It was very rewarding for me. I was able to mentor ALL staff and make sure they all knew their role was equally important. I made sure my team felt supported. When they were busy I jumped in and helped out. They knew I had their back.
First of all, after 40 years of RN in various, I've learned shortcuts. A nurse manager can create a negative environment. The higher degree doesn't mean a better performance. Tolerating a negative employee only contaminates the positive employees. Being a nurse manager you must be across the board fair. I never practiced family, friends, or favorites. I never interfered with my staff. You must be firm, fair, unpredictable, understanding.
My history is that I went to a hospital-based program and then pursued my BSN, MSN, and MBA at night, Having said that the nurse manager is responsible for 24/7 responsibility and the assistant nurse manager needs to support the manager and be able to assume the responsibilities when the manager is not available. The entire unit's budget is also the responsibility of the manager as well as the staffing of the unit and the use of resources responsibly.
Interested to know
Multiple roles inside 1 position
Stressful
Nurse manager is like a supervisor of all the staff on a unit, making sure that all patient’s needs are met at the right time.
- Basically making sure the unit runs smoothly
- Review resident meds changes with PCP
- Review resident meds with Psych, making sure, meds that are PRN D/C when they supposed to.
- Deals with resident’s family concerns
- Work with maintenance when necessary
- Work with housekeeping when necessary
- Deals with hospice and hospital referral and much more.
That is going to depend on the are youa re working. Acute setting, Case Mnagement, Skilled Nursing Facility, Outpatient Rehabilitation, Transitional Care Unit. A DON (aka DSN) is on call 24/7, an ADON gets everything that rolls down hill and up hill. Both tough positions. You have to have tough skin and not be a cry baby.
I became a nurse case manager and am currently a manager. There’s an administrative and operative piece that is different than floor nursing that some nurses like and others don’t. I personally like it because I can see a larger view of the patient when it comes to case management. As a manager I am more interested in process, quality management and program performance but that involves a deep understanding of nursing to inform your judgement. I draw on clinical skill constantly. Just more cerebral and less about clinical practice
Being realistic in covid times, You know what needs to be done and how it should be done, but you can only absorb so many different positions, you either burn out or check out, or change fields, expect to re-evaluate your place/specialty of employment. Nursing is a juggling act.
You do more paperwork than using your nursing skills, but it is up to you to go on the floor sometimes and help.
