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?

Specializes in Acute Care.

Poor dear. She has no idea what is ahead of her.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

I would have been bothered by it, too. On the up side, maybe they feel you are doing so well in your current capacity that they don't want to move you. ( This is all under the assumption that they knew you were interested in the job).

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Specializes in Acute Care.

I've been a nurse manager/d.o.n. several times in my years, once for 5 years. It was, without any doubt, the most miserable time in my nursing profession. It is a thankless, merciless, job that sucks the marrow from your bones! :lol2:

Consider yourself lucky. You narrowly escaped utter hell. ;)

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Specializes in geriatrics.

Even if she IS older, with the ability, the previous management experience, etc., I wonder about any new grad RN taking on that kind of a role?

For example, I am 37, with a career spanning 20 years (yes, I started very young) first in retail management, then hotel management. Transferable skills and leadership, of course. But I hardly think supervising other nurses' care, when I need to learn ALOT from them, would qualify ANY new grad for a supervisory role. Regardless of previous circumstances, because they are still new to nursing. A new grad who needs to learn, providing direction to experienced nurses seems like a bad idea. I would think anyone applying for that kind of position should have at least 2 years or more of solid nursing experience.

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Specializes in OB, Peds, Med Surg and Geriatric Nsg.

From what I learned, she has a degree in Management and became a manager in a corporate field but not nursing related. She was hired first to do an LPN's job like me and after 2 weeks of orientation, I believe she noticed that it was too much work than what an RN supervisor does. So I guess that was her turning point. I am frustrated of myself for not pushing through the application of being an RN supervisor because I believe that I am not truly confident of handling such responsibility. Plus you need to be in your current position for 6 mos before you could bid on another position. I don't blame her for being ambitious but I think management should at least consider that just because she's an RN with no nursing experience doesn't mean that they could just hire her right off the bat. I know for a fact that she doesn't know what she's getting into and that eventually she's gonna resign. My facility is known for having high turn-over rates. Management has always stressed that its expensive to train new grads, then why would you risk more money on it?

Well, I hope she sticks for a long time. I don't play the "oh I don't listen to you because you're a new grad" thing. I don't really care. As long as she does her job well, respect me and be a profesdional, I'll surely do the same.

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Specializes in OB, Peds, Med Surg and Geriatric Nsg.
I have noticed...and please don't take this the wrong way, but at my facility if you aren't asked to fill a position it's either because they don't want YOU for it or they don't want to replace you. I have seen nurses be passed up because they worked a crazy shift, and administration knew they would have a hard time filling their spot. Or, they just weren't management material.

I turned down a DON position at one of our sister facilities, (nerves got the best of me), when a DON position came up at my facility, I was excited. Nope, no one approached me. I went to the administrator and expressed interest and he said he already hired someone. Yes, I was upset and hurt. I completely understand. At least they went with someone that had DON experience though. I understand she may have supervisory experience, but unless she was an LPN before becoming a RN, I don't see how she is qualified to be a supervisor.

I was under the impression that they are gonna ask all of the nursing staff that might be qualified for the position other than hiring someone who is fresh out of school. That was said during my orientation. Unfortunately, that did not happen. And I am frustrated that I didn't apply because it said, "at least 3 years of supervisory experience preferred" which I don't have. Well sucks for me and lucky her for being ambitious enough to apply for it. Anyways, I don't get why LPNs can't be supervisors? There are LPNs there that had been doing the same job for 20 something years. Its ridiculous that u need to hsve an "RN" attached to your name to be able to supervise.

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Well I can add this. My father worked in computer science since the 80's. He was a supervisor in his company and realized that the people he was "over" made way more money than he did. He quit his job and became a regular staff member. The end.

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