.com/STATE/index.asp
The nursing home administrator usually must have seven to ten years in working in nursing homes either in a management role or in a supervisory role with a medical background.
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Job OutlookThere is generally an overall increase in the job outlook for qualified nursing home administrators. This is due to the aging population and the increase in care facilities for the elderly. Since the job requires significant experience there is a continual need for new nursing home administrators to fill the vacancies left by retiring individuals and those that move on to other careers.
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Career TrackUnfortunately there is a high level of job turnover for nursing home administrators mostly due to high stress levels on the job and changes in private facility owners. Many nursing home administrators move into hospital administration where there is less direct contact with patients and families required, especially in the case of the elderly that are long-term patients.
Some experience nursing home administrator return to teaching in the various degree programs and some open their own business providing consulting and training for nursing home staff and administrators.
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CompensationSalaries for nursing home administrators vary from state to state. Privately operated nursing homes tend to pay higher wages than government run facilities and larger nursing homes pay more than smaller ones.
Nursing homes located in larger centers also provide a higher salary on average than those located in rural areas. A nursing home administrator in the United States earns an average salary of $74,000 to $83,000.
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