How much experience does your manager/assistant manager have?

Updated:   Published

I am curious as to how much experience you think-or are comfortable with-your assistant manager and/or manager having? 

Does just over 2.5 years of bedside nursing experience before getting an assistant manager or manager position sound typical? Is it really all about the those fast-burners who have the credentials after their name, or does the experience matter?  I feel like those position should be earned. I don’t know if 2.5 years is considered earned? Probably unpopular, but my opinion none the less.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics, Pediatric Float, PICU, NICU.

I don't think there's a concrete number; someone could have 2.5 years of experience and be an amazing leader, likewise someone could have 20 years of experience and be a trash leader.

In regards to it being earned, I don't want to be in that role myself so I don't feel anyone has to "prove" that they earned the slot to be my manager. It is not something I would want to do so good luck to them and I’m on their side until they give me a reason to think otherwise. 

10
Up Vote Up Vote ×
3 hours ago, DownstreamOcclusion said:

.. I don’t know if 2.5 years is considered earned? Probably unpopular, but my opinion none the less.

 

Just IMO, this sounds a bit like sour grapes.  What do you have against the person that just got promoted?

6
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health, Med/Surg, ICU Stepdown.

My manager has 20 years ICU experience. She manages ICU and Stepdown units. My previous manager had experience in NICU but managed our Med/Surg unit. she was very stressed =( like you said she had the degrees but not the experience. No hate toward her, she was super nice and tried her best, I think they just put her in a bad position. I think it's important to have experience in the type of unit you're running, but as to how much IDK LOL

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
2 hours ago, CharleeFoxtrot said:

Just IMO, this sounds a bit like sour grapes.  What do you have against the person that just got promoted?

Meh, no sour grapes here. Just curious to what other peoples’ experiences were. Not interested in that type of position. What’s your opinion on the topic?

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
3 hours ago, JadedCPN said:

I don't think there's a concrete number; someone could have 2.5 years of experience and be an amazing leader, likewise someone could have 20 years of experience and be a trash leader.

In regards to it being earned, I don't want to be in that role myself so I don't feel anyone has to "prove" that they earned the slot to be my manager. It is not something I would want to do so good luck to them and I’m on their side until they give me a reason to think otherwise. 

I see your point about a concrete number..I know there isn’t such a thing. Just curious as to other experiences. Thanks. 

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
1 hour ago, LibraNurse27 said:

My manager has 20 years ICU experience. She manages ICU and Stepdown units. My previous manager had experience in NICU but managed our Med/Surg unit. she was very stressed =( like you said she had the degrees but not the experience. No hate toward her, she was super nice and tried her best, I think they just put her in a bad position. I think it's important to have experience in the type of unit you're running, but as to how much IDK LOL

I do agree that having experience on the type of floor you’re managing is important. I guess 2.5 years doesn’t seem that long in the grand scheme of things, especially when I know some amazing RNs who are still at the bedside after 20-30 years..but as another member said, there’s no concrete number. Thanks for your reply!

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg, Geriatrics, Wound Care.

Floor nursing and managing are very different beasts. I would hate being the boss. I always figure "middle management" (ie unit directors) "get it" from both ends.  The higher ups expect more from less, their reports want more support and less criticism. Really takes special people for that job.

The nursing experience is obviously important, but 1-2 years to become "competent".  Enough to know how to recognize a sick patient, when to get help, and how to get it. The rest of it is meetings, scheduling, budgeting, rounds.. rounds.. rounds.. Incredibly painful.

6
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Well, in my ICU, the one of the senior clinical managers has tons of management experience.  Know what she had 0 of before starting here?  ICU experience.  Know what she still has 0 of not ever taking a patient assignment because she is a clinical manager?  ICU experience.  ?‍♀️  

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hmm that’s very interesting! OK so they may be a manager..managing people..but thats kind of where it stops for me. How can you have the empathy needed managing ICU nurses/unit as a whole, if you’ve never dug through the trenches yourself? And sure, there may be cases when someone can come from the ER or other busy unit and is competent and knows how to effectively lead.. I just think most people would prefer someone whom has put in the time/years and has the experience related to the type of unit they are managing. 
 

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in school nurse.
51 minutes ago, DownstreamOcclusion said:

Hmm that’s very interesting! OK so they may be a manager..managing people..but thats kind of where it stops for me. How can you have the empathy needed managing ICU nurses/unit as a whole, if you’ve never dug through the trenches yourself? And sure, there may be cases when someone can come from the ER or other busy unit and is competent and knows how to effectively lead.. I just think most people would prefer someone whom has put in the time/years and has the experience related to the type of unit they are managing. 
 

I agree! Certainly there are general management and people skills that easily transfer from one setting to another, but in such a highly specialized area, one would hope that management would be familiar with the specialty...

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in PICU.

I don't think an exact number of years, as others have stated, equate to being a better manager.

Management is a skill, just like IV starts, blood draws, etc... Some people have it and are able to have a mindset of how to juggle a unit in a much broader perspective. Two years of work as a nurse definitely gives you an idea of the needs of a nurse providing direct patient care. 

I think, my own opinion, that having a nurse in a management position that worked the unit they were on could lead to bias and sometimes favoritism. Sometimes having someone on the outside could bring in some fresh new ideas versus a manager who has 6 years experience on the same unit and may be afraid to try new things because "that's not how it is done on our unit".

I applaud anyone who wants to go and become a manager. It is definitely a skill that not everone has,

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion