Please describe a typical day in the working life of a Nurse Manager.

"I always begin my day with a morning check with both my nursing staff and patients. I also try to check in with nurses who worked the previous shift. My mornings are usually filled with a mixture of leadership meetings and patient care. I also try to work on project plans and strategic goals."

My day begins with checking on the staff and patients for the day. I always look at the staffing ratios and acuity of patients on the unit. I round first thing in the morning and then throughout the day so I can see what is going on in the unit as well as have a presence for the staff to ask questions or for help with patient care. I take advantage of answering call lights to meet patients as well as help on the unit. Unit audits, meetings, and work on process improvement projects occur daily as well.