Can I refuse being in charge?????

litbitblack, ASN, RN · Jul 22, 2008

Hmmm I tried to refuse charge after I first graduated but they told me that they wouldn't have an RN that couldn't charge. Wellllllll.......I don't work there anymore and I know there were a few nurses who flat out refused to charge and I ended up charging all the time so I guess it just depends on the facility....

Batman24 · Jul 22, 2008

You can refuse to be CN and I don't think you will flat out lose your job nor should you. If they are vengeful there could be retribution but I would hope not.

nerdtonurse?, BSN, RN · Jul 22, 2008

Unfortunately, there's always payback when an employee tells and employer what they won't do. One of the best nurses we had approached management about a raise, since she was not only charge pretty much any night she worked but also "volunteered' for a lot of committees which met during the day (we're nigh shift). Management told her she wasn't "experienced enough" to have a raise except for the yearly raise, and everyone was going to get a flat 3 percent (no merit increases, etc.). She told them if she wasn't experienced enough for a raise, then she wasn't experienced enough to be charge and be on 4 separate committees.

The fecal material hit the fan. Suddenly she was getting the worst mix of patients, pts scattered from one end of the floor to the other, getting her shifts switched without her input, and the NM was behind it; I came in early, saw that the NM take patients away from other nurses to have the nurse who'd asked for a raise run from room 42 down to room 7, leaving the other nurses with noticably less patients than the one who refused to be charge. That nurse is now transferring to another unit, which is going to be hard on us because she was awesome.

mpccrn, BSN, RN · Jul 22, 2008

you could but it doesn't look good for you and it'll weigh in the merit raise.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jul 22, 2008

Well, in our facility, no RN can flat out refuse to do charge if there's a need for him or her to do it. That doesn't mean you'll get fired that very day, I expect, but I'd also expect to find yourself meeting with supervisors over why you feel incompetent enough to not be able to do charge (don't get mad at my use of the word incompetent; it's just one of the ones you can expect to hear if you go down this road).

Of course you can refuse, but you shouldn't be shocked if your value to your unit drops off, too. At least that's how it is on ours: someone who refused to do charge around the time I started there didn't last much longer than my orientation time. She was let go for being insubordinant, difficult to work with, unavailable for duties as needed, refusing RN duties, etc etc.

Me, I took the expectation to do charge and ran with it: got training time, a good backup planned out for my starting weeks in charge, because they'd rather work with me than against me

NursingAgainstdaOdds · Jul 22, 2008

Yes, you can refuse to be in charge.

It is, however, likely that you would face repercussions. I balked at being CN on days (without any CN training, 8 months after I graduated from nursing school) and got nailed for it in my evaluation - "Resistant to take-on new leadership challenges". That wasn't even me refusing, just stating I felt reluctant, didn't feel prepared, qualified or trained to do the job.

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 22, 2008

It's up to the facility whether or not Charge responsibilities are considered a job requirement or not. Even within a single facility, the policy may vary from unit to unit.

In some places, there are lots of RN's -- more than enough to take turns fulfilling the Charge responsibilities. In other places, usually those with fewer RN's, all RN's have to do their "fair share" of the work. By refusing to take your turn, you are forcing your colleagues to do more than their fair share -- and some facilities will not allow that.

As far as there being a policy or not ... a special policy is not needed if it is considered a fundamental aspect of every RN's job. It's considered part of the job description -- like "giving meds," or "doing assessments" or "discharge teaching."

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 22, 2008

Yes, you can refuse to be in charge.
It is, however, likely that you would face repercussions. I balked at being CN on days (without any CN training, 8 months after I graduated from nursing school) and got nailed for it in my evaluation - "Resistant to take-on new leadership challenges". That wasn't even me refusing, just stating I felt reluctant, didn't feel prepared, qualified or trained to do the job.

Your case provides a good example. I hope you don't mind if I use it.

If you don't feel comfortable being in charge ... it is best to clarify in writing that you are willing to be in charge and look forward to the professional growth the opportunity will provide. However, you feel you need a little more education and/or support to be successful in the role. etc. etc.

By documenting your willingness to learn, you make it harder for any extreme and/or unfair characterization of your reluctance. It may not prevent 100% of the negative repercussions, but it can help a little by making it impossible for people to say that you are not willing to do your fair share of the work and/or not interested in learning and growth.

MassED, BSN, RN · Jul 22, 2008

I have worked as a RN for several years at my current job on a med surg unit. I was asked to be in charge, but some things since happened and I do not feel support or backed up by nursing supervisor or my boss when it comes to certain issues. I let them know that I will not be in charge anymore. I just want to know if I can refuse being in charge without recourse?
It is too much responsibility and to my knowledge there is no policy stating a nurse must be in charge. I just don't want to loose my job.
Texas

yes you can refuse. I had done it - when I was 6 months into a job and there were many others that were senior to do it - and they refused.

MassED, BSN, RN · Jul 22, 2008

Unfortunately, there's always payback when an employee tells and employer what they won't do. One of the best nurses we had approached management about a raise, since she was not only charge pretty much any night she worked but also "volunteered' for a lot of committees which met during the day (we're nigh shift). Management told her she wasn't "experienced enough" to have a raise except for the yearly raise, and everyone was going to get a flat 3 percent (no merit increases, etc.). She told them if she wasn't experienced enough for a raise, then she wasn't experienced enough to be charge and be on 4 separate committees.
The fecal material hit the fan. Suddenly she was getting the worst mix of patients, pts scattered from one end of the floor to the other, getting her shifts switched without her input, and the NM was behind it; I came in early, saw that the NM take patients away from other nurses to have the nurse who'd asked for a raise run from room 42 down to room 7, leaving the other nurses with noticably less patients than the one who refused to be charge. That nurse is now transferring to another unit, which is going to be hard on us because she was awesome.

that bites. I hope all of the other nurses left take up for her and report to upper management what that NM had done - watching her switch patient assignments... what a witch.

MassED, BSN, RN · Jul 22, 2008

you could but it doesn't look good for you and it'll weigh in the merit raise.

that's just wrong. Perhaps a nurse likes focusing on their patients, rather than doing charge? Some like to toil away at being that bedside nurse... shouldn't be held against them. On the flipside, there are nurses where I work who argue over being charge - all for a measly dollar more (or less) per hour.