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A nurses personal experience as a charge nurse
A nurses personal experience as a charge nurse
A nurses personal experience as a charge nurse
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Roles and Responsibility of Charge Nurse
Charge nurses oversee and support the nursing staff, at the same time also care for a limited number of patients. They are responsible for evaluating other nurses and acting as an educational resource and as well as accountable for maintaining a high level of patient care. Charge nurses are often experienced registered nurses who not only display leadership, communication skills and management but also are responsible for providing administrative support and patient care. Some of the daily routine responsibilities and actions of the charge nurses include directing the admissions of the patient and at the same time planning on discharge treatment and goals. They are in charge of making work
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schedules and assigning patients to appropriate staff nurses while prioritizing and being flexible in cases of emergency. Charge nurses work together with physicians to correlate with patient care concern, interfacing with support departments and aid management to ensure patients have the required supplies such as medications and have supportive environment which contributes to the healing process. Charge nurses must also be familiar with the facility or institutional policies and procedures in order to steer through what is often a very intricate system and answer questions regarding protocol. They often take into account Nurse Practice Act and Standards of Practice when in query of safety and procedures. Charge nurses develop and implement training courses and arrange seminars to aid in educating and training new nurses and staff. As shift supervisors, charge nurses also document the performance of nurses, perform evaluations and counsel nurses on unsatisfactory performance. They also are involved in administrative issues, address and solve problems among staff. The charge nurses often support with the orientation, training and professional growth of staff. They play a crucial role in the competency assessment development and ensure that the team works as one successfully. Conflict or Situational Resolution A conflict-free workplace would be a great place. However, it’s just not possible to avoid conflict completely especially in high stress healthcare environments. The essential of effectively managing team conflict should be framed in terms of a patient safety issue. An example of conflict that could occur between nurses is when it comes to prioritizing tasks. Nurses often clash over where to place attention or what is most important. Another example is work overload due to staffing shortages. Nurses get exhausted and the patient care quality could be greatly reduced. In order to reduce most types of conflicts, the charge nurse must bring the individual together to discuss the problem. It is also important to maintain a means of respectful communication. Nurse to Patient Ratio The staff to patient ratio at the facility I followed, the charge nurse was initially 1:55.
That is 1 nurse to 55 patients on PM shift. Later on, the ratio was changed to 1:30. Previously there were only 2 nurses but now it has been changed to 3 nurses per shift. The assignment was determined upon the staff nurses’ employment status. If the nurse is a full time employee, she or he will be assigned to a permanent team but if the nurse is per diem or part timer than they would be considered a floater. Assignments were modified when there was shortage of staff by basically dividing the patients under the care of the absent nurse among the other 2 nurses present who then had increased work load which often lead to exhaustion, frustration and ultimately low productivity. Critical factors that should be taken into account when deciding appropriate staffing is the number of patients, physical environment, level of training and experience of healthcare professionals providing care. Together with that, analysis of individual patient needs including physical and psychosocial should be taken into consideration as well. When floating between units, there should be an efficient plan for cross-training to ensure competency and patient …show more content…
safety. Unexpected or Assignment Modification Most of the time unexpected change in patients conditions and patient family issues were dealt by the charge nurse. While following chain of command if the issue is not resolved by the charge nurse than it is passed along the line to the director of health services and eventually to the facilities administrator. Critical thinking in nursing involves more than good problem-solving strategies. Consciously, it is developed to improve patient outcomes. Critical thinking by the nurse is determined by the needs of the patient and family. Critical thinking in nursing is undergirded by the principles and ethics of the profession. Nurses who think critically seek to build on patients’ strengths while honoring patients’ values and beliefs. An example of critical thinking by the nurse would be asking a patient what pain relief methods, pharmacological and non-pharmacological, have worked in the past to provide a better care. It’s mainly stopping, looking at a situation, recognizing a solution and testing it out. Personal Insight Charge nurses are important in providing quality patient care, promoting the profession of nursing, contributing as an agent for change, and maintaining evidence-based practice.
