Charge Nurses

[trauma_junkie1]

How do you handle charge duties? Currently, we rotate them among everyone who's been through "charge training." This is typically every RN that has at least 3-4 years experience. Some people like charge, some hate it, but it's seen as "doing your part."

Managment is talking about the idea of having FT positions for charge nurses. They'd be a step between staff nurses and the unit manager. They'd be in charge when they were working and would get a pay raise.

There is still discussion on how the best way to this would be (if they do it at all). We mostly work 12 hour shifts, so that's 3 days/week. If you had 2 on days and 2 on nights, that's still 1 day/week without a "charge." Possibly, then there'd be a senior nurse who would take charge?

Interested to know if anyone has done or currently does anything like this?

[kaycee]

I work in the ED. I am steady daylight charge and get a higher base rate. There is also a steady 3-11 charge. I work 4 ten hour shifts, mostly Mon thru Thurs. no weekends. The steady 3-11 charge works 3-11 and also has weekends off. The steady charge positions are only offered if you work that shift only. No one on nights wants steady nights so we rotate charge between them. As the steady daylight charge, I also do the schedule, and sometimes payroll when the manager is out of town.

[hrtprncss]

hello...this is how it's done on my unit.

1) Weekday 2 Charge per week, 3 days/2 days then alternated on the next schedule or the next week or the next two weeks. One charge per shift of course. That would mean on the weekdays there are 4 permanent charge nurses on both shifts combined.

2) We have ''weekenders'' who alternate taking charge ever other week, sat and sun one week then the other sat and sun the other week. total of 4 permanent charge on weekends.

3) In that way people's schedule as to when they're going to be charge and basically when they'll be working is pretty much steady. Schedule changes are done charge rn to charge rn if someone needs a specific day off.

4) It makes everything glide easier, communication is easier, flow of work is easier.

[BadBird, BSN, RN]

Our staff all takes turns, one reason no one wants to do charge is that we do not get any more money, this is the only place where I do charge where I am not compensated. Basically we just have more comuter work, do assignments, check crash carts, etc...

[zambezi, BSN, RN]

We have a couple of nurses that always do charge when they are working (which no one minds). The rest of us rotate our charge days. Most of us get tired being charge all the time (when we are charge we usually take patients too- though often they will be more stable). We like the rotating schedule as a whole and while we let those that want to be charge full time do it- the rest of us just do it one or two days a pay period. Anytime you are charge you get a couple of bucks more an hour...Our schedulers just try to have at least one charge and one relief charge on each shift (when possible).

[DusktilDawn]

Right now where I'm at they try to rotate the Charge Nurse position. Since you still have a FULL patient assignment + Charge Nurse duties, it is not worth the extra buck an hour. Oh and no training or mention of what the responsiblities are, big mistake IMHO. As far as I'm concerned it is a hollow title where I'm at with no real authority.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

Managment is talking about the idea of having FT positions for charge nurses. They'd be a step between staff nurses and the unit manager. They'd be in charge when they were working and would get a pay raise.

This is how it is where I work. There are also another 4 or 5 experienced RNs who sometimes take charge. I don't know if they get any extra compensation during those shifts.

The full time charge nurses also each have some departmental responsibility - scheduling, staff education, etc.

It seems to work well.

[talaxandra]

This is covered in our state employment conditions, and has been since 1986.

Each ward/department has a unit manager (aka charge nurse) who is supernumerary, works office hours, and is responsible for the budget etc.

There are also up to five EFT of associate charge nurses, who (theoretically) cover all shifts each week. They're paid more than any other pay grade below NUM, and are only not in charge of a shift if they double up.

When there isn't an ACN on then the resource position is usually based on a combination of seniority, willingness and continuity. There's certainly an expectation that clinical nurse specialists like myself will act up as needed, as part of the role.

[talaxandra]

Oh, and the resource nurse is supernumerary during the day but takes a full, or near fall, patient load overnight.

[neneRN, BSN, RN]

I'm one of the charge nurses in the ER. We have designated charge nurses for each shift. (At our hospital you either work weekdays, weeknights, weekend days, or weekend nights; so for each of these shifts there are two charge nurses that rotate) Charge gets another $1.50 an hour and does not take a pt assignment.

[jmgrn65, RN]

On our unit we have one person m-f 7a-3p that does charge the rest of the shifts it is done by a few nurses who does charge. from 3-7 charge nurse takes 1-3 patients, on nights they take a full load.