What Are the Pros and Cons of Becoming a Charge Nurse?
A charge nurse is a registered nurse (RN) who has advanced to a supervisory role. The following are some pros and cons of working in this field.
| Pros of Becoming a Charge Nurse |
|---|
| Opportunity to help people* |
| Good salary (charge nurses earned a median salary of $78,205 as of Sept. 2015)** |
| Above-average employment rate (19% growth expected between 2012 and 2022)* |
| Can get this job without a graduate degree* |
| Cons of Becoming a Charge Nurse |
|---|
| Time spent standing, walking and moving patients could lead to injuries* |
| Shifts could include nights, weekends and holidays* |
| Work environments can be stressful* |
| 24-hour shifts may be required* |
Sources: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), **Salary.com
Essential Job Info
Job Duties
A charge nurse runs a particular unit within a hospital, clinic, doctor's office or ambulatory care center. In this position, you would supervise nursing staff, establish work schedules, plan budgets and maintain patient records. You could be in charge of delegating responsibilities to other nurses and administrative staff on a particular shift.
Because charge nurses are also registered nurses, they may perform standard nursing duties, especially in smaller organizations where staff members need to take on many responsibilities. To that end, your daily job duties might include performing basic medical procedures, preparing patients for exams, talking to patients about health and performing administrative tasks.
Salary and Job Outlook
According to Salary.com, charge nurses earned a median salary of approximately $78,000 as of Sept. 2015, with the top-paid charge nurses taking home $95,000 per year or more. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported an expected 19% increase in jobs for RNs in general between 2012 and 2022 (www.bls.gov), due in part to an aging population that will need increasing medical care. Job prospects were expected to be excellent overall, especially in physicians' offices and outpatient care centers. You could experience even greater career prospects if you have at least a bachelor's degree in nursing.
Requirements
Education and Experience
To work as a charge nurse, you need to have about five years of clinical experience as an RN. While you can get a job as a registered nurse with a diploma or associate's degree, many employers prefer candidates who have bachelor's degrees. Some Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs are accelerated programs designed for RNs who already hold an associate's degree and want to continue their education.
Licensure
You need a license to work as a registered nurse. After earning your diploma, associate's degree or BSN from an accredited nursing program, you'll need to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), which is administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Depending on the state in which you wish to work, there may be additional licensing requirements.
Job Postings
Employers of charge nurses sometimes look for those with backgrounds in particular types of nursing. If you do apply to jobs in a specific field, you may be required to have a relevant certification or demonstrable experience. The following examples of real job postings from April 2012 will give you an idea of what employers might be looking for.
- A charge nurse was needed to supervise nursing shifts at a geriatric healthcare facility in Washington. Duties included ensuring the integrity of patient documents and having a strong sense of ethics. At least 1-2 years of experience was required.
- A charge nurse was needed in a long-term care facility in Texas. Primary responsibilities included monitoring residents and providing treatments. You needed a nursing license and at least a year of experience to be eligible for this position.
- A rehabilitation center needed a charge nurse to provide care to residents at a 124-bed facility in Austin, Texas. Other duties included administering medications and treatments, assessing patients and helping to develop care plans. A nursing license and one year of experience were required.
How to Stand Out
One way to stand out is to earn a more advanced degree. If you have an ASN, you could pursue a BSN, and if you have a BSN, you could pursue a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). According to the BLS, nurses with bachelor's degrees could qualify for a wider variety of career opportunities, including administrative positions. A master's degree could qualify you for advanced practice nursing positions.
You could also join a professional organization or earn voluntary certification. For example, you could become a member of the American Nurses Association (ANA), which offers continuing education opportunities and conferences. If you'd like to earn voluntary certification in a specialty to prove your skill and expertise, the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) offers certification in a variety of specialties, including ambulatory care, home-health, pediatric and surgical nursing.
Alternative Careers
Dental Hygienist
If you want to work in a medical field, but don't want to work in a hospital, consider pursuing a career as a dental hygienist. These professionals clean teeth, perform dental examinations and educate patients about preventative dental care. Dental hygienists enjoyed a median salary of about $69,000 as of May 2011, according to the BLS. You can get this job with an associate's degree or certificate in dental hygiene and a license. If you want to teach or perform research, bachelor's and master's degree programs are also available. The BLS reported that employment in this field was expected to grow by 38% between 2010 and 2020, which was greater than projected employment growth for the registered nursing field.
Physician Assistant
If you want to do more advanced medical work, you could work as a physician assistant (PA). In this position, you'll work under the direction of a doctor or surgeon. However, you'd have many of the same duties that a doctor would, such as performing physical exams, making diagnoses and providing treatment. The BLS indicates that PAs made a median salary of about $89,000 as of 2011. To be admitted to a program, you need to have previous experience working in a health profession, such as emergency medical technology or medical assisting. Physician assistant programs usually result in a master's degree or graduate certificate.
