Charge Nurses and Leadership

 

 

Charge nurses are experienced registered nurses who have displayed leadership, management and communication skills. They are responsible for managing, supervising and assisting the nursing staff, providing administrative support and patient care. A hospital, clinic or health care facility may have several charge nurses, each responsible for a different shift, department or specialized unit.



Some duties consist of:

• Directing admissions
• Discharge and managing the general patient flow
• Assigning nurses and support staff to patients
• Creating schedules
• Maintaining adequate supplies
• Informing staff of changes to protocol
• Resource for staff

 While daily goals must be met, effective charge nurses are flexible and are able to prioritize and adapt during emergencies.

In my experience at work, charge nurses have 10+ years of experience, but also as little as a year. Some recent graduates in the last five years are already in the charge nurse position in their careers. Charge nurses are very resourceful for all staff members, and I feel that the most successful charge nurses are the ones who can make all staff feel comfortable to ask for help. The flow of the whole day can really depend on the leadership skills a charge nurse possesses.  In some cases the charge nurse position looks stressful,  but I eventually would like to obtain that role.