• Nurseoperation nurse image by Andrey Rakhmatullin from Fotolia.com
  
  Nurse supervisors oversee other nurses' execution of patient care and all aspects of nursing personnel, including hiring, training, performance management, evaluation and termination. Nursing supervisors also create schedules, prioritize the daily work load, delegate duties and work within the budget to accommodate work-related expenses.
  
  

Education

• Nurse supervisors are required to be certified registered nurses (RNs). To be certified, RNs must complete a certificate or diploma nursing program or hold an associate's or bachelor's degree in nursing.
  
  Certificate or diploma programs require a high school diploma or GED and usually take two to three years to complete. While this route generally qualifies graduates only for entry-level positions, certificate or diploma holders can become nurse supervisors when they have gained at least three years of job experience.
  
  Most nurse supervisors achieve their RN certification through an associate's degree nursing program, which also takes two to three years. Students attend classes in health care and in advanced sciences, such as microbiology.
  
  Nurse supervisors with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing (BSN) have the highest earning potential. BSN programs typically take a total of four years to complete and require students to practice supervised clinical training under licensed RNs.
  
  

Licensing

• Another requirement for becoming an RN is to successfully complete the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN), a six-hour computerized exam that tests nursing skills and ability. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, some states have additional licensing requirements.
  
  

Experience

• Most nursing supervisor positions require candidates to have at least three years of clinical nursing experience before applying to be a supervisor.
  
  

Personal Qualifications

• Nurse supervisors should have intimate knowledge of medical procedures and terminology, excellent interpersonal and communication skills and be able to pay close attention to detail. They also should have skills in supervising, accounting, budgeting, prioritizing and delegating responsibilities as well as the ability to respond quickly to emergency situations.