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Nurse manager skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted experts

Angela Mund,

Angela Mund

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical nurse manager skills. We ranked the top skills for nurse managers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 22.1% of nurse manager resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a nurse manager needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 nurse manager skills for your resume and career

1. Patients

Here's how nurse managers use patients:

Increase ability of patients and care coordinators to establish effective relationships using the technology including trouble-shooting for staff whenever needed.
Tracked and monitored patients' outcomes, using other measurement standards to facilitate continuous quality improvement teams.

2. Home Health

Here's how nurse managers use home health:

Facilitated communication between home health staff and hospital leadership to ensure compliance with all regulatory agencies.
Developed and presented high-tech infusion therapy curriculum to home health agencies in the Tidewater region.

3. CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR is a medical procedure that involves chest compression to help a patient breathe. This artificial ventilation helps in keeping the brain function in place and regulates blood throughout the body. CPR is a lifesaving procedure that is used in emergencies.

Here's how nurse managers use cpr:

Obtained ACLS certification, then initiated and began instruction of other staff in CPR and ACLS training and implementation.
Case managed workers compensation cases, administered drug testing, surveillance testing, minor 1st aid and CPR instruction.

4. Customer Service

Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.

Here's how nurse managers use customer service:

Chaired the organizational Customer Service Improvement committee; resulting in the development and implementation of an organizational customer service training program.
Handled all aspects of operational efficiency, quality improvement, financial outcomes, clinical programs, physician relations and customer service.

5. Performance Improvement

Performance improvement means an overall improvement of a business process to accomplish and achieve enhancement of the efficiency of the function/process, and to make it more profitable and economical, while the stated goals or objectives are accurately achieved and in a cost and time-efficient manner. Performance improvements can occur at several levels, including the employee level, the team level, the department or unit level, and the organization as a whole.

Here's how nurse managers use performance improvement:

Interview, hiring and manage personnel to include establishing performance expectation, completing performance appraisals and performance improvement procedures when necessary.
Conducted annual reviews, created performance improvement plans, ensured compliance with necessary education, and adherence with state/federal guidelines.

6. Surgery

Here's how nurse managers use surgery:

Collaborated with cardiac surgeons, anesthesiologists and nursing administration to increase cardiac surgery program to 2,500 open heart surgical procedures annually.
Supported general surgery, orthopedics, obstetric/gynecologic, genitourinary, eyes/ears/nose and throat, plastics, podiatry, and anesthesia/pain services.

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7. Quality Patient Care

Here's how nurse managers use quality patient care:

Directed effective and efficient qualified staff and administered required procedures to assure delivery of quality patient care and optimal patient outcomes.
Supervised nursing staff and coordinated staffing and scheduling among numerous department employees and administrative professionals to ensure quality patient care.

8. Oversight

Having oversight of someone means to monitor a process or a situation. If someone has oversight of something, they are responsible for the completion of the project. Oversight is usually given to experts as they monitor their juniors or newbies as they go through a project.

Here's how nurse managers use oversight:

Obtained annual physical examinations with oversight of hearing conservation program compliance, respiratory medical compliance, and surveillance testing.
Provided managerial oversight of 21 telephonic nurse care managers to ensure productivity, quality and achievement of performance standards.

9. Quality Improvement

Quality improvement (QA) is a systematic approach to eliminate or reduce rework, wastes, and losses in the production process. It is part of quality management, which aims to increase the ability to meet quality requirements. It manages change and uses data for making decisions to improve policies, programs, and results.

Here's how nurse managers use quality improvement:

Promote quality improvement activities through the evaluation of the effectiveness of existing methods and procedures, data collection and committee participation.
Manage development, including; up-dating protocols, quality improvement activities, establishing and maintaining standards for daily operational standards.

10. Infection Control

Infection control describes the principles and practices used in hospitals and other healthcare facilities to control and minimize the spread of infections with the aim of lowering rates of infection. Infection control refers to the process of detecting and controlling pathogens in order to reduce their spread.

Here's how nurse managers use infection control:

Worked closely with the Multidisciplinary Quality Management Team; involved with Hospital Safety, Infection Control, and Nursing/Hospital Management Committees.
Supervised and trained paraprofessional staff in emergency procedures, infection control and medication administration in several programs within the corporation.

11. Rehabilitation

Here's how nurse managers use rehabilitation:

Remodeled Cardiac Lifestyle Management Program, developed contracts, hired personnel, implemented Mindfulness meditation clinic within Cardiac Rehabilitation clinic.
Consulted with physicians, psychologists, occupational therapists, and other professionals to develop and implement client rehabilitation programs.

12. Patient Safety

Here's how nurse managers use patient safety:

Represented Clinical Leadership on the system level Technology Committee to determine system enhancements to improve patient safety and quality outcomes.
Participated on house-wide interdisciplinary councils to improve processes, improve patient safety, and improve staff recruitment and retention.

