Calling All Nurse Managers/Clinical Directors

[RNPATL]

hi everyone.... this thread is dedicated as an introductory thread for all the nurse managers and clinical directors out there. no matter what area of nursing you are working in, we want to get to know you. please take a moment to post a message and tell us a little about yourself and your career as a nurse manager/clinical director or director of nursing. if you are a nurse that has an interest in management related issues ... feel free to tell us who you are.

nursing management can be and often is a very lonely position to hold. no matter how popular you are with the staff, you are still the manager (boss) and are subject to criticism. it can be and often is very disheartening as well as frustrating. not to mention the call, and the amount of hours we work. in an effort to get us off to a great start .... please tell us about a management experience that was your most challenging and one that was your most rewarding. please remember confidentiality - so keep your post pretty non-specific, if possible.

it is my hope that this forum can be a support system to nurse managers and clinical directors. please feel free to use it that way!

i am looking forward to meeting everyone (virtually) and having some really powerful, educational and wonderful discussions here. i will post my introduction after a while ... i am very interested in meeting you all first.

thank you - patrick (rnpatl).

[nurselulu]

It is so nice to hear from nurses with so many varied backgrounds and years of experience - and those just starting out. I applaud all of you:roll Since I am so new into the Home Health arena, I would love to hear from other nurses with HH experience and nurse managers used to dealing with Medicare and Medicaid. We are a small agency (13 patients at present) but I know once we become Medicare/Medicaid certified we are going to get real busy real fast. Any suggestions? Thank you, Nurselulu:nurse:

[NurseKLyN]

Hi, I have been a unit manager for almost a year now in LTC. It's been quiet a roller coaster which most of my days I felt I was at the bottom trying to get to the top(as far as my work goes). I have had good training and the support system at the facitility is one that I have never had. It's a very hard position but there are people there willing to help in any way they can. More than that they know what can be done and cannot be done.

Not only learning the job is hard and trying to manage the unit. My most problem area is delegation. I know that everyone is busy and I tend to try to do more than delegate and of course that gets me long hours and overtime. I don't want long hours and overtime. I just want to be able to take care of my residents the best possible way. I want them to call our facility as close to home as you can be. I do recieve constructive critism which is hard to take at times but the way it's done makes me want to listen more. I am just a person that wants things done right and not have to be told but working in my position that's now possible because there will always be something that I forgot or an improvement that needs to be made. I want to be the best I can be and I know I have lots more to learn.

I enjoy my position and at this time I can't think of another place I'd rather be.

I do care alot for my residents, their families my coworkers and my bosses. It really feels like we are a family.

[Turk182]

I'm a nurse manager, in a small rural hospital, of a 20 bed medical surgical unit. I use the term medical surgical loosely because we care for patients that would otherwise be on a cardiac step down unit or in ICU unit in other hospitals. We regularly have cardiac drips, an even intubated patients on the floor ( not often though ) because 1) we are the only floor in the hospital and have no ICU and 2) we are waiting for a bed to become available at another hospital. I currently oversee approximately 22 FTE's, and I do not use agency nurses.

I've been in this position for 10 months now, and was one of the night time supervisors before this, as well as the night shift ER nurse. ( In our ER we have one nurse, one tech and one doc on nights, with a nurse on call each night.) When I took this position, I knew I had many challanges facing me, which was one of the reasons I applied for the position.

The floor had 3 different managers in about 5 years. My perception as a supervisor was the staff pretty much ran the floor. I don't know if the managers just wanted to be "liked", if they were too tired to stand up to the staff after a while, or what.

My first challange was for the staff to see me as somebody other than an "ER nurse taking over." ( there has been an on going turf war between the departments.) There was a lot of resentment as well as suspicion. The talk was I had been placed in the position to do the ER's bidding so to speak. My second challange was to help the staff see the bigger picture. They felt their floor always got the short end of the stick regardless of the situation. We have a nursing home attached to our hospital, and therefore people are pulled to other departments ( if they are competent ) and to the nursing home if staff have called in. Our department has the flectuating census, so often it is my staff who are pulled, and they resent that. They also resent being placed on call or called off when the census is very low. I'd say that my biggest challange would be having the staff admit that they see the bigger picture and that my job is ultimately patient safety, safety of staff and how effectively the unit runs.

