the fools

eldernurse · Mar 20, 2002

Just remember, sweetie, you can't please all of the people all of the time, sometimes none of the people all of the time and almost all of the people some of the time. In other words do what you think is best, stick by your guns and have a good reason for your decisions. :)

CATHYW · Mar 20, 2002

Good patient care before any politics-that is what I found to work best. Whatever means you have to employ, be sure that the patients get the best care your nurses can give. There is always time for logs, documenting, checkoffs, etc.

thisnurse · Mar 21, 2002

it ended up that we only got 3 admissions before we were capped so that wasnt too bad. besides that i had someone there who actually took the time to show me how to do the assignments and why they are done a certain way.

too bad i had 10 patients so i couldnt spend as much time learning this as id have liked.

thanks for your advice :)

Jenny P · Mar 21, 2002

Thisnurse, that is a horrible way to work charge! We have a regular orientation to charge here, and our charge nurses do not have assignments (but I work in critical care and don't know how the regular floors do it). I wish you luck and courage; you will need both, I'm afraid. And don't forget to CYA! Your license could be at stake there because of your delegation of assignments. Be careful.

-jt · Mar 21, 2002

I took the hosptials charge nurse class only because we all had to - somebody is assigned to be in charge when the manager & usual charge nurse are off but I hate it. Ive been a nurse for 20 yrs & I rarely accept being in charge - except for maybe on a quiet Sunday once in a blue moon. There are enough people in nursing who NEED to be in charge so they are more than welcome to it. The extra charge pay is just not worth the aggravation to me.

The minute something is not perfect, the first question is "well where was the charge nurse???" Never mind that she was on the other side of the ICU taking care of her own 2 pts. A couple of weeks ago, we had a surgical resident start a fight with an RN on one side of the unit & 3 codes going on on the other side of the unit. Whats the first thing the management says about the fight? WHERE WAS THE CHARGE NURSE???

Well, she was helping to code her pt while 2 other codes were going on - the first of 6 codes that shift. And she wasnt even the regular charge nurse - she was just the staff RN who was put in charge because the regular charge nurse was off - but she was interrogated as to why SHE didnt stop the resident from having his tantrum in the midst of all this. Who needs it?

thisnurse · Mar 21, 2002

cant say im fond of it either. thats not my cup of tea. i like patient care. thats enuff challenge for me...lol

we all have to take turns. and i think 10 patients and charge is really stupid. thankfully everyone liked their assignment today and i had adequate staffing...so i didnt have to listen to bytching. and THANK GOD i had someone to help me.

Huganurse · Mar 21, 2002

10 patients and charge!! There is No Way anyone should have that many patients plus the charge role. Yikes!

Level2Trauma · Mar 22, 2002

The reason we have 10 patients and charge position: IS BECAUSE WE ALLOW IT.

Trauma Columnist · Mar 22, 2002

I'm the regular charge nurse on 7pm to 7am in large, level I trauma center. My responsibilities include: assignments, doing difficult IV acesses, PR, and anything anybody else comes up with. All...for $1.00/hr!!! (I write this and then wonder what people think??)

P_RN, ADN, RN · Mar 22, 2002

traumaRUs I did my turns at charge, same situation as you usually 7a-7p for $0.00 per hour extra (thats ZERO).

At least you got the dollar.

grnvillechick · Mar 22, 2002

Originally posted by -jt
I took the hosptials charge nurse class only because we all had to - somebody is assigned to be in charge when the manager & usual charge nurse are off but I hate it. Ive been a nurse for 20 yrs & I rarely accept being in charge - except for maybe on a quiet Sunday once in a blue moon. There are enough people in nursing who NEED to be in charge so they are more than welcome to it. The extra charge pay is just not worth the aggravation to me.

The minute something is not perfect, the first question is "well where was the charge nurse???" Never mind that she was on the other side of the ICU taking care of her own 2 pts. A couple of weeks ago, we had a surgical resident start a fight with an RN on one side of the unit & 3 codes going on on the other side of the unit. Whats the first thing the management says about the fight? WHERE WAS THE CHARGE NURSE???

Well, she was helping to code her pt while 2 other codes were going on - the first of 6 codes that shift. And she wasnt even the regular charge nurse - she was just the staff RN who was put in charge because the regular charge nurse was off - but she was interrogated as to why SHE didnt stop the resident from having his tantrum in the midst of all this. Who needs it?

you can tell you have been a nurse for 20 years... and I bet you are a skilled one too. you sound very stressed out though...surely in your 20 years you have figured out that being a charge nurse is equivalent to being a diplomatic ambassador--you don't have to be everywhere..just aware...you don't have to be in the the middle of an argument...just supportive of your team...in fact you have the choice to nurse...so who needs it???? you do apparently. stop your dour attitude...it kills the new ones coming up the line..be a role model...after 20 years you probably can be a good one...or transfer out ...maybe the stress is too high...you should not be afraid of being charge...you are a valuable resource...share your knowledge !!!!!