How To Become A Chief Nursing Officer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a chief nursing officer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Pawn Johnson-Hunter MS, RN, AGPCNP-BC, GERO- BC, CM/DN

A chief nursing officer is the highest nursing staff in any organization. These professionals have gathered a wealth of experience in the field and have obtained tons of academic qualifications. CNOs coordinate all nurses' activities, and they oversee the nursing treatment of patients in whatever organization they are employed.

Their responsibilities are big picture-related. They involve creating an enabling work environment for nurses, collaborating with other healthcare professionals, developing effective patient treatment strategies, and being the middleman between the nurses and management. The CNO is also responsible for upholding work and patient best care practices in the facility.

The journey to CNO is a slow climb that begins with a bachelor's degree or similar education in nursing and other advanced qualifications. It also requires experience that's gained over the course of a long nursing career.

What general advice would you give to a chief nursing officer?

Pawn Johnson-Hunter MS, RN, AGPCNP-BC, GERO- BC, CM/DN

Nurse Educator, Nclex Mentor/Coach

A few ways to maximize earning potential as a new graduate nurse is through skillful negotiations and previous experience in healthcare, such as degree level, nurse externships, phlebotomy skills, or certifications. Many, if not all, employers appreciate that new graduates are equipped with clinical skills that are strongly recommended for the practice area. While many nurse certifications require experience, some are for entry-level, such as advanced life support (ACLS and PALS) and IV insertion. There are also some specialty practice certifications that new grads can obtain without years of experience; although they may recommend the experience at times, this is optional. All of this demonstrates the applicant's commitment to the profession and interest. Other ways are to work overtime hours, learn about clinical career ladders, or continue formal education.

ScoreChief Nursing OfficerUS Average

Salary

7.7

Avg. Salary $104,466

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.1

Growth rate 28%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.72%

Asian 7.82%

Black or African American 11.65%

Hispanic or Latino 14.02%

Unknown 4.25%

White 61.53%

Gender

female 76.77%

male 23.23%

Age - 47

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47

Stress level

7.1

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.8

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.9

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a chief nursing officer

Explore chief nursing officer education requirements

Most common chief nursing officer degrees

Bachelor's

46.7 %

Master's

24.3 %

Associate

20.1 %

Start to develop specific chief nursing officer skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	18.24%
CNO	6.61%
Rehabilitation	5.57%
Patient Safety	4.94%
Performance Improvement	4.80%

Complete relevant chief nursing officer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New chief nursing officers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a chief nursing officer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real chief nursing officer resumes.

Gain additional chief nursing officer certifications

Chief nursing officer certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific chief nursing officer certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for chief nursing officers include Nurse Executive Advanced (NEA-BC) and Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse (CRRN).

More About Certifications

Research chief nursing officer duties and responsibilities

Achieve regional goals including POS cash collections, registration accuracy, and denials.
Lead the spread of this work on transforming care through evidenced-base healthcare teamwork strategies and tactics.
Complete comprehensive assessments for all LTC residents which include managing falls, pain, skin integrity, and medications.
Incorporate evidence-based care into practice environment to ensure high quality care for patients and their families.

Get chief nursing officer experience

Generally, it takes 4-6 years to become a chief nursing officer. The most common roles before becoming a chief nursing officer include staff nurse, registered nurse team lead and nursing director.

Prepare your chief nursing officer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your chief nursing officer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a chief nursing officer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable chief nursing officer resume templates

Build a professional chief nursing officer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your chief nursing officer resume.