Ok most of you guys know me pretty well by now. (I hope)

I have had a difficult decision pushed towards me and i would love to take it on but am not sure if I am ready or up to the challenge.

As you all know I am working as a staff nurse at a local NH.

I love my patients and really mean so much to me. I feel helpless when things go on that I can not control and that I do not have my fingers in all the things that happen with my patients.

I have been offered the nurse manager position of my patients. I will forgo the details but it has been offered.

Here is the delema.

I did that once in a place that was not friendly and really focused on getting the paper work done. they never did give me a proper orientation not train me in what i needed to do. i am great people person but my manger skills are not the best (honest) I get done what does need to get done when it needs to be done. But If i do not know what needs to be done then I can not do it. so needless to say that ii was told I was not cutting it and was placed back in a staff position. That was a big blow to me. but I have finally gained confidence back into my self for that. I am still not good at dicipline but can do it if pushed.

what is holding me back.??? I love my people and would love nothing more to care for them in all ways and have control over what is happening. I know my DON is certainly a people person and so are the other nurse managers and love the residents to death and know that it would kill me to not have constant contact with them. they have assured me that I would not lose that and that is one of the things that the have done in considering me, knowing my contact with the residents and their families.

I am not sure that I can do it and not sure that if I do not do it if I can take it.

Pro's

weekends and holidays (most of them off) will be needed to work as supervisor on occasional weekend and holiday, and evening

I get to wear real clothes for most of the time

I know they would support me

I would have more control over my people and know what is happening to them

Cons HHHHHHMMMMMMMM

Can I hack it???

Sue, first of all, congrats on getting the offer

Here's my two cents worth. The key question is what you REALLY want to do career-wise. This promotion would definitely be a step into management and away from direct care - neither good nor bad in and of itself. However, if direct care is what you definitely want to do then this might not be for you.

Pros:
A chance to take on more responsibility and grow to the next level, especially if it leads you somewhere you've been hoping/striving to go.

Cons:
Less day-to-day patient care/interaction and responsibility for managing the team.

Not everyone is cut out to be a manager and it is a wise person who recognizes that about themselves. That said, your icky experience at the other NH is not necessarily indicative for the reasons you stated - they definitely didn't give you the tools to succeed.

It can be hard but look at where you really want to go. Me, I loved to get to the next level and have my fingers in more pies but DH was offered a promotion and choose to stay where he was because he prefers hands-on so it is all about what is right for you.

Now, after all the cautionary stuff a promotion is super and you will grow into/with the job and make it take on your personality and you will keep your patient contact because it is important to you, especially if you have a supportive management team above/beside you, which it sounds like you do.

Good luck either way!

Replace the word nurse with travel agent and you've got the story of my last job. ; )

Sue - I don't know what to tell you. Are they going to actually train you or just throw you into the fray? If they are offering to train you, and they are familiar with your work, then they must have confidence in you.

My gut tells me you can do this, but you do need the support of your superiors and those you'll be supervising.

I know absolutely nothing about the health care industry. I do know that some people are meant to be nurturers and love the hands on stuff. Other people like to know that they're helping people but in an indirect way. It seems to me that you're a nurturer but your superiors seem to think you have what it takes to be a manager. If you have good people working for you (people you can delegate a lot of the day-to-day paperwork to) then you would have more time to be with your residents one-on-one than you do now. You'll have time for talking to them, finding out what makes them tick and how you can best help them through your staff. As it is now, you are probably run off your feet seeing to their needs without any real input into what should be done to make their lives more comfortable. Delegate, delegate, delegate! Run a tight ship and always know what needs to be done by whom, but be approachable and understanding to your staff. You can do it. It's gotta be a helluva lot easier than managing a marriage and a family.

Wow Sue that's really awesome! I totally think you can do this, don't look back, just look forward at what's to come!

Sue, go for it! Nothing prepares you better for a management postion than having done the staffs' jobs yourself. You will be an excellent and compassionate boss, I'm sure. It worked for me and I had a whole section of male programmers working for me.

Do I get men????

Sue - I agree, go for it. You are one determined and compassionate person. You can handle it!

J

I have pretty much decided that I am going to do it. I will tell them that i DO want constant feed back though. i do not want to be told 1 month later that things are not gong right and I am forgetting things. I will work my heart out to make sure that My patients are cared for and recieve all the TLC that i have, but like many of you said I will have more control over things. And can impact their stay in many ways. After yesterday I worked as an aide a nurse and a supervisor all in 12 hours. What fun!! UGH I am still tired from all that. but botom line is that I know I am going to appreciate a little less of the haul, lifting and running. I do know that I will help with things that.

I also know that the gal that left was really good at getting things done so I will come into an organized setting. i just need to learn the ropes. I know the gals will teach me the ropes they are good like that and will support me. I am worried but I can get over it. I have done many things that I thought I could not do. so why not this?? I would mean many things for me.

I will let you know what happens.