Charge nurse with less than a year RN experience???!!

[RNpandoraRN]

Recently one of the nurses I work with began training to be charge on our 30-bed (very busy!) med/surg unit. But here's the kicker - while she's very pleasant to work with....it hasn't even been a year yet since she graduated from nursing school (not previously an LPN or related field; never worked in medicine before), and has only been off new grad nurse orientation for 6 months. She is the newest and least experienced of the nurses that work her shift. She only oriented once and is already charging on her own.

This just seems ridiculous to me. A nurse who hasn't even been a nurse for a year is not someone I'm going to for help.....she has had litte experience with IVs, foleys, NGs, she has NEVER seen/experienced a code. The charge nurse needs to be someone with experience and good critical thinking skills - something that often a new nurse has not yet mastered. I'm just appalled. Scared. And a little angry that management would think this is a good idea, especially when this particular unit already has an abundant amount of new nurses working it. It's like having the blind leading the blind.

Just needing to vent, or maybe get some replies on why this isn't such a bad idea!

[dkaykaymom]

I got one better. . .how about an RN with about 6 months experience being made a DON of a 100+ bed LTC?

[fortune-teller]

In New York, it is a part of the orientation. The management just want to see if you have any leadership. There is always a senior nurse around so that the new nurses can consult them should there is a problem these new nurses might have.

[Elizabeth, RN]

This brings back memories of the "good old days" when I began my nursing career in 1972. I was flattered to be actively recruited by my small hometown hospital prior to graduation. When I was asked what areas interested me, I said med-surg to start. I felt I needed more training for CCU and didn't like OB. But before my board results even came in (it used to take weeks), I ended up the PM charge nurse for 48 beds with med-surg, CCU and OB all on the same floor. I had an LPN med nurse and a few aides. Talk about a nightmare for a new grad! I only stayed three months but my stress level was in the stratosphere. But at least I was well-paid, $3.97 an hour! Back then, the doctor's home numbers were in the phone book and you had to call one in if someone came to the ER....

[salibi]

I guess I would have to ask: "Who is she friends with or who is she related to that has some importance on the unit or in the hospital"....be careful of who you talk to about this...you never know who is friends with who and how things can come back to you. She may have been chosen because she is malleable...meaning, she won't stand up for what is "right"...she'll just go along with what she the nurse manager wants...I have seen this situation before and the person was "politically correct" seen as non-challenging by management...i.e., will do what they are told to do--whether it be right, wrong, or somewhere in between.

[wiegel34]

I had just recieved my permanent license and was at the hospital 6 months out of school when I was appointed Charge Nurse. thankfully there was a good support team behind me or I would have drowned. It happens, no ones fault, just the way things are.

[salibi]

good luck, I am sure that you are doing a great job...I was generalizing...so please don't take my comments personally; of course, there are exceptions to every situation...I wish you luck!

[ozarks_prd_mom]

I had a similar experience a few weeks ago... I am a new grad and I am not finished with my 6 month probation, in fact, I had just been released from orientation the week before when I received a call from the House Manager to be charge nurse the next day. Of course I said NO WAY! I couldn't believe she would even ask! Our floor consists of patients just out of ICU on vents, telemetry, frequent pushes, etc. I am sure it was a mistake and it has never happened again. How scary for the patients and the other nurses on the floor if I had said yes! Thanks for sharing.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

the bottom line is that if a person has the proper license and is breathing, they will certainly try their hand...

[oinch97]

I have mixed feeling about this. On my floor there have been a couple of girls who started a month before I did who have at least initiated the process of becoming qualified to do charge. The word is they were asked by management. They are both great nurses, always willing to help when you need something, but that being said I'm not sure if they realize what they could be in for. I have worked in hospitals in several other aspects for eight years before becoming an RN, so I have seen first hand a lot of things that can happen. I've also been around enough to know that if something does happen, it's not gonna matter how likeable you were, how much extra time you worked, or how many times you never said "No" to coming in on your day off or anything else they ask you to do: if something big happens, management may not back you up.

Personally if I were asked at this time, I would have to decline. I've seen the responsibilities, and I am not at a point where I would want to put my license on the line by taking on those responsibilities.

