What do nurse managers and clinical directors actually do?

Specialties Management

Updated:   Published

On any given day, what are the responsibilities you have as nurse manager or clinical director? I think management sounds fascinating and the 30+ year career nurses in my unit say they see me in management or as a director down the road, so I thought I'd see what it's all about!

Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

What kind of word is responsibigies ?

As the DNS I am responsible for all 150+ patients, 100 staff--everything they do and don't do. It's a very stressful life...been on call 24/7 for the past 10 years.

If anyone calls out, I have to either fill the slot or take the cart...deal with families, deal with recalcitrant doctors who don't do what they're supposed to do, deal with the DPH, DEA, BON and many of regulatory bodies...and then there's the budget

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
Truth_be-told said:
What do nurse managers usually do? The truth be told .

Feel better now?

You should try paragraphs.

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I'm working on getting my cna license while finishing up my A&P courses. I will have some in between time before I can apply for the nursing program so I figured I should get some experience under my belt before I start the program. Where should I look for work experience as a cna? I don't want to work in a nursing/retirement home as an Rn. I'm leaning more towards DR offices Mon.-Fri.

Thank you!

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.
Itwillallbeworthit23 said:
I'm working on getting my cna license while finishing up my A&P courses. I will have some in between time before I can apply for the nursing program so I figured I should get some experience under my belt before I start the program. Where should I look for work experience as a cna? I don't want to work in a nursing/retirement home as an RN. I'm leaning more towards Dr offices Mon.-Fri.

Thank you!

If you say you don't want to work in a nursing home, you can always work in a hospital. Most are 12 hr shifts and as a new grad more than likely night shift. As far as working Mon-Fri in a doctor's office be aware that is extremely rare especially as a new grad. Doctor's offices normally are staffed by Medical Assistants and like 1 RN. Some don't hire RNs at all and have some NPs on staff that take on additional duties.

As far as where to work to get CNA experience? Hospital or nursing home. Good luck!

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Jessy_RN said:
If you say you don't want to work in a nursing home, you can always work in a hospital. Most are 12 hr shifts and as a new grad more than likely night shift. As far as working Mon-Fri in a doctor's office be aware that is extremely rare especially as a new grad. Doctor's offices normally are staffed by Medical Assistants and like 1 RN. Some don't hire RNs at all and have some NPs on staff that take on additional duties.

As far as where to work to get CNA experience? Hospital or nursing home. Good luck

Sorry for posting this on this thread that was totally by accident. I'm new on here, just learning how to use the site. I thought I was posting on my own thread.

Thank you for your comment! I have been doing a ton of research on this idea that if I get my cna license while working towards my RN I can possibly get a job at a hospital working in the ER. I've read that some hospitals hire cna's in there. My thought was to call the hospitals around here to find out for sure, and how often do they hire in. I just don't want to waste my time getting my cna if I have to work in a retirement home. I would rather volunteer at a hospital where I can learn!

I did say I want to work in a Dr office, but only because it's Mon-fri and with a family my husband likes that idea. My heart is set on being in the hospital. So I am kind of relieved to hear that it's rare to find nurses in the physicians office. (Shh don't tell my husband LOL). What do others do to get experience before they get into the nursing program? How did you go about doing it? I just want to make sure I'm on the right track and not doing something counter productive.

If you have some insight on what I'm trying to do and if you can help me further I would greatly appreciate some feedback. Thank you!

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

This will vary greatly on location. In my area, they don't hire CNAs in the ER. They hire EMTs who also have their PCT. They also hire paramedics instead of LPNs and so on.

Your best bet is to try Med-surg or the like to get CN experience.

Good luck

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

Did you guys scare away the OP?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

I was in management for 7 years during the late 80s to mid 90s. After leaving that position, I vowed to never ever work in management again. I do NOT want to be called about ANYTHING when my shift is done.

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Truth_be-told said:
What do nurse managers usually do? The truth be told, the house slaves (managers)

sit in their nice, cozy, almost sterile, air conditioned cubicles and watch TV, play on the computer, stuff their faces with food, etc .

Man... where do you work? It sounds like I need to get a job there as a manager. My 50+ hour work weeks busting my butt certainly do not compare to your experience at any of the hospitals I have worked at. Walk a mile in the managers shoes and it may not be so "cushy" as you think...either that or you have a really crappy manager.

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MBARNBSN, lots of what you state are delegated tasks.

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

They might be delegatable tasks, but chances are there is either no one to delegate to or anyone you try to delegate these tasks to would do a half ass job.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
AnnoyedNurse said:
MBARNBSN, lots of what you state are delegated tasks.

I don't delegate my job. I do my job. I am a middle manager and a charge nurse. What tasks have I written that can delegate? I call doctors and page them myself. I pass my own meds. I talk directly to whomever.... I also perform my own teachings, audits,... huddles... attend meetings... trainings.. etc. myself. Are you talking about when I ask other departments to take care of things? Yes, I delegate the task of Engineering to Engineering and Housekeeping to Housekeeping... However, I perform my own follow ups because *I* am questioned as to why something is not done and not someone else.

I also supervise my direct reports myself. I evaluate them myself. I take care of their needs and help them to grow, myself. I discipline them myself. I do not have others to delegate to because again I am a middle manager + a charge nurse so I also run my shift myself. Maybe once I am off the floor and further up the food chain, then what you wrote will be true?

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