Assistant Nurse Manager

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Sep 29, 2015

I work on a few Medical Surgical and Cardiac units as an ANM (My department is big plus I cover other floors when needed). I have the background as a Staff RN on a variety of floors to include covering in the ICU and being a former ED Staff RN.

What is your fear about ICU vs. Medical Units? The ICU is not *that* different than other floors because, even if ICU nurses do not want to admit it, they are a "floor" and they are run pretty much the same as any other floor... So, you should not have any trouble caring for any patient population on a medical unit as an ANM because of your former ICU background.

In fact, similar to the ICU (or at least what I have noticed), you will be expected to jump in and assist nurses with patient care while being in Charge of the unit on any shift you work (more often than not if you do not have Charge Nurses and/or if they call off and/or your Charge Nurse acts like a glorified Break Nurse who does not actually like to be in charge of anything or anyone) while having direct reports and running the Department in the absence of a manager (this is always true for after hour shifts, holidays, and weekend shifts). On the other hand, being an ANM is different than being a Staff RN and so your biggest challenge as a new manager will be a transition related to being a new ANM.

As an ANM you must juggle everything and you will miss breaks, go home late, come in early, cover when short, and the bedside staff will not understand that you have more to do than what is going on with his/her patients, and so you have to think and move quickly on your feet to provide needed support to the bedside staff on the floor while delegating and coordinating activities to assist with the flow of the department. Plus, in between everything you have to take care of and implement leadership objectives, complete sensitive paper work, deal with HR escalations, provide reports on work place injuries, follow up with broken equipment, ensure staff is meeting compliance regs, know and follow federal and state guidelines, perform some house-keeping (that is organizing the misc. paper work, catch up on emails and respond to them, performing service recoveries, respond and make phone calls, and writing quick reports...), attend training, leadership meetings, etc... .

The questions you will be asked in an interview are those of leadership... It does not matter the floor... Thus, a good way to prepare is with a manger friend (the friend does not have to be a nurse) or you can look online for good new manager questions to practice. One question you will likely be asked are about your goals and why you no longer want to be a Staff RN and want to become a manger. Other questions will be customer service related. Good luck. :)

Please tell us what happens. By the way, if you do not get the job, it is OK... this interview process will be good experience. :)

special1rn · Sep 29, 2015

Thank you so much for the feedback. I guess what I also should of included is I currently work in middle management. I am a patient flow coordinator and PRN nursing supervisor. I really don't know what the fear of ICU is except it would be a new system to me and aside from learning the system and policies and procedures I can't explain the fear. I am currently in a union hospital which comes with its own politics, I just know I am ready for change and with no open positions in my system, I am ready to take on a new obstacle. I don't have a manager that I can review with so I have begun online research already. I just was hazy with where to focus, but you have provided a direction. I get so nervous during interviews no matter how prepared I am.

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Sep 30, 2015

I am a patient flow coordinator and PRN nursing supervisor. [/Quote]
Do you now have or have you ever had direct reports? If not, than that is likely to be your huge learning curve no matter the floor you work.
By the way, it is natural to be nervous about the interview.... From personal experience, the more I did them, the less nerve wracking I found them to be. :) Again, if you do not get the job, it is not the end of the world. Consider this interview to be a very good learning experience.
I really don't know what the fear of ICU is except it would be a new system to me and aside from learning the system and policies and procedures I can't explain the fear.
OK... if the fear does not go away after you get the job, discuss this with your manager... Maybe he/she can provide you with needed supports that will help you transition well to alleviate your fears?

special1rn · Sep 30, 2015

Thank you so much for the input. I will follow up and let you know how things go.