[Dixiecup]

Contrary to most of the posts here, I love being a DON. it all depends on what your nitch is and what you are good at. management is my calling and I love it. The majority of my staff respect me and are willing to go the extra mile for me as they know I will for them.

As far as the job offer. I am currently the ADON at the faciclity I work now and I love the position. I still am able to maintain the management work I love but there's always someone to pass the buck to!

But a few months ago our DON got a wonderful job offer and put in her notice. She's been there six years and is loved by everyone including myself. No one wanted to see her go.

I was offered the position, her shoes would have been hard to fill but I knew her job as well as mine and the staff would have accepted me without any problem.

I did not really want to take the position, but I had horrible visions of what we would get as a DON so I thought I would rather take the position rather than risk getting a terrible DON and I would probably end up doing her job and mine too anyway.

Luckily our DON changed her mind at the last minute so out worries were over!

I guess the best thing to do is list the pros and cons of both positions and go from there.

[CapeCodMermaid]

I've been the DNS at two different buildings and like anything else it has its plusses and minuses. There is stress in any job in nursing. If you want the job take it. I've learned so much in my position. I still have time for patient contact. It's a wonderful feeling to take a building with problems and fix them! It's very rewarding to see nurses who wouldn't take any initiative step up and be patient advocates. Sure some days I want to be a greeter at Wal Mart, but every day I'm at work I know I've truely made a difference for someone.

[ren46730]

Run Far Away And Don"t Look Back!!!!!!!!!

[donlmnh]

Originally Posted by Nancy1

After reading all of these negative remarks, I am almost afraid to be positive.
I personally feel the reason many crash and burn may because there is no support within the organization. Many times nurses take a DON position without having any training. A good nurse manager moves up in an organization without having a strong knowledge base for the job.
I would recommend asking for a copy of the job standards, if your organization has them. Look at the job description. Is there a LTC DON group in your community? Do you feel that you have strong personal and professional backers?
I am currently an ADON, and I am very much looking forward to moving up to DON within my current organization as we build another facility. I have been getting strong support and leadership opportunities from my current DON because she know I want her job, and I feel that she is helping me reach that goal. We make a good team.
If you have a good solid team you can be successful.
I truly believe that you will get more ngative replies simply because it is our nature to report bad experiences than it is to report positive ones.
Good luck with your decision, I know the decision you make with the information you have will be the correct one for you, Nancy

I agree with you on this one. I am only in my 20's and I have been in a long term care facility now for 7 years. I started out at the bottom as a CNA, then LPN, now RN and the DON. I always said that I would never take this position better yet no administrative job, but the DON before me moved up to the adm. job and talked me into trying the DON job for a while and I LOVE IT!!! I can't see me doing anything else at all. Yes I was afraid about the deal with them firing the DON over a bad survey, but we had our first survey since I took over a year ago and we got deficiency free. The thing about it is great team work, if you have that it will be just fine. I love itat our place because the adm is a RN as well and we get along so good. I want lie it does have it's bad days but you just have to think about the residents and you are there to make sure that they get the best care possible. I think you should consider taking it if you have a great staff working with you!!!!

[Neats]

Wow, these replies make you think. As a LNHA and studet nurse with a year to go I can say a good NHA and DON can provide great services to the LTC community. I have never fired a DON for bad surveys as it is a team effort. A team effort for all staff. We fix the issues and improve. It is hard work and you must have boundaries.

I have heard bad outcome stories about both DON and Administrators who for one reason or another cannot meet the standards and have been fired, LTC is a business and we must meet our budget.

Both Administrators and DON's are "managers" your client contact will be reduced but you will still have some depending upon the size of your facility. All I can say is you will never know until you try.

When I graduate I plan on going back to LTC as an Administrator/BSN Regional Director. I like geriatrics.

[LTCNurse66]

Dear SU,

In the right situation being a DON can be a great experience. I do believe though as great as it is to promote from within, it is not always the best for the Canidate and the facility. It is difficult to change from a staff person to a leader in the same building, but it can work in the right circumstance. I know of a lot of horror stories about DON experiences but I also know a lot of great experiences. I was DON in many buildings and most of them were good experiences. I now have my own LTC consulting company and place interim DON's and nursing support persons on a National Level, this would not have happened without my DON experience. I would be glad to chat with you further if you would like, Good Luck.

[LPN,RNNow]

I just accepted a DON position at my LTC. The place is falling apart at the seams. Morale is poor, call in's are rampant, resident care is marginal. I think I will be very busy. But I am looking forward to try and improve things for my residents.

[CapeCodMermaid]

Good luck.

[LPN,RNNow]

I start on Thursday. I'm nervous and excited all at the same time.

[gracenotes1]

I would take the job. Just remember that the job length expectancy of a DON in LTC is about 5 years.
But, you will learn so much!!! And I have heard of DONs staying in their jobs for a very long time. It will be the experience of a life time. There will be problems but where can you go that there aren't any?
Personally, I would take it.