Our new hire, new grad charge nurse

[kimbo9]

Let me ask you guys your opinion on this. They just hired a graduate nurse on our med surg floor and made her the charge nurse. She has zero experience. She is a BSN nurse, and the majority of us are LPNs that have been here a while. I don't have a problem with a grad nurse being a charge nurse, but with no experience at all? Has management in this hospital lost their minds?

[rn4ever?]

Well it happens. She might be a competent person but she will need experience to deal with serious stuff on the floor.

[Servingshots]

Well I guess the economy for new grads isnt so bad after all :)

[SunshineRN79]

Is this a hospital or a LTC facility. The LTC facilities are going to hire RN's as charge nurses because their license covers all the legal aspects that LPN's cannot

[Gerry1888RN]

I guess if the LPN's do not like the fact that a new grad RN is in charge of them, they should go back to college to get their RN license.

[iteachob, MSN, RN]

This is nothing new.....it happened to me 26 years ago. I hadn't been out of school 6 months, and there I was "in charge" (of LVN's and RN's).....I asked my manager "why?". The answer: "you have the BSN"

I'm not saying it's the safest or best thing, but it's the way it is.

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

I guess if the LPN's do not like the fact that a new grad RN is in charge of them, they should go back to college to get their RN license.

A new grad RN shouldn't be "in charge of anybody, be it LPN or RN subordinates.

[iteachob, MSN, RN]

A new grad RN shouldn't be "in charge of anybody, be it LPN or RN subordinates.

Yet, scope of practice will dictate that even a new grad RN is in a supervisory position with reference to the LPN.

[ObtundedRN, BSN, RN]

To the OP: Just how many RNs does your unit have? Perhaps they did it because they are so short on RNs, they had to throw the new grad RN into the role of charge nurse, so they can get her trained to do it soon. At least in my state, an LPN can't be charge nurse over an RN. This is considered to be an LPN delegating assignments to an RN, which isn't allowed.

That being said, an LPN can be in an administrative position over RNs, such as a manager. But clinically, they can't be in charge of RNs.

[Ayeloflo]

Well, maybe that "new grad" is a career changer with previous leadership experience from other areas. Maybe that person used to be a paramedic. Maybe the charge nurse pay was low and the new grad took it. Maybe the new grad is really interested in leadership positions. Sometimes people choose to jump into a situation and learn on the fly (correct expression ?) I don't know what's on the resume. But I hope that this new grad is aware of what he/she does not know and knows where to turn for help. As a new grad you want to know who to turn to for suggestions, advice, etc.

[regularRN]

Whilst a new grad. RN is "qualified" academically, most of us are aware that nursing is a highly practical vocation that requires a certain amount of hands on experience to be competent.

If I were this new grad. RN, then I would think twice before accepting this job - without experience, my license would be constantly on the line... supervisory positions are not safe or suitable for new grads in any discipline.

[Quark09]

Hopefully, this new grad RN will have experienced people on your floor that she will be able to turn to for assistance and guidance, without being given the cold shoulder merely because she chose to go to school a little longer :)