Advancement

[Fray]

I have been a unit manager in my current facility for nearly 2 years (was a CNA for years prior to this at the same facility).

I have learned so much about long-term care since taking this position and am grateful for the guidance I have received from upper management. It feels, however, that learning has since come to a stand-still and I am now being taken advantage of. Over the past year I have taken over wound care (this position has been eliminated), initiating care plans, attending care plan meetings, event investigations, taking call as well as filling in for call outs TOO frequently (taking cart, CNA, etc). I would prefer to learn about the details i.e. MDS, QA, and staff development, but my boss seems frustrated when I try to involve myself in these things. I feel that I have proven I am a detailed, adaptive learner, but because of my age, I am not taken seriously.

I am interviewing for an ADON position at another facility. Curious if anyone has any advice since this would be new for me as it is something that I genuinely want. Or just let me know if I'm acting crazy. Lol.

[Nascar nurse, ASN, RN]

You are not crazy at all. Years ago I had worked at a facility for nearly 20 years. Was a long time successful MDS coordinator and had advanced up to ADON for a couple years. While ADON, I applied twice for an open MDS regional spot and was turned down both times. Later, in casual conversation with regional people I knew well, it came out subtly that they couldn't advance me out of our building as I was too important to the overall running of the facility. That sealed the deal for me and I left that facility (and the entire company) shortly after for my first DON job. By boxing me in and failing to let me continue to grow, they lost a 20+ year employee.

[litbitblack, ASN, RN]

I know the feeling of being boxed in a position. For a while I was led to believe after one ADON retired I was going to be placed in an office position as well. When the time came for that person to retire the staff developement nurse moved up to the ADON position and they opened a office 3 days week/floor 2 days a week position for an LVN. The main administrator was the spouse of the retired ADON and said there was no way they were putting an RN back in the position despite the fact that the position was made for the staff developement nurse. I have been here 10 years. I like it for the most part but am feeling taken advantage of. Maybe burn out. There are never any openings for advancement-they tend to find who they want for a position and fill it without ever posting anything. I don't want to do this another 20 years but do like knowing the info I do. I feel for you.

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

Advancement within the same facility in LTC isn't always easy. Sometimes they don't want to hire a floor nurse for a management position simply because they don't want to leave the floor position open when they are already short staffed.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

Years ago I worked as a nurse manager for a very busy sub acute unit. I had that role for 4 years. A supervisor job opened up so I applied. I was very well qualified for the job. The DON told me point blank she wasn't going to give me the job because she 'couldn't afford to lose me as a sub acute manager' and she didn't think she'd be able to find a replacement as good as I was. I told her point blank that I had no intentions of spending the rest of my career as a unit manager so I would be looking elsewhere. Less than a week later, I was offered a better position elsewhere and left. The DON called me 4 times and begged me to come back. I went back, got the supervisor job, and a raise. I hadn't wanted to leave there because I lived 1.5 miles away, but sometimes you just have to make the leap. I was lucky. When I became a DON, I never refused to promote a qualified person just because it would leave a spot for me to fill.

[Golden_RN, MSN]

You are totally NOT crazy, and the ADON position seems like the logical next step in your career.