A charge nurse, in essence, acts as a nursing supervisor in a particular hospital unit. Specifically, she oversees all the other nurses, makes sure that workload is properly distributed, monitors supplies, makes inventories and coordinates with the head nurse. She does all these and more on top of her basic nursing responsibilities. On the surface, the job of a charge nurse looks overwhelmingly taxing. But although it sometimes is challenging, the nursing job is obviously gratifying.
If this is the nursing career you want to someday assume, use these nurse training tips to help you get qualified. A great way to get the training you'll need to become a charge nurse is by enrolling in an accredited online nursing school.
Here’s how to become a charge nurse and find nurse employment.
- Complete a nursing education. To become a charge nurse, you need to complete a nursing degree, which can either be an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). An ADN takes at least two years to complete but is not as thorough and advanced as a BSN. A BSN, on the other hand, can be completed within four years. In any case, you can first take an ADN and eventually continue on with a BSN.
- Get a license. After earning your nursing degree, you can apply for a license with the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and take the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse) examination. When you pass the exam, you will be given an RN (Registered Nurse) license.
- Earn experience. As a fresh graduate, you will be hired to assume entry-level jobs and be assigned in different units like the emergency room, intensive care unit and critical care unit. Take this opportunity to gather experience and hone your skills. Nurses usually have to earn at least two years of nursing experience before being considered for charge nursing job opportunities.
- Demonstrate your competence. If you have demonstrated excellence and have been working for at least two years in a particular unit, you can be promoted as a charge nurse. Requirements differ from facility to facility, but generally medical facilities look for leadership abilities, strong communication skills, and advanced experience in a potential charge nurse. In many cases, hospitals and other similar facilities allow their staff nurse to rotate in charge nursing, so the management and the nurse themselves can identify if particular nurses are cut out for the job.
- Engage yourself in continuing education. If you successfully fill in a charge nurse position, remember to commit yourself to continuing education. This is so that you can have opportunities to update yourself on the advancements in nursing care and also to train yourself for administrative positions such as head nurse, chief nurse and nursing director.
- Continuously hone your skills. There is no room for stagnation when you become a charge nurse. You will always need to enhance your skills and continue to develop new ones. In this nursing career, your judgment, administrative and communication skills are also very important.
Although a career in nursing may take a while to qualify for, this nursing profession is a rewarding job. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for registered nurses are expected to increase in the coming years. And these include jobs for charge nurses. Annual salary is estimated to be around $57,000. So if this is the nurse career path you would like to take, expect that the future is going to be bright for you.