The Charge Nurse Role

[poppy07]

What's the standard for years of experience before becoming a charge nurse in your ICU?

One RN in our unit has been an RN maybe a year and a half now, is going through the charge nurse class, and has worked several shifts as the charge already. It frightens me to think somebody still so new is in charge of our unit. It also bugs me because it seems like this person is trying to do whatever to get away from pt care and just be able to walk around and gossip.

[ukstudent]

You can go to CRNA school with one year of ICU.

Don't worry about what someone else is doing, and why the might be doing it. Concentrate on your own learning.

[cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN]

I've been a nurse for a year and a half and take charge.

It's not hard.

[gwlillith]

One year was the standard in the 2 other facilities I've worked in. Sounds like a fair deal, although now we are required to take 2 patients with charge due to some sort of "budget crunch".....blah..blah..blah

[smileyRn96]

1 year is enough....I think the real deciding factor is not time but presence and an ability to deal with a role that requires knowledge and leadership ability. Also, you need a desire to be charge. If she wants to give it a go let her try and support her. Undermining her charge role by questioning her experience is kinda passive aggressive :trout:. If it is too soon everyone will know soon enough.

-Smiley

[cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN]

One year was the standard in the 2 other facilities I've worked in. Sounds like a fair deal, although now we are required to take 2 patients with charge due to some sort of "budget crunch".....blah..blah..blah

Oh yes, we always keep a full assignment..

I figure, I can handle a code pt, handle a pt with multiple drips, handle pts in DIC....I can handle charge.