Floor to Mgmt? Smooth transition?

[General E. Speaking, RN, RN]

I am applying for a clinical coordinator position on the Telemetry Unit where I work. It is a new position and even if I do not get the job, it will be a great thing for our unit. I have been through one interview which went well. I have been at my hospital for 10 years. Besides payroll and scheduling, this position will include a lot of education. I am excited because I am also the Unit Educator of my unit. This is a supplemental position in addition to my full time status as floor/charge nurse.

Being at a facility for 10 years, you really get to know a lot of the people/doctors that you work with. I have thought a lot about my role as staff/charge nurse to manager and how relationships will change. I do feel confident that I will be able to do what is right for the unit despite my relationships with other staff members. I have been in a leadership role in the past due to my being unit educator and I am involved in a few committees and have been instrumental in making positive changes in our unit on behalf of our nurses. I help with new employee orientation and am a preceptor. I am usually the go-to-guy on my unit when they want something and I try very hard to get a resolution.

I do not have any mgmt experience. I am very excited about this new role. I have lots of ideas about improving our unit. I get along well with the staff. I know it will have challenges but I feel up for it. Hopefully, I am not being too optimistic and get myself into a position that I really despise.

I would like to hear your thoughts. Have you transitioned from floor to mgmt? What were your experiences? (good or bad) Am I being over zealous?

Any advice??

Thanks!

[MelRN13]

I transitioned from floor to management in July, and it is still a learning process. I guess it really depends on how much training and support that you receive from your upline. I haven't really had any, just thrown in an office with a "to-do" list...

One pro is that I had already worked with all of my staff for 6 years, so we are all pretty comfortable in open communication.

Good luck to you!

[General E. Speaking, RN, RN]

Thanks for the comment. I feel I will have upper mgmt support if I get the job.

Any other nurses out there who went from floor to mgmt? I would love to here your experiences.

[janetthomasrn]

I was hired from outside of a hospital into a management position having no management experience. It was as the other poster stated a learning experience. There was literally no orientation and my director had numerous issues of her own. There was a reason they had to hire outside the unit to find a manager. However, I saw it as an opportunity. I saw challenges not as obstacles but as opportunities for personal growth and the fact that everything wasn't perfect was a great opportunity for me to make changes. I did a lot to education myself, when there was a nursing leadership conference I went, I enrolled in seminars on how to supervise others, I subscribed to leadership organizations like AONE and read books on leadership. I stepped down because to me it became apparent that I should have my degree and that seemed more possible while doing a staff nurse position because management positions are typically much more than 40 hours a week.