Should You Take an Interim Nurse Leader Role?

By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, FAAN

Over the years, I have often found myself in a conversation with one of my graduate students about the pros and cons of taking an interim nurse leader role. As Dale Pfrimmer from the Mayo Clinic recently observed in an interview with Jennifer Threw from Health Leaders Media, the use of interim nurse leaders in healthcare today is quite common but there is little out there in terms of guidance for those who choose to pursue these roles. As I pointed out earlier this week, context is important in leadership so there is no one size fits all answer for nurses considering interim roles. Each situation needs to be considered on its own merits including the factors that lead the organization to seek an interim leader. These include but are not limited to the following situations:

When a nurse leader quits abruptly with little notice or opportunity to recruit for his/her role.
When a nurse leader in a permanent role is appointed to fill a higher level interim role in his/her organization such as a Chief Nursing Officer and their position is back filled with an interim.
When an organization has tried but is unsuccessful in recruiting a permanent nurse leader for a role and requests a staff member to temporarily act as the leader.
When an organization is undergoing restructuring and has not yet committed to a permanent organizational chart making the leadership role temporary or interim until a decision is made.
When a nurse leader in a permanent leadership role takes an extended leave of absence usually due to illness but is expected to return.

The Pros of Taking an Interim Role

There are positive outcomes that can result from taking an interim position. It can be a good choice if you want to “test drive” a leadership role without a commitment to stay in it. Many nurse leaders have propelled their careers forward by assuming an interim role that they might not have been selected for in a competitive job search. Students often tell me that they have surprised themselves with their capabilities when they have stepped up to take the challenge. Sometimes, nurses take interim roles at the request of their fellow staff members who see them as the best person to fill a need or gap. Organizational leaders are often very grateful when nurses decide to take an interim role for the greater good of the organization. It can open the door to future career opportunities.

The Cons of Taking an Interim Role

Given the right set of circumstances, you may have a great experience in an interim role and even decide to apply for the permanent position. Unfortunately though, not every experience with interim leadership is a positive one. It can be much riskier to accept an interim role on a unit or in an organization where you don’t currently work. Your learning curve will be steep and you may feel that you have made a tremendous commitment with little job security. I also once had a student who accepted an interim role with hopes of getting the permanent position only to learn that the organization had in fact selected someone else and was waiting for them to relocate.

Asking the right questions can help you to avoid making a choice that you later regret. Some important questions include:

What is the expected length of time that I will be in the role?
Can I apply for the role if I determine that I am interested?
Will I be paid at the position level for accepting these additional responsibilities?
What orientation/coaching will I receive to transition into the role?
Will I be expected to assume all of the role responsibilities?
How will my relationship with my co-workers change?
Can I transition back to my previous role if I decide not to stay in this position?

Making the Decision

Only you can make the decision that is right for your circumstances. If you do accept an interim role, begin to act as if you are in it for the long run because chances are – you may be. You want to use your transition time wisely especially those first one hundred days. Don’t let your interim role drift from month to month with no resolution about your status. Develop your own timetable to make a decision about whether to apply for the position permanently and what to do if the organization cannot fill it. Most importantly, if you are asked to take an interim role – take your time to consider everything discussed here BEFORE you say yes.

Read to Lead

Threw, J. (October 20th, 2015). Interim Nursing Leadership and its Ins and Outs. Health Leaders Media.