What does an RN supervisor do?

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Specializes in ICU.

Hey guys just a quick question. I am in a LTC facility and we have RN supervisors on the weekends. We have had several and I would like to know what it is that they should do? My supervisor doesn't seem to do much of anything. Mainly she sits at the desk and handles complaints. Her idea of handling a complaint is to walk down the hall and tell me about it. I have gone to her on a few occasions with nursing questions, protocol issues and the like and she has no answer for me. She just says " oh I don't know." She is real apologetic but she has worked there for 5 years, how can she not be my resource of policy, procedure, nursing questions? From what I have seen, her job could be done by an unlicensed personnel. Is this normal? Is she just a warm body for fulfill rn quota? I am not complaining as she leaves when I come in and I work with out any supervisor, but shouldn't a supervisor be a help? Not just there to make sure I don't steal the wipes?

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Specializes in NICU,ICU,ER,MS,CHG.SUP,PSYCH,GERI.

Let's see...last night I pushed 10 cardiac drugs, mixed and started 2 drips,looked up about 26 labs and 2 x-rays,did the morning staffing, redid the staffing after a late call-in, then redid the staffing after a staff member was really unhappy about the assignment, updated the census, made and distributed 12 copies,drew some lab, started an iv on a patient with no veins, bought a holiday dinner for the staff, cleaned the break room and set it up,re- assured a distraught daughter that her mom would be well cared for, gave some morphine,suctioned a trach and made the patient comfortable,interpeted about 9 illegible orders,talked to and laughed with the staff,made and distributed 9 copies of the assignment and 2 of the report,locked and unlocked the door,tee tee'd once, ate,did the staffing for tonight,got some bonuses for some staff,did the productive nursing hours numbers,and learned that amioderone is compatible with NS and D5W,counted 1 set of narcotics ( the sweet staff counted the others), checked 4 crash carts and defibrillators...at least that is what this RN supervisor did. And usually does.. about the same, only different. And now I am sitting at my computer, reading Allnurses.My feet hurt but it is a beautiful day!

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Specializes in NICU/Subacute/MDS.

In LTC: answer calls, admit new patients, resource for code blues, verify MD orders, follow-up on late labs, supplies, make sure charts and care plans are updated, resource for over-whelmed RNs, prep pt's for discharge, verify next day schedule, fill positions for sick staff, handle staff issues, push and hang IV meds for the floor (lots of LVNs in LTC), start IVs

I'm sure there are many more duties! Basically, anything that the floor staff do not have time for as they pass their 1 million meds to 50 or so patients!

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Specializes in ICU.

Wow, let me just say, our supervisor does none of what you guys are doing. I absolutely promise! I wish I had someone to do all that for me!

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Specializes in Mental Health, Medical Research, Periop.

Could it possible that you just don't see all she is doing when she is in her office? Could be tons of paperwork. I imagine you're extremely busy in LTC. She is probably loaded with complaints, keeping up with careplans for like 50 patients, she probably has to review MD orders, chart updates, communicate with the DON about what is happening on the unit, etc. She may be very busy and that's why she isn't on the floor as much because she is loaded with other responsibilites.

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Specializes in LTC.

our ADON worked last night and she caught up on alot of paperwork.

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Specializes in ms, neuro, critical care, rehab.

In addition to activities mentioned above if Medicare/medicaid guidelines are not followed your facility would loose its funding you would no longer have a job. Something supervisors and ADON are responsible for. They are also responsible for having policy and procedure written down for employees to follow which when followed prevents lawsuits, and protects you. When all that is taken care of customer relationships, doctor relationships are cultivated. This helps market your facility to other clients. Yes as a seasoned nurse your supervisor may miss the days of pt interaction and get her hands "dirty again on the floor" or that may be why she became a supervisor plain and simple.

