How to Be a Successful Nurse Manager

Successful nurse managers have strong administrative skills.

Nurse management is a challenging but, ultimately, rewarding career because people doing this job make an invaluable contribution to patient care and help nurses to do their jobs more effectively. In a typical day, a nurse manager might meet with hospital administrators, oversee a staff training program and make time to discuss a patient's case with his family. Being a successful nurse manager requires a combination of empathy, good organizational and leadership abilities and strong communication skills.

Instructions

1. Hone your communication skills. Successful nurse managers listen to what patients and staff are saying before making decisions. They must clearly convey to staff what is expected of them, as well as being encouraging and supportive. Aim to be fair and detached when listening to opposing points of view and be open and consistent when communicating with staff and hospital administrators. If, for example, you are informing staff about a new hospital strategy that affects workloads, announce it at a formal meeting to dispel rumors and confusion.

2. Conduct research on changes and developments in your profession. Keeping current by reading nursing and medical journals gives you a more comprehensive understanding of your profession and arms you with additional knowledge and insights when making decisions, giving guidance to staff members and negotiating with other managers.

3. Strive for excellence. No-one is perfect but if you work at improving your weak points and adding to your skills base, you will have the peace of mind of knowing that you are doing the best job you possibly can. If, for example, you find the administrative tasks hard to handle, sign up for an accounting course at a local college. Take advantage of additional management training offered by your employers or do some volunteer work in a related field.

4. Devise effective coping strategies. Nurse managers juggle many responsibilities, including assessing patients' needs, performing administrative tasks, such as preparing departmental budgets, and overseeing the day-to-day duties of staff under their supervision. Recharge your batteries by taking time out to relax and do things you enjoy when you finish work. Exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep and eat healthily. This helps you to stay calm and focused and to perform better when your are at work.

References

• Leaders For Today: Nurse Managers: Their Success Is Your Success
• nursetogether: What Makes a Good Nurse Manager; Kathy Quan, RN, BSN, PHN
• Nurseweek: Don't drop the ball Nurse Managers' Expanding Duties
• Sample Job Descriptions: Nurse Manager Job Description