How to get into management? I'm an LVN. I have a Bachelor's in liberal arts and a business minor. I have a Master's in healthcare administration yet, I can seem to get past the job interview gatekeepers. How can I get a Mgmt job?
Well, I’m assuming you’re talking about a nursing management position on a unit in a hospital. I guess because you have not worked in an RN position. I really can’t say for sure. Plus, I’m not sure what type of position,so it’s kind of hard to answer that question. We had a nurse manager with a masters degree in nursing and she had only worked a couple of months on the floor before she got her masters so she really didn’t have a lot of experience on the floor and she made a very bad nurse manager. She was let go. That could be why they’re not considering you because you really haven’t had experience working on a unit as a RN. It is different than a LVN. I’m assuming because it’s like hiring new grads to a position on the floor. They want you to have some type of previous experience working in that kind of a situation so that you will be able to manage it better.
I was a CNA, then LPN and did the LPN to RN upgrade. I continued on to RN to BSN upgrade. There is definitely a difference in working on the unit depending in the position you take.
I think it would benefit you to highlight your Masters degree of healthcare administration on your resume followed by business management emphasis with “minimum” emphasis on the LVN. LVN is not a management position.
Wit
I was an LVN doing case management before becoming an ADN -RN. After working several years I wanted to get into management however most management positions require at least a BSN. Now I'm finishing an RN-MSN bridge program specialized in administration and management. What I realized is that in nursing management positions minimal requirement is an RN and a BSN with an MSN preference. Most nursing units are mandated by third party payers and state regulators to have positions of nurse supervisors up to nurse directors have at least a BSN and a component of an RN license.
I've seem a rare situation where a respiratory therapist with a BS degree was managing a nursing unit.
I really believe you can best put your search in other areas of the healthcare organization where your well qualified. The nursing management movement seem to gravitate towards having an MSN to be in any leadership position.
Good luck
