Charge Nurse without the pay

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Home Health.

Ive been doing charge nurse about twice a month. I HATE doing it. But the kicker is....I dont get charge pay. The excuse is "you havent had the charge class". Well, in my opinion, if I am not allowed to get paid for it because of lack of the class, then really I shouldnt be doing it. They know I dont like doing it, with pay or not, but the fact that Im not getting paid for it makes me not want to do it even more. Am I wrong? Im not comfortable with the responsibility.

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Specializes in NICU.

I would simply say "no thanks, I won't do charge anymore". :)

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Specializes in geriatrics.

How about telling them the same thing they tell you? The next time you are asked/told to do charge, tell them "I haven't had the charge class, and can't perform the charge position until I do"

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Say no. They are taking advantage and can't have it both ways. No pay=no charge nurse. Simple as that.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, , Home health, Education.
How about telling them the same thing they tell you? The next time you are asked/told to do charge, tell them "I haven't had the charge class, and can't perform the charge position until I do"

I second that opinion. :yeahthat:

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All I can say is "Oh please". So ridiculous.

Son't do it, follow the above good advice by all.

No class=no pay=No charge/no way!

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
ive been doing charge nurse about twice a month. i hate doing it. but the kicker is....i dont get charge pay. the excuse is "you havent had the charge class". well, in my opinion, if i am not allowed to get paid for it because of lack of the class, then really i shouldnt be doing it. they know i dont like doing it, with pay or not, but the fact that im not getting paid for it makes me not want to do it even more. am i wrong? im not comfortable with the responsibility.

they're taking advantage of you and will continue to do so for as long as you let them. tell them that you aren't doing the job without getting the pay. and then stick to it!

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

Don't do it. I agree with everyone else. And the pay to be charge isn't worth all the headaches anyway.

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Specializes in MICU for 4 years, now PICU for 3 years!.

Over the summer at my hospital, they got rid of charge pay. The higher up's claim the nursing budget is way over, so they have gotten rid of so many bonus's that we were used to having... charge pay, uniforms, bonus if you come in extra... and they wonder why people keep leaving?!?!

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Specializes in Medical Surgical.

We don't get extra pay when charge; never have. Nor do we have any fewer patients and have to do all the IVPs, blood transfusions, etc. for the LPNs. Only the newbies are hankering to be charge.

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

Where I used to work, the charge nurse only got paid one dollar more an hour. However, for the longest time, "charge nurse" wasn't much more than a title. The charge nurse really didn't do much more than the other nurses. She assigned patients to other staffers, assigned rooms, assigned new admissions... maybe some light paperwork... that's just about it. Charge wasn't expected to do all the admissions or start all of the IV's or anything like that.

Where I work now, there are nurse's whose TITLE is "charge nurse" and I"m not exactly sure what they get paid. Most of the time that nurse will not have a team and will do IV starts, admission paperwork, etc.., plus chart reviews, assignments, etc.. But when the charge nurse is off, a regular staff nurse might fill in. When that nurse fills in, I'm not sure if they get paid more for that shift or not.

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