Abstract :
It may seem obvious to nurse executives that hospitals are businesses. Nurses in chief nurse executive (CNE) positions have developed the business acumen necessary to be successful in their leadership roles. These skills afford them the ability to converse and negotiate with administrative and financial teams. Many CNEs have acquired this skill over the years, from on-the-job experience, advanced training, or degree.
The purpose of this article is to provide CNEs with financial information and tools they can use with their staff for educational purposes. Often, the CNE knows what needs to be articulated to the staff but does not have the time to do it well. I hope the content of this article will be used as an educational tool, job aid, or precursor to a larger workshop. The content is geared toward new or aspiring nurse managers or other leaders within the hospital who could benefit from enhanced financial acumen. Given the numerous job titles for this position in hospitals, the term nurse manager will be used throughout this article.
