Five things nobody tells you when you get promoted

Many of you may know, many of you may not, but I was recently promoted to a new position within my facility. (If you're still lost, I am a registered nurse - formerly a LPN - working at a long term care and rehabilitation facility). Recently as in last week. My new official title is "Clinical Nurse Manager" which basically means I manage a single unit (there are six in my facility) and I report directly to the Director of Nursing (or DON in nurse-speak).

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I had applied for a new position - but it was NOT this one. This one came as a surprise, kind of like one of those "one door closes and another one opens" kind of things. It came with insecurities and doubts and "can I really do this?" and "what ifs." It came with excitement and nervousness and encouragement.

When you accept a new job, it usually comes with many congratulations and many well wishes, but there are a few things nobody will tell you about being promoted.



1. Everyone will have their own way of doing things. No matter what field you work in, what position you start in, or what position you are promoted to, the people around you are going to have their way of getting the job done. In my case, I am being trained by multiple people, and each one of them have a different way of doing things. Starting out, I can already see what I am going to do different, but I can also see some habits of my own that I need to adapt and change. No one person is completely right, and no one person is completely wrong. I think it's important to take away something from every person teaching you.

2. Not everyone will be excited for you. Its just one of those things. There will be those who just don't think you're good enough, no matter what. There will be those that are jealous, those that wanted the job themselves and thought they were the better fit. This is when you just have to hold your head high and not let your own self doubts mix with the doubts of others.

3. The training period is never long enough. No matter if you get three weeks, or three months, you will never know everything you need to know before you're on your own. There are just some things that have to be learned the hard way.

4. Being someone's boss (especially someone who was your fellow peer) is really hard. I learned this when I became an LPN, then I learned it again when I became an RN, and I'm still learning it now, as a manager. If you've ever been promoted within a facility, chances are you are now your former peers' boss. And chances are you are now the one that has to tell them what to do, how to do it, and reprimand them when they get it wrong. It sucks. I haven't found a way to do it when it doesn't suck, so if you know of one, please let me know.

5. You will get things wrong. It's okay. Thankfully I'm still working under supervision so I haven't had a chance to screw up too badly. But I know it's coming. It always does. I am not perfect, nor to I pretend to be. I do however, try my best to get the job done in the most efficient and ethical way possible, while doing what is best for my staff and my patients, who are of course my number one priority.

Did you learn anything new when you were promoted/hired in a new position?