Charge Nurse Leadership Education
Wills Eye Hospital Nursing February 2026
Charge Nurse Role
What is this course about?
The Charge Nurse Role!Serves as the frontline clinical leader responsible for coordinating patient readiness and departmental flow. Serves as the unit's operational "quarterback," coordinating complex schedules, personnel, and resources to ensure surgical efficiency. Leading patient safety, and staff support all at the same time.
Charge Nurse Role
Course objectives
Build fair, acuity- based assignments
Define the charge nurse role as a safety and flow leader
Support staff performance, conflict resolution, and teamwork
Use effective communication and esculation
Apply shift management best practices, and documentation
Foster critical thinking
Key Traits
What Great Charge Nurses Do
Click on each concept below.
Multitasking
Forecast
Well- balanced
+ info
+ info
+ info
Balance patient safety, staff support, and unit throughput.
Anticipate problems before they become emergencies.
Stay calm, organized, and visible on the unit.
Key Traits
What Great Charge Nurses Do
Click on each concept below.
Leadership
Articulate
+ info
+ info
Model professionalism, transparency, and accountability
Communicate clearly with staff, providers, and leadership
Core Responsibilities
Admissions, transfers, add-ons; bay/room coordination, and prioritization of resources .
Monitor high risk patients, ensure policy compliance, and esculate concerns early.
Patient Safety
Unit Flow
Acuity-based balancing, support new staff, manage breaks.
Staffing and Assignments
Huddles, handoffs, updates; provider communication; and interdisciplinary teamwork.
Coaching conflict management, culture setting, recognition and morale.
Communication
Leadership
Start- of- Shift Charge Checklist
- Review staffing, skill mix, and unit/census acuity
- Identify high risk patients (falls, airway, behavioral isolation)
- Review pending add-ons
- Check equipment readiness (crash carts, suction, oxygen, pumps)
- Confirm break coverage plan
- Set the tone: quick huddle and priorities
Acuity Based Assignments
Rebalance early when add-ons or delays occur.
Match experience to acuity. Support new nurses appropriately.
Fair is not equal. Balance workload based on aquity. Consider mobility, isolation, behavior risks, and procedure complexity.
"To be 'in charge' is certainly not only to carry out the proper measures yourself but to see that everyone else does so too." Florence Nightingale
Real World Assignment Tips
- Protect the newest nurse from the heaviest assignment.
- Don't overload your strongest nurse every shift (burnout risk).
- Plan for add-ons, leave "space" when possible
- Pair complex patients (cases) near experienced staff when possible.
- Document staffing concerns
Quick Question
Leadership
'Leadership in nursing is not about being in charge; its about taking care of those in your charge'
Missouri Organization of Nurse Leaders
Communication Tools (SBAR)
Huddles that Work
Closing
Additional volume
How long?
Resources
State today's risks
Escalation and Chain of Command
Chief Nursing Officer Nurse Director- Nurse Manager- Charge Nurse- Staff-
- Escalate early when patient safety is at risk
- Use chain of command when concerns are not addressed
- Request resources: float staff, rapid response, security, supervisor
- Document key events and who was notified
- Never normalize unsafe conditions
Coaching and Supporting Staff
- Be approachable and present
- Coach in the moment: “Let’s reset priorities”
- Recognize good catches and strong teamwork
- Provide psychological safety: questions are welcome
- Correct unsafe practice promptly and respectfully
"The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team."
-Phil Jackson
Managing Conflict
- Address issues early and privately
- Stay factual: describe behavior and impact
- Set expectations: respectful communication is non-negotiable
- De-escalate and redirect to patient safety
- Escalate repeated behavior concerns per policy
Break Coverage and Staff Well-Being
- Breaks are a safety issue (fatigue increases errors)
- Make a realistic plan early in the shift
- Use buddy systems when staffing is tight
- Rotate support fairly
- Check in, round on staff: “Who is drowning? Who has bandwidth?”
+ info
Missed breaks are linked to higher exhaustion, increased risk of errors, and reduced job satisfaction.
High Risk Situations to Watch
- Rapid clinical decline (cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, hemorrhage)
- Falls risk and post-op confusion
- Behavioral escalation or elopement risk
- Medication safety (high-alert meds, insulin, anticoagulants)
- Deteriorating staffing conditions
Leading During Emergencies
- Assign roles: recorder, runner, medication nurse, compressor
- Ensure code activation
- Clear the room and manage crowd control
- Communicate updates to family per policy
- Debrief after: what went well, what to improve
DOCUMENTATION AND REPORTING
- Document significant events, escalation, and staffing concerns
- Use incident/safety reports for: falls, med errors, near misses, equipment failure
- Report workplace violence and safety threats
- Protect staff by documenting facts, not opinions
END-OF-SHIFT SUCCESS
- Ensure clear handoff and unresolved issues are communicated
- Confirm critical labs/results are addressed
- Review pending transfers/discharges, or remaining patients
- Close the loop on safety events
- Thank the team — it matters
QUICK PHRASES THAT WORK
- “What’s your top priority right now?”
