Nurse manager less than supportive

[whip65]

Hello allnurses,

I am planning on applying to CRNA school this year and am trying to get all of my ducks in a row. I entered the ICU as a new grad and LOVE it! If and when I turn in my app this year I will have two years of ICU experience in a Med/Surg ICU at a Level I trauma/transplant center (three years upon entry). My unit is the only ICU in our hospital (out of two hospitals on the campus) and has some of the most acutely ill patients in the facility and covers the Code and RRT calls for our hospital (out of 8 adult specialty ICUs). I have been involved in unit council/practice committee, RN competency facilitator, I have been a preceptor for students, and have prior military experience. I have also taken a graduate level physiology course in the past year. My BSN GPA is 3.65 and my science GPA is similar. I am taking my GRE in a week and plan to get my CCRN this summer as well as meet with the program director of the CRNA program and shadow multiple CRNAs and hopefully one of the MDAs that staff our unit for a recommendation.

The organization where I work has a CRNA program and requires a reference from my current NM. I have a good working relationship with my NM but have heard from co-workers that she does not write stellar recommendations citing things like "so and so could use a little more experience" etc., even with RNs with more experience than me.

My question is:

If I am less than hopeful for a great recommendation from my NM, (and I know how important recommendations are to get granted an interview), what are my options? I plan on bringing this up when I talk to the program director, but being such an integral part in getting an interview- how can I bolster this aspect of the process? I was thinking of getting a recommendation from a charge nurse (who would actually know first person my skills as and RN in addition to the NM recommendation). Any other thoughts?

I was also thinking of bringing this up when I ask my NM for a letter and giving her reasons why I think that I am ready for this next step in my career. This is very important to me and obviously makes me very nervous to apply. ANY advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[Class2011]

I would be careful about bringing it up with the program director. Since the CRNA program is in house, s/he may already know the NM and the kind of references she writes. But do not in any way give the PD the impression that you are expecting a poor reference--perception is everything.

I would go for a frank conversation with your NM to find out just what s/he would say. S/he might well surprise you and write a very positive reference. If s/he has nothing nice to say then respectfully request that the less s/he says the better. Some programs use very simple reference forms with check off and short answer questions making very easy for people to be as brief. And a NM should know that they can't write anything really negative without risking a law suit.

The other aspect, is that just because the application says NM doesn't mean they won't accept a letter from an assistant manager or the ICU chief instead. You might cautiously/casually ask the PD, or better the PD's secretary, "Would you prefer a reference from someone who knows my skills better? I work side by side with the charge nurse on a daily basis ...

Lastly, not everyone is going to rock all the references. They're looking at the whole package. Just make sure that you have a couple real good ones. If you need to drown out your NM, you can submit more references than requested (not 50 more, but 1 or 2 more). The PM might realize you're trying to offset your NM, but they'll also think the more info on an applicant the better.

[loveanesthesia]

Hello allnurses,

I have a good working relationship with my NM but have heard from co-workers that she does not write stellar recommendations citing things like "so and so could use a little more experience" etc., even with RNs with more experience than me.

My question is:

If I am less than hopeful for a great recommendation from my NM, (and I know how important recommendations are to get granted an interview), what are my options? I plan on bringing this up when I talk to the program director, but being such an integral part in getting an interview- how can I bolster this aspect of the process? I was thinking of getting a recommendation from a charge nurse (who would actually know first person my skills as and RN in addition to the NM recommendation). Any other thoughts?

I was also thinking of bringing this up when I ask my NM for a letter and giving her reasons why I think that I am ready for this next step in my career. This is very important to me and obviously makes me very nervous to apply. ANY advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

#1 You don't know that what you have been told is true, it could just be an excuse from someone else explaining why they didn't get accepted. I sit on admissions and I've heard all kinds of things, candidates will tell all their friends that they have a 3.9, when it isn't even close to true. Then the friend will ask "I heard ...." but the program can't tell them that their friend hasn't been honest, the program can only say, "here are our requirements"

#2 Follow the application directions to the T, if they ask for a reference from the nurse manager, that is not the charge nurse.

#3 Admissions committees understand that managers can be biased and read the letters with a 'grain of salt'.

[Gerlich8]

I agree with all previous post and would like to add that when your NM is writing a letter for you you can also give her a copy of your updated resume and copies of other recomendation letters from charge nurses, staff, instructors and so on. I did this for my NM who wasn't very familiar with my work and she included some of the positive info in my letter. And remember to be positive.