CHARGE NURSE

Job Description

Admissions Charge Nurse Job Overview:

This position is delegated the responsibility and accountability to coordinate the patient care delivered on a shift, through assigned nursing personnel, on a specific unit(s). The Charge Nurse functions in a non-management capacity and often has a patient assignment.

Job Requirements

Bachelor's Degree or Diploma in Nursing

New hires required to obtain BSN within 5 years of hire

Certification within specialty area within two years of assuming position

BLS/CPR (Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers)

Registered Nurse

Knowledge, judgement, and skills derived from the principals of biological, physical, behavioral, social, and nursing sciences to meet complex healthcare needs at various stages of the life cycle

2-3 years Clinical Nursing

Job Responsibilities

Assists in coordinating the delivery of patient care in collaboration with others. Communicates with the unit staff, and acts as a resource concerning standards of care, policies, and procedures. Identifies actual/potential problems. Cooperates with instructors and students from various programs and creates assignments and work schedules to match patient needs and staff abilities. Actively supports the work of unit and organizational committees. Participates on teams to evaluate clinical practice or health services and implements ongoing quality changes in nursing practice. Promotes the review of current literature/research and facilitates implementation of best practices.

Performs nursing technical and specialty/unit-specific skills in compliance with unit/TriHealth policies. Interprets and executes physician orders. Directs unit activities promoting safe and competent care. Delegates care to other team members within the scope of nursing practice. Shares clinical information with appropriate health care team members including physicians. Maintains and improves current knowledge in area of practice through activities such as continuing education, formal education, professional organization membership, and/or certification. Acts as a role model for efficient, effective, comprehensive patient care.

Assists in overall department operations. Provides for the orientation of float, temporarily reassigned, or agency nurses to the routine of the unit and the designated shift. Demonstrates critical thinking in the decision-making process. Accepts accountability for actions taken. Utilizes the chain of command appropriately. Facilitates patient movement through the system toward desired outcomes. Remains prepared to deal with rapidly changing workload, i.e., able to transfer and admit patients quickly. Maintains open communications in a timely and appropriate manner to all customers. Builds collegial relationships with physicians and other members of the health care team.

Promotes the professional growth and development of employees: Encourages formal and informal continuing education. Promotes clinical ladder as a form of peer review and clinical advancement. Develops, guides, and coaches nursing staff on a daily basis to function within their job description. Identifies and plans to meet learning needs of self and staff together with nurse manager and/or nurse educators. Mentors staff in problem resolution. Provides feedback to evaluate the performance of personnel. Functions as a clinical resource and professional role model for staff. Provides input for progressive discipline on a fair and consistent basis.

Role Specific Expectations for consistent oversight during high volume hours:

• Provides real-time clinical support and guidance to Home Care/Long-Term Care Admissions Nurses, Hospital Liaisons, Screening RNs, and Navigation Coordinators.
• Assists with removing barriers preventing timely admissions
• Timely escalation to management
• Same-day admission recovery opportunities
• Documentation review and audit support
• Clinical decision-making support
• Serves as clinical resource for hospice eligibility, symptom management, workflow
• Communication between field staff and operational leadership
• Complete admissions when escalation is necessary
  
  

As referral complexity and same-day admission expectations increase, frontline team members require additional real-time clinical and operational support to successfully coordinate care, address barriers, ensure documentation compliance, and maintain high-quality patient outcomes.

Other Related Information

• Improved Same-Day Admission Performance
• The Charge Nurse would provide real-time support in identifying barriers to timely admissions and assist with workflow coordination to improve same-day admission metrics across all referral sources.
• 2. Increased Admission Audit Compliance
• Dedicated oversight would strengthen documentation accuracy, improve admission compliance, and support the department's goal of maintaining 95% or greater audit performance.
• 3. Strengthened Clinical Support for Staff
• This role would provide immediate guidance to frontline staff regarding:
• Hospice eligibility questions
• Documentation concerns
• Escalation support
• Workflow barriers
• Patient and family concerns
• Clinical coordination needs
• 4. Enhanced Operational Oversight
• The Charge Nurse would improve communication, patient throughput, referral prioritization, and escalation management during high-volume operational periods.
• 5. Reduced Leadership Operational Burden
• The role would allow Admissions Leadership to focus on broader departmental initiatives, strategic planning, employee engagement, quality improvement, and organizational growth while ensuring frontline operational support remains strong.
• 6. Improved Team Engagement and Retention
• Providing additional support to frontline staff during challenging operational hours may reduce burnout, improve communication, increase staff confidence, and strengthen overall team engagement.
  
  

The TriHealth Nursing Vision, Mission, and Philosophy speaks to professional development, collaboration, and our nursing culture. To achieve excellence in nursing care, TriHealth encourages: pursuit of improved knowledge through continuing education classes, formal education leading to advanced degrees, and the attainment of specialty certification; nurse membership in local, regional, and national nursing organizations related to the appropriate nurse specialty; involvement in activities that better the health of our community; nursing research activities and use of evidence-based practice, and all nurses to foster, support, and personally model collaborative relationships amongst nurses, physicians, and other caregivers for the betterment of patient care.

Working Hours

Monday-Friday, 1p.m.-9:30p.m.

Working Conditions

Bending - Frequently

Climbing - Rarely

Concentrating - Consistently

Continuous Learning - Consistently

Hearing: Conversation - Consistently

Hearing: Other Sounds - Consistently

Interpersonal Communication - Consistently

Kneeling - Occasionally

Lifting <10lbs - Consistently

Lifting 50 lbs - Consistently

Lifting <50lbs - Consistently

Pulling - Consistently

Pushing - Consistently

Reaching - Consistently

Reading - Consistently

Sitting - Occasionally

Standing - Consistently

Stooping - Occasionally

Talking - Consistently

Thinking/Reasoning - Consistently

Use of Hands - Consistently

Color Vision - Consistently

Visual Acuity: Far - Consistently

Visual Acuity: Near - Consistently

Walking - Consistently

TriHealth SERVE Standards and ALWAYS Behaviors

At TriHealth, We Believe There Is No Responsibility More Important Than To SERVE Our Patients, Our Communities, And Our Fellow Team Members. To Achieve Our Vision And Mission, ALL TriHealth Team Members Are Expected To Demonstrate And Live The Following

Serve: ALWAYS…

• Welcome everyone by making eye contact, greeting with a smile, and saying "hello"
• Acknowledge when patients/guests are lost and escort them to their destination or find someone who can assist
• Refrain from using cell phones for personal reasons in public spaces or patient care areas
  
  

Excel: ALWAYS…

• Recognize and take personal responsibility to address and recover from service breakdowns when a customer's expectations have not been met
• Offer patients and guests priority when waiting (lines, elevators)
• Work on improving quality, safety, and service
  
  

Respect: ALWAYS…

• Respect cultural and spiritual differences and honor individual preferences.
• Respect everyone’s opinion and contribution, regardless of title/role.
• Speak positively about my team members and other departments in front of patients and guests.
  
  

Value: ALWAYS…

• Value the time of others by striving to be on time, prepared and actively participating.
• Pick up trash, ensuring the physical environment is clean and safe.
• Be a good steward of our resources, using supplies and equipment efficiently and effectively, and will look for ways to avoid waste.
  
  

Engage: ALWAYS…

• Acknowledge wins and frequently thank team members and others for contributions.
• Show courtesy and compassion with customers, team members and the community