LTC/Sub-Acute Supervisors

FLArn · Aug 27, 2011

When I was in LTC, the shift supervisor was always a "working" supervisor position; meaning you had a full assignment in addition to the supervisory duties. I had a full load of patients (20 -30) including meds, treatment and charting then also staffing duties (covering call offs etc), assisting other staff (IV's and pushes for the LPN's etc) and other "duties as assigned". It was never an easy shift.

adoglover · Aug 27, 2011

When I was in LTC, the shift supervisor was always a "working" supervisor position; meaning you had a full assignment in addition to the supervisory duties. I had a full load of patients (20 -30) including meds, treatment and charting then also staffing duties (covering call offs etc), assisting other staff (IV's and pushes for the LPN's etc) and other "duties as assigned". It was never an easy shift.

were u salaried or paid by the hour?

Juwon · Aug 27, 2011

depends on the facility. Some facilities, the supervisor take patients and also do supervisor duties as well, while in others, the supervisor do not have to take on patients.

tyvin, BSN, RN · Aug 27, 2011

depends on the facility. Some facilities, the supervisor take patients and also do supervisor duties as well, while in others, the supervisor do not have to take on patients.

This is it in a nutshell ... I've worked at 2 such places and each was different. Since no one discusses salaries I don't know how much more if any I was making from the other RNs but anywhere I've worked I have always had union wages. Then of course there's the scenario that when you work being the supervisor/charge in the scenario that you aren't expected to take a full load of patients you will have call ins and then you'll have to go on the floor filling the spot if they can't find someone.

JenniferSews · Aug 28, 2011

It is so dependent on the facility you can't get a general idea from here. "Supervisor" in my facility means someone to back you up, help you with admissions, change of condition, family issues. But there is only a supervisor on evenings and weekends. On days there is a unit manager, who does only paperwork.

None take patients unless there there is a call of that can't be filled. The difference is the supervisor covers a vacant position on their shift. The manager has to cover any shift for the week they are on call, even if it's overnight and they worked 10 hours that day.

xtxrn, ASN, RN · Aug 28, 2011

:nurse:For the nurses that are supervisors in Long Term Care/Sub-Acute, can you tell me exactly what are your duties/job description? Do you get to work the floor or is it all paperwork. Are you paid by the hour or salaried? If you work as a staff nurse, before going into the supervisor role, did your pay increase? Sorry for all of the questions. Thanks

I was hourly, and did not have a patient assignment. I was hired for supervisory work, so no change in salary- until I went to the MDS position (along with infection control, staff development, and whatever else needed doing) . I dealt with tours for prospective patients/famliies (I worked weekends- so the marketing person was off), call ins and staffing, emergencies, supply room organization & stocking, logging discontinued meds, disciplinary problems, rounding on the halls, MDSs (before they were on computer or transmitted), non-nursing issues (kitchen did their own staffing, but if they were really short, I'd be back there loading up condiment cups, dealing with dishes, etc), helping w/laundry issues (we had a developmentally disabled girl who helped on the weekends, and she wouldn't talk to anybody but me- lol- she was really sweet, and did a really good job with the laundry- but a poopy pad in the mix would send her into a tailspin....and she'd usually figure it out when a turd was swimming along in the washer, looking back at her from the huge front load window- she'd be mortified :)). I also followed up and finalized incident reports. There was plenty to do. :)

Another place, I also didn't have a patient assignment, but the weekend staff (rotated) were horrible about calling in- like one weekend, 7 of the 8 nurses on days/evenings called in sick. I had just started there (a 'sister' facility to one I'd worked at before), and knew some of the corporate people- since the administrator and DON were MIA- admin on a cruise, DON visiting family out of town, and both unreachable. (sucked) But, nurses from the facility referred to above came in and helped. I would take a cart and give meds. There were 90 residents, 2 nurses scheduled, and 3 CNAs on evenings (I think 5 on days). That place was a mess. A lot of MHMR residents- who were usually great, unless it was getting time for their Prolixin shots... then it could be wild :)

FLArn · Aug 28, 2011

To OP:

I was hourly and did not receive any additional pay for the added responsibility.

nola1202 · Aug 28, 2011

Where i work I'm supposed to be a "resource person" We've gotten to joking about that because you'll find me passing trays, feeding patients, filling on a unit when we couldn't cover the call in. Helping get people up if a CNA calls in, Covering call offs, assisting with admissions or discharges or returns from the ER or hospital, Helping to orient new people and answer questions, covering a nurse for lunch. Then there's the upset family members, or patients, troubleshooting on an as needed basis. Dealing with building or maint. probs like the A/C going out or toilets getting plugged up because a resident changed his own brief and dumped it in the toilet and yes...sigh...flushed. I've been know to mop up a floor, use a plunger on a toilet (not plugged with a diaper!) scrape dishes and run to Central supply and bring needed items to the units. I call the bosses when situations warrant. If I have to, I can send someone home for not doing their job, or not being respectful of others. If abuse is suspected or alleged, no matter if the patient has dementia or not, I have to call the bosses, send the person home right away pending investigation of complaint. If needed the police are brought in. I am also the one who has to tell family members who are angry and loud to leave, if they continue I have to tell them I will call the police to escort them from the building...that part is always interesting, no security in the bldg. I'm also expected to actually supervise, make rounds, make sure areas are clean, neat, smelly trash and stinky linen is taken off the unit ASAP, Nurses and CNA's are doing their job. Assist with wound care and calling MD's, helping assess patients whose condition is deteriorating. Dealing with falls, there's a big protocol for that. Calling Hospice if one of their patients is changing rapidly or needs a change in meds. That's pretty much what I do. Do I like it, yeah I do when it's stressful and really busy without being over the top. I also don't like having to stay overnight if we can't cover a nightshift call in. We have an on call nurse but sometimes they have to come in and we have a second call in so we both stay. I also have to keep an eye on overtime and send people home even if their work isn't totally done because that's the way mgmt wants it done. Guess who gets to finish up? I get paid hourly. Do not accept a salary for this position or for a unit coordinator position, you will be working long hours, and a salary won't pay you what hourly would.

