Charge Nurse - FT - Night Shift

Distinction Features of the Class

The work involves directing, coordinating and supervising professional and non-professional nursing staff and participating in the nursing and daily activity needs of patients/residents on a unit, for an assigned shift. This is a professional/supervisory nursing position requiring a high degree of competence and tact. Work is performed under the direct supervision of higher ranking professional nursing staff. Supervision is exercised over lower level professional and non-professional nursing staff. Does related work as required.

Clinical

• Maintains and ensures the utilization of established standards of care and the nursing process in the delivery of patient/resident care including but not limited to assessment, care planning, intervention, evaluation, discharge planning and health teaching;
• Participates and maintains safety standards for staff, patients/residents and visitors;
• Plans and conducts needed patient/resident centered conferences;
• Intervenes in identified patient/resident problems and seeks resolution;
• Communicates to physicians, higher ranking nurses and other staff the needs of patients/residents;
• Serves as a clinical resource person to other staff;
• Serves as liaison between patients/residents, family, physician and the health care team;
• Provides nursing care as needed;
• Affirms the documentation of patient/resident condition as required.

Non-Clinical

• Assesses overall unit activity and patient/resident care needs for assigned shift;
• Makes patient/resident care assignments according to departmental standards;
• Communicates all clinical and operational activities from shift to shift;
• Communicates immediate concerns related to staff performance issues, physician or patient/resident concerns or other unit management issues to the unit manager/higher ranking nurse;
• Reinforces cost effective utilization of personnel and supplies;
• Supports and participates in the quality improvement process;
• Participates in the evaluation of staff performance and the orientation of new staff;
• Ensures assigned staff attends in-service as scheduled;
• Maintains knowledge of new and current skills and trends in nursing;
• Provides input into scheduling;
• Contributes to formulation of unit/facility goals and objectives.

Full Performance Knowledge, Skills, Abilities And Personal Characteristics

• Good knowledge of the principles, procedures, techniques, and terminology of professional nursing;
• Good knowledge of the biological, physical, social and medical science as they relate to nursing care;
• Ability to develop management skills;
• Ability to work effectively with others;
• Ability to work well in crisis situations;
• Ability to assist in administration of nursing and non-nursing ancillary activities;
• Ability to perform more difficult professional nursing duties;
• Ability to maintain records and prepare reports;
• Good communication skills, both oral and written;
• Sound professional judgment;
• Initiative;
• Resourcefulness;
• Industry;
• Dependability;
• Tact;
• Good health;
• Physically capable of performing the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited school of professional nursing and possession of a license to practice as a registered professional nurse in New York State and either:
• A) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a Bachelor's degree in nursing and six (6) months of professional nursing experience in the specialty area to which assignment is requested;
• B) One (1) year of professional nursing experience in the specialty area to which assignment is requested;
• C) An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined by the limits of (A) and (B).

Note: Specialty areas shall include *critical care,* emergency nursing, medical/surgical, operating room, hemodialysis, ambulatory care and behavioral health. *Please note that critical care experience will meet the minimum requirements for positions in the post anesthesia recovery room and the cardiac catheterization laboratory.*