Business Planning - Online Course

As part of the Director-Level Nurse Leadership Program, this course focuses on how nurse leaders develop and present business plans to support new initiatives, improvements, or services. Learners examine how to define a problem, evaluate evidence, assess feasibility, and communicate value to decision-makers. The emphasis is on building proposals that are clear, supported, and aligned with organizational priorities.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME?

Nurse leaders are often expected to improve outcomes, introduce new services, or solve complex problems—but even strong ideas may not move forward without a clear plan.

A well-developed business plan helps you define the need, support your proposal with evidence, and demonstrate feasibility. It also helps decision-makers understand the value of your idea and increases the likelihood of approval and support.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Business Planning
1. Explain why nurse leaders use business plans.
2. Explain why nurse leaders use business plans.
3. Assess the feasibility and fit of a proposed plan.
4. Differentiate a business plan from a strategic plan.

CONTENT REVIEWERS

Michael Cooper, Ph.D., MSN, RN, CCRN, HACP-CMS, ACUE
Dr. Michael Cooper, Ph.D., MSN, RN, CCRN, HACP-CMS, ACUE is an executive nurse leader with over 35 years of nursing experience, including 28 years in the United States Army Nurse Corps. He has served in traditional nurse executive leadership positions in critical care, from the bedside to Chief Nursing Officer, across inpatient and outpatient care settings, with a wide variety of additional skill sets, including Veteran Affairs Liaison, Telehealth, Inspector General, and Healthcare Recruiting. Dr. Cooper serves as an Assistant Professor of Nursing, Arkansas State University, in the Traditional BSN/Accelerated Program of Nursing.

Jason King, DNP, RN, CENP, FAONL
Jason King, DNP, RN, CENP, FAONL is a Chief Operating Officer, Chief Nursing Officer. In healthcare for 21 years, Jason received his Doctor of Nursing Practice from the Indiana University School of Nursing. Receiving fourteen awards for nursing excellence since 2002, this year, Jason was inducted as a Fellow into the American Organization for Nursing Leadership. Jason is an active participant in seven organizations/boards and has twice been published in Simulation Research.

AUTHORS BY SECTION

Business Planning
Robin Toms, PhD, MN, RN, NEA-BC