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Well I have to agree that you probably didn't notice or know what else she is doing however the answer "oh I don't know" is not something that a supervisor should tell anyone, it doesn't send a correct message and people like her makes it bad for the other weekend supervisors that do the work. I don't work weekends as often but the staffing I leave it to the other supervisor who is familiar with the staff, but I count the narcotics, make sure the medications that needs to be returned to the pharmacy is logged in, go to the floors and help out whatever I can, do some paper work, check orders, handle the complaints, and whateve else I can do. I have to admit that on weekends that I work I try to catch up on my paperwork that I am not able to do during the weekdays if I am lucky to get some time.

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Specializes in ICU.

I guess I misrepresented her role. When our floor RN stopped working, they fell below their mandate for an RN 8hrs per every day rule. All of the jobs you guys are mentioning are done by other staff members ( DON, ADON, MDS team, unit supervisors). All I know is when the only RN staff nurse quit, they couldn't find an RN to work the floor but needed to have one in the building. Thus they created the " RN supervisor" position. I guess I am not really sure what kind of response I was looking for. It is frustrating to feel like the staff has such little support, the supervisors dont even give a damn. Its depressing to want to do a good job and everyone acts like they just punch a clock. Maybe its because I am new, maybe in a few years I wont give a damn either.

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.
Let's see...last night I pushed 10 cardiac drugs, mixed and started 2 drips,looked up about 26 labs and 2 x-rays,did the morning staffing, redid the staffing after a late call-in, then redid the staffing after a staff member was really unhappy about the assignment, updated the census, made and distributed 12 copies,drew some lab, started an iv on a patient with no veins, bought a holiday dinner for the staff, cleaned the break room and set it up,re- assured a distraught daughter that her mom would be well cared for, gave some morphine,suctioned a trach and made the patient comfortable,interpeted about 9 illegible orders,talked to and laughed with the staff,made and distributed 9 copies of the assignment and 2 of the report,locked and unlocked the door,tee tee'd once, ate,did the staffing for tonight,got some bonuses for some staff,did the productive nursing hours numbers,and learned that amioderone is compatible with NS and D5W,counted 1 set of narcotics ( the sweet staff counted the others), checked 4 crash carts and defibrillators...at least that is what this RN supervisor did. And usually does.. about the same, only different. And now I am sitting at my computer, reading Allnurses.My feet hurt but it is a beautiful day!

We're in the long term care forum.. we don't push meds. A supervisor should make sure everything is running well...help out when needed...say if one floor got 3 admits...be a mentor to newer staff and deal with complaints so the other nurses can get their work done. I'm looking for a 3-11 sup. if anyone is interested.:coollook:

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Specializes in ms, neuro, critical care, rehab.

Thanks for clarifying melissa. Just because you are in a a LTC facility don't thick slackers come in one variety or flavor. Whether in an office setting or hospital floor nursing this situation can occur anywhere. However a I do ABSOLUTELY believe she should be a resource and mentor. If not resolve questions for you - point you in a positive direction. One facility I knew of did away with supervisors and made seasoned nurses "charge" nurses so in addition to taking care of their own pt load they had to do the scheduling and crisis intervention. They were paid 1$ more per hour. That solution did not resolve any issues either.

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Lets see... In my facility we have 180 residents. In my role as midnight building supervisor I also so act as charge nurse on a unit (in my case the "dementia unit") in addition to supervision. I am responsible for all med and treatments on that unit during my shift. I am also the person responsible to ensure that the staffing for the following day is correct, take any sick calls and fill the slots, answer all calls into the facility, respond to any of the other 5 units in the building for any falls, emergencies, family issues, resident-to-resident issues, or deaths. If a resident is sent to the hospital for acute care anywhere in the facility, I am to do all follow-up calls to or from the hospital for any reason. I also have lots and lots of paperwork, including routine assessments, MDS-3, care plan updates, or anything else that the nurse managers "have't had a chance to get to. I also respond as quickly as I can to any questions or requests I get from my charge nurses or support staff, and if I don't know an answer, I get it for them. I trained my relief supervisor to conduct herself in a similar fashion. While I cannot speak for any other supervisors in any other facility, I do know that, in our facility, the supervisor is involved and generally, extremely busy.

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