What does a registered nurse charge nurse do?
A registered charge nurse is responsible for supervising nurses' workflow in a particular department or area, ensuring every patient gets the proper care that they need. A registered charge nurse has the discretion to direct tasks, arrange schedules, and monitor patients, such as in the aspects of admission and discharge. Furthermore, a registered charge nurse must maintain an active line of communication and coordination among nurses, physicians, and other personnel involved as the conditions in a hospital can be unpredictable.
Registered nurse charge nurse responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real registered nurse charge nurse resumes:
- Manage intravenous therapy via peripheral and central catheters; antibiotic, TPN/lipid, constant cardiac medication infusion and fluid administration.
- Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
- Assess and carefully monitor medically diverse patients who require telemetry and safely administer medications.
- Collaborate with ICU team to provide excellent patient care utilizing critical thinking skills and evidence-base practice.
- Document patient medical history and symptoms, administer treatment and medications, and follow-up with patients during rehabilitation.
- Respond to codes, administering CPR and oxygen, monitoring vitals and preparing medications in anticipation of physician orders.
- Provide care as a medication and treatment nurse to patients in a sub-acute rehabilitation facility for post-medical and surgical patients.
- Develop internal flow sheet to track staff immunizations (HBV, TB) and CPR.
- Assist physicians in performing emergency ICU procedures.
- Conduct assessments, administer medication, and monitor vital signs, telemetry, and oxygen saturation.
- Provide nursing leadership to assign staff in the delivery of care to patients in need of mental/psychiatric/medical interventions.
- Leverage compassion in facilitating pain management and completing prescribe treatments including dosage changes, blood glucose checks, and ambulation.
- Coordinate nursing care activities in collaboration with other members of the interdisciplinary rehabilitation team to facilitate achievement of care plan goals.
- Complete documents for state fund Medicaid programs, admission into community nursing and group home facilities and other community resources available.
- Review and update policies and procedures prior to JCAHO accreditation and mass-casualty exercises.
Registered nurse charge nurse skills and personality traits
We calculated that 24% of Registered Nurses Charge Nurses are proficient in Patients, BLS, and CPR. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Compassion, and Detail oriented.
We break down the percentage of Registered Nurses Charge Nurses that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 24%
Performed comprehensive admissions, assessments, of diagnosed chronically mentally patients on a 30 bed inpatient involuntary psychiatric admission unit.
- BLS, 8%
Performed emergency medical procedures, such as BLS for condition stabilization.
- CPR, 7%
Remained proficient in CPR and Neonatal Resuscitation Program Certified.
- Acls, 4%
Obtained ACLS certification, PALS certification, Medical Surgical certification
- Direct Patient Care, 4%
House Supervisor Performing direct patient care as well as management and charge nurse/supervisor responsibilities including employee scheduling and staff evaluation/education.
- Rehabilitation, 4%
Focused on rehabilitation and providing continuity of care for post-surgical and post-stroke residents in order to restore maximum independence.
Most registered nurses charge nurses use their skills in "patients," "bls," and "cpr" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential registered nurse charge nurse responsibilities here:
Communication skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a registered nurse charge nurse to have is communication skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "registered nurses must be able to communicate effectively with patients in order to understand their concerns and evaluate their health conditions." Registered nurses charge nurses often use communication skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "charge nurse duties, ehr documentation, wound care, medication administration, physician communication, daily focused assessments"
Compassion. Another essential skill to perform registered nurse charge nurse duties is compassion. Registered nurses charge nurses responsibilities require that "registered nurses should be caring and empathetic when working with patients." Registered nurses charge nurses also use compassion in their role according to a real resume snippet: "direct, compassionate care of medical /surgical and telemetry patients. "
Detail oriented. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of registered nurses charge nurses is detail oriented. This skill is critical to many everyday registered nurse charge nurse duties, as "registered nurses must be precise because they must ensure that patients get the correct treatments and medicines at the right time." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "provided and managed goal-oriented patient care by utilizing established processes and protocols. "
Emotional stability. For certain registered nurse charge nurse responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "emotional stability." The day-to-day duties of a registered nurse charge nurse rely on this skill, as "registered nurses need emotional resilience and the ability to cope with human suffering, emergencies, and other stressors." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what registered nurses charge nurses do: "assist patients with daily activities of living, medication administration, physical assessments as well as emotional support. "
