nurse manager-request to work on the floor

[trulynurseatheart]

Our unit is stressed out with high acuity, barely adequate staffing, and management telling us we are the reason for our low patient scores, therefore our hospital will not get reimbursed. We have a new manager (since august) and this is her first management job.

Our unit wants to challenge her to work 2 day shifts and 2 night shifts, during the week, to see how our unit works. We came up with this during our shared leadership meeting. We feel she is far removed from the floor, and still does not understand the processes of our unit.

She is on the floor more than other managers (which was never), but mostly to see if we are hourly rounding, writing names on boards, etc. Never jumps out there if its 2pm and no one has had a break, or we are getting hit with our 5th admission.

What I wanted to know has anyone ever suggested this before? How do I go about it? Im trying to find articles online to support this.

I regret not requesting this when she was first hired, but its never to late... Also would like to get our 'nurse educator' we never see on the unit to work as well.

Thanks for your advice.

[llg, PhD, RN]

I have often felt that management and JAHCO should walk in a nurses shoes to really see what the job entails. Seems like there are a lot of people that can come up with ways that things should be done but many protocols are unrealistic. Our current manager went from staff nurse to nurse manager. A couple of weeks after becoming manager I noticed her new set of nails. It was at that point I realized she would not be a "working" manager. In fact there have been days when we are so busy and she has turned tail and walked out.

Just because she doesn't do the same job as you do ... does not mean she is not "working." In fact, her current management job may be a lot more difficult than you imagine. As you yourself said, she HAS walked a mile in your shoes. She HAS been a staff nurse. Unless you have been in her position, it is YOU who have not walked in the other person's shoes. She has seen both sides. Most staff nurses have not.

Obviously, I don't know whether she will be a good manager or not ... but the fact that she changed jobs and has other responsibilities now does not mean she will be a bad manager. It's wrong to jump to such conclusions and wrong for staff nurses to have unrealistic expectations of their managers. They have their own jobs to do -- and it is a different job than the job of staff nurse.

[massrn116]

Just because she doesn't do the same job as you do ... does not mean she is not "working." In fact, her current management job may be a lot more difficult than you imagine. As you yourself said, she HAS walked a mile in your shoes. She HAS been a staff nurse. Unless you have been in her position, it is YOU who have not walked in the other person's shoes. She has seen both sides. Most staff nurses have not.

Obviously, I don't know whether she will be a good manager or not ... but the fact that she changed jobs and has other responsibilities now does not mean she will be a bad manager. It's wrong to jump to such conclusions and wrong for staff nurses to have unrealistic expectations of their managers. They have their own jobs to do -- and it is a different job than the job of staff nurse.

The problem lies in the fact that she shows favoritism. Depending on who is working the floor she will step in. I am sure her managerial job may be difficult, mainly because she was not well prepared. She does not show the skills after almost two years of being an effective manager. We have many issues surrounding patient care that people have gone to her with and she ignores. She pulls a staff nurse, working as resource, off the floor to go to meetings with her. Sometimes leaving us busier than before. She does not address conflict unless it is in a back-stabbing way. As a staff nurse....she did not "walk in MY shoes" she was lazy and tried to get out of doing things. Her best qualification for the job was she knew who to brown-nose.

[llg, PhD, RN]

The problem lies in the fact that she shows favoritism. Depending on who is working the floor she will step in. I am sure her managerial job may be difficult, mainly because she was not well prepared. She does not show the skills after almost two years of being an effective manager. We have many issues surrounding patient care that people have gone to her with and she ignores. She pulls a staff nurse, working as resource, off the floor to go to meetings with her. Sometimes leaving us busier than before. She does not address conflict unless it is in a back-stabbing way. As a staff nurse....she did not "walk in MY shoes" she was lazy and tried to get out of doing things. Her best qualification for the job was she knew who to brown-nose.

Then maybe it is time for you to move on. If she has been in the job for 2 years and has the support of the upper-level managememt, she may be doing what HER boss wants her to do. If that is the case, then you are unlikely to change much. Perhaps you would be happier working somewhere else.

I wouldn't resign until after finding a new job, but if you are that unhappy ... then leaving may be your best option.

As I have told many people, you have only 4 choices:

1. Try to make peace with her. Support her, be friendly and cooperative, etc. Try to make it work. Once you have established a good relationship with her, she may be receptive to a few suggestions from a supportive employee she trusts.

2. Try to lay low and hope she either improves or go away. Be friendly and supportive, but don't stick your neck out in any way.

3. Be friendly and supportive ... while you quietly look for a new job. Then leave on good terms with a good reference.

4. Be glum, grumpy, argumentative, unsupportive, etc. That will usually get you a bad reputation and may eventually get you forced out of your job on bad terms with the institution. I would avoid this option if at all possible.

I recommend whichever of the first 3 options suits you and your situation best. Good luck to you whatever you decide.