Calling All Nurse Managers/Clinical Directors

[RNPATL]

hi everyone.... this thread is dedicated as an introductory thread for all the nurse managers and clinical directors out there. no matter what area of nursing you are working in, we want to get to know you. please take a moment to post a message and tell us a little about yourself and your career as a nurse manager/clinical director or director of nursing. if you are a nurse that has an interest in management related issues ... feel free to tell us who you are.

nursing management can be and often is a very lonely position to hold. no matter how popular you are with the staff, you are still the manager (boss) and are subject to criticism. it can be and often is very disheartening as well as frustrating. not to mention the call, and the amount of hours we work. in an effort to get us off to a great start .... please tell us about a management experience that was your most challenging and one that was your most rewarding. please remember confidentiality - so keep your post pretty non-specific, if possible.

it is my hope that this forum can be a support system to nurse managers and clinical directors. please feel free to use it that way!

i am looking forward to meeting everyone (virtually) and having some really powerful, educational and wonderful discussions here. i will post my introduction after a while ... i am very interested in meeting you all first.

thank you - patrick (rnpatl).

[Bluerose66]

I have been a Clincal Services Manager in England until June when I relocated to Canada. My career has been in forensic psychiatry. As mentioned earlier, it has been lonely and frustrating and to make it worse, I was directly managed by an Occupational Therapist who has biases and prejudices against nurses. I had to battle with that as well as working in an environment that was so unhealthy, I worked out with hypertension (190/123) which I must add was diagnosed 2 months after I started the job. The environment promoted backbiting, bitchiness and witch-hunting which were all reported to the General Manager. I enjoyed clinical work and I have decided that I will take my time before going back into senior management in healthcare. I am 36 years old and I am not not about to kill myself, which is what would have happened to me. My experience was obviously terrible but I do have friends who are senior managers and are happy. I suppose I was dealt a boss from hell. :troll:

[catcoon]

Hi y'all! I'm a new weekend supervisor for a LTC/Rehab facility. I am also an RN-MSN student. We are currently studying leadership and managing in nursing. I am looking for any internet sites or online journals that have info on these subjects. I am trying to change the communication on the wing where I work. It seems to be very poor right now, and I am seeking to be an agent of change. Any input will be appreciated!

Thanks,

Cathi

[tristan]

HI Everyone,

I am a Direcotr of Care at a 110 bed facility for just over a year. The previous director was "let go" and I was a nurse on the floor. The administrator approached me 6 months later to appoint me to my position. I was terrified as I was a new nurse of 5 years and under 30. What a change. My biggest challenge was my age as almost all the nurses and health care workers were older than me. I have proven myself immensely with my administrator being shocked at what I have accomplished. My budget is in great shape that I was able to increase nursing hours. My tru challenge in staffing. Where did these gen xers come from? I am emotionally and physically exhausted from the stress of this new era of workers. Never would I miss a shift to take my child to hockey tryouts, or miss a shift because my college daughter has a headache. I can't believe the excuses and the union sticking up for them. I love every other part of management but I feel my time is wasted in trying to hire and discipline the staff for this crap. Any suggestions on helping me improve my morale?

[kat911]

HI Everyone,

I am a Direcotr of Care at a 110 bed facility for just over a year. The previous director was "let go" and I was a nurse on the floor. The administrator approached me 6 months later to appoint me to my position. I was terrified as I was a new nurse of 5 years and under 30. What a change. My biggest challenge was my age as almost all the nurses and health care workers were older than me. I have proven myself immensely with my administrator being shocked at what I have accomplished. My budget is in great shape that I was able to increase nursing hours. My tru challenge in staffing. Where did these gen xers come from? I am emotionally and physically exhausted from the stress of this new era of workers. Never would I miss a shift to take my child to hockey tryouts, or miss a shift because my college daughter has a headache. I can't believe the excuses and the union sticking up for them. I love every other part of management but I feel my time is wasted in trying to hire and discipline the staff for this crap. Any suggestions on helping me improve my morale?

Last week I went to a seminar on diversity,the subject was about the differences between generations. One thing about the new crop of nurses is they don't want more money they want their time off. They also have no idea about work ethic. You will have to teach them. Don't assume they understand that they have to show up when the schedule says. They don't get it.You are going to have to literally explain to them what thier responsibilities are regarding showing up for work. Now the woman whose grown daughter had a HA, she should know better, different generation. Good luck.

[Turk182]

Bravo to all of us who keep plugging along!

If you've read my first post from when I took over as the manager of a Med-Surg unit at a small rural hospital, you'll know how frustrated I was with many of the things that have been posted recently. I still go nuts over the lazy worker, or the one who calls in all the time - but I go even more nuts with the system that allows them to stay and prohibits me to let them go. "At will employee/employer" is a joke. I would never approach HR about letting somebody go if I didn't feel like I had the documentation/proof to support it, but it never seems to be enough. I do feel like I am spending more time than I should be spending on telling employees they need to come to work. It seems like I can't get ahead, ever.....because I'm dealing with an issue that shouldn't be an issue in the first place or I'm having to clean up a mess that wasn't created by my staff. My biggest pet peeve, as well as lack of work ethic? Why can't anyone say " I was wrong/ I forgot/ I didn't know" If people put 1/4 the effort of just stepping up to the plate, half of the problems wouldn't be a problem at all. Today was horrible for me and I came home early. I was mad, frustrated, and thinking why even bother?

