The Unwritten Laws Nurse Managers Live By

MatrixRn · Apr 22, 2013

1. Always believe the worst about your subordinates, no matter how glowing a reputation or history of competence they may have. Never give anybody the benefit of the doubt.
2. Never praise or give an "attaboy", and always discipline for any minor infractions. Floor nurses are not allowed to be human.
3. Always wield your power like the hammer of Thor.
4. Be as acerbic and abrasive as possible in all dealings with your subordinates.
5. The patient, er, customer is always right, no matter how confused or crazy or vindictive or evil they may be. Patient satisfaction scores are more important than the truth.
6. Clinical nurse leaders do not make mistakes. Only non-management nurses do.
7. Always make sure that your employees shudder in fear at the sight of you; smiling is not allowed.
8. Always be sure to forget what it was like to work on the floor with actual, you know, patients.
9. Always work your hardest to make your subordinates feel as bad as possible about themselves and their chosen career, no matter how much they pour their heart, soul, and mind into it.

This list is pretty inflammatory and offensive. I doubt anyone has experienced ALL 9 of THESE as the same time. In general I would say a nurse manager may exhibit one or two but not all.

I read this list and find the use of words such as NEVER and ALWAYS. We all know that never and always are not accurate to describe anyone, all the time.

MatrixRn · Apr 22, 2013

"5. The patient, er, customer is always right, no matter how confused or crazy or vindictive or evil they may be. Patient satisfaction scores are more important than the truth."

There was a comment a few pages back that took offense to this. Well, the patient IS right. The goal of nursing is to SERVE. Now with that said the goal of nursing management should be to make sure the patient feels they are supported, but also make sure nursing is supported. This means they should not blame the nurse for things out of their control.

MatrixRn · Apr 22, 2013

"7. Always make sure that your employees shudder in fear at the sight of you; smiling is not allowed"

Really, ladies. Do you shudder when you see your nurse manager? I do not think so. Nurses are strong and vibrant people; they do not shudder.

Saying that a nurse shudders at the site of management is offensive to nursing.

[Remember all nurses have a boss above them - even a CNO.]

MatrixRn · Apr 22, 2013

"Always be sure to forget what it was like to work on the floor with actual, you know, patients."

Well, YOU KNOW, I do know what it is like to work with patients because I do it, as do MANY other nurse managers. It may not be readily evident because often times the nurse manager is coming in and working the overnight shift to fill in for a call out.

MatrixRn · Apr 22, 2013

I am sure there is a lot of pressure---as my mother who was a longtime upper management executive at hospitals tells me---but it does seem to me that it is only a certain type of person who wants to be in management, and that is a person who is on a power trip. Just my experience, not saying ALL nurse managers are like this, but I can only comment about that which I have known

Hmmm, and you created the list that started this thread.

morte, LPN, LVN · Apr 22, 2013

Shilla, why do you feel the need to "step on" someone's rant? It really isn't good form ya know?

chare · Apr 22, 2013

Shilla why do you feel the need to "step on" someone's rant? It really isn't good form ya know?[/quote']
Really? Why isn't it good form?

salvadordolly · Apr 22, 2013

Yes, there is bad management out there. But I think it has improved over the years. Alot of what is described is "old school". Old school managers often got no training at all and were just given a budget and shoved into the job, which is not an easy one. Management and leadership classes are now the norm in nursing school now, I think we'll be seeing less of these kinds of leaders in the future. Shilla is presenting a different view of management, not stepping on someone's rant. Personally, I would post more on this forum if it weren't so anti-management.

morte, LPN, LVN · Apr 22, 2013

persons come here to rant/vent etc.....IF they are looking for input, they ASK for it. To try and tell someone that their reality isn't real, is just plain rude. And, in this case, actually goes to prove their point, to some degree.

MatrixRn · Apr 23, 2013

Shilla, why do you feel the need to "step on" someone's rant? It really isn't good form ya know?

"Step on" someone's rant' implies no solutions are wanted by the many nurses who have a manager that they feel is not stellar. I beg to differ.

I think many nurses want to feel valued and important in their daily roles.

I agree there are some Charge Nurses, Ass DON, Managers, Directors etc who could benefit from some intervention to help them either be a better manager or leave the role. However, making the divide between staff nurses and management wider does not help achieve the goal of giving all of us a better place to work.

If there are terse words do not get defensive. Go to her or him later and say you were offended in a polite manner. You may find that the person was rushed, did not mean what was said or was not aware they came off that way.

If a new policy was implemented that you 'think' is unfair, instead of getting mad and being negative. Ask for clarification as to why the policy was implemented and how this will help YOU maintain your job in the long run. [i say this because often times policy is implemented to save money or grow a part of the hospital, both of which can achieve long term goals of keeping YOU employed.]

If someone does not like how they are treated let your feet do the talking. Upper leadership does notice and react when they see a manager who cannot maintain staff.

These are just a few of the many items a nurse can do to make the environment better....AND yes we all own the environment in which we work.

morte, LPN, LVN · Apr 23, 2013

"Step on" someone's rant' implies no solutions are wanted by the many nurses who have a manager that they feel is not stellar. I beg to differ.
I think many nurses want to feel valued and important in their daily roles.
I agree there are some Charge Nurses, Ass DON, Managers, Directors etc who could benefit from some intervention to help them either be a better manager or leave the role. However, making the divide between staff nurses and management wider does not help achieve the goal of giving all of us a better place to work.
If there are terse words do not get defensive. Go to her or him later and say you were offended in a polite manner. You may find that the person was rushed, did not mean what was said or was not aware they came off that way.
If a new policy was implemented that you 'think' is unfair, instead of getting mad and being negative. Ask for clarification as to why the policy was implemented and how this will help YOU maintain your job in the long run. [i say this because often times policy is implemented to save money or grow a part of the hospital, both of which can achieve long term goals of keeping YOU employed.]
If someone does not like how they are treated let your feet do the talking. Upper leadership does notice and react when they see a manager who cannot maintain staff.
These are just a few of the many items a nurse can do to make the environment better....AND yes we all own the environment in which we work.

in some environments, this question would be considered a threat to the manager. As in your comment about keeping the staff employed. Implied in that remark is that if you don't go along you will lose your job. I am thinking, that by the time a nurse feels the need to rant/vent, the situation is pretty much lost; and in this employment environment we can not simply vote with our feet.

Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN · Jun 12, 2013

... many nurses have not had any mgt training as they go up the ladder. It's a position learned by trial and error (and mostly error)...

Second this emotion.