charge nurse drama

Published

Recently I've been charge nurse which is new for me. I'm learning how to have the unit flow in a happy fashion. However my approach was to go to my nursing colleagues and ask them how their assignment is and can they take an admission? ... The answer is always NO NO NO NO NO ... I get it.. noone wants another patient but I'm TRYING to be the charge nurse that is different and show I actually care about them but even being nice isn't working.. I always end up being the bad guy!!! I take admissions but noone sees that...I really thought this would go better but I don't want to do it anymore which is sad because my goals are to be in leadership:(

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Flow in a happy fashion? Nobody is happy to be there, nobody. An orderly fashion is the best you can achieve.

YOU are in charge, YOU must assess the assignments and decide who gets the admission.Being nice is not the way to lead, being fair is.

Unfortunately, you may have forever blown your chance for respect for authority on that unit.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Gerontology.

You don't ask if they can take an admission, you assign the admissions. Anyone not carrying a full assignment must know that at some point they will get an admission.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Agree with the above. Don't say "Can you take an admission", say "I need you to take an admission".

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Assign the admissions when the initial assignment is made.

Judy gets first admission, Becky gets second admission, Tracy gets third admission, etc, etc.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.

We have one to two assigned admit beds at the beginning of each shift if the unit isn't full. After the admit beds are filled any nurse who gets rid of a patient is up for an admission. There will ALWAYS be nurses who whine about getting admissions. Like another poster said, nurses who don't have a full load should expect to get a new patient. I usually just tell the nurse they are getting an admission. You don't need to ask their permission. Be mindful of which patient loads are really busy that day and help that nurse out the best you can, but don't let others manipulate you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

You seem to want to be everyone's buddy and be a leader at the same time, and it's not gonna happen.

You can be a leader with positive relationships with staff, but you cannot be their buddy.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Gerontology RN-BC and FNP MSN student.

Well, you could speak up the next morning you work during report and say....it didn't work out asking you guys who wanted admissions. Going forward we will be assigning them.......then insert the previous posters ideas.

If you want leadership you have to direct the traffic not stand at the corner and be a cross gaurd. You can do that while "being happy". Units need leaders not best friend forever friendships.

Good Luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Happy...yeah..that isn't going to happen. You need to be respectful and get the unit to flow efficiently and effectively. You are not their friend and you are not there to make them "Happy" you are there to keep things in order, be fair and equitable, and help out when needed. YOu will not have them "liking you" all them time but they need to be respectful of you. They will then realize that you are fair and honest and help when you can. They are testing their boundaries and if this is where you ahve been staff with them they are going to push a little harder after all you "ARE one of them". This is good advice....

HappyWife77 Well, you could speak up the next morning you work during report and say....it didn't work out asking you guys who wanted admissions. Going forward we will be assigning them.......
Up Vote Up Vote ×

We have a charge like that and everyone calls him a pushover. He wants to make everybody happy but he won't actually be in charge and make anyone do anything.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Yes this is all great advice.. I'm by far NOT a push over by any means. In fact I may speak my mind a bit to often, but only in the benefit of my patients. I was just trying a new approach that I don't think will happen again. I only attempted this because most of the charge nurses on my unit don't seem to give to crap if you are drowning, SO I thought I would try and give a crap. My new role will be to assign and move on. I will be very observant of whats going on with all my nurses and go from there. When I said being nice I meant not being a big B to all of them, not letting them walk all over me. Because noone can do that:)...Thank you all for the lovely advice...

Up Vote Up Vote ×

This is what I did when I was charge.

Once I got report. I looked over the assignment. You can pretty much tell who should/is going to be D/C'd. You also know which nurse's assignment is a total PITA and who's not. I would place a star by the pt's name who should be getting D/C'd. Then I would make my rounds talking with each nurse to see how things were going and explain to them that they have a poss D/C'd and they would be getting an admit. Then once the D/C'd orders started rolling in I would tell the nurse with the 1 D/C'd order that they are 1st admit.

None of the nurse's are going to be happy about getting the admit, but you have a job to do. You taking the pt's to try and keep the peace is not going to keep anything peaceful. It's going to burn you out 20x's quicker..

Wish you the best of Luck.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion