How do I learn "charge nurse" skills???

[WVStarFish]

I've only been a nurse a couple of months and took a job in LTC, hence I'm a "charge nurse".

My nursing school was excellent but we werent taught ANY leadership skills.

I'm not assertive, and I'm being taken advantage of. My orientation, uh, there was NO orientation. I watched some videos and then went out to push a cart.

I have only learned how to do something when the issue arises. And the answer all depends on who I ask, nothing is consistant. I'm finding out that half the CNA's are walking all over me, and I had no idea!!!

Anyway, there has got to be a way to learn some leadership. I took it upon myself to look at the company policy and it's written with such broad terms, it is useless to me.

I've talked to two in the DON office, and neither time was I told what to do, how to handle it, what I should do, nothing. The ED is a good person but spineless, so that's a dead end, too.

The other nurses, calloused and fed up.

I dont want to have to become calloused and jaded to be a good nurse.

[R*Star*RN, BSN, RN]

I worked as a CNA in LTC for 8 years and then as an LPN for 1 year in LTC.

My facility was very disorganize but from what I caught, the duties of the charge nurse include making patient rounds assigning patients to staff, calling staff if they were late and finding relacements for staff that wasnt coming in. If no replacement was found, the charge nurse would work the shift of whever didnt come to work. The change nurse was also responsible for some sort of charting (MDS?) that you have to take a class for.

What do you feel is happening, when you mention you are being taken advantage of? People not listening to you, or refusing to do what you ask?

[shenderson314]

I have just taken on this position and I found this post. I'm totally new to this. I graduated in novemeber and this is my first job ever as nurse. I work night shift so I will be all by myself after this week and have 4 CNA's under me. What have you learned to become an effective charge nurse?

[amybethf]

I have been an RN for 10 mos. I was hired with 6 other new grads. The last 2 months or so we have all been taking turns being charge nurse. Basically, when I am charge, I need to know the pertinent info about each pt so when nsg supervisor comes I can give her the rundown. I am on a stepdown cardiac unit and the supe wants to know when/if the pt will be discharged, any change in code status, if they r on a heart med gtts, isolation, restraints, changes in condition since the last shift, etc. Its important to know what is vital to each pt because u want to be on high alert if a pt starts to deteriorate. It wasn't easy at first but as you become more comfortable as a nurse, it becomes second nature.