Nurse manager communication issue

[Alphia, BSN, RN]

Hello,

I have a questions for anybody who are nurse manager. What is your communication issues that you have to deal with in your position? with your patients? your nurse? and other administrators/ managers?. I am about to apply for this position but so worried about it, since I am very new to this position.

Thank you

[DJSexton, RN]

You've come to the right place! First, I congratulate you on your decision to pursue the unknown. Management can be a scary place they say. In my experience, the leader that succeeds to best is someone who is always willing to be marginally uncomfortable with an internal, and insatiable appetite for accomplishing more than one can do alone. Communication is likely the most important aspect to get down. You will learn to understand each person you speak with has a stake in the outcome, and that YOU, are best suited to recognize where they are in their role. When you master that, you can begin your journey at being a "builder" of communication and relationships. It is a lot of work, but worth every penny of investment. My style is decentralizing the decisions closest to the patient and keeping the decisions where they belong the best. This takes maintenance. I allow things to get to my level when they have been properly vetted through staff and Charge RN. There are exceptions like recovering a really bad situation. Relationships with your administrative peers are different from your employees. You need to support your employees indeed, BUT a Nurse Manager must also drive staff to facilitate their work through accountability. Nursing is work and the lazy need not apply : ) Be a builder of "A Players" for your team. Your team will have less turnover and respect you more. Lastly, try to get the ear of another manager there. Ask him/her what the turnover is for managers. As kthem how they feel supported. If senior administration is making poor decisions, Nurse Manager will be a rough place to work. Likely, burnout will occur, and you'll leave your position with PTSD. Do your homework. Even though staff may look at the manager position as easier than staff, I assure you that if you're doing it right, it's harder (e.g. assessing staffing for 40+ staff, patient escalations, audits, disciplines, interviewing, crisis, and throw in there a pandemic : ) For whatever you choose, I wish you the best of luck : )