Why I Turned Down a Nurse Manager Position

A note from Rose Sherman, Blog Editor

Several weeks ago, I received an email from a blog reader who wrote: I love your blog. It is very thought-provoking. I have been in my charge position for almost 4 years now. I was recently asked to apply for the unit manager position and was subsequently offered the position. After much consideration, I declined the position. Would it be helpful to submit a small piece on why I turned it down?  

Her story is one I have heard repeatedly over the past three years, so of course, I said yes. What happened here brings to mind the quote from the late Dr. Steven Covey “if we keep doing what we are doing – we will keep getting what we are getting.”

A Charge Nurse’s Story in Her Own Words

Professional promotion—who doesn’t want that? It’s a huge vote of confidence in your abilities, a pay raise, and perceived respect from others, right? I didn’t.

The nurse manager position on the unit was once again open. My unit has been through 12 managers in the 10 years I’ve worked for the hospital system. There were many months of vacancy as well. The longest tenure amongst those managers was 1.75 years. The shortest was 3 months.

I have been a charge nurse for 5 years of my 17-year nursing career. None of us charge nurses would even consider applying for the manager job for the longest time. It’s hard to want a job that has devoured so many others. Two of my brave charge nurse peers applied for the position. I participated in one of their interviews. After the interview, I spoke with my CNO about the interview. My CNO asked me, “Have you considered applying for the position?” I know her very well, so I felt comfortable enough to reply with a chuckle. “No,” I said. She continued, “I think you should. I really think you should think about it,” adding her signature eye wink.

Great, I thought. I mean, it’s VERY flattering that she would ask me. I told her I’d think about it. After deciding that I didn’t want to let my CNO down, I applied 2 days later. My executive director immediately scheduled my interview, and I was interviewed less than a week later.

Soon thereafter, my executive director called me into her office to tell me that “everyone loved me” and “loved my interview answers” and that they would like to offer me the position.  I asked her for the weekend to consider the unofficial offer.

Most people would be pumped, right?!? I was filled with anxiety. I was not anxious about the expectations of the job…I had already proven myself in my charge role. I am very comfortable dealing with conflict resolution, have a high degree of clinical skill, am known for my calmness, even in the middle of “storms,” and have great working relationships with the nursing staff and providers. I was anxious about the HOURS. The managers who had been there previously were working 55-70 hours/per week. They were frequently being called in to work nights.

Before my interview, I had thought about the problems that existed for the previous nurse managers on my unit. The poor work/life balance was something that EVERY previous nurse manager had mentioned. Therefore, in my interview, I asked for one or more of the following things: 1) a 4/10s schedule, 2) Initially serving as interim manager to ensure a proper fit for me and the unit, and 3) Splitting the after-hours call with the executive director, the educator, the postpartum manager and myself (which would allow for 3 weeks of not being on after-hours call per month). I was told I’d take call for 2 units every other week, for a solid week. Nurses call in on both units regularly, so there was a high probability that I would be called in to work quite often.

I was told “NO” to absolutely everything I asked. Absolutely everything. When I asked about what tools senior leadership was going to provide me to help me support the unit, they were stumped. I think I heard a cricket chirp after I asked that question.

You see, my frame of mind was 12 people had been in that job in the last 10 years. Maybe something needed to change about the way the job was structured. I felt that administration needed to make some changes, yet they were unwilling to do so in any way, shape, or form. As far as I was concerned, that showed me a lack of true support from my upper management. No one wants to be worked to the bone. Spreading out the workload and giving one additional day off in a position known to be one of the most stressful jobs in nursing would’ve made all the difference in the world. Although my new CNO is phenomenal (I’d worked under her before), and she was the reason I applied, I still felt there wouldn’t be any solid support behind me.

After over a week of considering HR’s offer for the position, I passed on the offer. I could not handle the anxiety of working 55-70 hours/per week. Call me crazy, lazy or whatever, but I have to protect my sanity.

Since I turned the position down, my administration DID decide to change something about the manager job—they hired a manager with absolutely no clinical experience specific to the unit. We will see how that goes.

In the meantime, I am collecting letters of recommendation, enrolling in my MSN, and considering other management opportunities with organizations with strong manager support structures.

Nurses rock. Stay strong, friends.