Nurse executive effectiveness

Community hospital chief nurse executives (CNEs) and chief executive officers (CEOs) ranked, in a nationwide survey, seven characteristics of nurse executive effectiveness. Human management skill was ranked first by both groups. CNEs cited CEO support as the second most important factor in their effectiveness, while CEOs ranked total organizational view second. Both groups cited the need for fiscal management skills for CNEs. Results differ from an earlier study of university hospital based CNEs and CEOs. Such discrepancies, including differences in education, tenure, and salary, hold strong implications for the pursuit of careers in nursing administration.