- “Let’s reset and make a plan.”
- “I’m concerned about safety — I’m escalating this.”
- “I can help for 5 minutes — what do you need most?”
- “Let’s step aside and talk privately.”
Summary
- Charge nurses lead safety, flow, and culture
- Fair assignments are acuity-based and dynamic
- Communication and escalation prevent harm
- Support + accountability builds a strong team
- Visibility and calm leadership improve outcomes
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Thank you for takingthe course!
Do you have questions?
We are here to help you. If something was not clear or you want to delve into a topic, do not hesitate to reach out to me or your manager. Your curiosity is also part of the learning process.
RECOMMENDATIONS
What you need and by when.
BACKGROUND
Relevant history and context.
4. Know your resources
Identify who to call for what
3. Extra
Identify expected add-ons
Use SBAR for...
Rapid changes, provider calls, transfers, staffing esculations
5. End with...
What do you need from me right now?
1. Time constraints
Keep it short (2–5 minutes)
2. Risks
High acuity, high volume, behavior isolation.
ASSESSMENT
What you believe is happening.
SITUATION
What is happening now?
Charge Nurse Leadership Education
Nieasha Trotman
Created on February 10, 2026
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Transcript
Charge Nurse Leadership Education
Wills Eye Hospital Nursing February 2026
Charge Nurse Role
What is this course about?
The Charge Nurse Role!Serves as the frontline clinical leader responsible for coordinating patient readiness and departmental flow. Serves as the unit's operational "quarterback," coordinating complex schedules, personnel, and resources to ensure surgical efficiency. Leading patient safety, and staff support all at the same time.
Charge Nurse Role
Course objectives
Build fair, acuity- based assignments
Define the charge nurse role as a safety and flow leader
Support staff performance, conflict resolution, and teamwork
Use effective communication and esculation
Apply shift management best practices, and documentation
Foster critical thinking
Key Traits
What Great Charge Nurses Do
Click on each concept below.
Multitasking
Forecast
Well- balanced
+ info
+ info
+ info
Balance patient safety, staff support, and unit throughput.
Anticipate problems before they become emergencies.
Stay calm, organized, and visible on the unit.
Key Traits
What Great Charge Nurses Do
Click on each concept below.
Leadership
Articulate
+ info
+ info
Model professionalism, transparency, and accountability
Communicate clearly with staff, providers, and leadership
Core Responsibilities
Admissions, transfers, add-ons; bay/room coordination, and prioritization of resources .
Monitor high risk patients, ensure policy compliance, and esculate concerns early.
Patient Safety
Unit Flow
Acuity-based balancing, support new staff, manage breaks.
Staffing and Assignments
Huddles, handoffs, updates; provider communication; and interdisciplinary teamwork.
Coaching conflict management, culture setting, recognition and morale.
Communication
Leadership
Start- of- Shift Charge Checklist
Acuity Based Assignments
Rebalance early when add-ons or delays occur.
Match experience to acuity. Support new nurses appropriately.
Fair is not equal. Balance workload based on aquity. Consider mobility, isolation, behavior risks, and procedure complexity.
"To be 'in charge' is certainly not only to carry out the proper measures yourself but to see that everyone else does so too." Florence Nightingale
Real World Assignment Tips
Quick Question
Leadership
'Leadership in nursing is not about being in charge; its about taking care of those in your charge'
Missouri Organization of Nurse Leaders
Communication Tools (SBAR)
Huddles that Work
Closing
Additional volume
How long?
Resources
State today's risks
Escalation and Chain of Command
Chief Nursing Officer Nurse Director- Nurse Manager- Charge Nurse- Staff-
Coaching and Supporting Staff
"The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team."
-Phil Jackson
Managing Conflict
Break Coverage and Staff Well-Being
+ info
Missed breaks are linked to higher exhaustion, increased risk of errors, and reduced job satisfaction.
High Risk Situations to Watch
Leading During Emergencies
DOCUMENTATION AND REPORTING
END-OF-SHIFT SUCCESS
QUICK PHRASES THAT WORK
Summary
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Thank you for takingthe course!
Do you have questions?
We are here to help you. If something was not clear or you want to delve into a topic, do not hesitate to reach out to me or your manager. Your curiosity is also part of the learning process.
RECOMMENDATIONS
What you need and by when.
BACKGROUND
Relevant history and context.
4. Know your resources
Identify who to call for what
3. Extra
Identify expected add-ons
Use SBAR for...
Rapid changes, provider calls, transfers, staffing esculations
5. End with...
What do you need from me right now?
1. Time constraints
Keep it short (2–5 minutes)
2. Risks
High acuity, high volume, behavior isolation.
ASSESSMENT
What you believe is happening.
SITUATION
What is happening now?