Accepting new job as RN Supervisor

[gladtobeOB]

HI, Just a few questions. I am accepting a new job as an RN Supervisor at a small facility of 50-59 residents on the dayshift hours. I need to know since all jobs I have held are as a staff nurse in hospitals, what do you do all day(no offense just asking what your job entails when you walk in the door for the day), what are your responsiblities, what is the good and bad of the job, what makes a good supervisor, what things should i learn, how does it this positiion benefit you, etc. Could go on and on with questions but guess I won't. Just need some input on the job and what I can do to be productive, good supervisor and care for my residents in the proper way. Do you instill a lot of new programs or standards of care etc. Any imput will be greatly appreciated.

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

Ask for a job description...it varies from facility to facility. I'm considered a supervisor now where I work. 48 pts. Lpn has 22 I have 24. I supervise all care, while also passing meds, tx, orders, deal with families, docs and staff issues.

Another place I was a supervisor. 2 lpns for 47 pts...they did all hands on care. I did orders, MDS, care planning, dealt with docs, families etc and overall management of the floor.

I'd suggest getting alittle hands on at first..ie meds, treatments. Helps get to know the pts and staffing routines. YOu will find out tons of problems/concerns etc when you are actually walking the walk.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

I was the day supervisor for a 142 bed facility. My duties included but were not limited to: staffing the building at 7am if there were call outs,gathering the census forms for the business office, making rounds to check all the critical patients, reviewing every new admission chart for completeness(we average 10 admissions a week), checking on quarterly assessments for completion, checking care plans for completion, chairing the wound/skin committee, being the Managed Care Case manager, doing the med pass if we were short, attending medicare meeting if the nurse manager on the medicare unit was out, making sure all weights were done, running the weight wellness meetings....are you getting the point?? The day supervisor has to do it all. I was expected to know something about all 142 residents which was easier than dealing with the nasty staff at 7am... good luck.

PS. Now I'm the assistant DON and still have most of those jobs, and then some to do.