What are the duties of a charge nurse?

I'm interested in nursing and I heard about the role of a charge nurse. Can anyone tell me what their responsibilities are and how it's different from other nursing roles?

Sure, happy to explain! A charge nurse is often seen as the bridge between the nursing staff and the management in a healthcare setup. They typically have additional responsibilities on top of their regular nursing duties.

One of their primary roles is managing the nursing unit. This includes setting the duty roster, ensuring adequate staffing levels, monitoring supplies, and overseeing patient admissions, transfers, and discharges. They ensure that the unit operates efficiently and smoothly.

Secondly, charge nurses are often the point of contact for the nursing staff, patients, and their families. They deal with any immediate questions or issues that might arise and are there to provide support and leadership in complex situations.

Also, charge nurses help ensure quality care by upholding healthcare standards, and ensuring nurses in their unit are compliant with set protocols. They also might participate in performance evaluations and play a role in hiring new nurses.

It's worth noting that while other nursing roles usually focus on individual patient care, charge nurses have a more managerial role in a specific department or ward, with less emphasis on direct patient care. However, this can vary depending on the size of the facility and the specific department.

Finally, a charge nurse role often requires more experience than a general staff nurse, as they need a deeper clinical expertise as well as strong leadership and administrative skills.

So, in summary, the charge nurse role is a step up in terms of responsibilities from a standard nursing position and can be a good career progression for experienced nurses looking for more leadership opportunities.