A unit manager is responsible for overseeing the staff, assisting in the development of policy and procedure recommendations, and performing administrative duties. A unit manager can work in a warehouse, an office, or even a hospital, depending on the environment. Typically, hospitals are divided into units, with a nursing supervisor or a unit manager assigned to each. When staffing is low, she can assign herself to patient care or simply perform administrative duties.
The hospital unit manager is usually in charge of delegating patient assignments, contacting physicians for treatment orders, and resolving conflicts with other staff members or family members. In most cases, a hospital unit manager will have a nursing degree and extensive experience in the nursing unit she supervises. She may also find herself on 24-hour call, with the possibility of being summoned to the hospital if a staff member calls in sick during an overnight shift.
The nursing manager may work on scheduling, policy, and procedures when she is not making rounds on the unit or working as a clinical nurse. A hospital’s unit manager is responsible for developing programs, which may include classes on the importance of hand washing to prevent cross-contamination between patients. Because the manager’s job is classified as administrative, she usually works the day shift; however, she must be flexible in order to cover unexpected emergencies.
A promotion from a staff nurse to the position of unit manager is common. Frequently, the position will be given to a registered nurse who has shown commitment to the unit or hospital and has extensive experience in the clinical area in question. A good manager candidate, for example, has at least five years of experience in the unit, is responsible, and is a problem solver with a good attendance record.
Occasionally, the hospital will post open nursing manager positions for current employees to apply for. Other times, the hospital may post a job ad for a nursing manager online or in the newspaper to attract candidates from outside the area. Because the job candidate will be replacing a manager who has not yet been terminated from her position, some of these are blind ads that do not reveal the name or location of the hiring hospital. In these cases, the hospital’s details are withheld until the employee has been fairly informed of her impending termination her superior.