If you were a manager what things would you change?

beeker · Dec 24, 2012

I would staff appropriately.

liveyourlife747 · Dec 24, 2012

I would have stricter "on call" policies, better staffing, and would be sure everyone had a lunch break no matter what.

MomRN0913 · Dec 24, 2012

I had a short stint as a manager. I had all of these aspirations of making it easier and safer for nurses and patients with appropriate staffing.Impossible. Just when you think it's your managers fault its not. It's way upper management telling you " no way, that's not in the budget, here is your ratio"6 months and that was enough frustration for me. I tried to make it better, the CEO hated me for it and finally found a reason to fire me.

calliesue · Dec 24, 2012

Respect the staff, never curse at or snap my fingers at staff. Not play favorites. Apply same rules to everyone.

AnonRNC · Dec 24, 2012

I would improve communication between management and staff.

Nascar nurse, ASN, RN · Dec 24, 2012

I had a short stint as a manager. I had all of these aspirations of making it easier and safer for nurses and patients with appropriate staffing.Impossible. Just when you think it's your managers fault its not. It's way upper management telling you " no way, that's not in the budget, here is your ratio"6 months and that was enough frustration for me. I tried to make it better, the CEO hated me for it and finally found a reason to fire me.

Ain't that the truth! Everyone should have to do a 6 month stint in management. Only then should they be allowed to gripe. You have no idea how hard management is until you've tried it.

MN-Nurse, ASN, RN · Dec 24, 2012

I would staff appropriately.

You're fired. And since you aren't in the union anymore, you can't do anything about it.

Needless to say, I'll never ever be a nurse manager.

RN beekeeper · Dec 25, 2012

I have been a manager for 7 out of my 11 years as a nurse. I am currently responsible for approximately 60 people. There are always budgetary and regulatory constraints, but there is a lot that you can do to make things better. It is not for the faint of heart however.

squatmunkie_RN · Dec 25, 2012

I wouldn't take a patients word over the nurse. I understand the NM has to "save face" and make the patient and family feel better. But do not ever come to me after Ive been busting my ass for hours and ask me if I've seen the patient more than once in a 12 hour shift.

dudette10, MSN, RN · Dec 25, 2012

Be visible on the unit as an RN. My former manager wore biz clothes and was only on the unit once a day to do manager's rounds which then translated into a tongue- lapsing at the next unit meeting, despite our scores being the highest in the hospital. The manager of one of the units I float to wears scrubs, can be seen fetching water or emptying trash and plays educator for tasks that a nurse might have never done before. She is helpful on the day-to-day, and from what I've heard from permanent nurses on the unit, she is well-regarded.

Bronte03 · Dec 26, 2012

RESPECT staff - they are the people on the floor for the shift dealing with patients, NOT you.

Always THANK them and mean it as they leave.

If there is a complaint take the nurse aside preferably in your office and LISTEN to what they have to say without judement.

COMMUNICATE the good, the bad and the endless ugly -staff want to know what is going on, rumours in nursing affect the nurses and the reason they are there - for patients not managers endless nonsense.

Be AVAILABLE. 5 minutes of your time in the outcome of your shift can prevent a lot of misery for both you, your staff, patients and the dreaded management above you.

Have an open door policy, never let a staff member be afraid of you. Your attitude can make or break your staff. They too, have a life and that life affects their behaviour both on and off the job.

Like most jobs you will have a bully on staff at some stage, deal with it IMMEDIATELY. Don't lose staff because you cannot manage what is happening for your shift.

Staff want to feel SECURE and SUPPORTED, not taking sickies because they can't cope.

None of this really has anything to do with the management above you. It's you supporting your staff they come FIRST - without them you wouldn't have a job or patients.

I work agency - different hospitals everyday. The best shifts are when I am thanked for turning up, providing help and endless support to both staff and managers even though I don't know them and knowing they trust me to look after their patients. The biggest thrill is having patients thank me and the nurse manager pulling me aside and asking me to put my name in to work permanently at the hospital.

Sometimes I think wow, they really want me to do that. And others I think NO way in this world will I step into this hospital.. and it all comes down to - you guessed it the nurse manager and the respect/lack of her staff.