Make no mistake. Business in nursing is big time.

It doesn’t matter the setting, either. Primary care, nursing education, hospice, ER – business. It’s a true dichotomy between selfishness and selflessness. Don’t get me wrong. Profits keep the doors open and the mission trucking, but even for this MSN and MBA grad, I constantly struggle with the business in nursing (extreme profits, fierce competition, stepping on colleagues to get to the “top,” vying for attention, politics). I much prefer it the other way around – more nursing in business.

Often times I am torn between decisions – my nursing and business perspectives in direct opposition to one another. I realize my personality frames my outlook, and this may not be the case with other nurses in business. It’s quite an internal dilemma, however; one I never thought would have existed since I am passionate about both nursing and business. Decisions must be made, nonetheless.

I was recently reminded again that business is business – even when it’s nursing, yet I have the choice to lead and manage with integrity, a characteristic I’m thankful is teeming within the nursing profession.

How do you manage the business of nursing?