How to Become a Nurse Administrator in New Hampshire
New Hampshire attracts thousands of visitors yearly to its scenic and recreational landscape. Known as the White Mountain State, New Hampshire has inspired poets and artists. It is the place of many “firsts,” including the first free public library and the first state presidential primaries.
Career Outlook for Nurse Administrators
Healthcare is one of the top three employment sectors in New Hampshire. The industry employs an average of 94,000 workers and has a higher growth rate than New Hampshire’s entire workforce. With those numbers, it’s easy to see why the state would be an excellent option for nurses looking to move into management roles.
The role of a nurse administrator is to manage a team of nurses and patient care staff while continuing to provide quality health care. Nurse administrators need to be skilled communicators, leaders and problem solvers. They also need to be very organized, as they’re involved in scheduling, hiring and delegation of tasks.
For nurses with at least one year of clinical experience, nurse administration can be the next step up to a larger salary and more responsibility. The average salary for nurse administrators in New Hampshire ranges from $66k – $125k. Rates are often based on an individual’s experience level, education and place of employment.
Nurse administrators aren’t just part of the hospital system; they are also employed by physician offices, specialist offices, nursing homes, mental health institutions and anywhere else that nursing staff is necessary.
The outlook for this career path is dependent on the growth rate of nursing, which is expected to reach 9% over the next decade. Just over 275,000 jobs will be added to the market. As nursing grows as an industry, healthcare facilities will need more nurse administrators to manage staff. Nurse administrators are often responsible for anywhere from 75 – 100 employees, depending on their work facility.
Certification or Licensing Requirements in New Hampshire
Similar to other states, New Hampshire has an office specifically for licensing and certification of professional services. The Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, located in Concord, NH, is responsible for housing a database of licenses and regulating professionals who work across fields that require them.
On the Office’s website, nurse administrators can apply for or renew their license, look up current regulations, access educational resources and pay fees. Employers and academic institutions can also use the site to look up licenses and lodge complaints.
To be accepted into an academic program, nurse administrators must have a minimum of one year of clinical experience. After completing the program, they must update their licensing and title.
Top-Rated Nurse Administrator Programs in New Hampshire
1. Franklin Pierce University
Franklin Pierce University is located in Rindge, New Hampshire, a small town along the state’s southern border. The campus is an hour or less away from major cities and towns like Keene, Nashua, Manchester, Portsmouth and Lowell, Massachusetts.
Franklin Pierce is a private university with an 85% acceptance rate and a 49% graduation rate. The university strives to combine a liberal arts foundation with professional preparation. With an enrollment of 1,600 students on 1,200 acres, there’s more than enough room at Franklin if you’re looking for a rural university. The student-to-faculty ratio is 13:1.
Aside from the main campus in Rindge, there are three other locations in Manchester, NH; Lebanon, NH; and Goodyear, Arizona.
The School of Nursing at Franklin Pierce offers a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with several focus areas: Nursing Leadership, Nursing Education, Registered Nurse to MSN and Master’s Entry Program. The Nursing Leadership focus would be most appropriate for those looking to pursue nurse administration.
Additionally, graduate students can choose a dual path of MSN and Master of Business Administration. This program is 100% online with part -or- full-time options for nursing students, making it easy to continue working while pursuing a degree. The minimum completion rate for this program is 18 months.
Courses accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing include the following:
- Nursing Science in Training
- Health Policy and Population Health Issues
- Inferential Statistics
- Organizational Development
- Quality Improvement Models in Healthcare
- Strategic Planning and Project Management
Students interested in applying to the program need a baccalaureate degree, a diploma from an accredited nursing program, a current license, a minimum GPA of 2.8 and successful completion of an undergraduate statistics course.
2. Rivier University
The famous city of Nashua, New Hampshire, is home to Rivier University. This private Catholic university welcomes students of all backgrounds. Nashua, located in southern New Hampshire, has an extensive trail system running through Mine Falls Park and a thriving New England culture. Highlights include fine dining, historic architecture, orchestral events and more.
Rivier University’s acceptance rate is 76%, with a graduation rate of 52%. Annual enrollment, including graduate students, is just over 2,200. The student-to-faculty ratio is 15:1, and previous students applaud the small class sizes. The 68-acre campus is in a suburban area but close to city life. Nursing Schools Almanac rated Rivier as a top 50 private nursing school nationally in 2022.
Although several MSN programs are available, the MSN in Leadership in Health Systems Management is the most likely to be beneficial to future nurse administrators. This program aims to prepare current, active nurses for leadership roles in the changing healthcare industry.
This online program lasts two years at the maximum, requiring 36 credit hours. It’s a combined curriculum of 14-week nursing courses and seven-week business courses. Rivier cites the impending growth of the nursing industry as the inspiration for their leadership-based program. It focuses on enhancing patient care while leading teams in a healthcare setting.
Rivier University’s online admissions process requires an application, transcripts from previously attended universities, a statement of purpose, two letters of recommendation, evidence of an active RN license, a minimum 3.0 GPA, a resume and the completion of several forms outlining a course of study. Nurses applying for the MSN program also need proof of at least two years of RN experience and a professional portfolio.
3. Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU)
Southern New Hampshire University’s main campus is located in Manchester, New Hampshire, with a flight campus at Nashua Airport. The 300-acre Manchester campus is just minutes from downtown and boasts mountains to the north as well as the ocean to the east. Boston is about an hour south.
SNHU is a private university with a 94% acceptance rate and a 33% graduation rate. As one of the more populated universities on this list, SNHU has an annual enrollment of 63,000 students. The student-to-faculty ratio is 13:1, and the average class size is 14, surprisingly small for such a large student body.
The MSN in Nursing Leadership is one of five career tracks in the MSN Nursing program. It is designed to fast-track students to their degrees and career while providing quality education. This leadership track includes 135 clinical practicum hours, so nurses will continue getting hands-on experience while learning to lead and manage a team. Courses include the following:
- Healthcare Quality and Improvement
- Strategic Skills for Nurse Executive Leaders
- Advanced Concepts for Nurse Executive Leaders
- Clinical Nurse Leader Capstone
- Patient Safety and Quality Capstone
SNHU promises a decision within days of submitting the required material for admissions. Prospective MSN Nursing students must have an active RN license, a BA degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and a completed MSN Program Acknowledgement Form.
4. University of New Hampshire (UNH)
The University of New Hampshire’s main campus is in Durham, a town located just west of Portsmouth on the Great Bay. Durham is a historical university town and provides plenty of recreational and cultural opportunities for students to get involved.
UNH has an 85% acceptance rate and a 77% graduation rate, one of the highest in the state. The university has a large student body of just over 15,000 and a 19:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
When it comes to graduate nursing degrees, UNH offers several MSN programs but most relevant to the position of nurse administrator is the MSN Clinical Nurse Leader option. This degree track focuses on nursing with leadership experience, giving students the ability to manage teams and solve complex problems in the system. Graduates are eligible to sit for the clinical nurse leader national certification exam upon completing the program.
According to the University of New Hampshire, the goal of this program is to prepare nurses for leadership roles in patient safety, risk mitigation and system design while becoming effective communicators and professional advocates for patients and social justice. Students are expected to meet the requirements for both clinical and non-clinical coursework.
To pursue this degree, prospective students will need to apply to UNH and provide the following information: transcripts, three letters of recommendation, a personal statement, an essay and an unencumbered RN license in the United States. RNs who hold a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing may apply to the program and will be considered based on faculty discretion.