We recently have "trained" every single RN on our floor to be the charge nurse. I (and a few others) feel this actually is counter productive. The boss looks at it like he never has to come in to work to be CN b/c there is always one available. We feel like there are "too many chiefs and not enough indians" (I know this is not "PC" but being Native American I feel I can use it LOL). There are nurses who have not enough backbone, experience to be the CN and there are others who should be the CN that aren't b/c the boss wants to make sure everyone gets a chance even though it isn't the best nurse for the job.
Several nurses are judgmental of the one who is CN b/c s/he wouldn't do it that way when they were/are CN. I feel like we the boss has actually created a hostile work environment.
So, what do the nurses of AN think about this situation?
I completely agree with everyone who says that nobody but experienced nursed have ANY business being charge. And being experienced doesn't necessarily make you a good charge, either. I have been working as a nurse just over 1 year. During orientation, I thought my preceptor had no business giving anyone advice, let alone new grads, let alone orienting new grads to the institution. To my surprise (or horror), shortly thereafter, this person had been oriented into night shift charge. To my further surprise (or further horror), several weeks later he starts also starts charge shifts on days. I understand that for staffing needs, it is sometimes necessary to have less experienced nurses being charge. But I think it is important to be extremely selective in who is designated as a "back up" charge. It is in the best interest of the patients and the rest of the staff to have the charge nurse be someone who is actually qualified to be the "go to" RN. I also understand that it may also be beneficial to have every trained in as/work as charge so that everyone has an idea of what the role of charge entails. However, I think this same objective can be accomplished by have everyone who is new to the unit shadow the charge nurse for a shift in order to better understand the roles of all staff. (And I think this would be most beneficial if done a fair amount of time after the new nurses start date so that they have a fairly good knowledge of what their own role is as well as how each individual staff member does their own part to take care of the needs of the patients.)
In my opinion, some people are just meant NOT to be leaders (and I don't mean to be mean because I am not a very strong leader myself). It just is very draining for the rest of the staff to go to the charge nurse looking for help or looking for information about where or how to find an answer to a question and not getting your needs met. Plus even worse, sometimes they themselves are looking for help and/or pity because they are having a bad day (Not to mention the fact that it is also frustrating and tiring on all the nurses when we are always seeking help from each other for issues that should clearly be dealt with be charge).
I am sorry to be so negative about this (and go off on multiple, multiple tangents), but it is a topic that has been bothering be a lot lately. I love the place I work--for the most part I have great coworkers, great resources, great training, great mix of patients/opportunities gain experience and knowledge--great LOTS of things. But like any place of employment, there are policies you don't agree with, people you don't get along with, and plenty of things to just make you angry and frustrated.
Oh, so many more tangents I could go off on right now....
Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.
At the hospital where I used to work, every nurse with at least two years of experience was trained to charge. However, each shift had 2 or 3 nurses who were the regular charge nurse (for example, on days there was one charge for M-F, and then two other nurses who charged on alternate weekends), and the others would sub if someone was on vacation or called in sick.
I thought this system worked well. We always had enough nurses who could be charge if necessary, and I think being charge some of the time actually made the nurses more tolerant of the people who were the regular charge nurses. They had a better understanding of just how much the charge nurse did for us. Since most nurses didn't like being charge, rather than being judgemental of the person who was charge I think they were just grateful when they didn't have to be charge.
I don't think 6 months is enough experience to be charge, and I think 1 year is pushing it. I know I didn't feel ready after 1 year there, but I think I might have felt ready (or ready enough anyway) after 2 years.
Thanks for your replies! From a mgmnt perspective, I can see the positives to having multiple CN however, I just cannot understand putting someone in charge who can't even manage to start their own IVs 95% of the time, doesn't have enough autonomy to mobilize pts without a specific doctor's order telling them when, where, and how much, doesn't know what to do in an emergency, can't even begin to run a code, and who is not ACLS certified. Let's not forget those who cannot make a room assignment without asking the other staff what they should do.
My head is spinning thinking about all of this stuff. There are certain nurses that should NOT be charge on our unit D/T not enough knowledge, not enough skill, OR getting the "big head" and becoming the unit "DEMANDER" on the days that they are CN.
I am planning to get my certification for my specialty soon. Once I get it, I plan to get the heck out of dodge. LOL
lysslyss
1 Post
I completely agree with everyone who says that nobody but experienced nursed have ANY business being charge. And being experienced doesn't necessarily make you a good charge, either. I have been working as a nurse just over 1 year. During orientation, I thought my preceptor had no business giving anyone advice, let alone new grads, let alone orienting new grads to the institution. To my surprise (or horror), shortly thereafter, this person had been oriented into night shift charge. To my further surprise (or further horror), several weeks later he starts also starts charge shifts on days. I understand that for staffing needs, it is sometimes necessary to have less experienced nurses being charge. But I think it is important to be extremely selective in who is designated as a "back up" charge. It is in the best interest of the patients and the rest of the staff to have the charge nurse be someone who is actually qualified to be the "go to" RN. I also understand that it may also be beneficial to have every trained in as/work as charge so that everyone has an idea of what the role of charge entails. However, I think this same objective can be accomplished by have everyone who is new to the unit shadow the charge nurse for a shift in order to better understand the roles of all staff. (And I think this would be most beneficial if done a fair amount of time after the new nurses start date so that they have a fairly good knowledge of what their own role is as well as how each individual staff member does their own part to take care of the needs of the patients.)
In my opinion, some people are just meant NOT to be leaders (and I don't mean to be mean because I am not a very strong leader myself). It just is very draining for the rest of the staff to go to the charge nurse looking for help or looking for information about where or how to find an answer to a question and not getting your needs met. Plus even worse, sometimes they themselves are looking for help and/or pity because they are having a bad day (Not to mention the fact that it is also frustrating and tiring on all the nurses when we are always seeking help from each other for issues that should clearly be dealt with be charge).
I am sorry to be so negative about this (and go off on multiple, multiple tangents), but it is a topic that has been bothering be a lot lately. I love the place I work--for the most part I have great coworkers, great resources, great training, great mix of patients/opportunities gain experience and knowledge--great LOTS of things. But like any place of employment, there are policies you don't agree with, people you don't get along with, and plenty of things to just make you angry and frustrated.
Oh, so many more tangents I could go off on right now....