Our new hire, new grad charge nurse

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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? :confused:

doesn't matter......she has the title .....BSN!!

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Specializes in General adult inpatient psychiatry.

Just curious, because I haven't seen this stated anywhere, who is orienting her to the "charge" position? Is this a regular position she will have at all times? Will she be running "charge" immediately, as in, while she's in orientation? I work with all RNs but not all BSNs and while I know a couple of BSNs who run "charge", I know more diploma nurses or AA nurses who run the position and do it well than if we just had BSN charge nurses. I assume unless she's working 7 days/week, someone else will have to be in charge when she's not working - what's up with that?

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

I live in a pretty large state - the BON here doesn't involve itself in internal hiring/promoting. The most outstanding qualification as far as I'm concerned is the personality of the charge nurse/nurse manager regardless of their degree. I've never actually seen it to make much difference whether they have a BSN or not.

It helps a lot when the person in "charge" of others has some inkling about what their jobs are like, but it wouldn't be instant failure if they didn't. If you are the right person for the job you will be more likely to be supported by your subordinates while you learn the ropes.

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Specializes in Ambulatory Care/Rehabilitation.

what could possibly be the upside to having the 'co-workers take a big bite"??? this must be the 'nurses eating their young' syndrome i've heard about. maybe, instead, some encouragement, maybe even getting to know her & what knowledge/experience she does have that allowed her to gain this position. i can't understand the anger toward her at all. i hope she does well & wish her (and all her co-workers) the very best. this profession is difficult enough without having us at each others' throats!

lol!!! this position sounds like it has a high turn-over rate. does this new grad know that she/he needs to be able to run a code like the back of his/her hand and be a resource of experience to those she/he of is in charge... not to mention make assignments based upon patient acuity and skills of the nurses caring for the patients (all of which means she/he must draw on experience..)??? probably not.... she/he will not be there for too long. if you and your co-workers do not take a big bite out of her/his bottom side, sadly the environment will!!!!

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I agree! Where I work, they put in Charge a new grad who bearly had one year of experience... Still when she' s on the floor, she can't prioritize her care ( ex.: Patient with BP: 190/101, don't call the doctor or patient who is suddenly shorth of breath) in each case, the patiet ended up in ICU as soon as day shift arrives. Plus, RN of experiences where not considered for this position becuase " they didn't clique " whith some of te charge Nurses already in place!

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]Well it depends, when you say no experience, do you mean no experience in nursing/medical or no experience as in actual work experience. You have people with graduate degrees and experience in management/hospitals administrative roles, that are returning to school for nursing, and may have held several senior management positions. Are they extremely well and managing people? Maybe. Are they results-oriented? Perhaps. I'm one of those people, however, does that make me prepared to take on a charge nurse position with zero nursing experience? - Not! For her maybe.

Nonetheless, it sounds like a case of "it's not what you know, it's who you know!"

May be a little awkward for her, but hopefully she'll do a darn good job and gain the respect and support; Isn't this why we're all nurses/soon to be nurses? After all, at the end of the day, she's still your charge nurse! Good luck!

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Who cares! Be happy you have a job. Management is always doing those things. Don't worry about it.

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Specializes in med-surg, med-psych, psych.

["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?"]

:eek:yes! they have loss their minds from a liability, patient advocacy, comraderie, even magnet status potential standpoint.

but ... welcome to the political apointment if it's a not-for-profit hospital and the cheap appointment if it's a for-profit hospital. it's about the dollar or intimidation (possibly both).

:hug:embrace and mold her to be the best boss you've ever had... if she is respectful of the lpn's. if not she'll burn herself out and run in

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I know she doesn't have exp as a charge nurse, but she may have previous "managerial" exp that you dont't know about. Also, no one gets out of a bsn prgrm without a lot of clinical experience...

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Yes there ARE people who can do this transition. But I will say they are rare. The chance you've got someone who can do it is low.

I quit a job where many of my supposed chain of command were suddenly newly hired NGs. If the people who own the company are not medical professionals, they tend to feel safe with others who are not as well. Afterall, once you are in healthcare for a while you become part of a club, it's hard for those outside to ever break into our club. So, these people find those who qualify (got the license) without "club" experience and that's all they want. They don't feel intimidated.

The problem is, that there is this "running away" that people without experience and/or a "large pair" tend to do. Sometimes these people will also surround themselves with people who have even less chance of making it for fear of insubordination (can there even be insubordination if you are not able to pull the job yourself?!). Everyday I found myself explaining how to work with other medical professionals and also basic nursing information, things you cannot make it out of nursing school and not know. I would walk into trainwreck situations due to this "running away".

Time will tell.

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Specializes in floor to ICU.
What could possibly be the upside to having the 'co-workers take a big bite"??? This must be the 'nurses eating their young' syndrome I've heard about. Maybe, instead, some encouragement, maybe even getting to know her & what knowledge/experience she DOES have that allowed her to gain this position. I can't understand the anger toward her at all. I hope she does well & wish her (and all her co-workers) the very best. This profession is difficult enough without having us at each others' throats!

I agree with others that this situation isn't ideal. She may, in fact, BECOME a great charge nurse. She needs guidance. If she were being precepted by a strong charge nurse that would be helpful but I'm not sure this is the case. I can see both sides. I was a LVN with lots of acute care floor experience and worked with a few lesser experienced RN charge nurses. There can be some resentment there (answering questions while thinking to yourself: "you make $15/hr more than me, you figure it out").

I never said this or acted on this thought. Instead, I got my butt back into school and became a charge nurse myself.

It will be frustrating for the LVNs on the floor to take direction from someone who hasn't developed a strong set of critical thinking skills yet. Perhaps the facility cannot recruit an experienced charge nurse (or God forbid, is too cheap to hire one or worse, the environment is too toxic to keep one).

Anyhow, it is done so I would hope that the LVNs embrace her and at least give her a chance. It will be a big learning curve. She might make it. And if the LVNs do not like it, maybe they should try to further their education so they can put their years of experience to work in a charge position?

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Specializes in drug seekers and the incurably insane..
I'm disappointed that this thread became an RN vs. LPN battle. No where in the OP is any resentment or jealousy implied towards the new RN from any LPN- the problem is that a BRAND NEW nurse is expect to operate as a charge nurse without any independent clinical experience on her own. I'd be very nervous to have my charge nurse be that new regardless of my title, LPN or RN. I'd be even more nervous as the new RN taking on that role! It has NOTHING to do with 'jealousy' of the RN and everything to do with the safety of a brand new NURSE being put in charge like that of an entire floor. :uhoh3:

Poor thing- maybe she is a new grad BSN but has prior nursing experience as an LPN?

I was thinking the same thing....why is it that there are some RN's who think that LPN's are jealous of them? I'm an LPN and enrolled in a LPN to RN program, and I didn't do it to be "in charge". I simply want more opportunities and better pay, down the road. We all need to have respect for all levels of nurses, and help each other out to the best of our abilities.

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