Professional- licensure, reimbursement, other

Hello all, time to discuss the issue that has plagued many of us our whole careers. Whom can lead whom? I am going to write up a bigger article in the Winter newsletter edition, but would like to get some feedback from my fellow CEPs

This pertains to stress testing centers only for now, rehab programs is another beast.

In the stress testing centers (University/College, Hospital, Outpatient clinics) who are:

1. Direct Manager/Supervisor
2. Team Lead (not management)

Let me know if they are an RN, PT, CEP or other????

Thanks!

Mark,

What you are asking will be based on how supervisor/management positions are defined. Many of these supervisory positions are defined as "nurse managers" because that is how the position was defined years ago. Beyond that, there is no reason a CEP could not be a supervisor to nurses.

I think you are also asking for examples of how institutions are organized. We have a CPET laboratory in the Preventive Cardiology Unit of Henry Ford Hospital. We see the gamut of heart disease pathologies, including patients with LVADs. The Unit and the lab are entirely run and supervised/managed by CEPs. In a related example, I am aware of a very busy non-invasive cardiology testing unit with a program director who is a PhD-prepared CEP. This role is typically held by a physician.

This comes up from time to time, and the short answer is that it depends on where you are. You will occasionally hear that "only nurses can supervise nurses." In most states this is categorically not true. I used to supervise several nurses, and I don't have a nursing degree.

You will occasionally hear that "only RNs can evaluate RNs." Again, categorically not true in nearly all states. I did annual employee evaluations on all the nurses in my cost center, and was invited to participate (by nurses) in the evaluation of other nurse leaders within the health system.

You will occasionally hear that in a Magnet hospital specifically, the above two claims are true. Again, not true.

At the end of the day, who is "qualified" to supervise has infinitely more to do with the innate qualities of the individual (e.g. professionalism, experience, good judgement, etc.) than the letters after someone's name.