A nurse supervisor is responsible for managing staff, overseeing patient care and ensuring adherence to established policies and procedures. She is charged with assigning staff and monitoring their activities, and with helping to recruit and train new personnel. The nurse supervisor also acts as an interface between her staff, their patients, and the patients' families, as well as between her staff and the hospital's physicians. Administrative duties are another sizable part of her responsibilities.

Patient Care

As with virtually all nursing positions, patient care is the main focus of the nursing supervisor. She spends part of her time providing hands-on care to patients, but primarily oversees the patient care provided by shift nurses. The supervisor ensures there are sufficient nurses assigned to each shift to care for the number and type of patients on the floor. She ensures that the care the nurses provide to their patients is appropriate and comprehensive, and that staff-patient interactions are handled the right way. The nurse supervisor might also interact directly with a patient's family members to answer their