13. Direct Patient Care

Here's how nurse managers use direct patient care:

Provided direct patient care to individuals on a 39 bed medical/surgical unit with primarily renal and respiratory patients.
Developed patient care education modules for staff nurses providing direct patient care activities to ventilator dependent patients/families.

14. Patient Outcomes

Here's how nurse managers use patient outcomes:

Assessed, planned, evaluated patient outcomes by independently making nursing judgments and decisions adhering to administrative policies and clinical procedures.
Worked closely with other nursing leaders and administrators to enhance patient outcomes, customer satisfaction, and quality improvement.

15. Discharge Planning

Here's how nurse managers use discharge planning:

Collaborated interdisciplinary with attending physician, administrators, physicians, patients, and families regarding case management and discharge planning.
Developed and monitored a comprehensive education/discharge planning structure for identified patient populations which can be implemented by staff.

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What skills help Nurse Managers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What type of skills will young nurse managers need?

Angela Mund

Vice President, American Association of Nurse Anesthetists

To meet the needs of our current volatile and complex healthcare landscape, all healthcare providers will need to understand the business of healthcare, in addition to providing expert patient care. Starting in 2025, all graduates from nurse anesthesia programs will be awarded a doctoral degree, a doctorate in nursing practice (DNP), or a doctorate in nurse anesthesia practice (DNAP). These degree programs include additional anesthesia experience as well as an understanding of effective leadership, healthcare economics and reimbursement, the use of big data for improving patient outcomes, and evidence-based practice.

What skills stand out on nurse manager resumes?

Angela Mund

Vice President, American Association of Nurse Anesthetists

To become a CRNA, the applicant must first be a registered nurse and graduate of a baccalaureate nursing program. A minimum of one year of clinical experience in an intensive care unit (ICU) is required. The application process is rigorous, and many nurse anesthesia programs are seeing higher than typical applicant numbers, perhaps due to the impact of COVID-19 on the ICU nurse workforce.

The most competitive applicants will have an overall GPA >3.5. Basic science courses are heavily weighted with respect to both course grade and type of course. A competitive resumé should include evidence of clinical expertise, leadership, volunteerism, and scholarly work. In addition, all registered nurse applicants should have shadowed a CRNA to learn about the profession prior to application. The interview process may include assessments of critical thinking, decision-making, and emotional intelligence.

What soft skills should all nurse managers possess?

Diane Salvador Ph.D.

Executive Director and Professor, Elmhurst University

The most important skill for new nursing graduates is critical thinking. You will be put into varying roles and assume different responsibilities. You must critically think and evaluate situations you find yourself in and make wise nursing decisions. Another important skill that we emphasize in education is communication - this is key to safe, quality care.

What hard/technical skills are most important for nurse managers?

Diane Salvador Ph.D.

Executive Director and Professor, Elmhurst University

New nurses should be prepared to demonstrate proficiency in basic nursing care and procedures. It is important to realize that each hospital has its own policy and procedure to follow, so taking advantage of your nurse preceptor and orientation program will ensure you are familiar with these basic procedures.

What nurse manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Michelle Hampton Ph.D.

Associate Professor, San Jose State University

I think there are always opportunities to work and gain experience once the nurse is licensed. They might need to be creative, flexible, and work where there's a need. That might be a specialty area they hadn't considered or a geographic area that requires some travel. I don't think a gap year is inevitable for all new graduates and there might be opportunities for them to find work, and they can always continue the learning process after you're employed, even if it's not your dream job. The more significant obstacle seems to be for students who are currently still in nursing programs.

Clinical sites weren't accepting students for several months, and now that they are again, they have significantly limited the number of students allowed at one time and the number of hours they can train. When a staff member or patient tests positive, students are pulled from the site for some time, and students are struggling to get the minimum number of hours required to continue progressing in the nursing program. Some schools have even suspended admission for new groups of students instead choosing to focus on getting the current students through the program.

Do you want to know more?

List of nurse manager skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a nurse manager resume and required skills for a nurse manager to have include:

Patients
Home Health
CPR
Customer Service
Performance Improvement
Surgery
Quality Patient Care
Oversight
Quality Improvement
Infection Control
Rehabilitation
Patient Safety
Direct Patient Care
Patient Outcomes
Discharge Planning
Compassion
Professional Development

Staff Development
Critical Care
Oncology
CMS
Excellent Interpersonal
ICU
Primary Care
HIPAA
Triage
Advanced Life Support
Medical Assistants
Clinical Operations
Process Improvement
JCAHO
Patient Flow
Medicaid
Good Interpersonal

PACU
OSHA
Telemetry
IV
Senior Care
Federal Regulations
FTE
Medication Management
Performance Evaluations
Patient Education
Medication Administration
Supervisory Management
PET
Regulatory Compliance
Staff Education
Disciplinary Actions

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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