Spotlight On Nurse Managers: The Not-So-Heartless Truth About Nurse Managers

By Maggie Aime, RN

A NURSE MANAGER GETS REAL ABOUT THE JOB BEHIND THE SPOOFS

Alright! It’s no secret nurse managers get a bad rap! Seriously, do they live for meetings and cackle as they deny nurses’ PTO? What’s the real deal? We sat down with real-life nurse manager Marcia to find out whether there was any truth to these rumors.

Marcia starts by debunking the myth of a “typical day.” “I don’t think any nurse, whether you are an LPN, RN, NP, CRNA, or Nurse Manager, has a typical day,” she laughed. In nursing, you have to stay flexible to handle whatever the day brings, she added.

Her main responsibilities revolve around ensuring the safety and well-being of both her staff and patients. “I do my best to manage or assist in managing any issues or opportunities that may arise,” she explained. While budget and operations are on her radar, her focus remains on staff satisfaction and providing high-quality patient care.

WHAT ABOUT THE WHOLE ‘POOF, THEY’VE GONE TO A MEETING’ THING?

Look, Marcia admits some days contain their fair share of meetings. But she’s also adamant they aren’t just for show. “We must be able to collaborate with other departments to understand their workflow and challenges and how that impacts the system as a whole,” she explained.

Everyone must row in the same direction for the boat to move.

And Marcia’s take on teamwork? “Everyone must row in the same direction for the boat to move,” she said. Wait! What? Is that synchronized rowing? A floating hospital? Just kidding!

Now, are some meetings totally useless? Marcia swore even the budget and quality metrics meetings have value. But for the most part, they keep them short and meaningful, she promised. According to her, nurse manager calendars have a no-meeting zone — a sacred chunk of time where meetings are not scheduled. When asked why, she said it gives nurse managers an opportunity to make rounds with patients and staff.

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH: LET’S TALK PTO DENIALS!

When asked about the infamous PTO denials, Marcia talked about balancing staff coverage and nurses’ right to downtime. She said, “My whole leadership team and I work hard to balance and grant everyone their requested time off because we need work-life balance!” Hmmm…

But Marcia admits she can’t approve everyone’s PTO requests. Hmph!

She said that while she tries to approve as much PTO as possible, patient safety means the entire staff can’t go on vacation at the same time.

When asked about the weirdest PTO request, Marcia said employees don’t require a reason for PTO requests. Time off is personal. Your PTO, your business!

NURSE BLAKE’S SPOOFS? THE NURSE MANAGER WEIGHS IN

So, what does Marcia think of Nurse Blake's spoofs about nurse managers? Well, she’s actually a huge fan! Marcia gushed, “I love Nurse Blake and just saw his hilarious show live!”

And while Nurse Blake pokes fun at nurse managers for laughs, Marcia admitted some spoofs hit close to home. “Some days, I’m the hot mess manager, the helper, or even the micromanager,” she confessed.

Her staff teases her for putting everything on her calendar. “They tell me I need to make sure I put ‘don’t forget to go to the bathroom’ on my calendar too,” Marcia laughed, “but there are so many things to keep track of or monitor.”

While Nurse Blake highlights the chaos of management, Marcia praises how he also uplifts the nursing profession. She appreciates how Nurse Blake keeps it real but entertaining about all nursing roles across the board.

WHILE NURSE BLAKE POKES FUN AT NURSE MANAGERS, THE JOB COMES WITH ITS SHARE OF PROS AND CONS:

PROS

• Guide and mentor the next generation of nurses

• Implement policies and programs to improve patient care

• Leadership experience can prepare you for executive roles

CONS

• Hours spent on administrative tasks
• Difficult to balance staff needs with organizational priorities
• Requires thick skin to handle workplace conflicts

GETTING REAL ABOUT THE SERIOUS STUFF

Of course, we wanted to know about some serious stuff, too!

Although she’s been with her current team for a short time, Marcia said, “Call me cheesy, but I’m a people person who leads from the heart.” She prioritizes relationship-building.

Some days, I’m the hot mess manager, the helper, or even the micromanager.

She said she gets in the trenches with her team! “If we have a rescue or code, I’m in there with them. If a patient needs to use the restroom, I’m taking the patient, and they see it. When there are opportunities or challenges on the unit, I need their input and ideas from their view. They are the ones with boots on the ground. I must support them, whether it’s professional or personal,” she said. This hands-on support, she added, helps prevent burnout.

But she also gave props to her organization for promoting nurse satisfaction through adequate nurse-to-patient staffing ratios and open communication.

THINKING OF BECOMING A NURSE MANAGER?

“Don’t do it,” Marcia first joked. But in truth, she said to carefully think about your motivations before pursuing leadership. “Make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons,” she advised, because leadership can be challenging and draining yet incredibly fulfilling.

She recently reconnected with her previous team and felt deeply rewarded. Seeing their professional growth from novice nurses to experts, which she contributed to, filled her cup.

So, are nurse managers heartless PTO hoarders? Probably not. Are they always trapped in meetings? No doubt. But Marcia makes a strong case that, at their core, nurse managers are still nurses looking out for their staff and patients.

OPPOSITE Nurse manager Marcia sets the record straight
on rumors about her role.