How to Become a CNO

Learn how you can take a strong leadership role at health organizations.

By Camilla Andersson, Monster Contributor

Nurses play an essential role in caring for patients, but their hands are often tied when it comes to administrative issues like office management, expenses, and billing. If you want to take on a leadership role in healthcare administration, consider becoming a chief nursing officer (CNO).

As a CNO, you’ll help to run a healthcare facility while also overseeing nursing staff, giving you a direct way to make a difference for patients and employees. Read on to find out what a typical day will look like as a chief nursing officer and how to become a CNO.

What Is a CNO?

A CNO is a high-level nurse manager who primarily has administrative responsibilities. This differs from other nurse managers such as a charge nurse, who sometimes work directly with patients. A CNO is higher up in the level of command and has executive responsibilities, primarily when it comes to the nursing staff and nursing department.

CNOs typically work at healthcare facilities, but they can also work at corporate offices for healthcare companies or at government agencies. As a CNO, you’ll probably be an exempt employee, which means you’ll have more control over your schedule, but may sometimes need to work longer hours during busy times. But generally speaking, CNOs primarily work during typical office hours.

What Does a Chief Nursing Officer Do ?

Job responsibilities for CNOs vary from employer to employer, but these are some typical tasks you’ll perform as a chief nursing officer:

  • develop department goals
  • recruit, train, and supervise staff
  • organize schedules
  • delegate job responsibilities
  • manage patient fees and billing
  • oversee patient care
  • develop strategies to measure and improve patient experiences
  • prepare budgets and supervise department costs
  • oversee and organize documentation
  • collaborate with human resources, billing, purchasing, and other departments
  • supervise compliance with policies, standards, and regulations

This combination of administrative and personnel tasks means you’ll need many soft skills to excel as a chief nursing officer, including leadership, flexibility, collaboration, organization, multitasking, and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

How to Become a Chief Nursing Officer : Education

Most CNOs have years of experience working as registered nurses, as well as previous leadership experience in healthcare and a master’s degree in nursing. Some large companies may also want you to have a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree (DNP).

These are the typical steps to become a CNO:

  1. Become a nurse, typically by obtaining an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing (BSN).
  2. Become a registered nurse by passing the NCLEX-RN test and applying for an RN license.
  3. Obtain a master’s degree in nursing (MSN) or in nursing administration. If you don’t have a BSN degree, you can enroll in an RN to MSN program to obtain both degrees.
  4. Consider optional certifications in subspecialties.
  5. Obtain work experience as a nurse (this step can be completed earlier, right after you you get your bachelor’s degree).
  6. Obtain leadership experience in healthcare, for example as a head nurse or nurse manager.

How to Become a CNO: Licenses and Certifications

You don’t need any certifications or licenses to work as a CNO beyond your license as a registered nurse, but there are several optional certifications that can help you stand out on the job market. These are some examples:

The certifications above will also help you increase your theoretical knowledge of nursing management and improve your soft skills. You’ll learn essential information about employment laws, information technology, and healthcare standards, as well as sharpen your skills in leadership, coaching, conflict resolution, and workforce engagement.

What Is a Typical Chief Nursing Officer Salary?

The median CNO salary is $129,204 nationwide, according to Monster’s salary statistics. Use the salary tool to find the median salary and salary range in your location, which can help you with a successful salary negotiation.

How to Find CNO Jobs

When you have the education and experience you need, the next step in the path to becoming a CNO is to create a job application that conveys your experience in nursing and management as well as your education and leadership skills.

Keep in mind that recruiters often use software to scan resumes for keywords and reject the resumes that aren’t a good match. To make sure your resume passes the first elimination round, include relevant keywords from the job ad throughout your resume.

Use your cover letter to discuss the details that don’t fit into the strict format of a resume, such as your passion for the profession and what you have contributed to patient care over your nursing career.

Read our nursing cover letter sample and nurse manager resume for more tips. Then visit our page with chief nursing officer jobs to find a job that fits you.

You can also search for jobs in the regions with the highest demand for RNs. These are the top states for RN jobs:

To narrow it down by city, search by these locations with the highest number of nursing jobs:

Give Your Career Superior Care With Monster

Now when you know how to become a CNO, it’s time to care for your resume. First, make sure it ends up in the best hands by creating a Monster account. We can help you make sure that your resume gets excellent treatment and is visible to recruiters, as well as help you apply to job openings you find on Monster.