Charge Registered Nurse

Job Summary

Under the supervision of the Director of Nursing, a Charge Nurse manages a unit in a healthcare facility during their shift. They provide orders and delegate tasks among staff nurses, admit and discharge patients, assign nurses to patients, and take inventory and order medical supplies.

Duties / Responsibilities

• Administers the nursing program; directly supervises one shift and shares 24-hour responsibility for all nursing and paraprofessional personnel.
• Participates in the recruitment and orientation of new nursing personnel.
• Participates in in-service training programs and staff meetings.
• Organizes training seminars and courses to educate new staff or introduce new procedures and protocols.
• Develops and implements policies, procedures, rules, and regulations of the Health Care Unit; confers with the Directors of Nursing in matters of policy and program development.
• Evaluates staff performance and provides corrective measures if necessary.
• Schedules evaluation conferences for non-supervisory nursing personnel and participates in their performance evaluations on a regularly scheduled basis.
• Collaborates with physicians and other members of the interdisciplinary team to develop and initiate health reviews.
• Serves as liaison between nursing staff, Directors of Nursing, and other members of the interdisciplinary team to relay pertinent information and solve problems related to improving health care delivery.
• Serves as a consultant with problem-solving relative to improving health care delivery.
• Safeguards medications, supplies, and equipment.
• Prepares and submits daily, monthly, and annual medical records and reports as requested to the administrative staff.
• Participates in continuous quality improvement activities as assigned.
• Attends staff and administrative meetings as requested.
• Follows standard precautions using personal protective equipment as required.

Skills / Abilities

• Excellent critical thinking and assessment skills.
• Assertive, empathetic, and able to provide care objectively.
• Strong interpersonal communication and customer service skills.
• Basic computer skills.
• Ability to function independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to command the respect and confidence of inmates and staff.
• Philosophically committed to the objectives of the facility.
• Maintains an active Basic Life Support (BLS) certification or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).

Qualifications

• Graduation from an approved nursing education program with a diploma or an Associate Degree in Nursing required.
• One (1) to Two (2) years of professional nursing experience.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification.
• Requires critical thinking, organizational, decisive judgment, communication, and good customer service skills.
• Must be able to handle multiple tasks, work in a stressful environment, and take appropriate actions as needed.
• Subject to initial and ongoing security clearance requirement.