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MoveuptotheroleofnursemanagerAmericanNurseToday

MoveuptotheroleofnursemanagerAmericanNurse
Today
Moveuptotheroleofnursemanager
March2011Vol.6No.3
Author:PamelaF.Cipriano,PhD,RN,FAAN,NEABC
NURSEMANAGERSatalllevelsworktogethertoaddressemergingtrends,adoptinnovativeideas,
andworktowardthesharedgoalsofquality,efficiency,andexcellenceinpractice.Theyguideand
leadfrontlinenurseswhilecontributingtoanorganizationssuccess.
Someofthemostrewardingexperienceshappenonthefrontlines.Thenursemanageris
responsiblefornursingpracticeandqualityofcareamongfrontlinenursesornursesinasingleunit
ordepartmentaswellasoverseeingallpersonnelandbudgetmattersandcreatinganenvironment
thatsupportsprofessionalpracticeandemployeeengagement.Traditionally,headnursewasthetitle
assignedtothefrontlinemanagerrole.Today,nursemanagerordirectorismorecommon.

Nursemanagersstraddletheworldsofstaffandmiddleuppermanagement,ensuringatwowayflow
ofcommunication.Theytranslateandpromoteorganizationalgoalstofrontlinestaffandremove
barriersthatcouldhindertheirperformance.Managersmustkeeppacewithcurrentadvancesin
careandtechnologyaswellasregulatoryandlegalrequirements.
Commandcentral
Mostnursemanagersplaytheroleofcommandcentralprovidingsupport,recognition,justintime
information,acalmhandandcoolheadinemergencies,andadvocacyforpatients,families,and
staff.Theyalsohaveanopportunitytoencouragepersonaldevelopmentandprofessionalgrowth
amongstaff.Aboveall,managersseetheimpactofthecaretheirnursesprovideanditseffecton
patientsandfamilies.Managerssetthestageandexpectationsforexcellence
incaring,optimizingquality,andajustcultureonethatdoesntholdpractitionersaccountablefor
systemfailuresbutthatdoesnttoleraterecklessbehavior.Nursemanagersinstillhopeand
determinationforteamstodotheirbestwork.
Thelargertheorganization,thegreatertheneedtoensureaunifiedapproachtostayingfocusedon
achievinggoalsandobjectives.Directorsoradministratorsresponsibleformorethanonedepartment
takeasystematicapproachwithmanagers,providingclearexpectationsanddirectionsostaffknow
theirrolesandaccountabilities.
Beyondnursing
Nursemanagersmayberesponsibleforpersonnelinotherdisciplines,notjustnursing.Inmany
settings,teamsconsistofnurses,assistivepersonnel,socialworkers,therapists,technicians,
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teachers,fiscalandfrontofficestaff,chaplains,pharmacists,andotherswhocontributetopatient
care.Nursemanagersalsointeractwithancillarystaffwhocarefortheenvironment,provide
nutritionalservices,maintainphysicalfacilities,andsupportthenursingstaffincaredelivery.Nurse
managershavetheskillandbreadthofexperiencetomanage
complexoperationsaswellasdiversepersonnel.

Togetherwithfrontlinemanagersandclinicalleaders,nursemanagementteamshelpsetthe
organizationsdirectionandgoals.Theseteamsstriveforconsistentpracticesandaccountability
acrossanorganization.Together,theteamsetsgoalstosupporttheoveralldirectionofthe
organization,encourageandmonitorperformanceattheunitordepartmentlevel,andevaluate
resultsthatbuildacrosstheorganization.
Nursemanagersmaychoosetoadvancetoanurseexecutiverole.Theexecutiveisresponsiblefor
practice,fiscalmatters,strategicplanning,advocacyforhumanresourceissues,promoting
professionalachievement,andassuringanenvironmentthatsupportsclinicalexcellence.Servingas
liaisons,nurseexecutivespartnerwithmultidisciplinarycolleagues,setthevision,andserveina
leadershipcapacityfortheorganizationasawhole.Theyalsoactasexternalambassadorsand
establishcollaborativerelationshipswiththepublic,lawmakers,academicpartners,andothernursing
groups.
Lookforsteppingstones
Ifyoureinterestedinbecominganursemanager,lookforwaystoaddsupervisoryresponsibilitiesto
yourrolethesecanbesteppingstonestoamanagementposition.Specificeducationin
managementhelpsprepareyoutohandlethelegal,fiscal,planning,direction,andcontrolfunctions.
Fornurseexecutives,graduateeducationisamustintheviewoftheJointCommission.Foratop
nursingpositioninanaccreditedorganization,youllneedamastersdegree.(SeeHowmuchdo
nursemanagersmake?byclickingonthePDFiconabove.)
Asanursemanager,youllserveinahighlyrewardingmultidimensionalrole,reachingpatients,
families,staff,andprofessionalcolleagues.Butyoumayhavetomakesacrificesmanagingpeople
canbestressfulandchallenging.Dealingwithstaffrecruitmentandretention,resourcecompetition,
andrelationshipsalwayscreatesdynamictension.Butwithgreaterattentionnowfocusedon
transformingnursingcareandtheprofessionforthefuture,thisisanexcitingtimetoconsidera
careerinmanagement.
Selectedreferences
CathcartEB,GreenspanM,QuinM.Themakingofanursemanager:theroleofexperientiallearning
inleadershipdevelopment.JNursManag.201018:440447.
EspinozaD,LopezSaldanaA,StonestreetJ.Thepivotalroleofthenursemanagerinhealthy
workplaces:implicationsfortraininganddevelopment.CritCareNursQ.200932(4):327334.
HaderR.Thecompensationtumble.NursManage.201041(8):2631.
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KirbyKK.Areyournursemanagersreadyforhealthcarereform?Considerthe8Es.NursEcon.
201028(3):208211.
KleinmanCS.Leadershiproles,competencies,andeducation:howpreparedareournurse
managers?JNursAdm.200333(9):451455.
PerrottoA,GrossmanMB.Tenwaystothetop.NursManage.201041(4):2832.
PamelaF.CiprianoisEditorinChiefofAmericanNurseTodayandNurseScholarin
ResidenceattheInstituteofMedicineinWashington,D.C.

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