The evolving complexities of healthcare leadership demand nurse executives who integrate advanced clinical expertise with robust business acumen. As healthcare systems face mounting cost pressures, quality mandates, and operational challenges, clinical preparation alone may be insufficient (Bayram et al., 2022; Singh et al., 2024). National reports emphasize the urgency of developing leaders capable of driving systemic change and applying business, financial, and operational competencies in healthcare decision-making (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2021).

Despite the growth of Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs nationwide, many provide limited formal business education (Ervin, 2021). While the DNP is the preferred doctoral credential for advanced clinical practice, its role in preparing nurses for executive leadership remains debated. In contrast, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) equips graduates with essential business skills but omits clinical preparation (DeSales University, 2024; University of Michigan-Flint, 2024).

Currently, little is known about how key stakeholders – graduate nursing faculty, Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs), and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) - perceive the comparative value of the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), DNP, MBA, and emerging DNP/MBA dual degree in preparing nurse leaders. To our knowledge, no published research has examined these perspectives across these groups.

This study addresses that gap by presenting findings from a national survey of nursing faculty, CNOs, and CEOs. It explores their views on the value of integrating business education in graduate nursing curricula and their degree preferences for preparing future nurse executives. Given the increasing complexity of healthcare leadership, there is a critical need to understand how academic preparation aligns with the advanced clinical and business competencies that executives require in nurse leaders.