Charge Nurses

BethanyJ · Mar 8, 1999

LRichardson,

Greetings from MI. I used to work in a hospital where the charge nurses DID have to take patients. Our CN's argued that one cannot take a patient load AND watch over the entire unit. Thus, the hospital changed its policies. They no longer utilized CN's! Instead, they assigned 1 RN on each unit (a different one each day) the assignment of being "coordinator." Basically, coordinators had the same roles as a charge nurse...the nurses just lost out on charge nurse pay and the units lost continuity and leadership! What a shame! In my opinion, I think units should have a charge nurse--it's a nice checks and balance system. However, I do not think that the CN should have to carry a patient assignment. I give your hospital credit for recognizing that 1 nurse can only do so much. It's very unrealistic to expect a nurse to operate in two roles at the same time.

nurseyperson · Mar 10, 1999

In our small ICU in Kansas, the hospital got rid of our charge nurses who were paid a differential for being in charge and now they are called PCCs...Patient Care Coordinators who do NOT get any extra pay!! Of course the PCCs do the same job as they always did, charge nurse duties. They also take a full patient load as well as dealing with all the problems, staffing, assignments, etc. We have a nursing shortage and lots of new nurses and sometimes the PCC is the only experienced nurse in the unit. The hospital got to save money and the nurses were cheated.

When I travelled and worked in a larger CCU in Dallas, the charge nurses did not take patients unless absolutely necessary (short staffed with new admits). I think a lot of it has to do with the size of the unit and the total responsibility of the charge nurses.

Nurseyperson

[This message has been edited by nurseyperson (edited March 09, 1999).]

barton · Mar 10, 1999

I know some of you on this BB from "General Discussion--Topics: Reply to barton, etc..," and I know that some of you are already greatly contributing to our efforts re: LICENSED nurses at the bedside and increasing nurse/patient ratios for better patient care.

SO.........I wanted to invite all of you to join us.

The Administrator of the BB I mentioned, (bshort), is planning on using some of our input in NURSE-ZINE MAGAZINE!!

---------------AND!!------------------

We have ABC's 20/20 interested!!!!

Please read, post, and contribute to our e-mails/letters to legislators, the ANA, etc.!

THANK YOU ALL!!!

barton

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Sophie · Mar 18, 1999

LRichardson,

I am California RN that has the title PCC- Patient Care Coordinator. This is the charge position, but I take a full assignment, and sometimes more because I am a wimp about delegating ( thus I take extra work). We make 5% more (for me that's about .7o/hr.) I work in 20 bed ICU/CCU and the days are notoriously MUCH worse than nights. I would rather take an assignment on nights and be in charge, if it meant that the day PCC could do charge and NOT take an assignment. Sophie

jamie · Apr 2, 1999

I am an RN who works in an ICU in a hospital with 120 beds, located in Western North Carolina. Our 7a-7p charge nurses do not take patients, because they also serve as unit secretaries. Our 7p-7a charge nurse also serve as ward secretaries, but because the "higher-ups" feel that nights are slower than days (at times this is true, but when a night goes bad it is terrible)so the night charge nurse takes an assignment of up to 2 pt.'s, usually the one's with the lowest acuity.

nilepoc · Nov 2, 2001

I am one of two permanent charges on nights for my unit. We do not regularly take patients. I would say that as the shortage gets worse though it may change. I am in a teaching institution in Abuquerque NM.

Hayden · Nov 7, 2001

In my ICU (8 beds) in Sydney Australia, the team leader takes a patient on the morning shift (when the nurse manager is available), but on the pm and night shift the team leader does not have a patient.

ArenRN, BSN, RN · May 2, 2002

We have a charge nurse responsable for MICU and SICU at the same time. There is no extra pay for the charge nurse duty.

There are times when the charge nurse has to take patients

( if someone calls in sick, or someone is needed to float to the floors)

The charge nurse duty is assigned to some of the nurses, on a rotational basis. It is a very stressful role when patient assignment is added. Some of us have requested in writing not to be assigned as Charge Nurse unless we get paid extra to do it.

Those of us that made the request are no longer assigned to Charge Nurse duty. The other ones continue to perform the duties and complain about it.

I work in a VA Med center in Florida.

fedupnurse · May 2, 2002

New Jersey-combined MICU/CCU. We have 24 beds, 12 on each side. When a manager is on they do not take an assignment unless all of us have 3. If a staff nurse is in charge we generally take an assignment rather than have a colleague or two be stuck with 3. Staff also tends to back up the staff, even with an assignment, than the managers do. I think our managers should have an assignment.

Good luck with your poll!

PRFICURN · May 2, 2002

I work in the ICU of a small community hospital in rural Western Pennsylvania. I too am a charge nurse and we are expected to take a full patient load. With the nursing shortage hitting us hard the entire situation has been at times unsafe. Please see and respond to my posting about Staffing in an ICU.

Thanks

PRF

toronto rn · May 5, 2002

In the unit I work in (ccu/micu) the PCC's generally don't have a pt. assignment unless we are short staffed. PCCs are paid an extra $1.40/hr. RN's who are in charge if there is no PCC schedualed get an extra $.70/ hr. again usually no pt. assignment.

susanmary · May 5, 2002

Connecticut, 800+ bed hospital, no differential, charge RN in ICU does not usually get assignment -- varies with sick calls, etc. No ICU for me thanks -- they're sick enough on the floors.

Good thoughts to all of you.