Need to vent!

[flamalenurse]

So recently I was offered a clinical manager (aka charge nurse) position at my hospital. It is a day shift position, 12hrs shifts and pretty ok pay. I accepted the offer and am not loving it one bit. I have been a nurse for 10 years but mainly worked night shift. I wanted days because I can be home with my family during my days off instead of sleeping it off recovering from the night before.

I did not get proper orientation (1 week) and feel i was "thrown to the wolves" my first week alone. My first week, I have been yelled at by 2 doctors and my manager has been told by a few physicians that "he does not know what he is doing." This is very disheartening and as a experienced RN it takes my moral to the floor. I have spoken to my manager and was told "your still new at this position. The doctors will love you. You just have to prove yourself".... PROVE MYSELF?!?! I have even started picking up extra shifts during the day to try to get into the swing of things (for example- at nights we rarely discharge so I do not know how to set up discharges so i gotta pull employees to help me figure it out, I page doctors who are at the station because I dont know who they are and of course get upset that I am paging them, ect ect.) I dont know what to do. I come in 2 hours early just to prepare for the day ahead and still at the end feel as I let my team as well as my patients down.

Am I the only one who has experienced this? My patients love me and frequently get awards because of it. My co-workers say I doing great but I feel maybe because I am not as strict at the senior management but my style is more of teamwork gets more done than just barking orders and and overwhelming them more than they already are. I understand that in my role I need to delegate certain things, and I do, but if a nursing is drowning I am not gonna tie an anchor to their leg, tell them " you can do it" and walk away.

[SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN]

Being a new manager has its own challenges without having to deal with the dual role of being an assistant department manager and a charge nurse (that is what you are doing.. both) and having to navigate the politics and dynamics of an unfamiliar floor and staff.

By the way, I am not a manger yet, however I have upcoming interviews that are promising so I plan to be joining you soon. With that said, until you get others who are way more experienced then me to provide advice, I think I can help you with one of your problems... :

Problem:

I page doctors who are at the station because I don't know who they are and of course get upset that I am paging them, ect ect.)

One solution:

Grab a nurse who knows the floor and the doctors... Really quick ask him/her if he/she sees Dr. so-and-so at the nurse's station or on the floor. Also, ask that nurse for guidance regarding paging that particular doctor. That nurse should be able to properly guide you as to how to do it.

By the way, I too have worked night shift most of my nursing career, which is why as a new manager I am going to stay on nights! I think this will help me to get my feet wet and to avoid the day drama and politics a bit while I learn my role and the additional things I need to learn to be successful. In fact, I plan to move to day shift when I get the offer to run a department.

With that said, I understand your need to remain on days, which is why I am encouraging you to stick out this job! Yes, you are making some mistakes, but it happens. Nursing is brutal in general, but you have the positive aspects of being a new nurse manager in your favor:

1.) Many years of clinical work experience.

2.) An attitude to be a team player!

3.) A Manager and a team of nurses that want to keep you around!

4.) The decades of managerial work experience that encompasses the nurses that read and post to this forum.

So, good luck to you! I am going back into the shadows to follow this thread. I anticipate a number of positive things others will tell you that will in turn help the rest of us (future and current newbie nurse managers). :)

[redsoxjen]

I was/am in a similar position you are in. I went from ED/Trauma as staff RN to one of 4 assistant nurse managers on a SPCU at a different hospital. Middle management you get it from all ends....patients, familys, MD's and RN's. You're going through growing changes.

My old motto is if no one is dead, it's a learning experience. Use each situation as a learning experience.

For example: When you page a doctor sitting at the nurses station just take the opportunity to stick out your hand and introduce yourself. "I'm sorry about that Dr. Smith, My name is John Doe....I'm the new clinical manager for this unit, nice to put a name with a face. I look forward to working with you."

And as far as the MD's go, I realize they have almost not clue what middle mgrs do. I find also that a good diffuser is "I'm new at this and learning still, I appreciate any feedback/insite you can provide."

I agree with the not allowing the team member to drown. I put a priority on helping. I make a point of asking what they need help with. If I have time I'll help (builds trust). If I don't have time I may suggest alternatives but also let them know why you can't help at that exact time. "Janet, I'd love to help you with that IV but I'm trying to make the schedule, I know that Linda just discharged a patient and she's really good at IV's, I'll ask her for you." Or "I am in the middle of making the next shift assignment, maybe if you do the medication pass for John he can put in the IV for you"?

Or if you can't help at that very moment you can say. "yes I can put in that IV for you but I need to finish what I'm working on....can it wait 15 mins?"

Good Luck and stay strong.