Want advice from other charge nurses

[margo123]

I've been a nurse for 21 years and a charge nurse for the past seven. My unit is under new management and the new boss wants the charge nurse to take more responsibility for the actions of the other staff. I have experienced capable and conscientious RN's under me and see no need to micromanage them. I myself must assume a full patient load due to staffing restrictions. I'm being asked to check their documentation to see that it's up to par, check up on them when they're doing assessments to make sure they are thorough, and generally breathe down their neck. I don't want to do anything to create anamosity and find it all pretty condescending considering that they have such excellent skills. Aside from that, I don't have the time to tend my patients, do my charge nurse duties and micromanage my staff. This isn't being required because of any problems my staff has had but because we are in a hospital that's moving toward magnet status and the bar is being raised higher and higher. Fine, let's raise it but give us the staff to make it happen.

[fbmom]

I find it extremely difficult to do a good job as a primary nurse and as charge. You are just being pulled in too many directions. During the week we have a free charge on 7-3 and 3-11 but on weekends the charge has a full team. As charge you should not have to check your other nurses documentation, after all they are RN's and should be working up to standard. If you have to micro-manage you should not have a patient assignment. Why does management think charge nurses are supernurses and can take a full assignment, do the various other charge duties, be a resource for the less experienced staff, handle questions/complaints from family & visitors.

Sorry I don't have any advise butI can empathize with you!! Hang in there!!!

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

I know your situation. I've been there. How bad do you want to stay in a charge nurse position? You can either look the other way and go on doing what you've been doing and act like nothing has changed. That could be dangerous, however, if a young whippersnapper manager comes in and decides to go after you for not performing your supervision duties. Or, do as I did, just ask to step back down into staff nurse status. Sometimes it's just nice to be an Indian with all the other Indians and smile to yourself when you see the headaches the Chiefs have go through to keep their jobs.