The staff sees me staying late on crazy days, putting in overtime to get them through, and working in the trenches with them when needed. That has probably given me the most "street credit" in their eyes. I've gotten rid of nurses who were flat out unsafe ( who had been there for a long while and never delt with) and delt with a multitude of bad behaviors that had been ignored for years. I would have to say that my biggest accomplishment would be when I had an LPN, who's been there for over 30 years and did what she wanted basically, go to the nursing home when it was her time to be pulled. It was a scene, and she actually asked me what would happen if she refused to go... after I told her, she went... and nobody in the hospital believed she would.

I don't expect anyone to be my friend, I'm fair, and I have clearly defined expections. I get very aggrevated at times because it feels like I'm dealing with children and not professionals, but I try to keep it in check. I'm glad to have found this forum and look forward to reading other manager's challanges and solutions.

Thanks!

"If you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem."

[pedsallergynurse]

Hello. I am the nursing care manager for a multi physician pediatric office. I am only 6 weeks into the position though I have worked in this office for 19 years. I amzes me the how differntly my co-workers are since I accepted this position!!! Suddenly nobody seems to be able to be independent thinkers. And the worst one is the former nursing care manager who voluntarily resigned from the position. I really expected her to be more of a mentor not to undercut me at every opportunity.

I feel I am bringing some structure and guidance though I am not feeling I am able to portray the advocate of the nurses as I was hoping. Thanks for the opportunity to vent.

[WaynesvilleRN]

Hello,

I am the Coordinator of the Outpatient Surgery, Endoscopy, and Pre-Op Clinic. I have been in this role for over 2 years. Prior to this I worked in the Mental Health Field as a QDDP, Residential Director, and Nurse Coordinator....(I know interesting jump.) I have worked at Mission in Asheville in the Peds units and have worked all over the Western part of NC.

[lberghood]

Hi I just recently accepted a position of a supervisor of a 180 bed acute psychiatric hospital on weekends Inever wanted to go into management but i am surprised to find out how much i like it.. I am very new and my responsibilities are far less than a "manager" Mostly i handle staffing, patient and staff complaints, performance evaluations, and collobaorating with other departments such as dietary and admissions

My experience has opened up a whole new world for me and i am very interested in pursuing this farther and i feel that my experience has also helped me to be a better staff nurse and see more of the "big picture" I also am struggling with the adjustment and dealing with some difficult personalities and the transition in some of my relationships with coworkers. I finally am at a point in my life where i really can say that i do not care if everyone likes me but i want to do a good job, be fair and be respected. Any suggestions from anyone with similar experiences would be appreciated

[ORNURSE149]

Each morning or evening before you leave make a list of accomplishments and then prioritize them accoding to importance. some days the list only grows and other days it shrinks. Being an effective time manager is critical and vigilent at keeping track of appointments the same. Everyone struggles so you are not alone.

[infectionRN]

Hi,

I'm new here, I am an ADON of a rehab facility that has 150 beds. It can be very challenging and rewarding as well. I am also responsible for infection control and teaching the staff. Rewarding, but challenging.

[dimple_christ]

Dear Friends,

I am Nursing director aspirant. Recently i applyied for the post of nursing director. Having done that i want to what are the protocols( rules) that are meant for various department in the hospitals/ nursing .

Department like:

anatomy

surgical

and various other dept that are available

Plz forgive me if i posted in wrong thread

i am newbie

i am very badly in need of this

information.

Tnx in advance

[serenity_joy]

Hello, I am a new director of nurses at a very small rural hospital.Does anyone have an orientation packet they can share with me including test for LPN and RN's thank you serenity

[workhorse]

I am also a manager at a small rural hospital. I have probably been in management 15 of the 30 plus years I have been practicing. I always say I will not do it anymore, but end up in the management area anyway--my kids say its because I am naturally "bossy". Where I am now however is working out fairly well so Maybe I'll stay til I "retire" at 80 or so!!!

[kidsrme]

Hello,

I have recently accepted a position as director of a 24 bed PICU and 13 bed critical care units (yes 2 separate units). As I am new to this forum and to management, I welcome all thoughts.

Kidsrme