Hope this helps.

nola1202 · Aug 28, 2011

(we had a developmentally disabled girl who helped on the weekends, and she wouldn't talk to anybody but me- lol- she was really sweet, and did a really good job with the laundry- but a poopy pad in the mix would send her into a tailspin....and she'd usually figure it out when a turd was swimming along in the washer, looking back at her from the huge front load window- she'd be mortified :)). I also followed up and finalized incident reports. There was plenty to do. :) :yeah:ROFLMAO!

xtxrn, ASN, RN · Aug 28, 2011

Where i work I'm supposed to be a "resource person" We've gotten to joking about that because you'll find me passing trays, feeding patients, filling on a unit when we couldn't cover the call in. Helping get people up if a CNA calls in, Covering call offs, assisting with admissions or discharges or returns from the ER or hospital, Helping to orient new people and answer questions, covering a nurse for lunch. Then there's the upset family members, or patients, troubleshooting on an as needed basis. Dealing with building or maint. probs like the A/C going out or toilets getting plugged up because a resident changed his own brief and dumped it in the toilet and yes...sigh...flushed. I've been know to mop up a floor, use a plunger on a toilet (not plugged with a diaper!) scrape dishes and run to Central supply and bring needed items to the units. I call the bosses when situations warrant. If I have to, I can send someone home for not doing their job, or not being respectful of others. If abuse is suspected or alleged, no matter if the patient has dementia or not, I have to call the bosses, send the person home right away pending investigation of complaint. If needed the police are brought in. I am also the one who has to tell family members who are angry and loud to leave, if they continue I have to tell them I will call the police to escort them from the building...that part is always interesting, no security in the bldg. I'm also expected to actually supervise, make rounds, make sure areas are clean, neat, smelly trash and stinky linen is taken off the unit ASAP, Nurses and CNA's are doing their job. Assist with wound care and calling MD's, helping assess patients whose condition is deteriorating. Dealing with falls, there's a big protocol for that. Calling Hospice if one of their patients is changing rapidly or needs a change in meds. That's pretty much what I do. Do I like it, yeah I do when it's stressful and really busy without being over the top. I also don't like having to stay overnight if we can't cover a nightshift call in. We have an on call nurse but sometimes they have to come in and we have a second call in so we both stay. I also have to keep an eye on overtime and send people home even if their work isn't totally done because that's the way mgmt wants it done. Guess who gets to finish up? I get paid hourly. Do not accept a salary for this position or for a unit coordinator position, you will be working long hours, and a salary won't pay you what hourly would.
Hope this helps.

Absolutely don't accept salary if you're going to be having to take call and/or fill in for call-ins. Nola 1202, sounds like we did a lot of the same stuff :)

pixie120 · Aug 30, 2011

Where i work I'm supposed to be a "resource person" We've gotten to joking about that because you'll find me passing trays, feeding patients, filling on a unit when we couldn't cover the call in. Helping get people up if a CNA calls in, Covering call offs, assisting with admissions or discharges or returns from the ER or hospital, Helping to orient new people and answer questions, covering a nurse for lunch. Then there's the upset family members, or patients, troubleshooting on an as needed basis. Dealing with building or maint. probs like the A/C going out or toilets getting plugged up because a resident changed his own brief and dumped it in the toilet and yes...sigh...flushed. I've been know to mop up a floor, use a plunger on a toilet (not plugged with a diaper!) scrape dishes and run to Central supply and bring needed items to the units. I call the bosses when situations warrant. If I have to, I can send someone home for not doing their job, or not being respectful of others. If abuse is suspected or alleged, no matter if the patient has dementia or not, I have to call the bosses, send the person home right away pending investigation of complaint. If needed the police are brought in. I am also the one who has to tell family members who are angry and loud to leave, if they continue I have to tell them I will call the police to escort them from the building...that part is always interesting, no security in the bldg. I'm also expected to actually supervise, make rounds, make sure areas are clean, neat, smelly trash and stinky linen is taken off the unit ASAP, Nurses and CNA's are doing their job. Assist with wound care and calling MD's, helping assess patients whose condition is deteriorating. Dealing with falls, there's a big protocol for that. Calling Hospice if one of their patients is changing rapidly or needs a change in meds. That's pretty much what I do. Do I like it, yeah I do when it's stressful and really busy without being over the top. I also don't like having to stay overnight if we can't cover a nightshift call in. We have an on call nurse but sometimes they have to come in and we have a second call in so we both stay. I also have to keep an eye on overtime and send people home even if their work isn't totally done because that's the way mgmt wants it done. Guess who gets to finish up? I get paid hourly. Do not accept a salary for this position or for a unit coordinator position, you will be working long hours, and a salary won't pay you what hourly would.
Hope this helps.

Only hourly, get job description in advance, ask expectations, set goals, if unitmanager/RCM then mostly supervision, paperwork, care conference etc. Supervisor usually just that, and pulled to the floor/med cart on both.