But, after a 45 minute "nap", I sit here and realize that I bother because I do care. I care what happens to nursing as a profession and the perception people have of a nurse. I care about the hospital I work at and the good things I've seen. I care about the good people who work there and work hard. I care that I do a good job, and that I make positive changes. I realize that I have made positive changes. - And then I realize that it was just a really bad day, because of a bad situation, and that if I don't continue "to bother", the next person who comes along may not care as much. There are so many things I can't control ( the computers we desperately need, the new tele we need, the staffing we need, the $ they deserve to get, staff in other departments who are never held accountable for whatever reason) if I focus on those things, I will never accomplish what I want to do. And I am sooooo glad there is a place like this where I can see that I am not the only one. And that is just as important to me as anything else.

So raise a glass to yourself ( mine is filled with rum after this day) and all of the other manager's who keep doing the very best they can, whatever the circumstance! We do make a difference!!!

[Catfish RN]

Hi,

I am actually looking for guidance. I have an interview for an assistant department administrator position. I have been a nurse for 5 years. I look at people that I trained who are now in Mgt. and I wonder if I really want the position or do I just feel like I am getting left behind. Is this normal? What is it like being an asst. Mgr in an exceptionally busy private hospital or medical facility? What should I expect?

Thanks,I liik forward to your responses.

[Saifudin]

Greetings colleaques,

I am a nurse practitioner (adult) working in Saudi Arabia as DON in 300 bed mental health facility split in 2 divisions, substance abuse and psychiatry. I've been here since 1995 and how I got into this position is another story. I was not my line of work prior to accepting the position but 12 years have passed and here I am in a work I never planned on. As the only westerner on site and with nurses from several different countries, including Saudi Arabia the challengers are great, at times, phenominal, and I have learned that success is often measure in 'millileters' and if you have moved, even a tiny step forward, you have succeeded. I have gained much in this position and am called upon to give alot. It's been rewarding, satisfying, frustrating, exhausting...., sound familiar?

[anothermadhatter]

Hello all...I just took a position as the Director of Patient Care Services for a home health chain with five regional offices that I will oversee. It's a daunting undertaking, but I'm up to the challenge. I've been an ER/ICU nurse for ten years with four years of travel experience and I have been part owner of two nurse staffing agencies in that time. I passed up an interview for CRNA school to take this position, so I certainly hope that this move will be everything I hope for. I'll keep you posted!

[Franksters]

Hi. I have been in management for 10 years. Starting as associate nurse manager in a 24 bed ICU, house supervisor of a 442 bed tertiary facility that averaged a census of about 450 and now as a nurse manager of a 20 bed cardiac telemetry med surg, 14 bed oncology unit and IVT. One of my biggest challenges was learning how to communicate with MS team members. We too had agency, from 3p-7a 3/4 of my nursing staff was agency. We have been agency free for almost 2 years now.

When I took over, I was the only manager for all 84 beds in MS. Shortly after I took the position, my director resigned which left me all alone in a new facility in a new position in a new area!!! My VP helped as much as she could. We now have a director, 2 managers, 1 ANM and 1 nurse educator.

My biggest acomplishment is learning how to be a MS nurse. This is completely different than anything I have ever done. It is a challenge everyday and I love it!!!

[Franksters]

Last week I went to a seminar on diversity,the subject was about the differences between generations. One thing about the new crop of nurses is they don't want more money they want their time off. They also have no idea about work ethic. You will have to teach them. Don't assume they understand that they have to show up when the schedule says. They don't get it.You are going to have to literally explain to them what thier responsibilities are regarding showing up for work. Now the woman whose grown daughter had a HA, she should know better, different generation. Good luck.

AMEN!! I am constantly surprised at how many of my new nurses think I should work their professional schedule around their personal schedule. I find myself explaining over and over that it is not my job to find coverage for their weekend so they can go to a party or out of town concert. They do, however, bring an excitement to nursing that many of us lose as the years go by.

[allergynurse]

Good morning,

I am a nurse manager for a four physician, three location allergy and asthma practice. I would enjoy speaking with those of you who are also in the medical office setting.

Looking forward to hearing from you

[allergynurse]

Good morning,

I am a nurse manager for a four physician,

three office location practice.

The medical office exposes us to different circumstances and

situations. I am interested in speaking with those of you

who are currently managing a medical office staff.

Or speciality is allergy and asthma. I would also like to speak to anyone who works in the same field.

I did not see an option for allergy or asthma nurses to speak to each other.

I am looking forward to hearing from you