What do you expect?

If you are not charge, what do you expect from your charge nurse?

If you are a charge, what do you expect from the nurses you are working with?

We have semi-permanent charges. Not permanent, but only a few rotate into the role. Some are very good, and others, I feel, just don't get it. Having never been charge, I can only go by what I've observed (comparing the involved ones with the not-so-involved ones), not what I've done.

The good charges intervene for unusual issues that require a lot of time and would take the floor nurses away from patient care. If agency is on the floor, they act as a resource for the agency nurses re: unit-specific procedures and paperwork. In emergencies, they are right by the primary nurse's side. They wrangle up the assistants and housekeeping to facilitate bed changes and transfers (room break down/clean up/prep). Any problems/supply issues affecting the entire unit and work flow are addressed.

In other words, they are always looking around for what can be done. It can go from individual help to more broad-ranging assistance that eases work flow.

Knowing what good charges can do without a patient load, I'd also like to hear some frustrations from charge nurses who are required to take a patient load.