How can an rn with no nursing experience be a supervisor

[mozella]

First let me say that I don't dislike this person. I think she is very nice and will be a great nurse. The problem I have is with the situation. I work in a LTCF and am somewhat new at nursing (14 months). My facility hired an RN supervisor that is just out of nursing school to be the supervisor on my unit. She has no experience except for clinicals while in school. So I am basically training this person. Every order she writes I have to fix in the chart and in the Mar/Tar. She is not comfortable with speaking with the doctors, families, or pharmacy. Basically she is not comfortable/capable of doing anything on her own. I am an LPN so she is making more money than me but I am doing double work. I think of a supervisor as someone who makes sure things are done and done right. someone that can advise me if I am unsure of something. This person can not do this. shouldn't a supervisor have to have some job experience? Like I said, she is a very nice person, and eager to learn. She will be a good nurse someday. But wouldn't It have be wiser to put her on the floor first. How can I respect this person as my supervisor when she doesn't know how to her own job.

[leslie :-D]

well if you want examples, she mistakes bp meds for potassium meds, writes orders in the MAR for BID intead of TID, or writes a p.o. but doesn't write it in the MAR, Doesn't know how to mix vanco but says she'll give it a try, signs off that a med was given when clearly the bottle was never opened.

quite honestly, i'd be concerned too, then.

your examples, have nothing to do with being new...

she should know the common medications;

she should know how to write an order correctly;

and she should know NOT to fraudulently chart something as given.

yes, you should be discussing these concerns with the don.

as stated, this has nothing to do with her role as supervisor.

this is basic nsg stuff that she should definitely know.

leslie

[Scrubby]

Sounds like an unsafe situation. Where I live new graduate RN's are not allowed to be the only RN on a unit until they have had six months of experience.

Have you discussed how you feel with this RN? If she came to me and started asking basic questions I'd outright say to her that this knowledge is expected from a supervisor.

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

My first nursing job was as backup charge nurse. I'd never worked as a nurse before, and my employer knew it, but I'd been looking for a job for 10 months. Aside from an aborted attempt to do flu shots and a SNF job that got canceled, I had no other prospects. I was so happy to leave my previous non-nursing job that I gave the charge position a shot. I knew I was in way over my head, but how else was I going to pay the bills?

[marylyric]

Okay stop attacking the RN supervisor. If you want to help train her, because the bottom line is education is key that is why I am a RN that is BSN train, howeve I am have now returned to school to pursue my MSN as family nurse pracitioner. I know it will be some years before I complete but I will be educated further. I further my education so I can have those opportunities, rather than take the easy way out.

[marylyric]

sounds like you might be experiencing some jealousy due to the issues at hand, maybe you should consider returning to school to improve your self esteem

[mozella]

sounds like you might be experiencing some jealousy due to the issues at hand, maybe you should consider returning to school to improve your self esteem

I may be a Little jealous of the fact that she makes more money than me (returning to school would fix that) but as far as my self esteem goes, I'm ok with myself. I go to work everyday and do the best I can. All my work is done and my residents like me and are always happy to see me. anyway, as time passes she gets better at her job. She has become a great help to me. I am not concerned with her performance or abilities anymore. and since she is done with oreintation, what she does or doesn't do wont fall back on me. problem solved.

[enchantmentdis, BSN, RN]

Obviously she got the job because somebody who management likes referred her.

[nogitopaz]

yes I agree with you that she is doing what she has to, anybody who says she is not,,i think may be saying out of jealousy, cant speak for where you live, but where I'm at,,there are not many nursing jobs and we all start somewhere,,I started in dialysis and my head was spinning,,but worked hard and got comfortable,,always room for improvement,,,like you said, if someone doesn't like it ,,go back to school and put yourself in someone else's shoes,,

[florence2012, BSN, RN]

I am that nurse. Well, not exactly, but she could be me, two years ago. I learned as fast as I could. I worked the floor PRN. As soon as I learned how to do something, I would do it for my weekend nurses to help them out and get practice. I asked for and got orientation with a CNA so I could know more about what they do. I asked tons of questions. I read a lot. I found out that I am very good with problematic people and demanding family members. Twice, I have smoothed things over between a nurse and family member to the point that the family member went to the nurse and apologized. I do grunt work. I clean the floor. I pick up trash. I sanitize the nurses' station. I talk to the police when there are complaints of abuse or theft. I interview witnesses and write reports. I make sure we are properly staffed. If I don't know something, I find out. I bring breakfast for my nurses and CNA's on Sunday morning. And, believe it or not, my BSN education has helped me make decisions and be a leader.

[Gooselady, BSN, RN]

Florence2012, you are what they call a 'natural' :)

Sometimes that's all ya have and I'll bet your staff love you for it.

My first job as a supervisor/manager was a small free-standing hosp for chemical dependency. I had been a nurse in that field for quite some time, even a charge nurse, but there's still that 'being new' thing as I'd not done administrative work before.

I was just grateful for every tid bit of help and support I could get, and made sure my gratitude showed. Unless your supervisor has a personality disorder, she's probably very grateful and if you are doing 'double the work', you are doing a good thing. Isn't that what we go into nursing for? To make a difference? Does that 'difference' always have to be a patient?

This new supervisor is going to be very grateful to YOU. She'll provide you an excellent reference someday. You can ask for a 'favor' and you know she'll remember how much you helped her. That's how we scratch each other's backs. We need each other a lot, especially at the beginning, and I know I haven't forgotten the faces of those who went out of their way a little for me when I wasn't up to the task.

BSN's get 'class work' about leadership, so she came educated, just completely inexperienced. And I got no feeling from you that you are jealous at all, the opposite in fact.

I agree with your OP -- this is not ideal to hire a new grad into that position with no previous experience. If you could only imagine the HELL in her mind that she probably keeps to herself, you'd feel sorry for her, not too put out about the extra work. She is suffering. She's doing ALL the new grad emotional stuff AND coping with a position beyond her means. I hope she lives through it.

[SmilingBluEyes]

Just a note: the thread is nearly 4 years old. The OP is not likely to see new replies.

[caliotter3]

After almost four years, I wonder how the RN turned out, and how the OP is doing for that matter.