Do i have to put my night managers as references? who can I put?

[ldiva0808]

I am looking to apply for a new job somewhere else because day in and day out it is pretty evident that where I am is good for nothing more than the pay check I receive from here and thats not how I want to work. I am looking for a new job, and I know as far as putting down references, most application prefer clinical managers. one clinical manager of mine, always pulls me to the side when he desperately gets a chance to tell me that I clocked in 1101 instead of 11 exactly or before. he pulls me aside and talks about this and that. Im not sure if he' s out to get me. The job Im applying for is it best to apply as a grad with no experience, or can i use other references?

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

You don't HAVE to put him down but you do need to have references who can speak to your abilities. I recently left my hospital job and I did not use my manager as a reference for any of the positions I applied for because I didn't want her to know I was looking and to try to talk me out of leaving. I used charge nurses, a nurse I'd worked with in a volunteer capacity and trusted senior colleagues. I didn't trust what my manager would say so I didn't use her. It wasn't an issue at all.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

I agree with above. It doesn't have to be your manager. Shoot I direct people to contact HR as well.

[Nurse Maru]

You will have to put down supervisors of some sort who have worked with you directly. Otherwise you could easily come off as someone who has poor effort and/or performance to hide. Providing a full effort and maintaining your professionalism even in a job you don't like connotates a level of maturity that is required in a position of such enormous trust and responsibility as nursing.

Have you considered the idea that your night manager is trying to help you develop professionally, rather than being "out to get you?" Have you tried accepting his direction as help, rather than being defensive? You say he pulls you aside for these talks. That indicates to me a manager who is trying to communicate in a professional manner.

My best advice is to make the very best of where you are while you are looking for another job. That begins with you. Make a decision to throw out all of your negative thoughts, gripes and assumptions about your current job. Make a decision to look at everything with new eyes and a new heart. Be on time. Be courteous and kind to patients and coworkers. Be mindful of your posture and walk tall, you'll be surprised at how much better that alone makes you feel. Be secure enough to take direction as help, and resist the urge to be defensive.

And meanwhile, keep looking for the job you think will be the right fit for you.

I hope you find your place in nursing.

[gloryfied]

thanks guys.

Nurse Maru, I dont know what his intentions really are, but I guess the way he constructs criticism, comes off to me as if he's looking for fault in people. may be not. I got my own work to do on myself, that I know, so ill look into that very well. Thank you all for your response. :)

[proud nurse, BSN, RN]

I have a really good job without a reference from my most previous job. I think if you have a strong reference list, the new job will only be interested in relevant experience. For example, when I applied for my job at children's hospital I went back to my school nurse supervisor and my clinical instructor for my references (my clinical happened to be on the same hospital unit as where I currently work). The hospital didn't seem too interested in my LTC experience of 6 years, probably because it is pediatrics.

So yeah, I would find someone other than that dude to use as a reference. He could sabotage you, or not. But if you really want to leave, you probably don't want to take that chance. Good luck to you!