Finishing Leadership and Managemet Degree next Spring..... Then what?

[trinigrl78]

I've been a nurse for a little over three years and and due to finish a MSN at walden university next spring I have 2 classes left as well as an internship. I have secured an internship with a CNO at a local hospital.

Here is my dilemma all I have been thinking about is getting through the next class now that my studies are coming to a close I have to think of my future career goalscareer. I would love to one day be in a leadership role but besides spending time on the floor gaining clinical experience it is extremely difficult to find anyone will to take me under their wing. I found my preceptor b/c I used to work there. How am I supposed to have any experience if no one wants to give me a chance?

Any advice from seasoned nurses

Here is my dilemma all I have been thinking about is getting through the next class now that my studies are coming to a close I have to think of my future career. I would love to one day be in a leadership role but besides spending on the ftime on the floor gaining clinical experience it is extremely difficult to find anyone willing to take me under their wing. I found my preceptor b/c I used to work there. How am I supposed to have any experience if no one wants to give me a chance?

Any advice from seasoned nurses?

[centered-rn]

Hey!

Congrats on finishing your MSN so quickly! So find a unit you would like to work in, get some experience, then move into the charge nurse role. Spend maybe a year or two as charge nurse then look to move up. Assistant Nurse Manager, then Nurse Manager, then House Supervisor, then Director of a unit. But just get your foot in the door with charge nurse experience then go where you would like from there.

[trinigrl78]

I was a nurse supervisor at an LTAC. Extremely stressful environment and management was not very supportive. Especially working with staff nurses who have been nurses for a long time but choose not to forward their education but seem to complain about everything and not fix it.

I ended up leaving and went back to a staff nurse position. It is uncomfortable to let your manage know you want to be charge. I'm afraid she thinks I would want her job. My main concern getting that charge nurse experience. I learned at lot in my previous job. Just needed some insight on what should be my next step.

Thanks for your input.

[kcmylorn]

I was a nurse supervisor at an LTAC. Extremely stressful environment and management was not very supportive. Especially working with staff nurses who have been nurses for a long time but choose not to forward their education but seem to complain about everything and not fix it.

I ended up leaving and went back to a staff nurse position. It is uncomfortable to let your manage know you want to be charge. I'm afraid she thinks I would want her job. My main concern getting that charge nurse experience. I learned at lot in my previous job. Just needed some insight on what should be my next step.

Thanks for your input.

Just for the record: Some old seasoned nurses stay at the bedside because they truly love it, ot because they have no ambition. The statement I always heard about less experienced nurses who quickly begin to have their sights set on manamgnet with only afew years under their belt is - that they are 'total bulls in a china shop', a royal mess at bedside nursing so they go into managment to get away from the bedside. There's an old military saying about this "Those who can do- do; those who can't lead"

It's a very difficult situation for an bedside inexperienced nurse manager to critique and evaluate a seasoned bedside nurse.and a rather absurdity also. How can one criticise what they don't know?

[centered-rn]

Ok, so you do already have a little management experience. Good. I would ease into it by filling in if the charge nurse wants to be off, or calls in sick. See how that goes.

And despite what the previous poster said, it is always good to take initiative with your career and have a plan. Those that can do- do and those that can do also lead too!

[Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN]

... Extremely stressful environment and management was not very supportive...

Absolutely correct.

However, from your post, I'm comfortable you'd be a well-qualified candidate for a charge person.

Keep on learning and growing.

Good luck!

[trinigrl78]

@ kcmylorn. Clearly you are offended by by posting so why answer it? My posting mentioned "one day to be in leadership" not tomorrow. All I was asking was for some advice which proves me right in saying that some of my negative experiences come from mainly experienced nurses Manu who choose to stay at the bedside and never further their education or get a certification. I'm not judging you but embracing diversity in nursing length of work experiences is important. Whether or not you have been in nursing 3 years or thirty we grow and evolve in our careers and must prepare others for leadership roles if you are a good leader. You can't be in a position forever

It's a shame you have taken a teachable moment and destroyed it. Oh well I . Will definitely seek to nurture those who seek guidance and not rip apart aspiration. Thanking you for the feedback.