If I was a charge nurse, one thing that I would like my staff to possess is being trust worthy. Building trust with others and developing effective communications is an important part of this role. Staff members mostly look up to their leaders for guidance, support and motivation. In order to have a successful team, the charge nurses need to be mindful of their actions. I believe the toughest part of being a charge nurse might be taking accountability of the staff. If the charge nurse has a trusting relationship with the staff, there would be no need to micro manage and this will create less tension in the workplace. In a sense, staff members will have autonomy and work will be more productive and efficient. Some key factors for a successful work environment includes good communication, appropriate staffing, meaningful recognition, teamwork and of course, most importantly, a dependable leader. The skills and knowledge necessary for these roles is extensive and intense, but will nonetheless result in efficiency and productivity. The dedication of individuals in charge nurse roles has a major impact on all of those around them, as they are vital to the provision of
healthcare.
When I am older I would love to be a Nurse Practitioner, I enjoy helping people when they are sick and taking care of them. Another reason I want to be a Nurse Practitioner is because my sister is also a Nurse Practitioner.
Essay 1: How will you contribute to the mission of the Nurse Corps scholarship program in providing care to underserved communities?
Two main staffing methods that are currently used in most nursing facilities are staffing by patient acuity using patient classification systems and staffing by mandated nurse-to-patient rations. Each method has an impact on patient outcomes, safety and overall satisfaction determined from different articles and studies done on each staffing method. There are pros and cons to each staffing methods. Nursing facilities look at many of these pros and cons when determining staffing methods that are used, cost, patient outcomes, and nursing
Ever since I was in middle school I dreamed of working in the medical field. I realized nursing was the profession for me when my grandfather became terribly sick with lung cancer during my freshman year of high school. It puzzled me that one of the healthiest and most physically active people I knew could be afflicted by such a damaging disease. After watching my grandfather’s suffering and the pain my entire family felt from his death, I knew I wanted to go into a field to help others that are facing the same challenges. This is when I discovered all of the opportunities that a career in nursing could offer me.
Nurse staffing ratios are an important aspect of this problem because it determines the outcome of every patient's health from an overnight stay in a hospital. In a study performed by Alexandra Robbins she analyzes in her article “Nurse Staffing and Patient Safety” that low levels of nurse staffing put patient’s life at risk. In addition to this study, Robbins discusses about the extra work nurses are receiving and how it can become dangerous considering it is a “toxic formula” for patients’ health, meaning bad outcomes are bound to occur. In the situation where more patients are assigned to a nurse there is a higher chance of the patients experiencing something wrong with medical procedures during their stay in hospital. In the article “Inadequate Staffing Harms Quality and the Bottom Line” written by Jim Gogek, he mentions a study performed by Linda Aiken, and in her study, she states that, “For every additional patient a nurse cared for patients are at a 7% greater risk of dying within 30 days of admission.” The facts provided by Linda Aiken’s study in Gogek’s article clearly shows the importance of nurse staffing ratios because the last thing hospitals want is for their patients to pass away under their
Licensed practical nurses (LPN 's) fill an important role in modern health care practices. Their primary job duty is to provide routine care, observe patients’ health, assist doctors and registered nurses, and communicate instructions to patients regarding medication, home-based care, and preventative lifestyle changes (Hill). A Licensed Practical Nurse has various of roles that they have to manage on a day to day basis, such as being an advocate for their patients, an educator, being a counselor, a consultant, researcher, collaborator, and even a manager depending on what kind of work exactly that you do and where. It is the nursing process and critical thinking that separate the LPN from the unlicensed assistive personnel. Judgments are based
Charge nurses are usually not in a defined permanent charge nurse role as delineated by a job description, but rather rotate through if assigned for their shift (Krugman & Smith, 2003). Additionally, many charge nurses enter their role through default (because they are the most experienced or tenured on their shift) and without formal training (Sherman, 2005). Research conducted by Sherman (2004) indicates that it is becoming more difficult to convince nurses to step up to the plate to assume leadership responsibilities even at the charge nurse level. Additionally, the lack of well-prepared charge nurses may lead to increased nurse dissatisfaction, increased nurse turnover, litigation (Mahlmeister, 1999), decreased patient satisfaction, and potential for increased error. Nurse leaders who are now examining leadership effectiveness at every level have found that charge nurses not only need clinical expertise but effective leadership skills as well (Connelly, Yoder, & Miner-Williams, 2003; Turner, 2005).
