New Grad RN as an RN supervisor?

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I just wanna vent my frustration, I just found out yesterday and I'm just in awe that they hired one of the new grads as an RN supervisor. She is currently orienting and being an RN myself receiving an LPN's pay, I think the management is making a huge mistake. I'm kinda bitter about it since I was also interested in the said position :lol2: but reading the job description saying "At least 3 years of supervisory experience preferred" made me rethink about it and was one of the reasons why I didn't apply. The management hiring a nurse fresh out of school with no supervisory experience in her back may not be a good move. We have 3 RNs (including me) doing bedside nursing and they didn't even bothered considering us to think about sup-ing. Even the LPNs raised their eyebrows when she said that--"I'll be orienting as a supervisor starting today". I dunno how this is gonna play and hope they orient her well because being an RN supervisor is a big responsibility.

What are your thoughts about this?

They might have thought that their three RNs already on board were not interested if none of you were jumping for a chance at the job. It does not seem to make sense to pick someone right out of school, but have seen this happen often. I think it has something to do with having to fill the position and the expendability of a new grad. There is a tremendously large pool of new grads to choose from for replacing people who do not stay long.

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I would not rely on anything that Nurse has an opinon of, sorry no experience!

Patient safety is now w/o an experienced Nurse.

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Its the old "I'll get a brand new nurse since she does not expect a high salary". I doubt this will work, way too much resposibility, and in this case zero experience!

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Well, if you didn't apply, you can only be mad at yourself, not anyone else. One can never expect someone to come up to them and hand them a promotion.

Give her a chance. And don't play the "well you don't have any nursing experience so I'm not going to listen to you" game. Be respectful and helpful, like a team should be. Let yourself shine but don't try to out do her. Put yourself in her shoes and treat her how you would want to be treated if you were the new supervisor.

And if she fails, at least you won't look bad.

And for the record, I don't believe she should have been hired. I don't know why she took the job either. Maybe she was in a position where it was "take the job or be homeless" kinda thing, but nonetheless, one should not be a nursing supervisor without nursing and supervisor experience.

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Specializes in Gen Surg, Peds, family med, geriatrics.

Supervisory experience is one thing, it helps a bit. But you need to have nursing experience to be a nursing supervisor! I'm a nursing supervisor and I can tell you that I wouldn't be able to do this job as effectively as I do if I didn't have my 25 years nursing experience behind me.

This whole situation has the potential to being a real problem. And you're absolutely right, it is a mistake.

Bide your time....you may yet have a chance to vie for that job. :)

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I see a lot of people missing out on interviews for misunderstanding the word "preferred". There is a huge difference in "preferred" and "required". If a job posting says "preferred", apply away.

If that new RN has the confidence to apply for the job, she may have the confidence needed for the job. If she fails at it, it's her fault for overestimating her capabilities. That's my two cents anyway.

I think it was Michael Jordan that said you miss 100% of the shots you don't take.

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i am currently a rn supervisor in an alf/snf. i graduated w/ my adn in dec. '08. please do not just assume this nurse does not have the experience to be a supervisor. she may not have 25 years like some of you...but i am doing quite well in my position as evidenced by the verbal kudos i routinely get from my co-workers as well as management and the written evals that i've received.

if you didn't apply for the job, you shouldn't even question the one that was hired. give this supervisor the opportunity to show what she's made of!!!!

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You are mad she got the job you wanted... yet you never applied or made your desire for this position known. Who are you really mad at? I'd say if one is qualified for the job they should go for it. I'm guessing you didn't interview this new supervisor so you probably don't know about her credentials, degree/s, and experience so in my opinion it would be hard to say whether or not she is qualified for the job. For everyone at your facilities sake, let's hope she is.

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I would have a serious problem being supervised by a new graduate. I don't care if she used to be a supervisor for Burger King or whatever. She's not going to know what she is doing without any previous RN experience. I feel sorry for her though I know people are going to be making fun of her. I don't think it's going to work out for her.

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We often had new grads for supervisors and most of the people were at least courteous to them while not necessarily going out of their way to assist them or to take them under their wing. I see no reason to show resentment toward the person who had enough gumption to apply for the job. Help her out. You never know when you might need some help from someone.

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Specializes in School Nursing and Sports Medicine.

I don't know. Just because she's a new grad doesn't mean she's not capable. I've seen supervisors being outshined by newbies. You've mentioned that she's being trained for the position. Give her a chance. :twocents:

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Even with supervisory experience in another field, she will know nothing about about nursing and it will very difficult for her to manage, especially if the nurses she is managing do not respect her over this.

With no nursing experience, there might as well be no supervisor since the other nurses will not be able to rely on her to help much with problems that may come up. I don't see her as functioning as much more than an aide as far as nursing skills go.

It's also a dangerous situation for her, with all of the responsibility and none of the knowledge.

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