Charge nurse

ZooMommyRN, ADN, RN · Jan 20, 2014

I was sent to charge class but haven't been trained beyond that, I suspect because I questioned things that some charges do that are improper use of resources and other issues we have within our department. Doesn't bother me because our charges don't get extra pay, just the extra headache.

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · Jan 20, 2014

I used to work PCU and I charged all of the time. We would get paid an extra $1 an hour. Sometimes it wasn't worth it, to be honest. We also took a full load of patients on top of being in charge. My duties on PCU consisted of:

* making the assignments for the day

* assigning beds and determining who would get the next admission

* checking the crash carts

* serve as a resource person on the unit

* "put out fires" - I felt like some nights this is ALL I would do!

I am thankful for that experience, though. It's a great resume-booster. I now work in the ER and I found out I will be training for a charge nurse position pretty soon. Honestly I'm pretty excited about this one but I know charging in the ER is a lot different compared to be charging on the floor.

NurseFrustrated · Jan 21, 2014

I don't really like being charge. When I am assigned to be charge I have to take a full patient assignment myself and get no extra pay for it. The unit manager just assigns someone to be charge every shift. It's a lot of extra work and extra responsibility with no extra pay. No wonder no one wants to be charge on my unit.

Caleb_RN225 · Jan 21, 2014

I don't really like being charge. When I am assigned to be charge I have to take a full patient assignment myself and get no extra pay for it. The unit manager just assigns someone to be charge every shift. It's a lot of extra work and extra responsibility with no extra pay. No wonder no one wants to be charge on my unit.

WOW in Baton Rouge La charge nurse gets paid a dollar

applewhitern, BSN, RN · Jan 21, 2014

No extra pay for charge nurse around my neck of the woods. (I, too, am from the south; I was tickled to see someone write "ya'll")

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Jan 21, 2014

I think that 'Charge Nurse' is the second most difficult job in a hospital... the most difficult is a first-line nurse manager.

But - this can also be an extremely important phase of your professional development - particularly if you are aiming for career progression into management or supervisory roles. This is the first step on that ladder. Hang in there & take advantage of any classes or development opportunities that come your way.

Caleb_RN225 · Jan 22, 2014

No extra pay for charge nurse around my neck of the woods. (I too, am from the south; I was tickled to see someone write "ya'll")[/quote'] yep us country folks kmsl

cardinalRN · Feb 1, 2014

I hate being charge nurse. I feel like I'm baby-sitting the majority of the time. When I work as a floor nurse, I only have to worry about my patients...but when I charge, I have the whole floor to worry about. It seems like all I do is answer questions (that the nurses should already know the answer to), and put out fires. I have a lot of young nurses that lack the experience and assertiveness that is needed at times, so I just feel exhausted by the end of the shift. It's certainly not worth the $1/hour difference. I did it for the experience and to put it on my resume. The nurses love when I charge (or so they tell me), but it's not something I enjoy. Evidently I help out more than some of the other charge nurses do. I take patients, I start IV's, put in catheters, help clean-up patients, put in orders, call physicians, etc. I have always felt like the charge nurse sets the tone for the shift (either chaotic or calm), so I try hard to make it a calm shift.

xoemmylouox, ASN, RN · Feb 1, 2014

I hate being charge nurse. I feel like I'm baby-sitting the majority of the time. When I work as a floor nurse I only have to worry about my patients...but when I charge, I have the whole floor to worry about. It seems like all I do is answer questions (that the nurses should already know the answer to), and put out fires. I have a lot of young nurses that lack the experience and assertiveness that is needed at times, so I just feel exhausted by the end of the shift. It's certainly not worth the $1/hour difference. I did it for the experience and to put it on my resume. The nurses love when I charge (or so they tell me), but it's not something I enjoy. Evidently I help out more than some of the other charge nurses do. I take patients, I start IV's, put in catheters, help clean-up patients, put in orders, call physicians, etc. I have always felt like the charge nurse sets the tone for the shift (either chaotic or calm), so I try hard to make it a calm shift.[/quote']
Are you always assigned a full patient load?

cardinalRN · Feb 1, 2014

Not always, but often...