What does the assistant nurse manager DO on your unit ?

[passing thru]

I'm interested in applying for a vacant ***'t mgr. position on our 50 bed telemetry unit. But, after I started considering it, I realized I don't really know what the job description is.

I hate to ask............

I know the present one does the schedules for all the unit employees - - our monthly work schedules-- for nurses, assistants, and secretaries- everyone. Other than that, I'm not really aware of what she does.

Can you give me an idea of what your ***'t mgr is responsible for?

And,

What would you list as the top 5 essentials in your wish list- for your asst mgr? Or , if you are an asst mgr, what / how is your day mostly spent? What are the qualifications you brought to the job?

Toss out any thoughts on this subject, whether you are in this position or not, I will appreciate it. thanks

[nursemaa]

Try asking your HR dept for a job description for that position; they should be able to provide one. The role probably varies from one organization to the next. :)

[passing thru]

I know, but I 'd like to hear some "real-life" descriptions of what your assistant't manager does, and/or even what you think she does.

[Janet Barclay]

:) Let's see...

Arrive 45 minutes prior to shift change to make the assignment sheet, fill any gaps, etc. Arrange for the bedside nurse's breaks, communicate with the physician group . Attend rounds (3-5hours). Assist with patient care if necessary, trouble shoot, mentor, teach, clean poop, wash the bottles etc. This is the day to day stuff.

The other areas of responsibility are performance reviews yearly for the team, "performance management", "attendance management" , participating in hiring and interviewing, liasing with the unit educators regarding whatever issues arrive, liasing with other departments. There are four of us, so we take turns replacing the manager when she is away.

The role, really is to be all things to all people :) . In our place, it has a huge clinical (vs admin) component, and depending on what day you ask, it's the best job in the hospital.

[renerian, BSN, RN]

A good manager will pitch in wherever and yes I work in management and sometimes work 10 to 30 hours per week in overtime. Of course I am salaried so it is free time.

renerian :rotfl:

[Loquax]

I'm the Swedish equivalent to an assistant nurse manager (in Swedish: Sektionsledare) at my ward, which is a pediatric oncology and hematology one. My responsibilities are as follows:

- filling gaps in the roster (causes agony now when everybody has vacation)

- reporting vacations, sick leave, maternerty/paternerty leave and so on into our HR management system

- solving different minor problems during the day, e.g. troubleshooting computers, mending the pneumatic tube system, comforting the secretary when she gets cross...

I'm also responsible for creating a procedures manual, we desperately need one.

Most of my time is however spent as a 'regular nurse', i.e. I take care of the children like anyone else on the ward. One or two days a week, my boss and I switch so I'm in the office and he works on the floor.

We've had _great_ difficulties in sorting out what responsiblities I have and which ones belong to my boss.

/Anders

[probable cause]

...walk around making sucking noises.