Check-In 2015 Spring New Nurse Managers

CLTnurse13 · May 11, 2015

Hi MBARNBSN!

I have completed my 4 weeks of orientation to my position that is akin to ANM on my floor. I was able to orient for 2 weeks on nights and 2 weeks on days to meet some of the physicians, staff, and to get a feel for both shifts. I will now be returning to nights permanently.

So far, I am really pleased with entering the management field. I am hourly instead of salaried, so I am getting 10-15 hours of overtime a pay period simply going to meetings and doing office work in addition to working my shifts taking care of patients and being the charge nurse. My manager is really appreciative of her ANMs and other staff, so I really enjoy working with her. I was granted home access to all work programs, including the EHR, so I find myself doing audits from home quite a bit. But even still, my manager has insisted that we get paid for all work done from home.

It has been a steep learning curve transitioning from ICU to med/surg. I am maintaining my ICU and ACLS competencies though by working PRN in my former unit. The rapid response team loves that I am in charge on this unit because it helps them out a lot and avoids a lot of calls to them (i.e., when to call the doctor; having an ICU-trained supervisor carries a lot more weight than a staff med/surg nurse; how to set-up chest tubes, etc.). We are short-staffed on nights by 2-3 nurses most nights, so I do have to take anywhere from 2-5 patients a shift, in addition to being a resource for my staff, dealing with patient/family complaints, communicating with the house supervisor, answering phones/call bells after the HUC leaves at midnight, etc.

So far, I have not had any issues with staff questioning my knowledge or critical care judgment/skills. No one has disrespected me based on my age. However, I have had to counsel a couple staff members on appropriate behavior/professionalism or policies relating to pain medicine, etc.

It has definitely been a great experience, and I am excited to put the time in over the next couple of years so that I can hopefully advance to house supervisor, nurse manager, or some other role.

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Aug 5, 2015

Hi MBARNBSN!
It has definitely been a great experience, and I am excited to put the time in over the next couple of years so that I can hopefully advance to house supervisor, nurse manager, or some other role.

Great!!! I am sorry I did not respond to this earlier... but I am very happy to read that your role suits you so well!!! I love teaching and directing my units too... I am very involved with the running of the department on a shift-to-shift basis because most shifts I work I am the Charge for the department as well as the manager. By the way, any one recall how I was told I would always have a charge nurse??? My advice to anyone who does not know but is reading this, be prepared for anything related to a job despite what you are told during an interview. :)

OP: As for becoming a House Supervisor or Nurse Manager, those are my next two career moves as well. In fact, I have been approached by House Supervisors where I work because they think I am picking up my current role fast and performing well.... and so I am taking on that position per diem. It is not an advancement where I work because House Supervisors are on the same leadership level as Assistant Nurse Managers, but without direct reports. On the other hand, it is good to have House Supervisor on one's resume as work experience because on a shift-to-shift basis, you are in charge of the house similar to the CNO, COO, VP, CEO, etc! :)

Sifty · Sep 15, 2015

Hey all,

I have not been on here for quite some time. However I have been looking around for hints and info recently as I have just started a new position as a Nurse Manager. Just - as in 2 weeks ago.

Little bit different where I am in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Working at what is called a clinic but maybe a bit more like a very small scale hospital.

It is all a bit daunting, sometimes I feel I am in way over my head. Well I probably am but I am still going to try and have a good go of it :). There are so many differences working here to where I was in Australia over a year ago. My staff (who are all lovely) are very good at what they do, but they have so much to learn. They are just task oriented, they do what they are told but very really think about why. I knew to some extent what it would be like prior to starting but I have been working for myself for the past year so I guess it is just a bit of a shock to the system.

Communication is a big issue, definitely as my Khmer is pretty average, but also because people don't talk to each other. I ask about patients and their conditions/history and I get next to nothing back. That is from doctors and nurses. Its not just because I am a westerner, it seems to be the same Dr to Dr, nurse to nurse. Notes about anything a very short and not a lot of use.

Presently I am sitting in my office, well a room with HR, Finance, IT, Stock control (and all the stock) with a construction site around me due to extensions to the clinic. Construction workers crawling over scaffolding in flipflops and straw hats, it makes me cringe to think about what could happen if there is an accident. (and a rat just ran past the door)

I have to start training everyone in basically everything, not because they don't know it, but because there is no records. Even for BLS I have nil documentation to say any of the staff have done it. So that is my start point, BLS assessment starting this week hopefully. Then keep working on my growing list of things.

Plus I am to assist in the clinic getting its ISO certification. They might get a shock when they see the policies and procedures I have started on .

This is a little bit of a rant, I am sorry. I guess it is just good to be able to type some of this out. Overall, to be honest I do really enjoy everything so far. I just have a lot to get used too.

So if any of you that read this have experience with working in similar situations I would definitely appreciate any tips or suggestions.