Many nurses face the issue of understaffing and having too much of a workload during one shift. When a unit is understaffed not only do the nurses get burnt out, but the patients also don’t receive the care they deserve. The nurse-patient ratio is an aspect that gets overlooked in many facilities that could lead to possible devastating errors. Nurse- patient ratio issues have been a widely studied topic and recently new changes have been made to improve the problem.
The Nurse Practice Act or NPA was created to not only protect nurses during their practice, but the public as well. According to American Nurses Association (2012) "Acts are intended to protect patients from harm as a result of unsafe or incompetent practice, or unqualified nurses" (para. 4). These set rules and regulations are in place to allow safe and efficient nursing practice in any setting.
Mrs. Denise Callaway (RN, BSN) is my charge nurse at the hospital in rural Georgia. She is a patient advocate. In her interview, she stated that she is a patient advocate first and foremost. She believes that all nurses, RN?s and LPN?s, have a responsibility to advocate for their patients. She admits that she try to put herself in the patient?s and/or family?s place. She was taught to? do unto others? and she has followed that philosophy throughout her nursing practice. Mrs. Callaway always encourages her staff to see the best in the patients. She never sets in an office. She is always out on the unit helping staff, it does not matter if it is housekeeping, and she is always there to lend a hand when needed. She always includes her patients
Prioritizing care is one of the first things that nurses learn in their career. Prioritizing requires critical thinking whether it comes to discharging a patient, caring for a patient, or delegating a task to a LPN or CNA. As the charge nurse they must look at the whole picture and not just the tasks that need to be done. The charge nurse is the one makes the assignments for the individual nurses, so if there happens to be a float nurse from a different department they might give them the patients with the lowest acuity depending on the nurse’s experience. The charge nurse must know which patients could be discharged if there was an emergency to arise or not enough hospital beds for those patients who need to be admitted. For example, the nurse is not going to recommend someone who came in with a heart attack; they would most likely recommend someone who is two days post op and is being discharged to a rehab facility in a couple of days. It is the charge nurses duty to make that everyone providing great and safe care to the patient.
A leader is described as a person who guides others and has authority and influence over others. They work to influence others into meeting certain goals. There is no right or wrong definition of a leader and there is no recipe that ensures effective leadership. Successful leaders have a good balance of vision, influence, and power. Leaders gain their authority from their ability to influence others to get the work done; because of this, anyone has the potential to be a leader. (Finkelman. 2012, p15)
Saying that you are a registered nurse is a broad statement. Registered nursing is a job that has many aspects. Registered nurses work in many different settings and they carry out many different routines. As a registered nurse you could be exposed to many different opportunities. My goal is to be a registered nurse but, I need to learn a lot. Becoming a being a registered nurse requires a lot of hard work and effort but, if I focus on my goal I will be able to achieve it.
Nurse staffing ratios in healthcare is an ongoing issue throughout the country. With healthcare being run like a business, the bottom line is sometimes thought to be more important than the safety of the patients. One will see through this paper that by reviewing patient outcomes and mortality, nurse staffing ratios can affect the quality and safety of patient care. II. Literature Review
Helping people out is something I love doing. I always have. I’m leaning towards working in the medical field to become a Register Nurse. My passion is to work in a hospital helping patients that are in need a help. I know that helping others is something that is good for me. I’m very interested in learning more about becoming a RN and what position they take in a hospital. Caring for people is a wonderful and I believe I have the potentials to help sick or ill patients. I know for sure that becoming a RN is something I would be happy doing years from now after I graduate.