New Nurse Manager - need advice!!

tillie1 · Apr 22, 2001

Originally posted by ComicRN:
I have recently taken over the role as Nurse Manager on a rehab/LTC floor. We have 20 rehab patients and 15 LTC residents. So far, I love my job and I want to succeed. Any words of wisdom from seasoned veterans would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

ok, i had an answer starte and it just went away into cyprspace! I"' try again..be willing to make yourself available to help the staff if needed. Our current manager actually schedules herself to fill holes on our schedule and she works the floor right along side us on those days. If thatt isn't feasible, she is available to help with things like iv sticks, drsg changes, etc. Please keep an open mind when you have a pt complaint or dr compllaint bout one of your staff...by that I mean, check out both sides ot the story before you decide how to handle the situation. I've been a manager and went back to staff nurse cause admin isn't my bag but I remember how grateful my staff was when I didn't immediately assume the dr or pt was always right. one last thing, if you explain to the staff why you are making changes, most of them will be accepting of those changes! Good luck to you!

misty · Apr 23, 2001

I would have to agree with thelast comment. Be flexible and open-minded. I recently assumed the role of charge nurse and it has been a challenge. I have had to put in some extra hours to complete administrative duties when taking on an assignment but it has been worth it. I plan classes for staff when we have enough and take over certain assignments to let staff leave unit to participate in hospital activities. I maintain contact with all tours and all know they can count on me. It's a tall order but in return they are filling just as tall an order as I am. We are a team.

ComicRN · Apr 23, 2001

I have recently taken over the role as Nurse Manager on a rehab/LTC floor. We have 20 rehab patients and 15 LTC residents. So far, I love my job and I want to succeed. Any words of wisdom from seasoned veterans would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

ecb · Apr 26, 2001

I need advice, on a personalities issue. I am new Unit Manager on a Skilled Floor (medicare, very high paced) and I freely admit I am in over my head, and my DON has offered (and I have accepted) for me to move to another floor.

That siad, I had a nurse get hysterical on me just now when I went to correct her on some work she is doing a poor job of.

I needed to correct her about orders on surgical wounds not being written, and immobilizers not being ordered on ORIF patients fresh out of the hospital, and she LOST the medical records, or at least did not place the records in the chart(she says I lost it because I am such a lousy manager) but she was terrified of me, and was shreeking at me in the nursing station and in my office.

I am worried that she is applying issues that do not relate to her, or this (specifically another nurse I made an error of writting up incorrectly, for hanging the wrong Tube feeding, when there was no signature on the MAR. and i admit I made an error, and no harm came except the speaking this nurse did on the issue himself) she was repeating his words to me, and she was SO upset. She was threatening to copy patient records and have my license pulled.

IS there a best way to deal with this? Tot op it off I am the On Call Supervisor, if she decides to walk out on the job (which is the impression she gave) I will have to go in and do a double shift to make up for her.

how do you deal with someone who is SO frantic and upset that they cannot talk, or listen?

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*** May we all have the serenity to accept what we cannot change, and the determination to change what we cannot accept. ***