Organizational skills. Another common skill required for registered nurse charge nurse responsibilities is "organizational skills." This skill comes up in the duties of registered nurses charge nurses all the time, as "nurses often work with multiple patients who have a variety of health needs." An excerpt from a real registered nurse charge nurse resume shows how this skill is central to what a registered nurse charge nurse does: "preform patient assessment and medication administration while maintaining excellent organizational and prioritization skills. "
Physical stamina. Lastly, "physical stamina" is an important element of what a registered nurse charge nurse does. Registered nurse charge nurse responsibilities require this skill because "nurses should be comfortable performing physical tasks, such as lifting patients." This resume example highlights how registered nurse charge nurse duties rely on this skill: "perform physical assessments, medication administration, vitals"
The three companies that hire the most registered nurse charge nurses are:
- Fresenius Medical Care Windsor, LLC174 registered nurses charge nurses jobs
- Fresenius Medical Care North America Holdings Limited Partnership171 registered nurses charge nurses jobs
- Ascension Michigan118 registered nurses charge nurses jobs
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Compare different registered nurses charge nurses
Registered nurse charge nurse vs. Staff nurse
Staff nurses are registered nurses who are usually assigned to work in a care home, a company, or in a clinical setting. They advise the physical assessments of patients, employees, and residents. They also handle the checking of vital signs, providing basic medical procedures, giving first aid, and, if possible, providing over the counter medication. Staff nurses provide medical attention to the people in their place of assignment. They help pave the path to their patients' full recovery. Staff nurses are expected to be patient and have good interpersonal skills.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a registered nurse charge nurse are more likely to require skills like "resident care," "quality patient care," "compassion," and "emergency situations." On the other hand, a job as a staff nurse requires skills like "surgery," "dexterity," "quality care," and "manual dexterity." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Staff nurses really shine in the health care industry with an average salary of $58,739. Comparatively, registered nurses charge nurses tend to make the most money in the health care industry with an average salary of $68,929.On average, staff nurses reach similar levels of education than registered nurses charge nurses. Staff nurses are 0.3% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Registered nurse charge nurse vs. Intensive care unit nurse
An Intensive Care Unit Nurse is specialized in providing care in intensive care units of hospitals. They assist in the treatment of acutely ill patients with life-threatening conditions.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that registered nurse charge nurse responsibilities requires skills like "resident care," "acute care," "infection control," and "quality patient care." But an intensive care unit nurse might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "home health," "ccu," "nicu," and "life support."
Intensive care unit nurses may earn a higher salary than registered nurses charge nurses, but intensive care unit nurses earn the most pay in the education industry with an average salary of $68,718. On the other hand, registered nurses charge nurses receive higher pay in the health care industry, where they earn an average salary of $68,929.In general, intensive care unit nurses achieve similar levels of education than registered nurses charge nurses. They're 3.3% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for registered nurse charge nurses in the next 3-5 years?
Lisa Rebeschi Ph.D.
Associate Dean of the School of Nursing Professor of Nursing, Quinnipiac University
Registered nurse charge nurse vs. Clinical research nurse
A clinical research nurse is responsible for conducting research studies on various health conditions, illness treatments, and healthcare methodologies, analyzing existing scientific research to make new reports. Clinical research nurses also communicate with other health professionals and health organizations for their insights and recommendations for a specific medical study, ensuring to report their findings to doctors and medical researchers for further validation and clinical trials. A clinical research nurse must have excellent knowledge of communication, both written and spoken, as well as expertise in the medical industry.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, registered nurses charge nurses are more likely to have skills like "cpr," "resident care," "quality patient care," and "emergency situations." But a clinical research nurse is more likely to have skills like "surgery," "quality care," "patient outcomes," and "data collection."
Clinical research nurses earn the highest salary when working in the education industry, where they receive an average salary of $61,917. Comparatively, registered nurses charge nurses have the highest earning potential in the health care industry, with an average salary of $68,929.When it comes to education, clinical research nurses tend to earn similar degree levels compared to registered nurses charge nurses. In fact, they're 4.4% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.3% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Registered nurse charge nurse vs. Emergency department registered nurse
An emergency registered nurse is first in line for patients who need a response. These nurses are first to respond to emergency cases such as trauma, allergic reactions, and injuries. They assist doctors and other medical staff in emergency medical care. It is their responsibility to always provide high-quality standards for nursing. The skills they should possess include diligence, attention to detail, levelheadedness, and strong communication. They also need to be knowledgeable about emergency care.
Types of registered nurse charge nurse
Updated January 8, 2025
