A unit manager manages staff, writes policy and procedures, and handles administrative tasks in various environments, including hospitals. They delegate patient assignments, liaise with physicians, and create programs. The position is often a promotion for a Registered Nurse with extensive experience. Hospitals may internally post jobs or advertise online or in newspapers.
A unit manager typically manages staff, helps write policy and procedure recommendations, and handles administrative tasks. Depending on the environment, a unit manager can work in a warehouse, office or even a hospital. Typically, hospitals are divided into units, and each unit has a nursing supervisor or a unit manager. She may assign herself a patient care task when staff is low or simply perform administrative tasks.
Typically, the hospital unit manager will delegate patient assignments, liaise with physicians to receive treatment orders, and resolve issues with other staff members or family members. A hospital unit manager usually has a nursing degree and extensive experience in the nursing unit he or she manages. Additionally, she may feel like she’s on a 24-hour call and may even be summoned to the hospital if a staff member calls in sick during an overnight shift.
When not making unit rounds or working as a clinical nurse, the nurse manager can work on scheduling, policy, and procedures. It is up to a hospital unit manager to create programs, which may include classes on the importance of hand washing to reduce patient-to-patient cross-contamination. Typically, the manager works the day shift because the position is classified as administrative in nature; however, it must be flexible to cover unexpected emergencies.
The job as a unit manager is often a promotion for a nurse. Often, the position will be awarded to a Registered Nurse who has demonstrated dedication to the unit or hospital and who has extensive experience in the specified clinical area. For example, a good manager candidate has typically worked at the facility for at least five years, is responsible and troubleshooter with an excellent attendance record.
Sometimes the hospital will internally post available nursing manager jobs for current employees to apply. Other times, the hospital may place an ad for a nursing manager online or in newspapers to attract outside candidates. In some cases, these are hidden advertisements that do not disclose the name or location of the hospital hired, because the candidate will be replacing a manager who has not yet been fired from his position. In such cases, hospital details are not disclosed until the employee has been duly notified by her superior of her pending termination.
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