I also really feel that one should have at least a year of experience out of orientation, if not more. I treasure my charge nurses who have been there for years, as well as the other "well-seasoned" nurses on our floor, because they are my go-to resources. It's a scary thought that there may be a night soon where it could be just those of us who started a year ago, plus this year's new grads on the floor...and no one to go to in a crisis.

[rockwell108]

Hello , You are so right So many new nurses think that getting your RN means they know everything. it take many years to master .During are reason economy

alot of management co will threw a new nurse in the charge position. and get rid of season nurses TO SAVE MONEY . The reallitiy is so dangerous . Be careful. Your right mangement will not back anyone .

[walk6miles]

I have tried to keep out of this (neutral) with all my efforts. Sorry, I have to say this:

In my unit, there are more than 12 older/more experienced nurses. The unit manager caved in and hired a group of new grads. One in particular is especially "mouthy" - it is apparent when speaking with this nurse that she has grand visions of taking the coordinator's job but she doesn't want to put the time in for the most important ingredient: experience.

Several months ago she insinuated herself into receiving a IABP patient. None of the experienced nurses were offered the balloon patient -she wanted it (she went to the IABP class). The charge told her that she is surrounded by experienced nurses and she should use them as resource.

Patient came from cath lab on the pump. Patient is clearly grossly disoriented - and: NO LIE: sitting up on stretcher with wife holding hand and screaming at nurses and husband. Several nurses ran around the corner when our new expert on balloon pumps finally screamed for help. "I don't know how to turn this machine on --it's off".

Our mouths fell open. We quickly showed her what she needed to do (and helped prioritize the patient's needs).

My suggestion to call the physician for something to mellow the patient was immediately shot down. I went running one more time into the room when she yelled for assistance because the patient was almost out of bed.

Scout's honor: wife is at head of bed trying to rub his brow (not kidding) - patient is nearly out of bed but family has given him his cell phone (more confused) so he literally throws it at me as hard as he could and he misses my eye by an inch!

Sorry -I tried explaining to a hysterical wife and patient who is more and more confused what the IABP does (fill in the blanks, the patient was out of his mind, and the wife is getting more and more upset). The nurse who has placed her career on the line with her actions, as well as the other group of nurses finally reach an agreement.

Physician is called and patient safety implemented. Unit policy is explained to family and new nurse.

She makes it clear to me later on that she has no respect for the experienced nurses - we are old, fat, and slow...... we make it clear that we are there for the patient and if she cannot work with us perhaps a meeting with upper management might be good.

The next time I see her, she is in charge........................................................

[Tankweti]

I witnessed this on a clinical rotation thru CCU in March 2010. They slapped a brand new person with very little experience into the charge position. All the seasoned nurses were complaining, not because of the new charge person..rather they were advocating for her. They all felt it was unsafe.

My take on situations in healthcare generally is the facilities roll the dice and hope that nothing bad happens. 9 times out of 10, nothing bad will happen and no one will die or get sued. But that one time could cost them millions. Another case in point. With all the mental health cuts, all these people have placed in "the community". My ex is now living in an assisted living facility (NY State) and has dual diagnoses. They have "medication aides" at that facility. These people, or so the manager of the facility tells me, are licensed (or rather the facility is licensed) to have daily p.o. meds given out by non-licensed personnel. They are not legally allowed to do p.r.n.'s. as these need a nursing judgement call. These are the same caregivers who scrub floors, toilets, prepare meals, etc. They are supposed to wear gloves when giving out meds but apparently don't (at least this is what my ex tells me). Worse, they do not wait to be sure that people actually swallow their pills. People with psych issues can tend to hoard pills and take them all in one shot (something I strongly suspect my ex is guilty of). This could mean overdose because no one is monitoring these residents. I have spoken to facility manager about this, to no avail. This is just another example of people "rolling the dice". I suspect that a great many of those residents have no relatives or family, so if any of them do die as a result of mishandling of meds, then there is no one there to raise an outcry for them. The facility would just call the coroner and get on with filling the bed as soon as possible so the money train can keep rolling.