Five Reasons 2021 Is the Year for Nurse Leaders

Nurse leaders who will shape the future of nursing are in demand now more than ever. The fields of healthcare management, technology, clinical practice, and executive nurse leadership are calling nurse leaders considering a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree.

New opportunities for career advancement, a higher earning potential, and professional leadership await you. There are several reasons why the time is now for aspiring nurse leaders.

1. Demand is High

The struggling U.S. healthcare system desperately needs innovative, highly educated nurse leaders with a DNP to help guide pandemic recovery efforts. As healthcare leaders look beyond 2021, they seek highly trained nurses with a DNP in Executive Nurse Leadership to take on more board leadership roles, navigating the uncertainty that has become the norm, according to the American Hospital Association.

A coalition of more than 20 professional organizations, including AARP and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, believe that nurse leaders are the key to improving the health of communities and the nation. That is why they started a successful campaign to have 10,000 nurses in leadership positions on boards by 2020.

This means that there are now more opportunities than ever for you to hold a position of power in healthcare leadership. Earning a Doctor of Nursing Practice, the most advanced nursing degree available, is the key to establishing yourself as an expert in a specialty advanced practice area, or as a nursing executive.

2. Supply is Low

The anticipated physician shortage, combined with increases in available health management positions, means new opportunities for nurse leaders with a DNP in a specialty advanced practice area. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) projects that the United States will face a shortage of between 54,100 and 139,000 physicians by 2033.

The demographic reality of a lack of access to primary care in underserved communities, an aging workforce, and a growing U.S. population means that physicians, especially primary care providers, are in high demand. Widespread physician burnout, even before the pandemic, is also driving earlier retirement.

Simultaneously, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that the health care management field will grow 17 percent from 2014 to 2024. The result is more space for nurse leaders with a DNP in board rooms, federal or state health-related agencies, or clinical research institutes.

3. Niche Expertise is Needed

Technology is an integral part of modern healthcare. The COVID-19 pandemic only accelerated the commercialization of healthcare technology. There are now exciting and lucrative new roles at silicone-valley-style startups. These businesses capitalize on technologies such as artificial intelligence, telemedicine, virtual care, wearable medical devices, genomics, and gene editing in the healthcare sphere.

Many of these new companies are looking for executive leaders with direct healthcare experience to guide them in transferring novel technology to healthcare. DNP’s with advanced education and training in Executive Nurse Leadership are desirable candidates for growing health tech companies.

4. Health Systems Require Diverse Perspectives

There are now more opportunities than ever for minority nurse leaders in the U.S. There continues to be a lack of representation of the nursing field’s full diversity in healthcare leadership positions. In addition to the pandemic, 2020 and 2021 also witnessed growing racial tensions, the Black Lives Matter movement, and a more significant societal commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).

Our nation’s reckoning with its history of systemic racism is now holding our healthcare systems, government agencies, academic institutions, and healthcare companies to higher standards for DEI. Minority nurses with a DNP degree are qualified to serve in leadership positions. They will lead the charge in shaping the future of nursing practice, driving necessary policy changes, and improving patient care outcomes, cultural competence, and health equity.

​​​​5. T​omorrow’s Nurses Need You

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) predicts a severe shortage of Registered Nurses (RNs). Baby Boomers are aging, and the unmet need for health care is growing.

Leadership roles change rapidly in the fast-paced healthcare environment. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated that rate of change. Highly-educated, skilled nurse leaders with a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree are desperately needed to help lead our healthcare system’s successful recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Find the Right Program for You

With a DNP, you can help to shape the future of nursing practice and strategically earn a seat at the table, representing all nurses as you help to drive the systemic changes so desperately needed. With more doctorate of nursing programs now available with flexible online course options, and employers looking to advance more nurses to leadership positions, the future looks bright for those considering a DNP.