Nursing Home Administrator
Duties
- Create and implement central policies and processes in accordance with the professional standards of practice.
- Delegate important tasks like administrative work to staff personnel while also consulting with department directors on the smooth operation of departments.
- Take charge of recruitment of staff procedures such as interviewing, hiring and counseling employees.
- Develop and maintain an operating budget per year, assess monthly financial records and make updates as required to optimise quality healthcare provided.
- Take part in the state and federal surveys of the nursing home and identify any deficiencies that might arise.
Day In The Life
A nursing home administrator’s day will usually involve meeting and chatting with other staff, welcoming new patients to the facility and tracking all admissions and budget records. You may also give a tour to prospective clients and their family, or head to specialty stores to purchase required equipment and update inventories.
Spending time understanding advancements in laws and policies relating to medical care is very important, especially new state and federal requirements. Working towards bettering the care received by patients is your main function in this role. Since the job can be stressful, you must have a calm demeanor and be able to manage challenges that emerge at the workplace.
Growth Of The Job
Nursing home administrators typically have to work full-time with regular working schedule of 40 – 50 hours per week. The workday usually extends from 8 am to 5 pm for 5 days per week. However, as an administrator of a medical facility, you may have to work longer hours which may include working during evenings or weekends because nursing homes have to be open at all times which will require excellent skills in time and stress management. You may also be required to be on call all the time to be called back to your office in case of emergencies. This makes the job somewhat stressful and demanding to a certain degree in many days.
Work Schedule
Nursing home administrators typically have to work full-time with regular working schedule of 40 – 50 hours per week. The workday usually extends from 8 am to 5 pm for 5 days per week. However, as an administrator of a medical facility, you may have to work longer hours which may include working during evenings or weekends because nursing homes have to be open at all times which will require excellent skills in time and stress management. You may also be required to be on call all the time to be called back to your office in case of emergencies. This makes the job somewhat stressful and demanding to a certain degree in many days.
Recommended Schools
To jumpstart your career as a nursing home administrator, you must have a four-year bachelor’s degree and be able to pass a state licensing examination as per state requirements. Some employers may insist on a master’s degree for advanced roles. While the qualifications sought may vary depending on the location and place of employment, a four-year bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject is necessary, e.g. in public administration, long-term care administration or health services administration. Coursework during your degree program should have covered aging and long-term care, gerontology, health behaviors, nursing home administrative procedures, etc.
Salary Data
We’ve provided you the following to learn more about this career. The salary and growth data on this page comes from recently published Bureau of Labor Statistics data while the recommendations and editorial content are based on our research.
- National Annual Salary: Low Range - $72,510, Average - $106,070, High Range - $165,380
- National Hourly Wage: Low Range - $35/hr, Average - $51/hr, High Range - $80/hr
Programs and Degrees
Here are the most common degrees for becoming a Nursing Home Administrator. A bachelor’s degree is usually recommended and specifically a degree or coursework that prepares you for the particular field, see below.
- 8% Doctorate
- 23.8% Masters
- 32% Bachelors
- 12.2% Associates
- 15.3% College
- 7.8% High School
- 0.9% Less than High School
Job Growth Projections and Forecast
2014 Total Jobs: 333,000
2024 Est. Jobs: 389,300
Job Growth Rate: 16.9%
Est. New Jobs: 56,300