Is going straight from nursing school to nurse supervisor a good career choice?

[Theloving100]

An acquaintance of mine graduated from nursing school a couple years ago and straight out of nursing school she snagged a LTC supervisor job, stayed in that position for a year and recently got promoted to nurse manager. I was thinking that may be a good career path for me because I heard she makes pretty good money and I need all the money I can get, but is it a cop out? I want to be the best nurse I can be. Do you think going straight to a leadership role that doesn't give me direct contact with patients will jeopardize any chances of being a front line nurse, if I would chose a different nursing position in the future? I didn't want to ask her because I didn't want to insult her, so any thought or experiences on this would be nice. Thank you!

[2k15NurseExtern4u, BSN, RN]

Whatever facility she's managing, I don't want my child or my spouse or my mother to be a patient there.

Well...

[QuietRiot]

Most places that are able to hire experienced applicant do so. I would be very suspicious of facilities that hire new grads for management positions. This may be a sign that this institution is not able to attract qualified applicants. There could be several reasons for this

Low pay

Bad reputation

Poor ownership

Poor work environment

From my experience when employers have a history of hiring inexperience individuals...it's because more qualified applicants are aware of better options and stay away. Thus, the institution only attract newbies (the inexperience) or the desperate.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Most management roles require at least 5 years experience for a reason. Anyone who would hire a brand new grad into that role is suspect. Usually, it's because they can pay significantly less money.

New grads need mentoring. You are ill prepared if you seriously believe that you're ready. You don't know what you don't know.

[SeattleJess]

These are excellent answers to this question, much better than my knee-jerk response of "Are you flippin' NUTS?"

Easy money is a terrible motivation for doing almost anything... and if it seems too good to be true, it usually is.

[TheNGTKingRN]

This is not a zoo. This is a nursing facility. Would you want the chair of surgery or director of nursing to be 24 year old former frat boy with an MBA? No... right? You want someone that has been in the trenches and knows the swing of things. Someone that is able to evaluate competency and skills. Someone that understands the needs of the employees.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Now, I am very weary on how nursing homes choose their managers based off the fact they hired one with zero clinical experience.

"Weary" means "tired," as in, "I was weary after a long day on the floor." The word you seek is, "wary," as in, cautiously watchful, related to "aware." "I am always wary when somebody tells me something that's too good to be true."

Not all LTC/SNFs do this. Just be sure that one of the questions you ask as you tour the facility is how long the last person in the position was there, and the one before that. Ask it of a staff person in private, not when HR is listening.

[Nurse Leigh]

Sadly, many companies do seem to prefer someone with an MBA even if they are wet behind the ears. This is sad, because I think in most businesses it is beneficial for the "top" to have some idea of what goes on in the "bottom."

Many years ago my uncle started sweeping the floors at a large tire company. He was quite young but proved himself to be a good worker. Through the years he was promoted many times, gaining experience at different levels and understanding how different departments function.

Eventually he became a plant manager and moved around the country where he was needed.

I seem to recall that his company sent him for mgmt training so that he would understand those facets of the job.

He retired several years ago as a very valued employee.

These days the person in that position would likely have an extensive education but not understand how the departments really run or how to trouble shoot.

[nurseactivist]

"but is it a cop out? I want to be the best nurse I can be. Do you think going straight to a leadership role that doesn't give me direct contact with patients will jeopardize any chances of being a front line nurse, if I would chose a different nursing position in the future? "

A great nurse listens to the little voice inside that says, BEWARE! It is an important skill to develop.

L

[Golfer87]

This sound like one of those situations that would keep Stephen King up at night. After a long day where no more could go wrong, walking to your car, an evil clown sucks you down the gutter...One of those situations where you're clutching the popcorn yelling at the person on the silver screen "don't do that"!

[PacoUSA, BSN, RN]

The more comments I see I can't believe the women I know has lasted as a supervisor and is now a clinical nurse manager after only being a nurse supervisor for one year straight out of school. She is book smart, but she doesn't have that much common sense. I definitely never want to take the path she has taken after seeing all these comments. Now, I am very weary on how nursing homes choose their managers based off the fact they hired one with zero clinical experience.

That's where the problem lies. The lack of common sense is due to the lack of environmental exposure. Without clinical experience under her belt, she cannot effectively manage that environment. Harsh example but effective: if you've never worked the line at a McDonald's, can you effectively manage such a fast-paced crew? An effective manager is one who has worked all facets of the operation and can now direct it effectively. This business concept should apply universally. Historically, my best managers have done my job before me.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

That's where the problem lies. The lack of common sense is due to the lack of environmental exposure. Without clinical experience under her belt, she cannot effectively manage that environment. Harsh example but effective: if you've never worked the line at a McDonald's, can you effectively manage such a fast-paced crew? An effective manager is one who has worked all facets of the operation and can now direct it effectively. This business concept should apply universally. Historically, my best managers have done my job before me.

My best & favorite nurse manager had pristine clinical skills. If chaos ensued in the ED she would change her shoes(if time), put on a lab coat and start the impossible IV, run a code, whatever needed to be done. She'd never ask any staff to do something she couldn't or wouldn't do.

My brother is a good example from HS straight through summers in college he worked in landscaping. Mowing lawns, and whatever else. Post graduation he was hired by a major lawn company as a local manager trainee due to his business degree. There was a problem at a job site and my brother went out there to help out & trouble shoot. Ended up doing lawn care in a shirt and tie. Customer was impressed how he not only came out to the site but physically helped the crew and showed them how to fix the issue (apparently it wasn't working just quoting procedure over the phone). Quickly promoted to regional manager. Now 15+ years later he's a well respected regional VP in his company. His degree gave him the eligibility for management. His field skills, experience and work ethic catapulted his promotion (as well as bonuses and compensation). As I understand it his team is rarely short staffed and he has a lot of longevity in his team.

[Farawyn]

This sound like one of those situations that would keep Stephen King up at night. After a long day where no more could go wrong, walking to your car, an evil clown sucks you down the gutter...One of those situations where you're clutching the popcorn yelling at the person on the silver screen "don't do that"!

Not on a Pennywise the evil clown level, but certainly not ideal!