Do Adn/Rn's ever get to be a charge nurse?

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Do Adn/rn's ever get to be a charge nurse or some sort of floor manager? Maybe after so many years of nursing? If not, what would be the minimum education/experiance to get there?

thanks.

Specializes in Utilization Management.
I am surprised that when charge role is determined it does not automatically go to the highest educational level RN on shift. I, an ADN, was always charging and found it strange that the nurses with MSNs were not. I often wondered if a lawsuit was to arise how the hospital would explain that in court.

The part I've bolded sounds good in theory, but what if the highest educational level RN on shift is a new grad BSN/MSN? They may have a higher degree, but as far as experience/judgement goes, they should not be given a charge position...IMO of course.

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*** That is not the case at all. You will find many ADN nurses working as unit managers in Magnet hospitals. I can think of 4 or 5 right off the top of my head. The SICU where I worked hired a new NM who does not have any degree other than his ADN and only 6 months after they hired him we went through our re-designation for Magnet. Several other unit manager in our hospital are ADNs. The same is true for the other Magnet hospital in our area (I work at both).

To the OP: I have worked in 4 different states in many different hospitals and have never even heard of a nurses degree being taken into account for charge nurse roll.

According to the AANC:

  • Effective 1/1/2011 (at time of application) - 75% Nurse Managers must have a degree in nursing (baccalaureate or graduate degree)
  • Effective 1/1/2013 (at time of application) - 100% Nurse Managers must have a degree in nursing (baccalaureate or graduate degree)

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Unfortunately with the cost of living, the cost of education and the pure fact that we are heading into the largest nursing shortage ever seen, the Magnet designation (as prestigous as it appears) might be shooting themselves in the foot by becoming so regulatory. Magnet status is not the all regulating office, every state board of nursing is...it is "those" rules we must follow. I have known many BSN's and MSN's who couldn't start an IV or even take a stitch out. Clinical skills are dwindling as the BSN's and MSN's become required.

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Prove your worth.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
I am surprised that when charge role is determined it does not automatically go to the highest educational level RN on shift. I, an ADN, was always charging and found it strange that the nurses with MSNs were not. I often wondered if a lawsuit was to arise how the hospital would explain that in court.

*** It wouldn't ever be an issue but if it was it would be easy to explain. BSN and MSN prepared RN don't learn any more about NURSING than ADN prepared nurses and are no more qualified to serve as charge. Experience is far more important in the charge roll than formal education.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Unfortunately with the cost of living, the cost of education and the pure fact that we are heading into the largest nursing shortage ever seen.

*** Just curious as to what leads you to believe we are headed to a large nursing shortage?

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

and thank god it dont. i as a bsn prepared nurse do not 10% of the knowledge that the adn's that have been nursing 30 years have....i would be lost and the unit would go to hell in a hand basket

i am surprised that when charge role is determined it does not automatically go to the highest educational level rn on shift. .
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Specializes in Peds and PICU.

In my hospital, new Nurse Managers must have an MSN. The current NM's are grandfathered in, but must have at least an Associates Degree. My old NM was a diploma RN so she has been upset about the fact that she will have to get a new degree when she is within a few years of retirement!!

As far as charge, I can't speak for anywhere else but degree means nothing for my unit.

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Specializes in ER/ICU/STICU.

Yes it is possible, however most likely you will need an MSN to move up into the higher ranks of administration.

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*** It wouldn't ever be an issue but if it was it would be easy to explain. BSN and MSN prepared RN don't learn any more about NURSING than ADN prepared nurses and are no more qualified to serve as charge. Experience is far more important in the charge roll than formal education.

I'm confused.

Wiki says: A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is an advanced-level postgraduate degree for registered nurses and is considered an entry-level degree for nurse educators and managers. The degree also may prepare a nurse to seek a career as a nurse administrator, health policy expert, or clinical nurse leader.

My time as charge includes lots of staffing issues (administrative stuff), regulatory obligations (policy) and leadership skills (educating by example) and also customer service recovery (hotel management). It seems that at least part of that is covered in post-graduate work. :uhoh3:

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Specializes in LTC, med/surg, hospice.

The requirements for charge nurse at my prior hospital were 9months experience on your floor.

I don't consider charge nurse and nurse manager in the same category.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
I'm confused.

Wiki says: A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is an advanced-level postgraduate degree for registered nurses and is considered an entry-level degree for nurse educators and managers. The degree also may prepare a nurse to seek a career as a nurse administrator, health policy expert, or clinical nurse leader.

My time as charge includes lots of staffing issues (administrative stuff), regulatory obligations (policy) and leadership skills (educating by example) and also customer service recovery (hotel management). It seems that at least part of that is covered in post-graduate work. :uhoh3:

*** A Charge nurse, as opposed to a unit manager, needs to know the ins and outs of the unit and the hospital. They must know the personalities of the people in their unit and other people in the hospital. They need to know when the med-surg or step down units can take the transfers, know which if their nurses can take the really critical patients and who should take the patient with the upset family. They are also, at least in every unit I have ever worked in, the resource for less experienced nurses on clinical issues. Expertise in these areas is gained by experience, not formal education.

I started as an ADN nurse, then got my BSN and am now in an MSN program. Neither my BSN program nor my MSN program so far include anything about clinical nursing and absolutely nothing about hospital nursing. The only nursing related content involves community nursing that doesn't really apply to hospital nursing.

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